When tending your garden (a metaphor for life)

When tending to your garden
Don't forget to build a fence
To keep things out but also
to let things in.

Leave the gate open
for the wind to blow
Pull the weeds that bind
the Roses that grow.

When tending to your garden
See your fruits grow safe
In the sun of the morning
through the wind and rain.

Draw the rocks up close
to your concentrated rows
And keep a close eye
on letting Life grow.

When tending to your garden
Remember the taste of the fruit
And the love you put into it
There you'll see the Truth.

The Farmer ...etc...

The world was sick
So the Farmer thought
As he bought some seeds
With little money he brought.
They charged him more
than the bag was worth
He narrowed his eyes
Rubbed his hands on his shirt
He knew down inside
that his labor was true
and some great divinity
was bound to show through-
Through the seeds in the soil
If he prayed for the rain
That God's natural furrow
Would bring justice to pain.


____________________________
The world is sick
He thought on some more
When he took his spare change
And left the grain store
And passed some children
walking on the street
with holes in their lips
And phones to their cheeks.
_____________________________

The world is so sick
Was all he was thinking
When he took all his change
and instead took to drinking.
He remembered his children
he remembered their strife.
Searching, always searching
For some better life.


...meh...

Honey Honey- Little Toy Gun

A soft Nevada breeze

There's nothing like the smell of spring
In a soft Nevada breeze.
Young shoots of sage
With perfumed wings;
A cool necessity.

Ah, breathe in deep!
the sweet relief
from the desert's eternal toil.
A moment of green
is so serene;
water seeping in soil.

See, all we need
is a little rain
and a cloud swept
'cross the valley floor.
There's nothing like the smell of spring
Leaves me loving Nevada
more and more and more.

Angel and Devil meet on the street

An Angel and a devil
Meet on the street
The Angel is comely
The devil, discreet.
By the shade of a lamplight
devil hides his eyes
A sinister smile yields
A cunning disguise.
Angel steps forth
With kindness and strength
Ready to defend
And tend to his sheep.

'Why, Angel, do you step
Into the light
Where you know you can't see
Where you know it is bright.
Isn't it hard to open your wings
When darkness surrounds you
And there is no one who sees?'

'Devil be damned
I come not for you.
I am looking for goodness
Through and through.
God has forsaken;
But I still believe.
There is goodness among you
And for the badness I grieve.

If there is any in darkness
Who choose not to be
I'd have them come forward
And choose to be free.'

'Angel it seems you are quite insane
We are all of virtue
To Our lord's happy ways.
We do much to our liking
Because you do not care
Your God has forsaken
Under our bosom
The sheep share.
They have all that they wish
Why do you think them unhappy?'

'What you speak is all twisted
From your malicious ways.
A wolf in sheep's clothing
Does not make you brave.'

And out of the darkness
Angel heard a cry
Of a little girl in pain
Coming toward the light.

'Oh Child, come to me
Rid this darkness from your eyes
Together we will fly away
God has blessed your very life'

The girl ran up and hugged the angel
And up and up they flew.
They left that city of sin and pain
And what else only God and the Devil knew

A gnarled old willow

A gnarled old willow
Asleep in the field
Casting shade like a pillow
To the critters who yield.

Her roots run deep
To anchor her in
A shovel won't move her
Neither will wind.

Not even fire
Will smolder her down
she's stronger than the flames
That cower around.

Oh what a burden
Oh what a crone
Sitting there lazy
In the field where I roam.

But I need to plant seeds
I plead and I plead
So I try to remove
And it is only myself that grieves.

She's got a whole family
Asleep in that field
Waiting for rain
To wake and to feel.

But for now she is lazy
And stronger than time
I'm unsure how to remove her
So I thought of this rhyme.

But they only see the paint

I know there to be
A woman under the veil
But will she ever show her
Face? Only time may tell.
I could never quite see her
Though she was quite public
And maybe a little pale
An artist hand paints an artist
Face? No one saw her fail.
But I did once.
A long time ago
She showed up
At my door.
I know there to be
A woman under the veil
She showed me her
Face. It smiled and was well.
But that is such a memory
Of a time when we were young
When cherry blossoms fell
And to me, she would never fail.
But time added layers
Maybe she forget to clean
The acrylic from her skin
They cake and seem unclean.
 I know there to be
A woman under the veil
Because all those people do not love her
They only see the paint
Something they want but can not have
They do not know how to wait.
I know there to be
A woman behind the veil
A person with light and spirit in her eyes
And not the painted visage that
always seems to cry.