SITTING ON A TREE STUMP,

I WRITE
Saturday morning, early as the sun is shining down on my face,
Fall is here, there’s a coolness in the air, thoughts fill my head.
Under a beautiful oak tree of many, years I sit on this tree stump,
A stump that has a story, who might have been here before.
Sitting here I write, the land and world is my playground today,
By a creek with the sunlight looking down, I’m alone, a loud silence.
Sitting here on a tree stump I write my dreams down on paper,
I write about fantastic things that can never be done by me.
Possible adventures where I can travel down the road with a pen,
I have the imagination and power to create a world of hope and love.
Sitting on a tree stump I write poetry that I have hope will touch others,
Possibly make in their place a better day, I write all of you from a tree stump.

Keith Garrett

THE MORE WE TOUCH

We explore the seven seas, mine for gold, silver, and coal,

All the digging we can do, deeper in the Earth for oil we go.

To the moon, we have traveled, in space a traffic jam will be,

Chip away at all we can touch, we take and take too much.

Destroy life so that we may discover and learn, stop while we can,

The more we touch then more is a mess we make of what we have left.

We use this world as a study tool, tear it apart until there is nothing to use,

The more we touch, one day may be no other place to go.

Keith Garrett

THE MIGHTY SEQUOIA

How beautiful a tree that stands what seems like forever,

Some are more than three hundred feet high touching the sky.

Can you just imagine the time these trees have spent watching clouds pass by,

They have been standing strong while lifetimes have come and gone.

The mighty Sequoia, there Is one that lives for thirty five hundred years,

Imagine this, born to the world as It began Its growth before the life of Jesus Christ.

This mighty tree still stands two thousand years after the death of quite a man,

It Is the mighty Sequoia, King of trees, will stand forever as long as the earth will be.

Keith Garrett

THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS

Not to climb the highest mountain but too climb many mountains as high as you can,

To win the marathon not as important as too finish many.

To sail around the world is great, too sail to places of dreams greater,

It’s not to sing the best song ever written but too write many good songs.

To work one hard day in your life is no accomplishment,

Too work hard every day and give it your all is of greatness.

If to you having many friends is the greatest,

Then having one great friend is of value like no other.

If you can touch the world with many beautiful poems then that is beauty,

To hold onto only one of importance holds no treasure.

If you are of morality, if your word means something and your handshake is strong

Then you are successful, if you are not a quitter and hold your head high.

The measure of success holds a different meaning for all people.

Keith Garrett

I AM MORE THAN A NAME

We are each and everyone human, being forgotten,

I have a name but I am much more than this I know.

Not so personal is our world anymore, strangers we are,

I am more than a name, a number, or identification.

A person that has no face or personality to the system,

I am here to let you know that I am real and alive.

I am more than a name, feelings come from within,

Tears are not imaginary, love and hope are daily thoughts.

There is more worth to me than those behind their doors know,

I am more than a name, so much more to say.

Keith Garrett

FATHER AND SON

Walked hand in hand, he was the man,

When I looked up I saw my dad.

So impressed when I watched him shave,

I want to be like you, a proud dad of a man.

Watch television with you, a drive in your car,

Father and son, I have traveled far, see you above the stars.

Keith Garrett

Happy father’s day, dad

THIS GUITAR

Strum as you will each string on Its’ face,

Words’ In tune with every touch of a hand.

What does It say as you teach It to speak,

Sound and rhythm of emotion, this guitar.

Two become one, body and tool, this guitar,

Learn from It, feel Its’ heartbeat of magic.

This guitar talks’ with the help of a wanting heart,

Listen, listen as It echoes out thoughts’, this guitar.

Keith Garrett

THESE THINGS’ I DREAM

Within myself, thinking of a place In another reality,

What lies around me may be a different consciousness.

This state of mind as I am not awake, floating, floating,

I see a world like never have I Imagined before, I see.

Visions’ sent to my brain, pictures of stories past or future,

These things’ I dream, a mystery from an eternity.

Keith Garrett

THEY ONLY KNOW MY NAME

My face is seen through eyes that do not see,

Opinions or judgment, anger, or jealousy.

They form their own truth, they make themselves believe,

That I am something less than what I know to be.

A first impression, a bad impression,

Who are they who think they sit on a throne?

If they look to the mirror, no perfection to see,

They only know my name, they do not know of me.

A story they tell amongst themselves,

They do not stand and face me.

It is only heard by my ear from breath to breath,

They only know my name, they are known to me.

Keith Garrett

LOST INSIDE

He woke one morning to a day not so different from another,

His wife so beautiful, three daughters smiling to the morning.

A flight on a plane would change forever a man’s world,

How is it possible to survive alone and in silence after this hell?

Pretending this never happened as pictures are placed in front of your eyes,

Reminders that they have died as these frozen scenes keep them alive.

Lost Inside with not a peaceful place to hide, a father alone in an empty home,

Tuning out the world as the world decided not to leave this man alone.

His family has died, he is silently screaming on the inside, no tears to cry,

Lost Inside, a friend and a new smiling face will again change his life.

Keith Garrett