I stand here watching as I am not noticed but observe I do,

By an old, leafless tree I watch this scene hidden in the shadows.

A long time ago I see in front of me an old farm house of red,

Old, withered, fences surround the house and land, many trees in the distance stand.

A sky of clouded blue is a part of this picture seen from my eyes,

To the left of me slowly walking is a young man and horse,

Their shadows follow along as they head on down the road.

Covered with leaves is the ground as the look and feel of Fall is around,

A wagon sits unhitched close to where it is that I stand,

A picture from a long time ago, not recognizing where I am.

A picture of a place that once use to be, now just a picture of a memory.

Keith Garrett

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 too teach me?
Young man, are you a follower of those whom 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 mans mind that is truly closed.

Keith Garrett

A clock may stop in the middle of a day,

Time keeps ticking ones life away.

Measured by years the number you are,

How old will you get, will your existence go far.?

Months are a piece of time in your life,

As each passes by, shorter becomes your flight.

Weeks are measured seven days at a time,

Fifty two as twelve months go by.

A day has twenty four hours for you,

The sun comes up and goes down too.

Hour by hour our days will pass,

No slowing them down so our lives will not go fast.

What is a minute but sixty ticks at a time,

Second by second, older we find.

Keith Garrett

Lord, I know you’re there and I have many things to say and ask,

Believe do I In a force, a being with such great understanding and love.

I have never seen your face but you have before been part of my dreams,

I have thought of you many times during my life, what does your face look like.?

Remember the monster I told you about,? well It’s still there and visits often,

I don’t understand why when I asked you to make It go away that It didn’t.

I told you that you could have my legs, the ones I like using to walk everywhere,

The funny thing Is that since that time I do have less of the monster and one of

My leg Is now a bit disabled as you know, Is there a lesson here that you want me to learn.?

It appears that you gave a little as you then took, compromise or be grateful for that

Which we do have, my faith In you still rests with me each day and night while I live.

I don’t care what people say or think but today I will tell you what I know just as you do,

In me lies the good, I do not or wish to hurt another human being with a raised fist.

Animals I choose not to harm just for the sake of hurting, my heart feels when tragedy strikes,

I hate this world of war so It Is that I do down and criticize the ways of this land and others.

There beats In me a heart that does care about the world and people, a man that will help those In need,

There also lives In me much anger for many reasons, anger that shows hate towards the human race.

Judged have I many out there In ways I never want to be judged, something In me that needs a change,

Lies have come from my lips enough times In my life just as I have taken that which Is not mine.

In a lifetime which I am still grateful for as It Is the greatest gift from god, I am at this time less than perfect,

Never In my lifetime will I reach perfection but knowing this Is where I will strive to be my best.

Will I still be welcome In heaven with all that you know and all that I confess on this once again day,

Will the door open for me, will you receive me as one of your children, thank you lord for listening.

Keith Garrett

What a spectacular voyage I am about to embark upon,

My boat Is ready, packed and loaded with all that I desire.

Early morning as the sun fights to break through the drifting fog,

Everything necessary to make this a successful, adventurous, experience.

It’s time to cast off, music turned up as I set sail for places far across the ocean,

I am on my way as the sun Is warming around me, the fog will In time disappear.

I feel free, the blue sky above with but a few clouds that block my view of heaven,

Seagulls flying from here to anywhere, dolphins are noticed dancing across the water.

With the wind upon my face and the open sea neverending just like eternity,

Glide across the water, this Is a whole new world out here so fascinating and real.

There Is no place I can’t be, travel I can to anywhere as the ocean guides me, carries me,

Sailing the ocean, just me and a boat that will never again be seen unless you can dream.

Keith Garrett

Disguises are worn, they hide a world of fear,

Hidden with colors of false smiles or frozen frowns.

We laugh and we dance, juggle our thoughts and emotions,

Our world Is a cage, a circus of freaks and entertainment.

We challenge our own mortality, on a high wire we dance,

Shot through a cannon to where we may land, life In hand.

Faces of clowns, dressed In costumes they seem secure,

Acts put on for children, are they not the young that have tears.

We dress in our own costumes, put on a face that we choose,

Is what appears real only a magicians magic, a trick of sorts.

Whatever expression we wear, whatever makeup we’re made of,

Faces of clowns, we all wear faces of clowns.

Keith Garrett

High up In the hills away from the crowded hostile world,

He lived alone, a quiet man of peace In his cabin of a home.

A fireplace and a pile of wood, always chopping to keep it warm,

He has all that he needs or wants with a roof above his head.

A man wakes to the morning light, begins his day with a cup of coffee,

A companion joins him for breakfast, a four legged friend of loyalty.

When the days are beautiful and filled with the sun they venture out,

Walking among the trees and the beauty seen high above what lives below.

He wanted to be alone In his made of wood home, he and a friend,

In the night as the crickets are the only sound, a chair and a smoking pipe,

In a cabin on a hill lives a man mostly alone, all that Is needed, a smile and a home.

Keith Garrett

At the age of ten, yes! It was nineteen seventy two, I remember well,

The feeling Is still fresh Inside as they were the greatest team of all.

Each day as I came home from school I would check the paper to see

If a game was on t.v. or the radio, I was excited either way.

I had a poster of the team on my wall, today I have a collectors picture

Of that same team, the nineteen seventy two Lakers were for me a dream.

That team with the greatness of a Jerry West,” Mr. Clutch’ was so awesome,

It took more than twenty years before and I never thought anyone would

Break their record of going sixty nine and thirteen, A fantastic accomplishment.

Their thirty three game win streak was awesome that year along with a championship,

Bill Sharman was one of the greatest coaches In NBA history, over forty years ago.

Wilt the stilt Chamberlain, one of the greatest scorers and defensive players,

With West and Gail “Stumpy” Goodrich bringing the ball up the court was the best.

Elgin Baylor another great forward In the hall of fame, part of that amazing team,

Happy Hairston I remember as a forward with great rebounding skills, so long ago.

A shot blocker and great moving down the floor on the fast break, Wilt for the slam dunk,

Keith Erickson number twenty four, a member of that Lakers team once upon a time.

Pat Riley and Flynn Robinson off the bench playing defense and points scored when needed,

Two basketball players whom were a big part of that nineteen seventy two dream team.

Think back to a player, Connie Hawkins, known as the Hawk as he soared to the basket,

The fabulous Forum as It was known to be, the house that Jack built, Chick Hearn would say.

The nineteen seventy two Los Angeles Lakers took on and battled the New York Knicks for

The NBA championship and won, a team of greats In an era of great things and accomplishments.

Where were you In 1972,? I was a boy who dreamed of heroes and while I listened to them on the

Radio because It wasn’t televised It was Chick Hearn who brought It all to life, I saw everything.

My stepfather was there and had the greatest time that I wanted but He had to go with a client,

I was disappointed but I listened to the game on the radio, what a great time back then.

When I woke up In the morning he was gone to work but there was a book, laker penant, and a

Basketball that I will never forget, Where were you In 1972,? I was watching from my mind the

Lakers win the championship and as I dreamed and wished I was down there on that floor I

Then drifted off to a peaceful sleep, this Is to you the great Lakers of 72, where were you In 1972.?

Keith Garrett

They move in layers, traveling with the force of the wind,

On a course, always heading for everywhere, not a sound though.

There’s a rumble that comes, the sound of an approaching storm,

From above all Is not calm, with a mind of Its own It then attacks.

How long will this last, until It weakens and the winds take It ,

Waves In the sky are most unusual and mysterious way up high.

They roll on to where we can not see, they are waves In the sky,

Gone away and forgotten, not so much thought about really.

Until another day when waves In the sky come rolling over our heads,

The water gently crashing on our heads, no sand anywhere I say,

Waves In the sky, our world upside down once In awhile.

Keith Garrett

In the dark of night, a clear sky that showed stars of plenty,

I stood last night all alone with my thoughts and fears.

A beautiful, quiet, night with everything around In my sight,

Wondering, thinking about my tomorrow and what’s to come.

I looked far beyond the stars trying hard to see beyond the mystery,

It appeared that all out there was so still to my eyes but forever moving.

I stood last night watching time go by, examing what my life Is about,

Which part of the day might this be In my time, I’m sure It’s a bit past noon.

I stood last night wondering what kind of world I am living In as I age more,

There Is much angry energy around, Is love the greatest wonder of all.?

Keith Garrett