A DIFFERENT KIND OF HOME

  I thought about it a little more recently as 
  I stroll through the park,

  So sad it is for some of them as they are hard 
  Working and lost everything.

  For others, there are no excuses, only bad choices 
  Or criminal doing,

  Some get lost in the cracks as the help that is for           
  Them needed, does not care.

  We have homeless heroes, how is it possible when 
  They gave their all,

  Some are sick and hurt as they lost more than their 
  Material life.

  A  different kind of home, they now have, not what 
  They remember,

   Let me describe it to you, some of us are a paycheck 
   Away, maybe a day.

  The roof over their head may be a clear sky or a rainy 
  Night,

  The walls around them are not the same as they often 
  Change.

  A couch wherever they sit, a bed wherever they rest 
  Their head,

  Television set, that which is taken in by their wishing eyes.


  A shower, for granted taken each day, when will a 
  shower come their way,

  gone now is the refrigerator that was, like an animal they 
  Search now.

  A different kind of home, not that they can call their own, 
  They roam,

  Circumstances of why, many reasons you see, sadness 
  Wears many feet.
               Keith Garrett                                                       

                        A VIEW WORTH SEEING



  Fortunate if you are to see throught the darkness,


  For granted, do not take the gift of light, always night.


  Scenes and visions from the mind are wonderful at times,


  To open your eyes and nothing rests in your sight, a fright.


  A view worth seeing, comes to the grateful eyes, day 
  Or night,

  The morning light, with the birds beautiful, in your sight.


  Wherever you go, a picture of color awaits, always changing,


  Each day a different view, open your eyes to a view worth 
  Seeing.
                         Keith Garrett

                         A PAGE FROM YESTERDAY


  Memories, a window to our past, pictures of 
  Special times,
  Friends' we once knew, where are they now, 
  Somewhere.
 There are those no longer among us, their story 
  Is written,
  A book closed, put away on a shelf but forever 
  Cherished.
  We thought as children that life was magic and 
  Wishes,
  Teenagers having fun, trying to figure out where 
  We were going.
  We were fortunate to have been given such friends,' 
  Back in time,
  Lucky If we are still blessed with their presence today.
  We take a page from yesterday, off comes that book 
  From its place,
  Remember that friend In our heart that never disappears, 
  that face.
  A voice that was once heard, a smile, now an echo, 
  Forever a thought,
  Well! today some of those faces, those voices, and a 
  Smile remembered
  Are here to share a night, a memory and a page again
  Written, a book.
                              Keith Garrett  

                                    "BILLY  JACK"


  Hatred was not what he was about, time would 
  Make him hate worldly things,

  Hurt was something he did not want to put upon 
  Any man, He would be forced to fight.

  He had a temper, beliefs that would put him and 
  Those he loved in harms way,

  He was not wrong, society and those of corruption 
  Decided he was not in the right.

  Integrity of one man, again he would stand as one 
  Tin soldier against the wrong,

  He stands at times alone, not without love of the people, 
  Against the corrupted souls.

 "Billy Jack" I read about you as a child, I sat under a tree 
  As a dreaming boy for a while,

  A book that made me want to see more, A movie, a man, 
  And much much more.

  You were a war hero, just as you did see what was wrong 
  With government and war,

  Never did you run or hide, you went away at times to 
  Find peace, to be alone.

  Not a criminal or murderer, as you defended against those 
  Who would do you wrong,

  Society saw things a different way, when you took off your 
  Boots and raised a gun your way.

  On the bloody morning after, one tin soldier rides away, 
  Then back he would stay.
                    Keith Garrett

                            DREAMS'


 Dreams,' like the hopes and wishes that rest 
 In our hearts,

  Some come true, If for us only a shattered few, 
  Like you.

  Dreams' are a look Into the future of our wanting 
  Thoughts,

  Reasons' and seasons' for them to be or be not.


 Dreams' may bring love to a heart so lonely and of care,


  What Is a dream If never with another shared.


  I dream of one day when a dreamers' heart finds mine,


  We'll walk as one but two different lives.


                          Keith Garrett

                     DO YOU   REMEMBER ?


  Back in time, many years ago on my mind,


  Drive-in movies as a child, riding your bike,


  Playing cards gave you the sound of a motor.


  Baseball cards and the wonderful world of Disney,


  Spirograph, collecting bottles for money, Bit o, honey.


  When the Ice cream man drove by you lost your mind,


  Pinball machines, a five cent cone, cartoon shows.


  The wizard of Oz and Peter Pan, Sherif John was the man,


  Bozo the clown and merry- go rounds, candy and gum.


  I recall the candy man, raindrops keep falling on my head,


  Ferris wheels, fireworks and a Mcdonald's hamburger so fun,


  Playing with my long lost friends until the setting sun.

    Keith Garrett

                     DO YOU KNOW THESE PEOPLE?


 They are shadows of friends' long since gone,


 They are men and women, friendly or not, they are,


 They stand there, co- workers', strangers' not yet 
  Known.

  Husbands' wives, boyfriends,' or girlfriends' past 
  And present,

  A chance there's a brother, sister missed for some time,


  Ghosts' from memories of a long time ago, friend or foe.


  A mother or father, one for a while missed, the other 
  Forever,

  Once stood where you could see, now shadows In eternity.


  Do you know these people, can you recognize their faces,


  From different times and different places.


     Keith Garrett                       

                       DEEP FOREST


  Step Into reality, an exotic and spectacular place 
  Of dreams,

  Realize, this world of adventure and things' not 
  To often seen.

  Somewhat dark, with a hint of light, beaming 
  Through the trees,

  Sounds all around, as the creatures of this land 
  Watch in the shadows.

  There's a misty haze that appears as the night 
  Shows its face,

  So far away from the not so peaceful, deep forest, 
  Of that which breathes.

  Leaves upon the ground, walking among life that 
  Speaks not a word we hear,

  With these feet, we make our way from a magical 
  Getaway of existence.

  This forest, a beautiful deep forest, hiding from 
  The outside,

  Lost In It may be the heaven, the happiness, a garden 
  Of Eden.

                                 Keith Garrett  

                        A BIG HEART



  He was a small man but only in height,


  He would lose his wife as a child was born.


  Lou was his name, a man so kind,


  Trying to survive, taking care of his daughter.


  A job was needed, treated like some kind of freak,


  Turned away, desperate, he would steal for a meal.


  This is not who he was, why are people so ignorant 
  And mean,

  Confined to jail by one who did not care, a much 
  Needed favor.

  A daughter in danger, this little man with a big heart 
  Was needed,

  Risk his life he would, even for those whom did look 
  Down upo,

  A big heart in a man who did appear to stand taller 
  Than all.

                             Keith Garrett

                       100 YEARS FROM TODAY


 Yesterday, what we see as hundreds of years ago is gone,


  History it is to us, read about in books of long lost times.


  The days are always moving along, we do take for granted 
  The morning,

  The setting sun is a most spectacular sight, heading 
  into the night.

  Here where we stand, may still be standing, another 
  Will be standing,

  100 years from today, the world that we know will have 
  Muched changed.

  Just as we wonder what life was like, back in a time of 
  Cowboys and pioneers,

  Tomorrows people will also wonder and read about our 
  Time and place.

  100 years from today, we will be a part of history, others 
  Will be amazed,

  Just as we are amazed and dream of those times when the 
  World appears to be a dream.

                              Keith Garrett