Expressions

Healthy

I walk along a path with you

I tell you my childhood dreams,

Thoughts that enter my head,

Anything.

You hold my hand and with a squeeze

Tug at my heart,

And soften my feelings

As you reassure my thoughts.

You walk along a path with me

You tell me your childhood dreams,

Thoughts that enter your head,

Anything.

We are now walking through a dark forest,

Thorns are all the eye can see.

You sense it

And with a squeeze, I see sunny skies.

-M.D.

"Inspiration"

When I was young things were quite bad,
The most common emotion we felt was sad,
Alcohol ruled the one we called dad,
And welfare gave us what little we had.

Through many a long and sleepless night,
We crouched and hid to stay out of his site,
Because we knew he would soon show up drunk,
Smelling like the horrible stench of a skunk.

It was a horrible decision for us to make,
Whether to absorb a beating for our mother's sake,
For without her to protect us from him,
Our lives would have become much more grim.

Through welts from belts and fists of rage,
We managed to reach our teenage,
Then to escape I started to run,
But found no place-no where-no one.

I yelled for help but few heard,
Because the way I called seemed to them absurd,
For I did it through drugs and alcohol,
It's a wonder anyone paid any attention at all.

The drugs and booze of yesterdays,
Seemed to form a protective haze,
To shield my mind from the abuse and screams,
And help me forget the horrible dreams.

But in the end the view always clears,
And the soothing haze leaves my ears,
Then the pain floods back from early years,
And the innocent victimized childhood tears.

Society still hasn't learned,
The beds of children are still being burned,
From my feelings I know it's plain to see,
That I've lost some respect for humanity.

It tears me apart to wonder why,
Anyone would want to make a child cry,
When love and admiration from a daughter or son,
Gives a feeling that the lottery is finally won.

When my judgement day arrives,
I'll know I've saved some beautiful lives,
From the nightmare of abuse that I did see,
Because this brutal way will die with me.

Yes welts from belts they'll never see,
Or any other savagery,
I want my children to grow happy and free,
And think of love when they think of me.

by Frank Hogel

Bruised Children

A sweet young girl with tender eyes

Banished to her room, alone, she cries

Somewhere inside her spirit dies

I think this is a shame

She listens as her mom and dad

Yell at her and say she’s bad

It’s all her fault when they get mad

She thinks she is to blame

A little boy with dark sullen stare

Listens as they curse and swear

Just wishing he could hide somewhere

Why do they call him names?

He once was happy. Would sing a song

He had good friends who tagged along

What has happened? What went wrong?

Why is his family strained?

A tender girl, a precious boy

Should only know of love and joy

Play and laugh and share their toys

They should not know this pain

Harsh, angry words. Mean, cruel tones

Hurt much more than sticks and stones

Breaking more than children’s bones

I think adults should refrain

When as parents, we lose control

And we destroy those tiny souls

How will they ever be made whole?

How will they laugh again?

by Charles Betts

All of my life
I have dreamed
that somehow love would find me
now i can't believe you're standing here

If beauty is all
in the eye
of the beholder then i
wish you could see
the love for you that lives in me

(Chorus)
And you would know you have my heart
If you could see, what i see
that a treasure's what you are
if you could see, what i see
Created to be
the only one for me
If you could see, what i see

I know there are days
when you feel
so much less than ideal
wondering what i see in you

It's all of the light
and the grace
your belief in me drives me to say
that i promise you
a faithful love, forever true

(Chorus)

if you could see
then you'd understand
why i fall down to my knees
and i pray my love
will be worthy of
the one who gave his life
so our love could
You're created to be
The perfect one for me
If you could see
What I see

if beauty is all
in the eye
of the beholder then i
am beholding...
true beauty

by Lisa

Beautiful God
Timeless and unchanging
I don't understand the reach of your hand
And unending grace

So why am I so scared
I know you'd never hurt me
What is it I fear
When love is standing here
So ready to save?

Don't let me walk away
To make those same mistakes
With every breath I know
That your eyes
They won't let me go

Beautiful God
Patient and unfailing
No words could thank
Or ever repay for all that you've done

Why am I so scared
I know you won't desert
The future's unclear
But I know you're here
Teaching me how to trust
As you change fear to love

Worry so blinding, the past always finding
Way to rule
Light quickly fading from often mistaking
Lies for truth

by Lisa