MAGICIAN ON A VIOLIN

   Steadily, he stands with his violin in hand,

Confidence is a look that’s on his face,  ready.

Beginning slowly while he stares out at his audience,

A touch of anger in his eyes as he starts moving around.

He strums the instrument faster while he dances around the room,

Now one with the violin, a magician of this musical art.

He feels like nothing without the instrument which he holds,

Magician on a violin,  a wizard of beautiful sound.

Keith Garrett

                                         WHERE’S MARY?

I saw her standing there today,  was it yesterday?

She was walking down a road on a sunny day.

First, she was talking with her friend, I can’t remember when,

Do you know Mary?  I think she went far away.

They say she was sad and didn’t have much to say,

i don’t recall if she was standing there on a particular day.

Where’s Mary? Doesn’t she live down the street?

She was once a young girl, but I’m not sure I remember her anyway.

Keith Garrett

                                   MONSTERS DO EXIST

Not only in the land of make-believe but in life,

Scary are the movies, they exist to this day.

Frankenstein, tall and freaky,  somewhere in the dark,

Dracula hides way up high in a castle of fright.

Where is the werewolf, howling in the dark night fog,

Does the mummy sleep in his tomb or is he walking the night?

The invisible man is never seen but always  a nightmarish dream,

Monsters do exist; they appear in many forms. Watch for them.

Keith Garrett

                                       A LONELY BUFFALO

There was a time when they roamed this land,

Thousands of buffalo were conquered by the world of man.

 Slowly, these beautiful beasts faded with the passing of each season,

Used and abused,  sadly, they have almost disappeared, 

A lonely Buffalo stands quietly by himself in his yard,

Wanting only peace while he looks out at the sky.

A friend, if only to have a friend to love and trust,

A tear in his eye as he dreams of what may be,

A lonely buffalo stands on his own but never alone.

Keith Garrett

LET ME TAKE YOU ON A TOUR

We’ll have to drive all night, don’t let me fade away,

We are two hearts, we are alive and living.

All I’m thinkin’ about is better days now,

I was born in the U.S.A., this American land.

Have you ever seen the Erie Canal? I made some easy money there.

So keep your eyes on the prize, put this in your book of dreams.

I’ll show you what love can do, tonight we’ll be dancing in the dark,

I’m sometimes tougher than the rest. I wear a brilliant disguise.

I’ll show you the river, we’ll drive down to Thunder Road,

We’ll see Atlantic City, cross my heart, you’ve got it.

“Look! There’s a wreck on the highway. ” I hope they’re not trapped.”

See the men working on the highway? See the wrecking ball swing?

” We’re worlds apart, you and I, both of us working on a dream.”

There’s a warmth that does cover me, we’ll see much all the way home.

I’m waitin’ on a sunny day,

Time for the darkness to go away.

                 Keith Garrett

                                I remember

I remember being a child, such a long time ago,

Trying to grab moths on vines, Summertime. 

I had a father so long ago,  where did he go,

children were we, Kindergarten, and ice cream.

I remember at thirteen,  walking to school, dreaming,

Forever young as we ran in the sun,  the day was done.

Time goes by as the hourglass ages before our eyes,

Teen years were some of the best as friends slipped away.

I remember favorite times and places, I remember you,

Where did you go, my friends? I’m older, but I remember.

Keith Garrett

              WHEN APRIL WENT AWAY

           Dear
 father, I'm sorry for waiting so long to write 
 To you this letter,
 At that time I was only seven as you know so 
 I tried hard not to remember.
 I was once your son, you were the hero that a 
 Boy would not see again in this lifetime,
 It all seemed in some way easier as a child 
 Because I could go away, disappear.
 Forget about you I did not wish to do and the  
 Pain grew as I dreamed this not true,
 Did you think of me, while you were going away 
 On your journey that night so long ago,
 Are you in heaven watching, listening, or do
 You ever read my writing of the world,

I think of you often, and most differently, as now I grow older,

You were no longer there when April went away, but I celebrate your birthday as there is only one April day.

 On the eleventh of that day, you remain the same but if you would have stayed, Ninety would be you.

        When April went away I now know that god had his plan, at that time a boy could not understand,

     I lost you dad and that changed me forever, I survived and made it through but without you, here I am.

Was it a sacrifice you made that day, for my life took some different roads? God had a plan when April went away.

                            Keith Garrett

                    I’M NOT OLD

Once I was young, I never had much time to worry,

I ran and played, didn’t think about being tired at the end of each day.

I had a childhood of scrapes and cuts, but nothing so permanent,

I never took much aspirin or anything to relieve my pain.

My body was fresh and new,  not decaying as time would prove,

My hair was full and blonde; today it’s mostly gone,  no more growing.

A young man was I with thoughts and dreams,   older at night, I think,

Through years of trauma, surgery, and pain,  I remain who I am.

I’m not old, I’m just a different age; my mind remains the same,

Years go by, and we all change in many ways. I want to say that I’m not old.

Keith Garrett

                    WHEN THERE IS NO LIGHT 

Darkness is everywhere, like closing your eyes,

Wind is heard through the trees, never seen.

The moon shines in the night sky, out of sight,

You can hear the flowing river, but there’s nothing to see.

Wandering in the dark, what could be there, animal or man,

Friendly or not, darkness before your blinded eyes.

When there is no light, darkness takes over your life.

Keith Garrett

                    CAN ANIMALS DO THIS?

What can animals do? How about this?

Can a cow take a bow? Oh wow!

Can a monkey spell the word funky?

What about a horse saying of course, of course.

Does a cat carry a magic bag and wear a top hat?

How about a snake that can sing and bake a cake?

Does a giraffe laugh when he sees a talking calf?

Have you ever seen a tiger cry or wave goodbye?

Only in a dream or a fairytale wish it would seem.

Keith Garrett