" MAN OF THE WOODS"


  Born quite a distance from civilized land, this man was,


  In this place, these surroundings of still and quiet, lives he.


  Immense sort of a man, bearded, with scraggly hair,


  Hunts for that which he eats, gun or knife In hand, has he.


  In weather hostile or friendly, he makes his way, survives,


  Cabin built of wood, Is where this loner dwells In silence.


  Content to be In this place without another soul for company,


  Whittling wood, or the harmonica played, Is a passion of a 
  Man alone.

  Fish that have been caught In a stream nearby, fried up for 
  Dinner,

  Eaten next to a fire that takes the chill from the night, as 
  He thinks.

  On the porch settles this soul, who exists In solitude, enjoying 
  the night,

  Not so complete without the puff of smoke, from his tobacco 
  Filled pipe.

  As he speaks goodnight to all around, all that lives, he's off to 
  Slumber,

  Who he Is matters' not, man of the woods, farewell.


                                         Keith Garrett 

                                     MORRO BAY


  We went away, far away,
  To a town of sand, and water to play.


  At times' the winds' were cold and fast,
  The weather changed, this did not last.


  Life Is slow, and peaceful too,
  The people all friendly, something new.


  We played In the sand, with no worries of things,'
  A mother, a daughter, my two sons, and the joy that 
  They bring.

  As they sat In the water, the boats we watched rest,
  We all stood together, to watch the sunset.


  Walking the streets, of this place never been,
  Wanting to live here, to call It my friend.


  As It rose In the morning, the suns' rays of light,
  All day It would let us, enjoy such a sight.


  We get ourselves lost, In a place such as this,
  Oh! nothing could be sweeter, the rest of the world I 
  Would not miss.

  If you ever get a chance, to go to this place,
  A fresh air you will smell, different foods' you will taste.


  When It came time to leave, feelings' bittersweet,
  To this world of yours, again we will meet.


  I wanna go back, go back one day,
  To this place of peace known, Morro Bay.


                               Keith Garrett

                          MEMORIAL DAY


  When we think of Memorial day, what is it to us,


  Is it the looked forward to barbecues with friends.


  Maybe the beach and lying in the sun,


  Going to the park with our children, relaxing.


  Is it watching movies, drinking cold beer for the day,


  Going away camping, forgetting the troubles in our way.


  My father traveled the oceans, sailed the seven seas,


  A navy man in the Korean war, his journal tells me


  Of all the places, lands where he would be.


  I hold in my possession the poetry he wrote on a ship, in 
  A time of war,

  The things I have to remember him are not just in a wooden
  box.

  They are stored in my heart,


  When the sound of planes, jets, or what flies on Memorial day.


  Listen carefully, for the ones you love, miss, or lost, think of 
  Them today,

  For those who are lost, missing, who gave their lives for what 
  They believed.

  Pray for all of them, the thousands of  family members who 
  Rest together,

                                     IN HEAVEN.
                                                          Keith Garrett

                                                        1969


   I was a child in 1969, I had not a clue of the world,


  I knew of certain things, those of which I lived through.


  Riding my bike and a deadly Halloween night, that's right,


  I remember all that I did as a kid, a lifetime ago, and a family,


 Vietnam was a reality, and I was protected by my childish 
  World.

  Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid, Clint Eastwood was 
  The man,

  Raindrops keep falling on my head, Simon and Garfunkel were 
  Grand.

  Scooby- Doo and all of the colorful cartoons that I knew, I 
  Think of you,

  Baseball with the miracle mets, Bill Russell, and the champion 
  Celtics.

  Joe Namath with his Guarantee, the Jets beat the Colts, Charles 
  Manson, and history,

  The Innocence of the Brady Bunch, walk on the moon, 
  Led Zeppelin, and a tune,

  1969 was the year when love and innocence were mixed with 
  My day.

                                        Keith Garrett

                             " LEAVING IT ALL BEHIND"


  I stop where I'm standing, looking around,



   What Is this madness born to us all.



   Leaving my work, my home, and the things known 
  To me,


  Go away to a place up high, way back In the hills'.



  There are no people of judgement to listen too,



  The loud sounds' of tragedy lost In my travel.



  There Is no anger or the struggle to survive,



   Out here, only nature to hear me cry.



   Leaving It all behind,



  The life that was once mine.


                           Keith Garrett  

                     IF I COULD STAND ON THE MOON


  From up so high, beyond what Is sky, what I might
  See,

  Below, motionless oceans, a creation of what was 
  Dreamed.

  The universe from all around, before these amazed eyes,


  From where I stand, the earth could sit In my hand, 
  Visualize.

  If I could stand on the moon, then the stars I might touch,


  A comet speeding on by, a ride on It, perhaps In my mind.


  Darkness stays here with me, as I am In a far off land,


  What lives up here all dances In rhythm, like a quiet song.


  Run I could not, but float like a balloon would be this man,


  If I could stand on the moon, then I would be on top of the 
  World.


                                          Keith Garrett

               "TRYING TO FIGURE OUT YESTERDAY"


  To live In the moment, that's what we do as 
  We take hold of today,

  The past Is nomore real, a memory, pictures In 
  An album to recall.

  The things' we've lost and discovered In yesterday,
  Remain with us,

  Wanting Is a feeling, an emotion of this, our 
  Human nature.

  What do we have today that we did not have 
  Yesterday,

  A little more and a little less fore to figure out, don't 
  Know why.

  A waste of time trying to understand what's been 
  Taken from a hand,

  Nothing to be gained, only loss, precious time 
  Lost in thought.

  So to the future we walk, with arms' opened wide,
  What's in sight,

  To yesterday a goodbye, as we no longer try 
  Changing the story,

  Trying to figure out yesterday, when life leads us 
  The rest of the way.

                               Keith Garrett

                                       I'M HEADING DOWN THE ROAD!


  I get dressed In the morning and pack my bags,'

  Open the window to look outside, the rain Is nomore.

  Through the clouds' appear a ray of light, just a little,

  Wind blowing strong enough to close an open door.

  A cup of coffee to get me going, breakfast really fast,

  With my things' In my hands, I head for the car, moving 
  Along.
  Saying goodbye, leaving this place, I'm going away today,

  Nothing left In this town for a poor, lonely man, I'm 
  Walking away.
  I'm heading down the road to a place I don't know, Into 
  The sun,
  Along the way, to me many things' of sight, driving night 
  By night.
  What's been left behind, lives now only In a poor mans' 
  Mind,
   I'll be doing fine, I'll be doing fine, I'm heading down 
  The road,
   I'm heading down the line.

  I'm heading down the road, I'll be searching for you,
  Moving along,
  I'm heading down the road, I'm coming for you, I'm 
  Coming.
                                   Keith Garrett

                              IF NO SIGHT HAD I


   Suddenly, so suddenly, my eyes, they could no
  Longer see,

  Where did everything go, what am I to become, 
  I'm blind.

  Darkness, only darkness can be my world now, 
  To be afraid,

  Never again, a sunny day, the night visits' me 
  Repeatedly.

  If no sight had I, there would be many new 
  Thoughts and adventures,

  The wind I would hear as I did before, my 
  Imagination would create

  Pictured scenes of what It was doing.


  Music would still be heard, although my mind 
  Could see the story

  A song might tell with Its' words.


  A television show now only to be heard, no picture 
  Book to go with,

  A kiss could still be placed upon her lips', no sight 
  Or sound do I need.

  Feelings' here are what will be needed, and a little 
  Sense of touch,

  If no sight had I, life would be just fine.


                         Keith Garrett 

                       CAN ANIMALS DO THIS


  This is for the children, a story I tell,

   Listen quietly, can animals do this?

  Did you ever see a duck, drive a truck,

   Can a Baboon fly a rocket to the moon.

   Have you ever seen a Giraffe laugh,

  Did you ever watch a lion that was crying.

  Do you suppose a snake would eat a piece of cake,

  Does a mouse eat cheese and live in a house.

  Can a frog sing to a barking dog,

  Does a bird know a word, one that you've heard.

  Can a cat laugh with a bat,

  Did you ever see a moose kicking a goose.

  What if a chimp could fly a blimp,

  Do you think  that a bear can fly through the air.

   Maybe a horse can say, of coure, of course,

   Do you think that a cow can go meow.

   Have you ever seen a goat drive a boat,

  What about a sheep that swims so deep.

   Can animals do this, what do you think,

   Off to sleep, time to dream.

                                 Keith Garrett