Staying Put

The absolute height of summer vacation as kids Was the two weeks of berry season by my house Our parents would take me and my sister around the yard And up and down the gravel road, but not into anyone else's yard The berries were planted there long ago by someone At least, that's what dad always said Ripe berries were easy to spot, they were full black with no red spots Green usually meant the season hadn't started yet It was easy to pick all the berries that were low and in the front But most of them were at the top or on the underside of the bush And this meant prickers had to be handled very carefully Or you'd get cut up pretty bad, especially if you traveled to the center of a bush We'd pick just enough to eat that day Sometimes we'd freeze a bag for later Or give some to gramma to make a pie Her pies were the sweetest summer treat!

Stuffed full of joy Glowing at the seams Absolutely spirited and content At the crack of dawn Wisped away in the blistering cold The most important thing to remember Is to take action Get wrapped up and roll around on the ground in good cheer Tomorrow can wait Dishes, laundry, dusting, even the trash Today we need to be present And enjoy every moment to the fullest Laugh and sing and sip a hot drink Tomorrow comes soon enough Just like it does every year It lets you drive straight from one end of town to the other Without going through the hassle of the center of town It's paved the whole way, but none of the side roads are And only a few of the driveways are From the beating core To the tingling finger tips From the loose and falling hair To the tight legs and center Life is an odyssey Sometimes strange sometimes lost Boring True strength completes me It has the determination Slow starts And long-winded finishes We have the screeching focus And silent meditation What it takes to s...

I have to pay attention And stay on top of things I have bills to pay It doesn't give me great joy Or a sense of satisfaction Doing what I have to do It's easy to fall behind Or forget about what you're supposed to do Fall into the trap But I want the good things I want to live a happy life And there are consequences Expectations and goals to meet Chores to do and tasks to complete It's not just work and fun There's a lot to being good There's more to be said Today I'm going to pay my bills Or maybe tomorrow I'm late for work

The weak and needy body Needs practice to feel whole It needs to work and sweat It needs to burn and grow The mind is always alert Ready to go and show and Compete without learning First and foremost what's needed Waiting to brag and boast For a time that's appropriate When we've had our fill Of building up and growing Our time will come someday Just not quite yet, not today Today we need our practice Tomorrow will be our day of greatness

This morning After driving to work I had to check to make sure I still had the gas cap for my car I could have forgotten it at the gas station last night But I did not I could have forgotten I'm glad I know The small, dirty white gazebo out front Is actually a bus stop for the handicapped and elderly With slightly peeling paint and small pumpkins on the rails That some local children left there for the holiday season I've finished With what I have to do I made the decision, put in the work, and completed my tasks What's left now it waiting Enjoyment Knowing that I will have to hold on I may be asked to prove myself To back it up At some point Once or twice But through strength and determination I shall prevail I am good with what I have done And where I currently stand The future will be amazing and wonderful My choices will make this so My deeds and actions will show Through goodness And grandiose of action I stand proud It's under the shade of a boisterous spruce tree...

Ancient words, ever true Changing me, changing you There is a place where mercy reigns Ever true, never surrendering This is the bread the came down Whoever feeds on it will live forever One day in heaven, when praises were sung One day in darkness, when sin was ever present Living he loved me Dying he saved me Do not grumble among yourselves Whoever has faith has eternal life I believe I believe I believe We must trust in what we believe in Being dissatisfied and offended by the things placed in our lives Of course rumors would circulate They haven't been drawn by the father From weakness to fullness He doesn't relent, he doesn't retreat You have no life It's a relationship, a connection that's in us permanently Forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us All of these things, may their aroma be pleasing

I have nothing to say Except that I did it The right thing I considered all my options I didn't wanna seem desperate or too bold I could have thought longer Proud and stoic I could have sprung into action At first notice To the sons and daughters, patiently waiting with arms open The moms and dads, worried back at home Friends and family near and far, just know I tried my best That's really what I did No foolin Sometimes you're famous, with your name aglow in lights And sometimes your hands get dirty, digging in the dirt I like to think I did good in the world Brought happiness with me and spread it around Was an extra link in t he chain, holding together someone's hard day Now before I get ahead of myself and make something into what it is not Let me tell you Nobody owes you nothin We'd all like to win the crown jewels Or inherit a treasure chest But most of us will not We will be satisfied with what we do get Whatever and whenever that may be The prize is magnific...

Hold it right there It's time to stop, drop, and think Remember to forget Forget to remember I'm not who you say I think I am I think I'll finish it when I get home I have no apologies for trying too hard And too little I have an acute sense of safety Brought on by the weight of failure And the amazing success that comes from proper planning I am well-dressed for the occasion Feet on the ground, boots when needed Firmness that's nothing to be afraid of Nothing to write home about Like the reporter of the world It feels better when it lasts And works Sticks around Even when it leaves

Staying in shape will get you there Saving up will get you there Making connections will get you there Showing up on time will Eating right will Paying your bills will Get you there But don't forget to stay put Right where you are So your neighbor can learn your name So your boss can find your strengths So your family can locate you in an emergency One day we'll all get there Regardless of the road we choose One day we'll be able to look back and say I did my best

I wanna Just say something I wanna Now Is not the time Until It's finished Or isn't Good behavior Matters Anxious still Mostly quiet But I want to

I can now see how it looks How I'll never be able to change These flaws that are part of what I do Loosely flapping in the breeze Dangling and misshapen All I can do is try Try to be good And brave And strong Even when I don't listen, I'm learning Changing every day Even when I stay the same Making the same mistakes over and over I give and I care and I love I live I love to live They set up signs a ways back So you had to drive real careful For a little while Until you got to the flashing truck and tractor Barely moving along the road Frustration, fury, and rage Smashing, stomping, and splintering Completely broken It is our smirking revenge Our triumphant return To greatness Of our piece of mind Blind and unnecessary Shaking and uncontrollable Laughing and proud Tomorrow is a new day A failure in some way A giggle to sneak out A lesson learned You were supposed to just go around Without a flagger, as they took up the whole lane Care were going fast, but there weren't ...

It's just The way Being un-well Forgetting Or Not caring Sometimes Not planning Nobody cares Not one Little bit I'll be improving Jumping off From here To there My eyes are open From sleep My heart is excited My brain Doesn't care

The general we The exclusive I Have to find Bring in Another Amid the groans And protests And blame It should have Lasted Will stand Next time The time And energy Are not wasted, But then again Maybe they are Get better It said

I may not be the best I may not be better Than many others Doing the same as me But here I am Around Until I'm not Somewhere That might exist Or it might not We'll see For not I'm here Doing what I can Being positive And trying my best There might not Be any different Here is good Enough

Every day I'm brave Looking for love Friendship And company I have not What I want I wish sometimes I want someone Yet I don't This does not Stop me I try my best Every day I'm so sad

I'm missing something Today I've done my checks Nothing unusual Just work Like every other day But now I just know I've forgotten something Nothing big Or maybe it is I can see I shouldn't have had That ice cream Last night

 We can't do it all We might try to We might want to But we're gonna fail Balance is important in life With everything we do There's too much, and not enough We can't lose our focus Or our grip on what we care about It happens when we hear those words "I want better" "I demand answers" We need to be home And take care of what's most important It's different for everyone We all just want to be good But sometimes No matter how hard we try It just doesn't work out that way

 She demands my attention Almost every day And sometimes at odd hours of the night Unwarranted And undeserved But it's happening anyway She does need the help Which nobody else seems to notice Or care It's just me that's there Whenever something should arise Harshly requested with a soft thanks There's always a fallout And a relapse But such is life

 I'd like to see some modest gains Sustained over time Nothing outrageous, That's always a trick Set to fall back Or make things worse Modesty isn't fancy But hard-working And honest Prepared to do good In the long run

 It's time to say goodbye But not forget Sometimes the outside changes But the inside stays the same Part of staying put is seeing Not everything stays the same We do our best to deal With whatever life brings us We will always have the things given Shared and otherwise observed Leaving doesn't have to be the end When we remember the best parts in our heart A new tomorrow may arise From the skills and tools of yesterday Something bigger and greater Than anything imagined before Lasting forever