THE GARDEN
In the heart of the city is a silent home
Two windows on courtyards
Far from the drone
Of traffic and talking
In the heart of the courtyard is a silent soul
A lifetime of blessings
Can’t make it whole
If living is lonely
I want to join the joyful din
Of buzzing and chirping
And cutting of grass
The infinite layers
Of life sounds
In the heart of the city is a silent home
Two windows on courtyards
Far from the drone
Of traffic and talking
In the heart of the courtyard is a silent soul
A lifetime of blessings
Can’t make it whole
If living is lonely
I want to join the joyful din
Of buzzing and chirping
And cutting of grass
The infinite layers
Of day sounds
And gray sounds
And sad sounds
And glad sounds
Of life
THIS TOO SHALL PASS
I feel the depth here
It’s nature’s best here
But I cannot rest here
It’s merely a test
When I feel uplifted
I welcome the gift
Then I take a life blow
And sink to a new low, but
This too shall pass
Flowers don’t last
Laughter and pain
Run with the rain
Balance…go…dream…nothing is forever
Balance…fall…walk tall
Balance…go…try…change is forever
Balance…fall…walk tall
Mountains and oceans have high peaks and waves
And some days we’re tempted to stay in our caves
Do not fear your sorrow, or anger or hate
Through all things, keep moving, the flow is our fate, so
This too shall pass
Flowers don’t last
Laughter and pain
Run with the rain
Balance…go…dream…change is forever
Balance…fall…walk tall
SCARED
I’m scared
What am I doing here?
I’m scared
It’s been a hell of a year
Well, I couldn’t wait to get here
But now I’m scared
Gotta build that fire
With my own bare hands
Well, it’s been a long time, been a long time
Since I left this land
Well, I think it’s gonna be ok
But today I’m scared
I feel so lonely, so urban, so girly, so old
I feel so lonely, so urban, so girly, so cold
I feel too lonely, too urban, too girly, too old
I feel too lonely, too urban
I’m scared
There are so many trees
When I go walking
I get weak in the knees
But I know I’m gonna love it here
Because I’m scared
It’s good to be scared
Let’s all get scared
Now I ain’t so scared
BROWN
Brown is the anti-clown
Turning color upside down
No red nose on bucks and does
Brown is fur and earth
Coffee and tea that warm and wake
Bitter liqueur and coke and cake
Squirrels, chestnuts, bugs and slugs
Stuff that’s burnt or stuck on rugs, brown…
Shingles, cow spots, branches, curry
A teddy bear saying “Don’t worry”
A patch of ground peeping out of the snow
A fertile home where green can grow, brown…
Brown is the anti-clown
Turning color upside down
No red nose on bucks (‘cept Rudolph)
Brown is fur and earth
(Moose and goose and platypus…)
Melting pots are also brown
Making sure the world goes ‘round
Perfect blend of day and night
Brown is rich in life, brown…
Brown is the anti-clown
Turning color upside down
No red nose on bucks and does
Brown is fur and earth
SPIRIT SNAKE
In search of my spirit
I turned to the kingdom of creatures
For days I dwelt with beasts and birds
‘Til a message came in silent words
From a tail with unsettling features
Prostrate and gray, in a neck-ring of white
No paws, fins or feathers, no grazing, no flight
Instant aversion, like shunning my sins
Quiet conversion, slow shedding of skins
You are my dark side
You set me free
Turning my soul tide
Unlocking me
Mother of knowledge
Sensual coil
Building a life bridge
Back to the soil
Some folks revere you, gracing green lands
Some won’t go near you, apples to man
Painful duality, clouding my way
Newfound reality, one future day
You are my dark side
You set me free
Turning my soul tide
Unlocking me
Mother of knowledge
Sensual coil
Building a life bridge
Back to the soil
In search of my spirit
RHYTHM OF THE FOREST
Where I’m coming from, it seems so cruel
Wilderness living is a tough old school
Live, die, fight, flee
Conscience makes us want to intervene
Rescue or destiny, we’re stuck in between
Eat, starve, hunt, freeze
Centuries come and go
How it ends, nobody knows
Darwin hit the mark
Some’ll start, some’ll stall
We don’t control it all
‘Cause the rhythm of the forest
Keeps going on
And they all get along somehow
You’ve got the birds and the trees
And the flowers and the fleas
Living in the here and now
I said, you’ve got the rhythm of the forest
Like the rhythm of the world
Keeps moving on somehow
You’ve got the mommies and the daddies
And the babies and the grannies
Gotta love ‘em here and now
We’re so sly, we can do it if we try
We’re sending men to Mars, but we don’t see the stars
Sun, moon, new tune
Like a child, wild or mild
Let her grow then let her go
Gotta leave it green, keep it clean, now, today
And stay out of the way
‘Cause the rhythm of the forest
Keeps going on
And they all get along somehow
You’ve got the birds and the trees
And the flowers and the fleas
Living in the here and now
I said, you’ve got the rhythm of the forest
Like the rhythm of the world
Keeps moving on somehow
You’ve got the mommies and the daddies
And the babies and the grannies
Gotta love ‘em here and now
TWO STARS
Two stars, far apart
Two stars, one heart
One is brighter, one is stronger
One is fleeting, one shines longer
Two…one
Separated by several light years
Still too near to hide from their own fears
Two…stars
Getting too close is perilous
Getting too close is marvelous
Chasing a star is delirious
Chasing a star is deleterious
Two stars, far apart
Two stars, one heart
One is brighter, one is stronger
One is fleeting, one shines longer
Two…one
By the time their light hits the planet
They may be gone
QUIET
Are you here?
In the quiet of the glen, I wander
Can you hear
The musings of my heart
Now that you’re gone?
Hard to hear the quiet when you’re talking
Hard to sit still when you’re walking
You were here for every tear and illness
Now I really miss your pretty stillness
And I won’t forget your quiet force
And your quiet step
And your quiet style
And I thank you for the quiet way
On a Miami day
We could sit and dream a while
Homework, housework, bowling
You kept our childhoods rolling
Here’s a tribute from yours truly
Let’s take the time to sip our coffee
And I won’t forget your quiet life
And your quiet charm
And your quiet smile
And I thank you for the quiet times
You made our young lives rhyme
Driving us across the miles
Hard to hear the quiet when you’re talking
Hard to sit still when you’re walking
You were here for every tear and illness
Now I really miss your pretty stillness
And I won’t forget your quiet force
And your quiet smile
And your quiet…love
Are you here?
In the quiet of the glen, I wander
Can you hear
The musings of my heart
Now that you’re gone?
SPARKY THE CAVEMAN
The caveman knew just what to do
A single spark meant life
Nurtured in his ruddy hands
It eased his daily strife
The caveman knew just what to do
He was never stressed
With fire, water, air and earth
He forged his primal nest
Sparky, Sparky, Sparky the Caveman
Sparky, Sparky, Sparky the Caveman
Today our sparks are snuffed and snubbed
They fly and fizzle fast
Too little time and tinder love
To light a flame that lasts
So protect your spark with snarls and grunts
Give it time to glow
Feed it ’til its orange tongue
Leaps up to melt the snow
Sparky, Sparky, Sparky the Caveman
Sparky, Sparky, Sparky the Caveman
SEARCH FOR THE SUN
Search for the sun
That unfettered fire
That smile in your shoulders and toes
Keep loving life
Don’t let yourself tire
Of laughter and lessons and prose
As noble as a tree may be
Its leaves obscure the rays
In numbers, it clutters
A forest of shutters
And shadows that dapple your days
Your path may be rocky, muddy or steep
You’ll feel the confusion of fear
Tune in to the flow
And soon you will know
The warmth of a vision made clear
Go search for the sun
That unfettered fire
That smile in your shoulders and toes
Keep loving life
Don’t let yourself tire
Of laughter and lessons and prose
Cabins are solid and safe and sound
But walls were built to contain
Get up from your chair
There’s so much out there
Each step is a victory gained
Go search for the sun
That unfettered fire
That smile in your shoulders and toes
Keep loving life
Don’t let yourself tire
Of laughter and lessons and prose