HE CLOSED HIS EYES



  In the dark of night when the noise and trouble 
  Were alive,


  He heard cries from the violence, he closed his eyes.



  Flashing lights, gunshots lived in the only surroundings
  He knew,


  What did he do, he closed his eyes to a tomorrow that 
  Would be new.


  His name is Michael, from a bad place not pretty, a life 
  Had not a chance,


  How did he make it out of there, He closed his eyes to 
  The ugly side of life.


  He closed his eyes to what made his mother cry, he
  Would survive,


   From a life filled with nothing to a professional 
   Football Player in time.

                                           Keith Garrett

                                   HAUNTING CRIMES



  There may be echoes if you listen really close,



  I think they just might wander where they died.



  From way back in time, Nazi Germany and haunting 
  Crimes,


  Not part of any war, these cowardly monsters from a 
  European time.


  Crimes against humanity, crimes against heaven and 
  God,


  Innocent souls, tortured and discarded as if they were 
  Nothing.


  Do they rest in peace or do many linger, wander lost in a 
  Lost place,


  Haunting crimes, the living remember for the dead, 
  horrible times.


  I pray they rest in peace, a new life in heaven, saved 
  From The horrible beast,


  I fear that some still roam in that place, set them free, let 
  Them be.
                                           Keith Garrett

                           A MINUTE FROM HEAVEN



  I live a life that seems more than half way done,


  Started at a beginning, seen more than sun to sun.


  I've walked this land and had my share of pain,


  Friends whom have come and gone, love them just 
  The same.

  A family through struggles and laughter, 


  Children grow up so fast, will they only remember 
  My name.

  I had my share of good, other things I've paid the price,


  All I ask of you dear lord is that you consider my fight.


   A minute from heaven is what we have each day,


  Step by step when the time has come, would you kindly 
  Show me the way.
                                             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  

                                INTO THE WOODS


  Leave behind the concrete jungle and every day 
  Expectations,

  Step out of your work shoes and Into another frame 
  Of mind.

  Away from the pain and sorrow of what a love 
  Destroys,

  Your heart and mind, leave far behind.


  Walk your feet Into a world of darkness,


  Hearing only the crunch of what's beneath you.


  No stress or the fast pace of It all,


  Only trees that watch as you pass by them all.


  Where all Is quiet except creatures that stir,


  This Is a different world where you will not be 
  Heard.

  No worries or crying over what's out there,


  Into the woods, alone I am there.


                                 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 
 Much changed.

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

  Tomorrow's 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 appeared to be a dream.

                               Keith Garrett

                             CHAPTERS OF LIFE


  We've all had our beginning, that place we call our 
  Hometown,

  We'll each of us have an ending, where and when we 
  Do not know.

  Everyone starts out small and grows with time,


  We age, moment by moment in our given lifetime.


  There's a book that we all own, we make the cover,


  The words are created from our every day adventure.


  Our chapters of life grow and are counted,


  With every sunrise until the last sunset.


  It's an open book of endless pages until we stop 
  Writing,

  A novel to be remembered by others.


  Who will judge the value or worth from our chapters 
  Of life,

   Many will try, there will be those who liked it, 


  Perhaps some who won't.


  In the end it will be from the spirit in the sky.


                           Keith Garrett

                                   AN ANGRY MAN


  Anger, so much mistrust for the world, he's angry,      


  That which he can'not control, bothers him so.    


  Nothing wrong with letting it out, control is what it's 
  About,

  Angry at that which has passed, let this go, an angry 
  Man knows.

  Feeling at times the universe has let him down, the 
  Fire rages,

  Inside he feels the water boil, what to do when there's 
  No place to run.

  He pounds his fists against the stone wall, thoughts of 
  Vengeance stir,

  Get even is one of many stories made from a man's 
  Angry mind.

  An angry man does not see the road clearly, thinking is 
  Altered,

  Eats him up inside, wasted energy but how is he to do it 
  Right.

  He has been wronged, he is an angry man and needs a 
  Smart plan,

  An angry man he can be, can an angry man soon find his 
  Peace?
                    Keith Garrett

                                   AN OLD MAN


 I saw an old man, standing in the sand, with cane in 
 Hand, Staring out at the horizon,

 I asked of him what his thought's were about,


  He stared at me with a sigh and a smile.


  I'm one hundred and three as I look to the sea,


   I've out-lived my wife and family.


  I've had a life, seen many wonderful things,


  Now an old man, old as the trees.


  I say old man! what is it like to be one hundred and 
  Three,

  I don't know, I only know what it's like to be me.


  I asked of him, would you wish to again be a child,


  He replied, my only wish is to again see my wife's 
  Smile.

  I asked to him an old man, what's the greatest thing you 
  Have done in such a lifetime,

  His words to me were this, I married a beautiful wife, I 
  Walked with her in the sand,

  I saw her smile, and now here I stand.


                            Keith Garrett   

                              THREE ROADS' TAKEN

  The forest, the hills,' and the desert traveled,

  These three, these men of faith will be challenged.

  Where do I go, alone will I know, asks the first 
  Seeker?
  I'll take the first road, I'll find my way to the forest.

  The way home for me will be found, we'll meet In a
  Place,
  The forest will show me many things, a search so 
  Beautiful.
  It's time for me to go, my road has been chosen,

  I'll make my way Into the hills,' these words spoken.

  We will come together once more, somewhere In 
  Time,
  Travel I will, into the quiet hills' of discovery, a road 
  Taken.
  Fore the third wandering man will journey across the 
  Desert,
  A road meant for only he, unbelievable scenes to his 
  Eyes.
  The desert will teach this alone man lessons of the 
  Heart,
  His way home will be hard fought, they will find the 
  Same Road.
  Three roads taken, three men walk a path alone,

  In the end they will stand together In the hills', the 
  Forest,
  And In the desert, these men of three will never find 
  Again
  This home but all will be as one, they will find their 
  Way Home.

                                           Keith Garrett