BETWEEN DARKNESS AND LIGHT

The sun shines bright, it then fades into the dark of night,

Just as the heart and soul of a human crawls from the light into dark.

To hide from the pain and sorrow of a tragic day, hide inside and go away,

Try and forget in ways that at the time seem fine to a broken mind.

Trauma is a most unpleasant visitor as it has no sympathy or kindness,

Steals from one the smile and sometimes brings much fear, forever scars.

Falling, a deep hole in which a soul believes no escape, hurting the self appears the way,

A path of destruction with no turning back, but wait!, there is surely a chance.

You found your way lost, between darkness and light, you must fight to make it back,

Something has happened that ripped you apart, not fair but it was gods will.

He knew you would fall, your test would be to find your way back from the darkness,

You climbed out of that hole and with his hand you also found your way back to the light,

Today holds a piece of yesterday, forever a thought, life does move ahead, another today.

Keith Garrett

BEACHES AND OCEANS

To love the beach, walking along the sand so warm,

Looking ahead of me at the pier in the distance.

The feel of the wind as I’m walking along the wet, sandy shore,

The sun shining in the sky, seagulls flying in search for food.

My thoughts are of many things as I dream of life’s pleasures,

At peace I am strolling along listening, always listening.

The waves are a beautiful sight, musical tunes crashing upon the shore,

The horizon seems like forever as I stare in silence at its mystery.

Shadows from clouds darken the ocean but only a touch,

The wonders of life that live beneath the waters are seen from within.

Beaches and oceans have been forever,

There’s a great love for me as they go on together.

Keith Garrett

A TRUE OLYMPIAN

What seems like a lifetime of preparation and hard work Is here,

Sacrifice, blood, and sweat have been understood throughout.

For years getting ready for the ultimate competition Is recognized,

Whatever the battle you’ve been preparing for Is close, are you ready.

Stand and face your opponent, hold your head high and face your fear,

Strong Is the athlete whom does finish whether win or lose, still a victory.

To make It there, be chosen to represent a country Is already a winner,

Raise your hand high In the air, wave the flag of colors and be also proud.

You are a true olympian, If you worked that hard and made It, head held high and proud.

Keith Garrett

A GAMBLER

Spin the wheel, maybe a roll of the dice,

A bad hand at cards, so it’s said, you’ll lose your shirt.

Bet on a game, football, basketball, baseball, it’s all the same,

Your wallet is empty, credit cards are okay.

Horses are great, this time you feel lucky inside,

At the finish line, a house could be on the line.

Deal in drugs, surely a gambler you’ll be,

If it’s not the law, a dead man you might be.

A car thief is a risk, money at your feet,

End up in prison, oh! what a life you lead.

Ask of a loan shark, a favor please,

Put up your life, no friend indeed.

A gambler, a gambler, in each one of us may be,

What risks do you take for all that you need.

Keith Garrett

A THANK YOU DEAR LORD

It’s me again, many thoughts swirl in my head,

For this life you gave to me, I am most grateful.

I wake each morning to the rain or shine,

You’ve let me walk your worldly creation, I’m still alive.

I forget at times and also for granted take,

This life is precious, there’s much good in the world.

A thank you dear lord for the things given to me,

The wonders of this land at times are hard to see.

I’ll try to remember that fragile is man,

Speak to you soon, I keep trying to understand and be the best i can.

Keith Garrett

A PICTURE

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

A GAMBLER

Spin the wheel, maybe a roll of the dice,

A bad hand at cards, so it’s said, you’ll lose your shirt.

Bet on a game, football, basketball, baseball, it’s all the same,

Your wallet is empty, credit cards are okay.

Horses are great, this time you feel lucky inside,

At the finish line, a house could be on the line.

Deal in drugs, surely a gambler you’ll be,

If it’s not the law, a dead man you might be.

A car thief is a risk, money at your feet,

End up in prison, oh! what a life you lead.

Ask of a loan shark, a favor please,

Put up your life, no friend indeed.

A gambler, a gambler, in each one of us may be,

What risks do you take for all that you need.

Keith Garrett

A FACE THAT LIES

The devil’s eyes have a face that lies,

It smiles at you with promises so false.

Giving you gifts of sinful things,

Changing your appearance, a picture of greed and evil.

It taunts you into believing that bad is good,

Material belongings are most precious, love not kind.

Stand and be recognized, a face that lies,

Don’t stare in the eyes of what does not cry.

Accept not a wish, not a gift from a demon spirit,

Give not of yourself, in an instance he’ll own your soul.

A face that lies has many by his side,

They walk as you walk, do not be fooled, this is no heavenly stroll to the sky.

Keith Garrett

A MAN WITH AN AXE

Wood needs to be chopped, it sits waiting, many types and sizes,

Fall is in the air, chillier the air turns, work must be done.

A job it is to chop enough wood to warm a home for the Winter,

Must be done, perhaps no fun as it is an accomplishment to be proud.

Stack it in a pile, carry it piece by piece, chopped and split wood for a fire,

A smell, can you take it in, smell the aroma as it’s cut, stronger it grows.

A man with an axe gets this job done, he sweats from morning till the setting sun,

Swinging an axe, working as the cold moves closer,

The wood pile will rise higher.

A man with an axe is strong and determined,

He will succeed because he knows of its need,

When it’s done, a Winter of warmth,

When the setting sun, he knows the job is done.

Keith Garrett

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