AUNT PENELOPE

She could do such unusual things without much thought,

Out of bottle caps she could make a crazy hat.

She could jump really high, almost fly,

Close her eyes and make an apple pie.

She could walk backwards while tying her shoes,

Dance around a pool while reading a book.

She could play the harp without her hands,

Tell you the time in just about any land.

She could watch a movie without a sound,

Recite every line while spinning around.

Aunt Penelope was a strange one indeed,

At the age of one hundred and fifty three,

Old aunt Penelope is still but a fantasy.

Keith Garrett

AT TIMES I AM BLIND

Open your eyes!, this is said from with inside as I seem at times blind,

There is so much to see but I must confess that what is important sometimes escapes my sight.

A blind man can not physically see but learns to observe more than a man with vision,

A man with no sight asked of me, tell me young man what things with your eyes do you see.

There are at times many things I wish not to see, pain and destruction from the world today,

What I asked was that which you see not a thing about wishes or that which you do want to see.

I see the mountains, the ocean, the sky, and all there is of beauty that god placed down upon the earth,

Yes!, at times I am blind to all of these things just as they are taken for granted by most every man.

You are a blind man, so who do you think you are trying to give me a lesson or to teach me,

Young man, are you a follower of those who are of negative ways? take responsibility for yourself.

I am blind but in my time I have seen so much more than your seeing eyes can ever dream,

You are at times very blind, your eyes are open but it is a man’s mind that is truly closed.

Keith Garrett

AT THE TOP OF THE LADDER

They think they’re almighty, the top is not kind,

A chain of command they preach, it is a fool who is blind.

They do not listen but they hear what you say,

See only what they want, negative all the way.

Ask for a raise, they’ll see what they can do,

Sorry not right now, you’re the first on the list.

Numbers and robots, w-2 with a name,

If for any reason you don’t like it then please go away.

There’s much for you to do, it’s your job anyway,

We did not invite you here, sorry you don’t like the pay.

More responsibility, just do what we say,

A dime a dozen, you’re replaceable anyway.

Keith Garrett

AT THE TOP OF THE HILL

From where I stand It seems’ so high,

My struggle to climb up near the sky.

To get up there at the top of the hill,

Will take my energy, also my will.

Scrapes and bruises are a part of my quest,

Where I’d like to get for my life to be the best.

Slip I might or stumble along the way,

Giving up Is not part of my game.

When I get there at the top of the hill,

Accomplished my fight for the thing I did want.

Keith Garrett

AS LONG AS WE’RE TOGETHER

Once in a while I travel back in time to a place I walked,

Through my time of youth where I played and ran wild.

I knew of her as a child back in the day of mischief,

Young and full of energy were we, never seemed to be tired.

The heat from the Summer sun wasn’t so harsh at that age,

Growing up in a town of many friends and memories so great.

We lived for the moment as many moments would pass by into the future,

How is it that the grandparents we once had we have now become.?

We changed and went our separate ways, finding our way in this strange world,

Becoming parents, having children and grandchildren as the cycle goes.

Full circle as today we find ourselves in the same place after a lifetime apart,

As long as we’re together nothing else matters, time comes when we need to

Just think of ourselves and let all others live and move along into their future.

As long as we’re together, everything will forever be better.

Keith Garrett

ANOTHER TIME AND PLACE

I write to you from yesterday, a very long time ago for you,

Long before you were born in a town of people and family.

My family and I were up before the break of dawn, working,

Children of a simple time but at times not so simple you see.

Horses were a common thing just as your car is in your time,

Things of your day not dreamed up as of yet, life was hard, also fun.

Here in yesterday there is sickness that kills many as there is no medicine,

As I sit here on my farm watching my wife and kids play I write this to you.

When you receive my letter it will be that I and those I love will be gone now,

You will have all the things that we here have never seen, good and bad.

There are beautiful things and land that will disappear with time, I can see them,

I live here in another time and place just as you do, I hope this letter gets to you.

Keith Garrett

AND YET I HOPE

I want to say hello to you and take your hand in mine,

And whisper that in every way I think you are divine.

But always you are out of reach as much as any star,

And always I must sigh for you and worship from afar.

And always I must dream of you and wish the day would be,

When we would be together and you would belong to me.

I know that time may never come and yet I hope and pray,

That I may kiss your loving lips and I may hear you say.

That we will share the weeks and months and all the years in store,

And you will be my sweetheart and my love forevermore.

Leon Russell Garrett

My father.

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE

A fight for survival, mans quest for power to rule,

Fear and ignorance but money will be the tool.

Inventors of destruction, builders of a force,

The enemy is our brother, traitor to the land.

Which side are we on, who is on our side,

Conflict and hatred, how many must have to die.?

And then there were none, not much left to say,

Put the bombs away, we may have another day.

Keith Garrett

AN INSTANCE IN TIME

Life is but a flash, just as a lightning bolt strikes and is gone,

The earth is a speck compared to this never ending universe.

If each one us were even given a great gift of one hundred years,

Like a particle of sand compared again to the age of our world.

Like the wind blowing past and gone in the blink of an eye,

An instance in time is what we are given to see and realize.

Keith Garrett

AN ANGRY MAN

Anger, so much mistrust for the world, he’s angry,

That which he cannot control, bothers him so.

Nothing wrong with letting it out, control is what it’s about,

Angry at that which has passed, let this go, an angry man knows.

Feeling at times the universe has let him down, the fire rages,

Inside he feels the water boil, what to do when there’s no place to run.

He pounds his fists against the stone wall, thoughts of vengeance stir,

Get even is one of many stories made from a mans angry mind.

An angry man does not see the road clearly, thinking is altered,

Eats him up inside, wasted energy but how is he to do it right.?

He has been wronged, he is an angry man and needs a smart plan,

An angry man he can be, can an angry man soon find his peace.

Keith Garrett