What Can I Do

Oh I wish I was

Wish, yes, wish you knew!

In the land of cotton

C’mon, c’mon, oh, you can DO it!

Old times they are not forgotten

Pssh, you can say that again, buddy!

Look away, look away, look away

Don’t think I can.

Dixieland

What can I do? Is there anything?

He says you get nervous, you get

Self-conscious

When the time comes.

I understand that.

Maybe not in the same way, but

I’ve felt that way too.

But why you?

When what you have is so

Incredible,

You shouldn’t be afraid to

Show the world all that

You can do.

And you can do it. You have,

And you will again.

And maybe, just maybe, I’ll be there

When it happens.

All my trials, lord

Soon be over…..

The moment comes, the flute rises,

And you stand with your head

Bowed low, your hands crossed,

Your expression so solemn.

What are you thinking about?

What goes on in that head of yours

In that moment?

And then.

Your eyes glow bright

In the light

Your jaw is set, your soul determined

I’m praying now, you understand, praying

That this time you’ll

Do it

Go for it! Try! Shine!

Glory glory, hallelujah

His truth is marching on

Yes! Now! Go!

You want it, I can see that, FEEL it!

His truth is…..marching….

A deep breath shared by two souls

On.

Nope. Not this time.

What can I do

To help you

Believe in yourself

As much

As I do?

Enough

I believe
That you can never have
Too much
Of a good thing.

You can have too
Little
Of a good thing, or
Too
MUCH
Of a bad thing, but
Never
Too much
Of the good.

Contrarywise, I have had
Enough
Of a good thing, just
Enough
To get me by for awhile.
Simply
Enough
For now.

Seth (for Kristen)

Brown hair

Wild like a free horse’s mane

And long, kissing the boy’s

Shoulders with its

Unruly

Tangled

Mouth.

Brown eyes

Shining and brimming

With life

As only a 29-year-old

With a voice

As clear and cool and

Tender

As his

Can know.

Brown skin

Rare

The color of sweet coffee,

The same shade

As a newborn fawn’s

Baby-fuzz.

A reminder of who

He is, and where

He comes from.

The Next Step

A children's
Animated movie
Featured a cute blue alien
And a little Hawaiian girl who loved
Elvis.

I heard his voice
For the first time
In this movie, and I begged
My mother for more
Elvis.

I ran my first CD ragged
Listening, learning, and loving,
Until one Christmas, my favorite
Uncle suggested we leave a day
Early and stop in Memphis, to learn
More and tour the grand home of
Elvis.

My love and respect for this
Legendary man grew unstoppable,
And I began to collect music, records,
Books, movies, all I could find to tell
Me more about
Elvis.

Then I met a young man who loved
The southern star with a passion like mine,
Who sang and danced and talked and laughed
And did it all for the sake and purpose of
Paying tribute
To the extraordinary man known as
Elvis.

It started so simply
And my love burns so strong
That no matter of years could make
A difference in the passion, the joy
That I get from one special man named
Elvis.

Dedicated to.......

Crackle!
Spit!
Pop!
The old-time record plays out
History on black vinyl,
Spinning its volumes on
A newfangled yet admittedly
Beautiful
Machine.

I sit back,
Gaze up at your face
So full, so young, so
Heartbreakingly
Indescribable.

I sip my sweet tea,
The delicious amber treat
Drunk from a Mason jar to further
Authenticate the mood.

Dare I spin my dreams into stories?
Dare I write myself into your incredible life?
And, if I succeed,
Will others read and believe and feel the love
And the life
I try so hard to put down in words
We mortals can understand?

Surrender

You tell me to
Dress myself, pretty myself,
Wear my hair long, just like
Everyone else.

Don't eat! Don't you dare!
And what are you doing, listening
to that?
THIS
is what we listen to.
You like it. You do.

Forget your books and
Your journals, forget
Your great relationship with
Your mom.
Be angry, be distant, live
Your world through TV
and Ipod and computer
Screens.
Never lift your eyes to the sky
And wonder.

You're weird. You're different.
Boys will never want you, because
You're not pretty enough, not cool enough,
Not SAME enough.

Guess what world?
I'm not listening to you.
I will not live my life according
To your standardized rules.
I will not break down
I will not give in
I will not
Surrender.

Thoughts

Hey,
This is
Slightly more
Than ironic:

I told myself
I needed a
Break, that I
Was gettin'
In too deep.

Others didn't see
It that way, said
I was crazy to
Even try.

So I tried.
And the funny
Thing is that
The more I
Try to push
You out of my
Life the more you
Seem to be a part
Of it.

I
Can't
Not
Think
About
You, and it's
Driving
Me
Nuts.

The strangest things:
Khakis, a bad joke,
my morning cup of
Coffee, a stupid cartoon
Mouse, and of course,
Your celestial twin
Make it impossible
Not to
"THINK".