THE WARRIOR


 Dressed for battle, he stands ready to fight, 
 The warrior,

 Fear lives within him for this emotion brings 
 Wisdom.

 Strong, as he fights for that which he believes,


 A lonely way of life but a man makes a choice, a stand.


 A family, not in this souls plans, born to walk alone,


 This chosen way that may haunt is just a house of cards.


 It's not said that a bad man is he, quietly the sun 
 Rises for him,

 This path chosen, a quiet one if those to let it be 
 not a fight.

 Always ready for battle, though silently lives in 
 The shadow,

 This wanting to be left in peace man is a warrior 
 On his own.

                Keith Garrett

                  THE WRESTLER


 Broken down, a man aging in appearance and spirit,


 A lonely road is wandered by this wanting warrior.


 His pain is out there, it is of the heart, love lives 
 In the ring,

 The world does not need him, what he needs is no longer 
 There.
 Tears run down an old but regretting face, se him as 
 He searches,

 Loneliness is a prison of un wanting sorrow, his fight 
 Has an end.

 Scars of yesterdays blood  are a reminder to a once 
 Young soul,

 The only thing of value left for a man is one final 
 Goodbye dance.

 He is the wrestler, battles within him are now done, 
 Darkness lingers,

 He walks in the sand, He sees the sinking sun, his day 
 Is almost done.

 He struggles to the ropes as he rises one more time 
 Through the pain,

 A tear, a smile, through the air, fade to black, 
 He is the wrestler.
                         Keith Garrett       

                 THE BALLAD OF A MAN


 The sun keeps going down, no ones ever around,



 No one talks to me no more, I see my body on the 
 Floor,


 The days and nights run into tomorrow, a little 
 Laughter, And some sorrow.


 Tears and crying in a world of pain, my mother went  
 Away Before spring was awake,


 My dad's been gone since I was a little boy,
 Laughter And Joy in between my sorrow.


 Songs that ring inside my head remind me of things 
 From Yesterday and friends,


 I started out a little boy, grew to a man who wonders 
 Where he's going.


 Brothers and sisters all over the place, I see their  
 Faces, Do they have the same names,


I travel my own road of life, three children I love  
 And an ex-wife I have never even liked,


This is a Ballad of a man who loved and cared, he did in  
 His life, all that he can.
                             Keith Garrett

                  WHEN THE CLOCK STOPS


 It measures our time, an hourglass in our mind,



 All are not equal, not the same amount of sand.



 A timepiece which shows our days, hour by hour,



 With the sun, we plan our existence minute by minute.



 Everything is measured from the creation of time,



 When the clock stops, we drift into a consciousness 
 Of another kind.

                     Keith Garrett

                 THE GREATEST TIME


 Watching the kids throwing snowballs in the cold,



 Snow falling down, clapping their hands, joyful sounds.



 Sleds and saucers, laughter rings through the day,



 I am here as I am shown the greatest time a child may 
 Have.


 Making a snowman come to life, snow angels upon the 
 Ground,


 Watching their dreaming eyes wish upon a star, a 
 Lifetime Ahead.


 Like looking back in time when the magic was more alive, 
 It fades,


 The greatest time is watching children fly with no scars 
 To hide.
                Keith Garrett

                          "JUST AN ECHO"


 If you listen carefully your memories can be heard,


 Words' and phrases, spoken or listened to are recorded.


 Thoughts' In your head feel at times louder, just an 
 Echo,

 Sounds' and scenes from a lifetime played over, can you 
 Hear.

 Noises from children playing back when just a child, 
 Just a child,

 Friends' from long ago, just an echo In time, listen, they 
 Can be heard.

 In the span of a lifetime like the wind moving by,  
 Created In an instance,

 An echo In time we will be, just an echo In time for you 
 And me.

                          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 no more 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

                    THIS BOY FROM TUPELO


 From Mississippi, born quite some time ago,


 The name of Elvis, would be forever known.


 Gospel music, he could sing very well,


 Growing up In a town, where the poor would dwell.


 He loved his mother, to her a song he would sing,


 Noticed by a man named Sam, to a boy, fame this 
 Would bring.


 A mansion known as Graceland, now the home for he.


 Always nearby, on him an eye they keep,


 Called the Memphis Mafia, Is who they would be.


 A show he puts' on, In such places well known,


 All over the world, his legend has grown.


 When his time came, the Lord made his visit,


 Away Elvis went with him, to the music we still 
 Listen.
              You would have been 86 on this day.
     Keith Garrett                    

                   THIS ROAD TRAVELED'


 Here I am, standing now still, which way shall I go, 
 Which way shall I go,


 Many paths' have I traveled,' until now these crossroads' 
 Of my life.


 There's no possibility, none at all In going backward, 
 There's no turning back,


 I've taken a look at what's behind me and now forward 
 Is the way, The way.


 We store memories In our minds' but we can't live In the 
 Past, Not the past,


 There's no living for the memories, we live for now, we 
 Live for tomorrow.


 I now have a new way to go Into the rest of my life, a  
 New Road I've chosen,


 It's this road traveled, It's my road to follow.


                                                                                                                      Keith Garrett

                          SIMPLE THINGS'


 Sitting on your couch just watching a show, me and you,


 Rubbing your feet and you rubbing mine, a simple time.


 Lying side by side In the dark of night, safe from 
 What's outside,

 Thoughts' of love shared between two, a smile from me,
 Tired is you.

 Off to bed, come on sleepy head, lights' out as we 
 disappear quietly,

 Window open as It's warm this night, crickets' that sing, 
 Hidden from sight.

 Given to each other the gift of  a night, love before  
 Slumber, Sleep darling, sleep,

 In the morning to the sunrise, cool In the light Is the 
 Breeze, Felt by I and she.

 A cup of coffee, hot as the taste welcomes us from sleepy 
 Eyes to a new day,

 Simple things' taken for granted, simple things'  
 Remembered From a bed, alone.

                             Keith Garrett