My own brand of poetry

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T

Tejas

Guest
#1
These are some of my original works. If you enjoy them, please reply and I will try to post more.

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In Shadow Of The Cross
By G. L. S. West


Dark thoughts, evil deeds, black creases on the soul
Dark chant, evil spell, black in part? Nay, but whole
Heresy, sweet to taste, like honey on the tongue
****ing hunger, slaying old, feeding on the young

A devil, a daemon, a spirit that is fell
A black wraith, a phantom, an evil known too well
Oh, dark day, ebon night, bear witness Hell's great throng
Lucifer, angel cursed, brings wails to usurp song

A pause, a break, a ceasing of all things
Eyes look, ears hear, all hail the King of Kings
Light press on, dark recoil, a silence heavy falls
Light advance, dark meets threat, a war rings in the halls

King meets Prince, battle rage, the two meet stroke for stroke
Three days' time, fight long last, on third day morning broke
King arise, Prince lay torn, Messiah conquers death
Hope reborn, saints are freed, releasing long held breath

Spear-torn side, nail-scarred hand, suffering on Him placed
Thorn-pierced brow, whip-thrashed back, our sins washed clean by grace
Body scarred, forgiving eyes, love almost unbelieved
Here He stands, the Father's Son, who gave us this reprieve

Son of Man, Son of God, our Brother call we thee
Waiting now, coming soon, the day when we shall see
Heaven home, kingdom come, the glory long foretold
Learning we, Scriptures wrote, the promise made of old


_____________________________________________________________
"Dlrow Ruo" Reversed
By G. L. S. West


Words are now priceless, for their value is gone
Paintings are all worthless when done 'tween dusk and dawn
Gold is but a metal whose surface does not shine
And life carries no meaning unless that is mine

The canvas that has no color is the mist wondrous of all
The great oak knows no equal 'til the axe begins its fall
The horse that can't be tamed is, of course, the most desired
When I sleep amidst the darkness is when I'm most inspired

The poet has no passion, yet his poems are full of heart
Whose heart did the poet put in it when plying quill to write the part
And purpose? What purpose? What prose on this world has need
My purpose? This purpose; to plant, to tend, to water a seed.

A seed of thought, perhaps of hope; for the world we know is upside down
Now a story, a poem, a wondrous song can turn this world around
And should no people raise the song, the stones will gain a voice
For, unlike we, they must sing, because they have no choice

And the Word is ever priceless, for who can meet such worth
Paintings cannot capture the beauty of our Heavenly Father's earth
Now gold is but a metal that lines that City's streets
And our lives can hold no meaning until the Master we meet

____________________________________________________
Bomb In A Bottle
By G. L. S. West

Emotion is like unto water, with every ebb and flow
It seeks the path of least resistance and there will try to go

I try, at times, to hide emotion, my mind on vigilant patrol
For fear that, should feelings escape, I cannot regain control

So hatred, fear, love and tears I bottle up inside
I ignore the mounting pressure while hedre they all reside

Time goes by and I forget how to feel or care or cry
Then I sense something amiss and start to question why

My hidden bottle, still unseen, cracks and begins to leak
I find traces floating about and so I start to seek

But though I look and scan and search, I cannot find the source
Then my bottle shatters apart with great explosive force

The wave of shock strikes down my friends, my family and my foes
No prejudice is excercised on who recieves the blows

But it is my soul that takes the bulk of this abuse
This tragic weapon I have made through aeons of disuse

And so I stand amidst the ruin of my shattered life
I try to guide all those I meet, how to avoid such strife

Beware the bottle that traps emotion and heed me when I say
Embrace your tears and loves and fears and live from day to day
 
T

Tejas

Guest
#2
This is a new one, written 11-5-09
____________________________________________________
A Beggar's Plea
By Gary L. S. West


Death
Hated friend
Beloved nemesis
Take not my friends from me
Breath
Stay near my kin
Caress their chest
From within; the core of their being

Sheer
Away my wings
Take from me
My freedom in their place
Fear
Of losing them
Only to see
In their stead an empty space

Who
Can aid me now
Can save them from
That ever-growing black abyss
You
Father God
I beg of You
Don't let them slip away like this

Kneel
Here am I
On my knees
Asking You to save their souls
Heal
Their broken hearts
And shattered lives
Feel their pain and make them whole

Raise
Ever will I
Your mercy's tale
And spread Your Word to every one
Praise
Your name on high
And I will sing
Of the love shared by Your Son
 
W

wwjd_kilden

Guest
#3
Nice ^^

I really like them :)
 
S

spokenfor316

Guest
#4
wow those are awesome!! you are very talented :D
 
T

Tejas

Guest
#5
This is a new poem, dedicated to my friend, Tiffany, in hopes that it reaches her before it's too late.



The Escape
By: Gary L. S. West


When darkness surrounds
And cold death abounds
And none save me can tell

When the banshee cries
And Lucifer sighs
This life becomes my hell

As a sharer in torment
My spirit lies dormant
And my sight is jaded to all

I wallow in pity
Here in Sin's City
With my voice too faded to call

My life is but a sham
My soul most surely ****ed
And I ask, "Is there any who can see

An out for me to take
Despite the high stake
A plan by which to set myself free"

Of this life, of my hell
Of this home, of this cell
Of these chains wrapped tight 'round my heart

Cry freedom, my soul
My spirit, be whole
As I lay down a plan to depart

But I am missing a key
To my grand remedy
A small hidden flaw in my plan

For none can escape
This spiritual rape
Through any method devised by man

Tears drown all I see
As I fall to my knees
My hopes now shattered and bent

My daemons rejoice
And devils lend voice
To mock my anguished lament

I am torn through and through
With no clue what to do
As I weep bitterly into my hands

It is then I realize
As I open wide my eyes
That there is One I know that understands

With my head bowed low
And hands folded like so
I began my first prayer I recall

Dark thought and fell deed
I lay down at His feet
And I pray for redemption of it all

New sensation permeates
As it burns away my hate
Placing overwhelming love in its stead

All my doubt and my fear
Begins to disappear
In moments, He has vanquished all my dread

The first part complete
I race to brave this feat
And I ask not a quest to match my might

This, instead, is all I ask
For strength equal to the task
No matter how arduos the fight

Now about me I wear
The armour of prayer
I bear Truth in the manner of a sword

So I march for the gate
To this City of Hate
I will be free of this demonic horde

The gate cannot hold
'Gainst one who is bold
'Gainst one who is fillled by the Blood

I am free of my sin
By the Blood, I will win
Now with joy, I am filled like a flood
 
T

Tejas

Guest
#6
(composed 1-30-10)
A Seed Of Hope
By; Gary L. S. West

My memories are ones of pain
Oh, how long they last
The constant wound of my thoughts
Of carefully hidden past

A past of woe, of well-earned guilt
A past of long regret
A past I've tried to bury deep
I wish I could forget

The things I've done, they curse me so
Condemning me to hell
Devils come to bring me home
They know me all-too-well

I've trudged this road so many times
I walk it, eyes closed tight
I know the way by feel alone
I've no need for sight

My boots are worn, as is my soul
I've come a long, long way
But circles come in every size
It seems I'm doomed to stay

Why, oh, God? What have I done?
The reasons flee my grasp
Hear the beat, my weary heart
My lungs give one last gasp

What have I learned in all my years
What secrets to pass on
None, I think. Just held-back tears
And hope is all but gone

I blink away the need to weep
What hope is there for me?
Can I confess these sins of mine?
The truth could set me free

Dear God, it's me, same as before
A life in need of aid
The things I've done I can't undo
And so Your Son has paid

I was lost but now I'm found
It's hard for me to see
Why He would lay His own life down
To save a fool like me

Even so, I thank you, God
And I thank Your Son
He paid the price, cleared the cost
For me and everyone

I pen these words, I write them down
So I can share the seed
A seed of hope, of joy and love
By which we can be freed
 
Last edited:
G

greatkraw

Guest
#7
simply awesome dude
 
T

Tejas

Guest
#8
(composed 2-12-10)

The Reflection
By; Gary L. S. West


Who I see in the mirror?
I've never seen her face before
I can't explain it, but I fear her
And that's what scares me even more

Can someone tell me, who's this lady?
Such beauty I have never seen
But in her eyes so dark and shady
Dwells a black and dangerous evil sheen

Her ruby lips curve in a smile
But there's no joy upon her face
My heart is racing all the while
And it seems she is ready to give chase

I turn away from her visage
Close my eyes and catch my breath
And yet, I still can see her image
I can feel the icy touch of Death

Could the Devil be a woman?
Or do I see the beast within?
A fate that I would wish on no man
This trap I find myself caught in

This beast within is so alluring
Sweetly persuading me to kill
All the while, it's voice assuring
The way back home is open still

I take a glance over my shoulder
The light of home so slowly fades
Beauty depends on the beholder
But is hid by mirage-bearing shades

There comes a time to every lost soul
And it seems the time's upon me now
When we choose to pay this high toll
Or to lay our every burden down

The woman beckons with a motion
And, though temptation pulls so strong
I can't shake away the notion
That there is something very wrong

I relax, releasing her hand
I turn away and start to stride
Though I cannot yet understand
The peace I start to feel inside

My feet propel me in a dead run
I can't recall what made me roam
I feel upon me now the bright sun
I know that I have returned home

I am looking in the mirror
And I have seen the beast within
I no longer need to fear her
While on this new path I now begin
 
T

Tejas

Guest
#9
(This one is for Tiffany . . .)


When Words Fail
By; Gary L. S. West


With pen in hand and heavy mind
The words I need are hard to find

I start to write and hesitate
And though I pause, time won't wait

I've many things to tell my friend
So many letters yet to send

How do I find the words to share
To tell my friend how much I care

I hope my friend can see in me
The light of hope to set her free

For simple words have failed me so
To guide her in which way to go

The life she leads, a fragile mess
She needs escape from her distress

And though I try so hard to speak
These words I have just seem so weak

The one thing I can do is pray
For God to touch her heart some way

And I've a shoulder I can lend
To bear the tears of my dear friend

And as I brush her tears away
I bow my head and silent pray

"Dear God, I ask You, guide my speech
And guide my actions, I beseech"

"Grant the words I need to say
To guide my friend along the way"

"To show her how to feel Your peace
And lightened load and sweet release"

I'm waiting now to hear her choice
And if for Him, then I'll rejoice

I'll lend my shoulder until then
And silent pray for my dear friend



________________________________________________________________________


A Letter To Lucifer
By; Gary L. S. West


Oh, Lucifer, thou angel fell
Who hunts, pursues and hounds so well
To steal my joy, to steal my peace
Determined so to never cease

I've seen your smile amidst my dreams
Bearing gifts or so it seems
You tempt with riches, rewards untold
But all that glitters is not gold

In times long past, I've fallen prey
To your sinful, sultry way
Taking pride in sin and self
To leave my Bible on the shelf

I've known the pleasures which you treat
And found them all so bittersweet
I turned my back on all you deal
And chose a path on which to heal

And now I stand here, whole again
Healed by a Saviour I call friend
Friend and brother, Son of God
Leading me where angels trod

Setting sin and self aside
Along this golden way I stride
Away from old internal strife
And taking up eternal Life

Looking back, I say to you
"I've gone a way you can't pursue
I command you, leave alone
That which you can never own"

So saying thus (and said so well)
And having told all I've to tell
This letter it is time to end
And seal this note and then to send


Signed,
A Sinner Reformed



________________________________________


A Man Called Cross
By; Gary L. S. West


I met a man while on the road
He seemed to bear a heavy load
I met a man while on the way
And to me he did say

"Good day, sir, I greet you kind
I walk this road that seems to wind
I've many things I've carried long
Which to me don't belong"

"If you've a thing that brings you grief
Give to me and take relief
I'll bear it away and, by grace,
Make this a better place"

Confused, I arched my eyebrow high
And took a step, drawing nigh
"Good sir, I do not understand
Why you lend a hand"

"I do not know you, or your name
Or why you would take my blame
And carry far my shameful load
Down this winding road"

"I am," he said, "to all men friend
And brother dear until the end
I cannot bear to see my kin
Buried 'neath their sin

"So sins upon my shoulder sit
I carry them to great dark pit
I place them in a furnace hot
And render them forgot"

"Forgot, forgave, and never more
Will they cause pain and bruise and sore
And this price so small I plead
That you plant a seed"

"Tell those you meet, spread the news
They can be free of pain and bruise
If such a price you, sir, can pay
I'll take your sins away"

I nod and so he takes my pack
Removes the weight from off my back
I feel so light and worry-free
As he turns to leave

I watch the man walk down the road
Bearing away my heavy load
"Your name, sir?" I my query toss
Says he, "My name is Cross"

I met a man while on the road
He seemed to bear a heavy load
I met a man while on the way
Who took my sins away
 
T

Tejas

Guest
#10
Beautiful Tragedy
By; Gary L. S. West


Old friends watch me in derision
Mocking this, my heart's decision
Trying to raise some doubt in me
Of this beautiful tragedy

Where they are now, so once was I
Apart from God and doomed to die
Until He sent His Son to be
Such a beautiful tragedy

But I will to my friends explain
About the cross, what they could gain
For I hope that they will see
The beautiful tragedy

How Christ, so selfless, gave His all
And pardoned us and took the fall
And volunteered so willingly
To be beautiful tragedy

Lashes He bore and paid the price
For each and every sin and vice
So we can of our sins be free
By such beautiful tragedy

Such inspiration Christ became
That I will seek to be the same
To live like Him; aspire to be
A living beautiful tragedy
 
T

Tejas

Guest
#11
My Point Of View
By; Gary L. S. West


Seems to me
Seems to be
This world has gone all wrong
Afraid to die
Afraid to live
It feels we don't belong

Seems to be
Seems to me
This world has gone all mad
Hard to see
The good in we
We dwell so on the bad

With fingers long
We point out wrong
We shun, accuse and blame
Appointing guilt
Examples built
We bury Christ in shame

Filth is thrown
Upon our own
Salvation we profess
Through the mud
And bathed in blood
Unwilling to confess

Atrocity
Audacity
God hangs His head and weeps
When we stray
In this way
We empty heaven's streets

Our mouths speak
And show us weak
When profane words we use
We hinder
And render
Our speech as heaped refuse

What comes out
What we spout
Reflects what goes inside
When we shame
In His name
Spurs others to deride

We relent
We repent
And repeat the same old sin
So they turn
And they spurn
The example we show them

We must halt
This dead salt
And live what we say we do
Or else swell
The pits of hell
But that's just my point of view
 
T

Tejas

Guest
#12
(Author's Note; When I first decided to post this work, I had thought to include a foreword, apologizing for any offense that it might cause. Then I realized that doing so would work towards the opposite effect of what this poem should do. It seems to me that people, Christians in particular, are in need of a swift kick in the pants. And at this point, I'm not too concerned at to whether that kick is to the backside or the front. It is not my direct intention to bring offense, but if this work forces one single person to look in the mirror and change the world around them, then I consider it worth any offense I might cause to a thousand others.)



Who Will Dare?
By; Gary L. S. West



I walk through the valley
Of the shadow of death
The stench overwhelms me
And I must hold my breath

Look at what the world became
The bodies on the floor
Makes me start to wonder why
What's left worth fighting for?

Broken houses, broken homes
Shattered lives and empty souls
Fractured minds that dwell alone
Spirits raked across the coals

Children now afraid to laugh
Fathers who abuse the rod
Churches who let sinners preach
Religions who declare jihad

Babies murdered in the womb
America begs, "God bless"
Why should God show any care
When we serve Him less and less

We let the gays preach God's word
And this thing is such a blight
Scripture tells us plain and true
This is horrid in God's sight

Adultery spreads like a blaze
Fathers leaving wife and child
Chasing women, feeding lust
Marks our nation as defiled

With little shame and much pride
Pushing limits of God's grace
We mix faith with profane words
Bringing forth such foul disgrace

Who will dare to cross the line?
Who will dare to take this quest?
Who will dare to stand upright?
Who will dare to truth attest?
 
T

Tejas

Guest
#13
A Pretty Soul
By: Gary L. S. West


A pretty smile
A pretty soul
To look at her
You'd never know
Her heart was once
An empty hole
Just over a year before

A lovely child
Who grew too quick
And slipped on paths
That proved too slick
Whose poor soul
Became so sick
And grew darker even more

Her parents split
Her father left
And left her heart
Of love bereft
Her shattered hopes
Her spirit cleft
Tragedy befell the child

In her anger
Ran away
Before she knew
The price she'd pay
Began to wish
She'd thought to stay
She'd thrown herself to the wild

The things she did
She'd never speak
To earn her way
Week after week
Her future seemed
So dark and bleak
She'd come to accept her fate

She turned to drugs
To ease her pain
Began to drink
To hide from shame
Resigned to lose
And never gain
She bore the world's whole weight

Her apartment
Her dark room
Her TV glows
Amidst the gloom
Commercial ends
The show resume
Brother Graham begins to teach

She takes remote
Then sets it down
Her jumbled thoughts
Were spinning 'round
Eyes filled with tears
She fell to ground
Her weak heart begins to reach

So in her heart
Christ found a home
And pulled her from
The hell she roamed
He cleansed her soul
She's not alone
She's an angel taught to soar

A pretty smile
A pretty soul
To look at her
You'd never know
Her heart was once
An empty hole
Just over a year before
 
B

blessed419

Guest
#14
You are REALLY talented ! Keep it up.
 
T

Tejas

Guest
#15
On Heaven's Shore
By; Gary L. S. West



Daddy loved his little girl
And she was all he had
To him, that child was his whole world
Just Mindy and her dad

Mommy left the year before
A crash took her away
With Jesus now, on heaven's shore
She watches them each day

Daddy taught his girl to walk
And watched her learn to run
Encouraged as she learned to talk
And shared in all her fun

He cried on her first day of school
So sad to see her go
She was his little precious jewel
He always told her so

When they purchased her first bike
He stood there by her side
He let her pick the one she liked
And helped her learn to ride

When daddy's work demanded more
He took a cut in pay
He'd rather be a little poor
Than miss his jewel each day

All the things he did for her
The sacrifices made
He knew inside that it was worth
Whatever price he paid

On Sunday, Mindy listened well
Just like she did each week
Her heart sang like a tiny bell
So eager, yet so meek

She listened as the preacher spoke
And felt her new life start
For as the love within her woke
She gave Christ all her heart

Her first Bible she received
The day that she turned eight
Though they were poor, she still believed
That God was good and great

When Mindy was just nine years old
She always felt so tired
The doctors frowned as daddy told
The things that had transpired

How, as of late, she'd been so weak
Depleted, sapped and drained
The doctors went aside to speak;
'Twas cancer in her veins

They'd caught her illness far too late
'Twas nothing they could do
It felt like such a tragic fate
For dad to lose her too

She told her daddy, "Please don't cry,
I'm not at all afraid."
She kissed her daddy sweet goodbye
Then daddy knelt and prayed

Mindy went to Jesus' arms
On Friday, April 10
Daddy knows she's safe from harm
And that they'll meet again

Yes, he's sad she's gone away
But he will weep no more
Because he's waiting for the day
They'll meet on heaven's shore
 
May 28, 2010
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0
#16
ZOMG!!! That was beautiful. Comparable to mine, actually, in the strict structure and well-chosen wording. Bravo!
 
B

beta7

Guest
#17
hi,
ever thought of putting your poems in a book, for the market?
 
May 28, 2010
12
0
0
#18
He looks kinda like that cute blonde from American Idol.
 
T

Tejas

Guest
#19
It has been nearly two years since I've visited this site, I find that to be a loss on my own part. I enjoyed being on here before, and it wasn't until today that I realized I'd forgotten just how much. Well, I will try not to let that happen again.

Below, I have listed a few of the poems that I've written since my last post, and I welcome any comments or criticisms that you may have. If you do comment, however, please let me know which poem to which you are referring. Constructive feedback helps me to adjust and improve my work in the future.
_______________________________________________________________________


Daydreamer
By: Gary L. S. West
(composed 12-16-10)


Every time
I close my eyes
There is a place I go
There is no pain
There are no tears
There's just a peaceful glow

My family and
My friends are there
Just a thought away
Often now
I visit them
And share a friendly stay

Those now gone
Who've passed beyond
They all patient wait
When I go there
I'm right on time
And not a second late

I revel in
Their company
So glad there to be
When I come home
I'm sad to leave
My precious memories

Still I smile
When I recall
I haven't left for long
Just close my eyes
And I'm with those
With whom I still belong

And I'm at peace
Because I know
There will come a day
When I rejoin
With those I lost
And there forever stay


______________________________________________________________________


Blind
By;
Gary L. S. West


Love is fragile, love is blind
Love gets lost in the dust behind

Love's a victim of calloused ways
And buried in the gritty haze

A bolt of silk in grimy hands
A riddle no one understands

Torn and trampled, left in the dirt
And not a care for who gets hurt

A marriage torn apart and split
The poor small child that daddy hit

A child who grew and did the same
And we all point, accuse and blame

Where is God? And where is love?
A brutal game of push and shove

It's not God's guilt for what we've done
We crucified His only son

Through tragic cost He tried to bless
To bring some order to our mess

In anguish, watched His own son die
And still we cheat and steal and lie

Our clock is ticking, running out
Time to learn what love's about

If God is love, then love is good
And displayed on a cross of wood

Love is patient, love is kind
And thank you, God, whose love is blind


_____________________________________________________________________


Shadowchaser
By; Gary L. S. West

I chase the shadows of my life
Like an image in the window
I walk on paths as thin as ice
I am the chaser of shadows

The shutters swing this way and that
Like a branch sways as the wind blows
I cannot see where it is at
I am the chaser of shadows

A hint of movement to my right
My own mind convinces me so
It flits away into the night
I am the chaser of shadows

I do not know for what I look
Yet, here I'm searching to and fro
Like all the things that I forsook
I am the chaser of shadows

I've chased so long that I forgot
All the pleasant things that I know
I've left my life behind to rot
I am the chaser of shadows

All those things of which I was fond
Like seeking the ends of rainbows
Those good old days are all but gone
I am the chaser of shadows

This empty house, like all that's passed
Grows dusty and dark as time flows
I know not just how long I'll last
I am the chaser of shadows

Then 'pon my door there comes a knock
Outside, a shimmer of light glows
I hesitate with awe and shock
Am I the chaser of shadows?

Now for the door I start to reach
But I'm held back by this dark ghost
"Enter in now!" I loud beseech
I am the captive of shadows

The Son of God has come to me
Dressed in glowing ever-white robes
He has arrived to set me free
And to rescue me from shadows

This Man has opened every door
And now everywhere the light goes
These shadows all are now no more
He has chased away my shadows


_______________________________________________________________________


Soul Rain
By;
Gary L. S. West


The day is dry
And far too long
The sun is high and burning on

No water near
And little shade
And every step is more sweat paid

A desert road
A steady pace
And no relief or resting place

Mirages wave
And tell their lies
And vultures wait to see who dies

Tired drifter
Drops to his knees
Through dry, cracked lips then utters pleas

In desperate state
The speaks aloud
In need of just one single cloud

"Bring on the rain
Lord, hear my call
Sad beauty here so softly fall"

"When heaven's tears
Fall from the sky
To know You care brings tears to eye"

"Lord, weep for me
For I am lost
On roads I chose at heavy cost"

"So, here am I
Now in the sand
Oh, show to me Your mercy's hand"

The drifter bows
And shuts his eyes
And does not see the changing skies

How they shift
And effervesce
And clouds then form and coalesce

Then one by one
The raindrops came
And fell upon the drifter same

The cooling touch
Restored his soul
Broken drifter was then made whole

I love the rain
That soothing sound
As heaven weeps upon the ground

I love the rain
For when God cries
I then can see the Father's eyes


____________________________________________________________________


The Journal
By Gary L. S. West


A book on lonely table lay
The pages open wide
A quill within the Writer's hand
An inkwell guards the side

Careful tracing letter forms
Communicates on page
As the Writer gently pens
The lessons learned of age

A page is filled and dried and turned
The ink now witness bears
A message made for future times
And for the Writer's heirs

Here, now penned, a tale of joy
The Writer loves to tell
There, a story whose ink is smeared
Where Writer's tears had fell

While part of life had rushed on by
In quite the pleasant flow
The Writer punctuates in time
When sorrow crept by slow

The sighs and smiles in black and white
Upon the pages lay
Which without effort captivate
The colorful display

With aged hand and gentle strokes
The Writer maps his life
Could he but put the words to tune
With fiddle and with fife

When he had done, he read his work
That no mem'ry was lost
The Writer finalized his tome
Then drew a simple cross

And in the margins of the page
He left his heirs a prayer
"Make your way to Heaven's Gate;
For I'll be waiting there."


________________________________________________________________


Collapse
By; Gary L. S. West


Days go by, we live our lives, she is always there
We see her, but we don't
She exists, she watches us; she thinks we don't care

A smile on her ruby lips; it is all just lies
If we could read her thoughts
Watch her smile now, very close; doesn't reach her eyes

Very smart, she's a writer, pen always in hand
Works that no one has read
Quiet soul, she's a poet no one understands

She goes to school, she comes home; not a single friend
A fortress in her mind
She's built walls in her defense; waiting for the end

Her mother and her father; verbal battlezone
Takes refuge in her art
Even in a crowded room, she still feels alone

Crumbling castle, falling down; her world breaks apart
Silently she's weeping
Her refuge has betrayed her; breaks her fragile heart

A razor, or a bullet, or a fist of pills
She calmly makes her choice
One by one, she swallowed them; now lies cold and still

Poor dear child, a tragic tale; none could lend a hand
She never stood a chance
How could we hear her silence? Could we understand?

Is she damned? Has she no hope? Can she be redeemed?
Please, God, forgive her deed
She gave up on all she'd planned; lost all she had dreamed

Had she reached, we would have helped; but she hid in fear
Now she's beyond our aid
Friends and family, we all grieve; Goodbye, Sara dear.


_________________________________________________________________________


"The Fool"
By; Gary L. S. West


Oh sanity, that master cruel,
Has once more cast me as the fool
Employed me as a witless tool
In all its petty schemes

My confusion endless teems
Feeding into silent screams
Perpetual, or so it seems
Leaves me a ragged man

Adds to my spirit's flames a fan
And, like a fool, I turned and ran
To leave my body weak and wan
And nowhere left to go

Sinking in the mud like so
Never having seen my foe
And all the things I know I know
It turns out I was wrong

To never know where I belong
I'm out of step with every song
And all alone amidst the throng
And so I blindly stare

The things I saw were never there
And life has never once been fair
And as I tumble through the air
I don't know where I'll land

I'm caught in shifting, swirling sand
And while I do not understand
Out of the dark reaches a hand
To lead me to the stars

Despite all of the jolts and jars
I'm passing through my unseen bars
And though I still have many scars
I don't have thirty-nine

To have a Savior so divine
Who heals such horrid wounds as mine
And does not leave a single sign
Has brushed away debris

So the Man of Galilee
Has reached out to rescue me
Soothed my mind and set me free
Can't decribe how I feel

And so I by my Brother kneel
Before the Father, so surreal
It is to God that I reveal
"For You I, glad, be fool."