What is it that takes from us the quiet peace of the night,

Sitting back relaxing, sounds come screaming from a distance.

Painful to the ears and mind, not pleasant this sound at times,

Blessings of music if at this moment a life may be on the line.

Lights of beauty or lights of darkness and pain are noticed in the dark,

Different lights and sirens depending on what danger haunts the night.

A fire in a house, a soul stricken with sickness takes a team of heroes seen,

Crime in the streets, those without morals come out after the sun fades away.

Another type of man and woman steps out into the dark when bad shows up,

Sirens in the night, sirens of peace, sirens and lights that might save a life.

Keith Garrett

Hear this as I may have never spoken these words before,

May your days be plenty with a long, and wonderful life ahead.

Awake each morning to all the hope and happiness there could be,

My thoght is that god blesses all good things upon you as you see your day.

May stress be a forgotten enemy far away into yesterday,

May your days always be the best wherever you are.

Walking in the sunshine is something so fine,

Dream the things that may be a life changing possibility.

Laugh as much as you can, worry put aside for as much as you can,

Feel the cool breeze, love the warmth of the sun upon your face.

The best you can do is believe in yourself and never give up,

There may not always be a rainbow but the searching never stops.

May your days always be the best as you strive to find your way,

Day by day we can always take the time to hope and pray.

Keith Garrett

Lightning strikes in many ways,

When bad is done from a humans hands,

Lightning strikes, you get what you give.

Whether it be of evil or meanness, a message from god,

Lightning strikes hard,

A message, will you understand.?

Lightning strikes the hand of the not so kind man,

Destruction and life taken,

A mysterious force touches this land.

Keith Garrett

My day has been so long as these struggles in my life are hard,

Working through each step of this fight I now have in my life.

They’re trying to take from me for the pain i Endure on their land,

They accept responsibility but refuse to admit the accident real.

Repair the problem then deny the trauma has existed,

Too work so very hard for the years, sacrifice body and mind.

Their backs are turned on you now, their eyes look away,

You become to them a friend no more, they wish you go away.

I am not as before with a body of unwanted agony for sure,

I become the enemy but it is I’ve done nothing wrong.

They try to push, too make me the monster Instead of them,

Defeat me they will not, i have more strength and power than they know.

No time to cry, no place to hide, fight for my future life,

I’m tired as i still enjoy my time in the sun, they won’t ruin my life.

It’s been quite another day, understand as i say good night.

Keith Garrett

Life is lived to its fullest having friends whom last a lifeti

The people you meet along the street, throughout school and beyond.

Co- workers known for such a long while, do you make them laugh and smile,

What mark, what lasting Impression will you leave upon the world.

Will their be those whom will really care enough to be there for those moments,

We always hope that family is the most important of all from beginning to end.

The sad fact being that a lifetime can add scars and create a wedge between,

At times family and friends may unfortunately drift apart and not return.

Sometimes we do make amends before in our lives too late it is,

That’s not always the reality of things as regrets are for everyone.

If it’s not to late then visit, call on the phone, don’t die alone,

This is not the way you should go away, not a send off for you,

Funeral for one is not much love shown for anyone.

Keith Garrett

War, how far back can i go, nature of man to battle and conquer,

Does it have to be with weapons, debate and discuss until no end.

Think about how ridiculous and completely sad that it comes to a killing game,

Whatever the issue it appears to be a fight as children would fight.

The difference being there is much more at stake when men can’t play nice,

War, never ending, i’ll just go back to the Revolutionary war, the Alamo,

Little big horn, the Civil war, world war one and two, is this enough.?

No, lets go to Korea, when it’s done, onward to Vietnam,

So here we are today with young men still gone far away.

It has to stop someday, tears and crying need too go away,

I don’t agree because all men cause war, we wouldn’t need heroes

If men would act Civil and not go to war over what they want to get, not what they believe.

Here’s to the men and women throughout time whom did their duty and part for the good

Of man and that which they personally believe.

Wars are caused and then the young men and women, those whom serve are wounded

And die cleaning up the mess and protect what never goes away.

Keith Garrett

When things get tough and the days seem much to long,

A step at a time and a deep breath is that which we do.

When the night comes and the day is at its end,

When there’s nothing you can do for the rest of this night,

You have to let all things be given to god so that you may rest.

A new day begins as it is hard, so difficult to show patience,

Feelings of helplessness, not having any control over the situation.

Perhaps it might even be that your life rests in anothers hands,

To wait, pacing day and night will do you no good, faith gives strength.

One day at a time in any situation is what each one of us has been granted,

Hard to relax and at times keep calm when you seek action now.

To be told to take it one day at a time can be a difficult, frustrating, thing,

One day at a time is life, hard at times but what a wonderful blessing.

Keith Garrett

As a child he lived here many years before,

The great depression was not a time of all pleasant things.

It was however a time of childhood, a sunset for some,

There was a family of fathers and mothers, sons and daughters.

A boy was he of seventeen, a dreamer, a writer,

He had nothing but he had also everything.

On this mountain in Virginia he was born,

So many days ago, long gone are they now.

He wrote his many thoughts by a lamp in the night,

Played games with his brothers and sisters.

Together this family sat together for dinner each night,

A lifetime ago is when this story was told.

By a boy whom with his family struggled but did laugh as they

Were blessed with much love and togetherness,

On this mountain, once upon a time.

Keith Garrett

A poem is beautiful, It can be anything that you wish it to be,

What lives in a poem,? Imagination of the wondering mind.

It can take you away, a vacation of choice to anywhere out there,

A dream that lives inside, written words that greatly describe.

What lives in a poem are the memories you carry around always,

Sad happenings of realistic times, happy, wonderful things that define.

Your thoughts and all that makes you whom you are,

To write, too make that what lives in a poem come alive.

What lives in a poem can be any place you want to be,

You can go anywhere, write a fantasy life or live in a dream.

What lives in a poem is the real you and all that you see.

Keith Garrett

“Old Man” by Keith Garrett
Who he was did not matter to me as each day i passed his way,
On a porch swing or rocking chair he would read or listen to the world.
I gave him a smile in which he replied with a smirk from his face,
Who are you whom sits in the morning sun thinking thoughts never done.?
I am a man but once a child running from sunrise till dusk, i am a man,
I’ve seen the years and have done many things in my time, once full of energy.
‘Old man’ on your porch is sitting there all that you do, tell me your story,
Are you waiting to die as each day you grow weary from nothing at all.
You are much younger than i as there was a day when i too looked like you,
What makes you think that i did not dream, that i did not succeed.
Who keeps a man company as he rests alone everyday, who loves you,
As once their lived for me a love so true, she went away, who are you.?
I am an old man and for me their was a love of beauty so fine,
Today i am loved by those whom will pass me by, listen and smile.
Do you fear that life has not much more time for you old friend,
Will you grow tired of quiet nights with thoughts that never end.?
Tomorrow sunrise brings with it a new beginning, possibilities,
When i grow tired then sleep visits me, dreams fill this old man.
I am young but not so wise as i did not understand passing by,
The day will come when i too will be some what like you.
You called me old friend as just moments ago i was a stranger,
i did not matter to you, wisdom will grow but learn from it.
As i pass this way i will see you in a different way fore you do matter,
You’re not just an old man, you have spirit and soul, old man,
My friend.