BENEATH AN APPLE TREE

Fall has come to visit once again, watch the leaves float down,

The air changes here in this place, this place of change over years.

One thing that stands still here among change is an older apple tree,

What stories it would tell if only it could speak the words of man.

Beneath this old apple tree rests in a grave a man who once lived,

Let’s say his name was Ben, who was he, so many years before he was,

Ben was a family man with a wife and children on a small farm.

A good life as he along with his family did age just as the apple tree did,

Ben one day went away, the apple tree stayed, it has aged until this day.

Beneath an apple tree lies the body, the remains of a man, a memory,

Watched over and time spent, always, a man and a tree together they be.

Keith Garrett

BEGINNING TO AN END

Worried are we about how many will remember,

If but one then we are blessed to have known.

How many souls come into our lives, pass us by,

They will not be there to say goodbye when we fly.

Within the scheme of things if we are so lucky,

A small group will send us on our way beyond our days.

Our beginning to an end is what I believe to be  that

Fantastic journey into eternity but not wasting life now.

Keith Garrett

BEFORE YOUR SOUL

Where are you before you are you,

Billions of years, molecules exploding in time.

Born in this world millions of years before,

A man, you don’t speak in words but a screech.

Your first thoughts are of survival, food, and water,

Your mind and body are most unusual, not of today.

Fire has not been learned, day and night, sun and rain,

These are to you a mystery, so much you will learn,

Before your soul was created, a man you are related.

Keith Garrett

BEFORE AND AFTER

There was a time when I was not here,

No thoughts, no name or identity were mine.

I had no pain or sorrow, not a thing for me to know,

Where was I before I became me, somewhere waiting?

A time will come when I am no longer here, will I have thoughts?

A name remembered, My identity will not be this body or mind.

Again there will be no pain or sorrow, I will be somewhere else,

Before and after, heaven bound, where was I before my first sound?

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 of 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

BE NOT HERE

Disappear, go away and leave me alone,

I don’t need you anymore, you bring nothing.

My energy is being drained, a piece taken away,

You’re out there but I need you not here.

Be not here whoever you are, stay away,

I’ve seen you in too many places around this world.

You’ve done much harm to me fore you are them,

You don’t have a place in my life, a disease you be.

Not to be trusted, worn by you are many faces,

Many faces you are, which might be the right one,

Be not here and I won’t have to wonder who you are.

Keith Garrett

BE A FRIEND

I only ask that you listen when I speak,

In return, I will give you both ears kindly.

Be there when I am in pain and need a shoulder,

I’ll be there to catch you if in time you do fall.

Please do not stab me in the back, no talking about me,

For you, I will speak directly to you, also if I’m angry.

Understand that there is in me no perfect piece you’ll see,

I know you are a person with human flaws, that’s quite okay,

Be a friend to me and a friendship we will share, I do care.

Keith Garrett

AWAY FROM IT ALL

Life as I know it left far behind, stored quietly,

Kept in my mind somewhere but not forgotten.

On an island, one of many seen by these eyes,

Waves crashing on the beach for me to see.

Sitting here in the sand just thinking about,

There are sounds heard but only of nature.

Palm trees are many in this world, across the sea,

What’s needed only brought with me, only needed.

Away from it all is where I need to be, can you dream,

On an island of wishes and a man’s 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 too 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 mans 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