I made a deal with the devil
And sealed it with a demon’s kiss.

My soul for his love
It was conditional.

At first, it didn’t feel real.
It was unlike any love I’d ever known.
Full of life and promise and purpose.
And that’s how he gets you.

Slowly and slowly
He drug out my soul.

Piece by piece
He chipped at my heart.

And before I knew it,
I wasn’t even me anymore.

Is he someone special?
This Norm I hear about
I'd like to look him up
call his number, give a shout

They say he's everyone
but I don't recognise his face
How can he be like me?
I'm not even in the race

What does he do for living?
Where does this bastard live?
I would truly like to meet him
Oh, what I wouldn't give

I'm measured up against him
I hear his name at every turn
Why should I be like him?
Man, it makes me burn!

Writers folly could have thrown me into decline
Shaking my whims out of my mind
As I slide down a banister of foolish delight
Think "I would not be sliding if my head was on right"

Would have froze with my foes as I faced all their might
Should have ghastly gone fourth writing tales of trite fright
Macabre apparitions watching out for whats getting me
Would have locked away my wonder wishing I could just let it be

She gives this game her all in all
But when that barrel tips and falls
She was taught to hold her head up high
And never ask the good Lord why

She's got scars on her knees and shins
Her hands are calloused but then again
That's just the price you pay for this sport
Getting the gold is worth all the blood and hurt

She's been bucked and she's been threw
And felt pain more than a time or two
But she gets back up no matter the case
She pulls down her hat and enters that next race

Conversations deepen as
old friendships remain in the shallows
So swim above the dark abyss of
self awareness vast and mysterious
Here I’m finding new companions
speaking from the heart’s wide breadth
Storied pasts and harsh mistakes
released into the sinking depths
Join us here in letting go
Float about with unburdened mind
Holding onto heavy things
becomes a shallow life defined
Talking small is no great sin
these pleasantries we all abide
Most folks speak of news or weather

You are my king
I am your queen
You've given me your true and fulfilling love through this ring
My love for you is simply just not anything but far from simply in between
Even on the days I pull you from your toughest seams
I still see you within my own set of dreams
Even when it seems on my darkest days, we never truly part our ways
When we are closer I feel complete from our hearts beating as one, when our hearts begin to sing an ever so beautiful harmony
One day we are going to be united in the arms of the Lord in Holy Matrimony

I am playing hooky
just looking for some cheer
Thinking about having a cookie
to get away from here

Two cookies and a cup of tea
for breakfast, is what I'm thinking
I sit watching out the window
Whilst my tea, I'm drinking

The sparrows from the eaves next door
swooping low then high
Up in the hole with straw and stuff
to keep their nestlings dry

Mother Nature is back with Spring
her baby of warm wind breath
Taking back the landscape
with the advent of Winter's death

I could have done things different
I would have, had I known
I should have thought to think
I'm thinking with a groan

Could have is just a thought
that I would have done it better
I should have done it different
and I wouldn't wonder whether

But, could have, would have, and should have
doesn't really matter now
It's all in the past, I get it
Thinking ahead is my new vow

Poacher’s Snare

In silent wood with anxious pace, I creep below broad bower,
And follow scent of early dawn, inhaling nature’s power.
Secret life in damp earth, hidden dark and deep,
The vixen and her cubs, protected as they sleep.

I take another covert step, close to her construction,
The vixen pokes her nose out black, distressed by interruption.
My sniper’s boot breaks a twig and cracks a violent round,
And nervous vixen terror froze, kits hidden underground.

Stupid Tongue...

Hindsight is twenty-twenty they say
My eye looking back, says, "Stupid tongue,
you shouldn't have said that"

Brain, rather late...
Says, "Yeah, stupid tongue,
what the hell did you say that for?"

Stupid tongue stutters, "I didn't mean to!"
Eye in the mirror, disgusted, "You are so stupid!"
Brain again, "Yeah stupid tongue!"