THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD


 Through a twister, she journeys' across the sky,


 From her home In Kansas, she and her dog said goodbye.


 To fantasy from reality In a place she fell,


 Of tiny people, In this land where they dwelled.


 If home Is where she wanted then a walk she would 
 Take,

 Down a long road of yellow brick, to a city, she 
 Would make.

 Along the way three friends' she would meet,


 Searching for something, each one was unique.


 Till the end, they would fight a wicked soul,


 Conquer and receive what It was they were told.


 Click your heels' together, one, two, three,


 There's no place like home, back there she would be.


                       Keith Garrett 

                       WHY DID YOU NOT RUN


 Like thunder, explosions from different sites,


 Their weapons loaded, death was in their eyes.


 You saw them marching in the distance my friend,


 Closing in on you were those who did not know you.


 Did they leave you there alone, turn their backs and go,


 Were the men with you smarter,  were they pleading 
 With you?

 It should not have been this way, you were not left 
 To die,

 No sense can ever be made of this tragedy as I wonder 
 Why?

 My friend, why did you not run as were coming an 
 Army of guns,

 As I was told you must retreat, why did you remain and 
 Wait?

 I received the news from one at my door that you were 
 No more,

 The words I heard were that you were brave and a hero,


 This I would like to believe as you died needlessly.


                              Keith Garrett

                 WINCHESTER ROUND TABLE,

                 KNIGHTS OF TWENTY FIVE

 Times of old, in a land where stories are told, men 
 Of an oath,
 A place, old England where Kings and Queens ruled the 
 Land.
 There was, there existed those of a round table who 
 Would give their lives,
 They were knights of twenty five, the Winchester round 
 Table of long ago.
 Men of honor were these warriors of the day, heroes they 
 Might have been,
 Rescuing damsels in distress, fighting off those who 
 Would be evil men.
 They to never do outrage nor murder, always to flee treason,

 Men such as a King known as Arthur, Sir Galahad, or Sir
 Lancelot.
 To by no means be cruel but to give mercy unto him who 
 Asks for mercy,
 To always do ladies, gentlewomen, and widows succor, to 
 God be gallant.
 Knights with names of Sir Gawain, Sir Percivale, and Sir
 Lionell,
 To never force ladies, gentlewomen, or widows, not to  
 Take Up battles
 In wrongful quarrels for love or worldly goods.

 Men of the past, Sir Tristram De Lyones, Sir Gareth, and 
 Sir Bedivere,
 To never lay down arms, to seek after wonders, to help 
 The powerless.
 Sir Bleoberis, Sir La Cote Maletaile, and Sir Lucan were 
 Of the faithful,
 When called upon to defend the rights of the weak with 
 All one'.s strength.
 Sir Palomedes, Sir Lamorak, also Sir Bors De Ganis were 
 Noble,
 To injure no one, not to attack one another, to be a 
 Gentleman.
 There were others whom rode together many moons ago, 
 Knights of England,
 Sir Safer, Sir Pelleas, and Sir Kay, they would serve a 
 King back in the day.
 To fight for the safety of one's country, to give one's
 Life for one's country,
 Sir Ector De Maris, Sir Dagonet, and Sir Degore were of  
 The dedicated.
 To seek nothing before honour, never to break faith for 
 Any reason,
 They are of the round table, they are a court of men of 
 Principles.
 Men such as Sir Brunor Le, Noir, Sir Le, Bel Desconneu,
 And Sir Alymere,
 To practice religion most diligently, to grant 
 Hospitality To anyone.
 Each according to his ability, they were men like no  
 Other, Knights,
 Sir Mordred was also one of these men who once rode 
 The land.
 Whether in honour or disgrace, to make a report with 
 The greatest
 Fidelity to truth to those who keep the annals, Knights 
 Of twenty five.
 These were the men who'd lived many centuries ago in times 
 So different,
 They fought to protect the weak and to rid the land of 
 Evil forces.
 They were men of King Arthurs court, Knights of twenty 
 Five,
 They were the Knights of the Winchester round table.

                Keith Garrett

                RUST FROM TIME


 Sometimes to recall childhood days are lost with what 
 Life takes away,

 A bicycle of color sits for years until its age is seen 
 Through cobwebs so clear.

 A shed or a box of stored away and at times forgotten 
 Treasures are again a thought,

 Going back to a place where once we stood on sidewalks
 Of ghosts, Friends we knew.

 Trees grow taller, houses rest where inside we once knew 
 Those with faces and names,

 Hills where we wandered have disappeared  with this 
 Changing world.

 Nothing seems to stay the same, faces fade, children we 
 Knew all gone away,

 There are those times when I can just stand there and 
 Somewhere in the wind.

 When the night is quiet, there's a fragrance in the air, 
 That feeling of that yesterday,

 Like a cloud or veil as the seasons change and we all go 
 Our separate ways.

 Thoughts change, some memories drift with passing winds.


 Rust from time, if so blessed then may we all play the 
 Memories in our minds,

 For just a little while longer.


                  Keith Garrett

                                                                                           
              GIVE ME STRENGTH


 Days can be a struggle at times, feeling much 
 Alone,

 Physical pain and emotional scars are hard fought.


 Stress and the desire to overcome tire a body and mind,


 Worries of the time keep a soul from sleep in the night.


 Give me strength to make it through beyond this coming 
 Sunset,

 Guide me into my day of many challenges that tear at 
 my heart.

 Wisdom would be a true gift as I try to better my life 
 And self,

 Thank you for listening as there is much hope as I 
 Stand strong.
                                 Keith Garrett

                                                                                    
                 DESPERADO


 More than one hundred years ago he lived,


 In a small village somewhere in Mexico, a boy.


 Poor was his family as each day was a struggle,


 There were those close by, the bad ones who stole 
 Everything.

 A day came when his village was destroyed, family
 Killed,

 Survived did he to one day grow to be a man.


 Revenge would be his only friend, not a bad man 
 Was he,

 With pistols at his side he would seek justice.


 They called him desperado, a no good criminal,


 He stole from them who once took everything meaningful.


 His gun did the talking, anger ate at his soul,


 He lived by campfire, ate what he shot or stole,


 Justice was one day his, his reward was always on 
 The run.
                             Keith Garrett

                                                                                                     
               DANCE HALL GIRLS


 From a hard day's work they come to town,


 Out on the range, from their farms, from the saddle.


 For a drink, a card game, or something to eat,


 They come to let off steam, music, and dance hall girls, 
 On this night in the heat.

 In dresses with smiles, it is their job to entertain,


 A drink with a cowboy, a fantasy for he.


 They drink and they gamble, dance with the girls,


 Hoping to spend a night not alone.


 Dance hall girls in an old western town,


 Men come from all over for the scent of perfume 
 And a smile.

                                Keith Garrett

                                                                                          
                    CHILD WITHIN


 Run and run until the day was done, fun in the sun,


 Not a care, chasing butterflies within the wind.


 A book that's numbered beginning with one until 
 It's done,

 I played in the sun, playing and laughing with children 
 No more.

 A child with adult that would one day find a way out, 


 Child within, the older we get always seeking a part 
 We once were.

 Our faces do change, lines appear in the light, older 
 By night,

 Hair turns color as the seasons turn into years, eyes 
 Show more.

 One less fear, a new one is here, another tear, dried 
 With the years,

 I see where I've been, we all walk our ongoing road, we 
 Have a child within.
                                   Keith Garrett

                   WIND IN THE FOREST


 Wandering, walking, leaving behind this world 
 For a while,

 Letting my footsteps' take me beyond what I know, 
 Letting go.

 Deep, deep Into a land of which perhaps there's 
 No return,

 Chances taken by a man with many fears, today I live.


 Trees so high that darkness fills the sky, can't 
 See the light,

 Where the moon rests, not visible to these searching 
 Eyes.

 Sounds' of the forest are the only company to me,


 Speaking words to the trees, does anything listen?


 I can feel and hear the wind In the forest,


 It speaks In sound, It Is with me, It finds me.


                  Keith Garrett 

                  SEEKING TOMORROW


 There's no way to see It, search and search,


 I watch for tomorrow as today live, only live.


 If this next should be a blessing given to me,


 Will I see all the beauty that's put before these 
 Eyes.

 Blinded by the past, painful memories still a vision,


 Walk forward I do Into perhaps tomorrow, seeking.


 Dream upon dream and hope everlasting,


 Energy and strength will guide me from this day.


 Seeking tomorrow Is a heart felt thought to be,


 Seeking tomorrow, when It comes, watching I'll be.


                  Keith Garrett