Art And Artist

At once painter and painted, sculptor
and sculpted, potter and clay
Continually molded and fired we grow
A work of art, artists ourselves
To appreciate and be appreciated
We represent our creator's greatest work
The work of his endless love
Created in his image as art and artist
In all sizes, shapes and colors we come
Each a canvas on which to create
Endless possibilities for each and all
When living from a place of love


Awakened

Awakened it seems I have come
From a long restless sleep
To know all that I know
And yet
To know how much more there is to know
Around each corner

Another door opens as if beckoned from my soul
Then some unknown knowledge
Seems to know how little more I can take
And asks me to rest for a time
To begin at a new pace
At a new time
The journey to my soul


Thoughts

They tumble out, we've all received them
For that matter we've all sent them
Apparently we intend the receiver to understand
What exactly isn't clear
They smile and nod afraid to ask
And soon they don't care
Possibly lost
A brilliant idea they don't hear
If only we'd stop and think before we speak
In an effort to make our thoughts clear


Thanks For The Valley

As a diamond's brilliance and gold's luster illustrate
Man's greatest material treasures have come
from the depths of the earth
Forged over time through unforgiving pressure and relentless heat
They have been developed and formed
From common coal to diamonds, from rocks and dirt to gold
To now be cherished by all mankind

And so it is with us
Common in our own way
Yet harboring within the brilliance of
diamonds and the luster of gold
Fear not the heat for it will temper our
souls and illuminate our hearts
With the luster of gold
Fear not the pressure for it will build our
character and let us too sparkle

With the brilliance of diamonds
Above all, fear not the depths
For as diamonds and gold rose from the depths of the earth
So too shall we rise to the challenges before us
Stronger for our adversity, more thankful for our success
We will stand on the mountaintop for our comrades to see


Open

We are no more prisoners behind bars
Than we are in the small dark recesses of our own minds
Heaven forbid should the light shine in
Only to hear a resounding snap
As the blinds are emphatically closed
And then, through joy or pain
We let go of the old and consider the new
And why not after so long in the dark
Our minds, hearts, bodies alive
Are strengthened and grow anew


Words

We think it, we say it, we become it and it becomes our legacy
The person who spoke the words
"Sticks and stones may break my bones
but words will never hurt me"
Knew not of what they spoke
While bones may heal, the ill-placed comment inflicts a wound
Living in the mind of the receiver it remains an open sore
Repeated by the receiver it becomes a sword
Lived by the receiver is how they become known
To come full circle to the legacy they leave
All by the power of a single spoken word


Legacy

Our thoughts,
Beacons of light piercing the darkness
Illuminate our words and actions
From within we are guided
Unconscious of motive, our character evolving
Our legacy in question
What will it be


Doubt

We dream of what we might be
While others tell us what we should be
Confused we doubt and lose our way
Then a voice speaks
Saying follow me
We doubt at first then turn and say
I knew you once
Are you here to stay


Listen To The Whisper

The old man sat by the fire
Nursing his tonic and gin

The young boy sat beside him
Wondering where he'd begin

Granddaddy tell me your story
As a young boy where had you been

The old man smiled a sad smile
As the tears welled up within

Bobby when I was a young boy
I dreamed of the road ahead

The whispers of my soul
And the ramblin's of my head

I loved the music of my soul
And the dreams that lay ahead

But I listened to those who said don't go
And followed my head instead

Bobby listen to the whisper
The whisper of your soul
It will always guide you
To a place you ought to go

Bobby listen to the whisper
The whisper of your soul
It will always guide you
To a place you ought to go

Bobby when I was a young boy
I dreamed of a lady ahead

Silky hair and beautiful eyes
And lips all painted red

I met her one night
I knew it was right

My soul
That is what it said

But I listened to those who said don't go
And I followed my head instead

Bobby listen to the whisper
The whisper of your soul
It will always guide you
To a place you ought to go

Bobby listen to the whisper
The whisper of your soul
It will always guide you
To a place you ought to go

The old man stopped for a moment and thought
God where have I been

Nursing his gin, a smile on his face
And the tears welling up within

Bobby he said on the road of life
Listen to what I've said

Listen to the whispers of your soul
Not the ramblin's of your head

Bobby listen to the whisper
The whisper of your soul
It will always guide you
To a place you ought to go

Bobby listen to the whisper
The whisper of your soul
It will always guide you
To a place you ought to go

The old man sat by the fire
Nursing his tonic and gin

A sad smile on his face
He knew where he had been

Lost in his head
His soul nearly dead

He was near the end
For Bobby not true

For the old man knew
The boy's life lay ahead

Bobby listen to the whisper
The whisper of your soul
It will always guide you
To a place you ought to go

Bobby listen to the whisper
The whisper of your soul
It will always guide you
To a place you ought to go

The old man smiled no smile
No tears welled up within

Seated by his grandson
Was the last place he had been

Bobby listen
Listen
To the whisper of your soul
It will always guide you
To a place you ought to go


Character

What we leave behind
How we are remembered
Through each thought, word and action
Our character surrenders
To the judgment of those we encounter
For better or for worse
By our character we are remembered


Community

We are members of a community
Defined in different ways
The world, our countries, states, homes, churches, organizations
Different in ways, similar in others
Similar in our desire to be connected
To share a sense of purpose
To care about someone and believe that someone cares about us

Similar in that we all have dreams, hopes, fears and aspirations
Similar in that mothers and fathers everywhere
Instinctively love and care for their children
Yes, we are different yet similar
All to be loved, appreciated and cared for as one
The community of man


Chatter

Trapped beneath the chattering of our minds
The white hot embers burn
Quieted from above
Our souls whisper for what they yearn
Asked to speak the truth
From the world that they have...