HE CLOSED HIS EYES

In the dark of night when the noise and trouble were alive,

He heard cries from the violence, he closed his eyes.

Flashing lights, gunshots lived in the only surroundings he knew,

What did he do, he closed his eyes to a tomorrow that would be new.

His name is Michael, from a bad place not pretty, a life had not a chance,

How did he make it out of there, He closed his eyes to the ugly side of life.

He closed his eyes to what made his mother cry, he would survive,

From a life filled with nothing to a professional football player in time.

Keith Garrett

HE CAME FROM NOWHERE

Not a clue of who he really was, his name not sure,

It is said he came from nowhere, a tall man of strength.

He spoke always in a manner of calm and peace,

You could not enrage him, a confident look upon his face.

Soft spoken words but a lethal weapon, you can be sure,

There is no record of him, a mystery from where he came,

He was very fast, he was there and then he was not.

He came from nowhere, a powerful man who did want peace,

In the end he stood tall, a trail of death he left, not evil was he.

Keith Garrett

HAUNTING CRIMES

There may be echoes if you listen really close,

I think they just might wander where they died.

From way back in time, Nazi Germany and haunting crimes,

Not part of any war, these cowardly monsters from a European time.

Crimes against humanity, crimes against heaven and god,

Innocent souls, tortured and discarded as if they were nothing.

Do they rest in peace or do many linger, wander lost in a lost place,

Haunting crimes, the living remember for the dead, horrible times.

I pray they rest in peace, a new life in heaven, saved from the horrible beast,

I fear that some still roam in that place, set them free, let them be.

Keith Garrett

JERRY LEWIS

I remember when I was a kid staying up late at night to watch

A Jerry Lewis movie, checking the T.V. guide to see if any movies

Would be coming on. I looked forward to a Friday or Saturday night

When one of my favorites would be showing. He made me laugh with

All the crazy things he would do. To me he was the greatest at physical

Comedy, the crazy faces he made while getting into so much trouble

Were so hilarious. A few of my favorites were At war with the Army,

The Stooge, Scared Stiff, and Jumping Jacks. I loved all of his movies

But when he and Dean Martin were together It was the best ever.

I watched the Jerry Lewis Telethon for years, trying to stay up all night

As the money kept rolling in. What he did for children was the greatest thing.

He should have received the Nobel Peace prize although he was nominated.

It Is a sad day now that he has gone away but his movies will live on everywhere.

Rest In peace Jerry Lewis, a great performer, you made me laugh, In heaven

You will be forever laughing.

Keith Garrett

HALF WAY TO HEAVEN

I’ve watched the days and I’ve seen the nights,

I’ve watched myself as a child so long ago,

I’ve followed myself from a boy, seen myself grow,

Look back do I now on a life in another time.

I stay the same still, mind, spirit, and soul,

Much different do I look, not the same as before.

I’ve learned and discovered new things on my travel,

Scars and sorrow, yesterday and tomorrow.

Happiness and laughter, I once was a child,

Half way to heaven, how would I know.?

With years I have aged, in time what’s left for me,

Do the angels have their eyes on me,

Half way to heaven, how far until eternity.?

Keith Garrett

GUN IN HAND

This world has changed but some things never do,

Just as the pioneers did and all life and lands before,

We live today in a much scarier world, gun in hand.

Weapons from the beginning of man, it is how we live,

Protect ourselves from the fear, what we cannot see.

Paranoia and the unknown live with us in our homes,

If not a gun in hand then always a thought, living as though.

In different ways we do, we all manage in such a way,

Our own gun in hand in this land in which we stand.

Keith Garrett

GUARANTEES

In my life hoping to awake each day,

With no guarantees of even this, or that the end of it I’ll see.

To fall in love with a woman of my dreams,

Isn’t promised to me that it will reach the end of the road.

It isn’t written in stone that anything will work out,

Take a chance do we and see it through.

No one told you that you would get your own way,

Just try what you can and see how it plays.

This world gives us no guarantees of anything,

If we don’t give it a try, accomplish or overcome we will not.

Keith Garrett