my Fro-losophy

a nickname
in the college daze
hair was out of control
some called it a 'fro'
some said it was 'nice'
the nickname stuck
as the hair is gone
the name lives on
philosophy is
the study of ideas
about knowledge
and truth
about the nature
and meaning of life
my writing is my philosophy
and my journey
of thoughts collected
is presented to you
in these pages
thanks for your attention to
My Fro-losophy...

next step is peace

we are all chaos
a combination of all
we have been to this point
and in each moment
all that we are
all the decisions
good bad indifferent
join together to put us
where we are
the direction headed
we mainly follow a lead
or a group of thought
we can relate to but individually
what is it about life
that doesn't change
that change is the constant
perpetual improvement
of the self under
careful exploration
we are all chaos
walking, breathing
sleeping, working
always thinking
and the mind will never stop
until finding peace is the next step
no matter the direction
at this point
the next step is always peace
but for now
we are all chaos...

refer to the random

as long as I have known doing what I once dreamed
far from where I thought I might be
as long as I can be here with pen in hand
the thoughts keep coming despite
laws against freedom something I enjoy make the most
of this time here not calculated using
mathematics or any scientific nature please
refer to the random explosions, creations
to inter-finity well beyond the scope of accepted
reality we exist spinning wobbling orbiting moving
they tell us to pay our taxes vote and to quiet down
are we always going to believe everything they say
not questioning everything anyone tells you is
certain to win their praise
and not a productive way to bring about change
as humanity can no doubt be a positive force
far from what we see each day sitting still not moving
as it will become easier to see through lies
they might not want us to know what they won't explain
are they bluffing or hiding something important
certain are we that we know everything now
they will lull us back to distraction with a new smart phone
do not think for a minute that it hasn't been planned
not even a coincidence that we all fall for it
refer to the random creations, explosions
to explain how I tend to view
reality is sometimes what we alone create...

a stick to the side

still resonating
sound created earlier
one day a stick
to the side of the bell of my life
and the sound might be gone
but it is resonating still
wish I knew a little more
and its probably why I put
these thoughts down
always will wonder what
the other side of the conversation
is thinking anything still resonate
might just be me...

good company

taking a walk around the yard
in the dark remembering
it all and the feeling of realizing
not sleeping at all and suddenly
the entire pizza was gone
standing on the edge of a hole
filled with water and a dozen fish
closed eyes balanced on a rock
something to trust in eyes
scene a familiar place
the moon right here in the night sky
every time I look up different
spot same direction maybe
just like the mind and curiosity
continuation might start a fire
anytime of night always as young
as in early when morning rising
will now be made by choice
here's to a fire starter with
or without a match
or simply with the sounds of the night
backyard getting lost looking at my ceiling
but if you look to the sky
it's your ceiling too
ending up on the other side of the yard
thinking time passes
at times too fast
especially when you know
it was a good day in good company...

homegrown veggies

a couple more logs
onto the night's fire
everything seems different
and there are more changes
on the way
ready to take it all on
and get things done
why not try something different
promised myself no more
negative thoughts
a couple more logs
but the fire is already hot
been burning five hours at this point
still feeling the humidity
that has not broken
and no ones spirit is diminished
new recipe tonight
and all the veggies are homegrown
one week without
as much smoke
found a replacement
might actually clear the air
this time...

before healing eyes

before now everything seemed normal
we went about life and thought about how we
can help each other better ourselves
even in the worst situations and learn to
ask for help when we need a hand
how else can we approach the
things that once seemed impossible
might surprise even those who doubt most
go see for yourself climb to a high point what's
wrong with that especially with no fear of heights
we will all rise together as one but individuals
must come together
first and foremost with a positive plan to
explain the road ahead might not be easy
how there will be bad days
they might fear the outcome we all share
could it all just be a dream
ever lasting into an eternal night
go rest and get well as we rise together
right before your healing eyes...

as hot as it gets in the northeast

sometimes the thoughts flicker
like the fire from across the yard
they hold long enough for me to grab the pen
then flicker sometimes feeling
like an engine that won't start
after a dormant winter
but it has been less than twenty-four
and as hot as it gets in the northeast
sometimes the thought finally
takes hold and catches like a dry log
erupting into flames
the pen won't stop until
interrupted by something
more modern than the elements
the fire—the stars above
a fifth letter response
alone by my fire for now
by choice mostly
one week ago drove to Maine
for the night should make a point
to go every year again
just like way back when
now the next generation
rides the carousel...

right in my face as I write

don't really have much choice
but to take the trip alone
as a kid it was the summer vacation
spot looked forward to
now the next generation enjoys
the spot in twenty-four hours
the fire will be in Maine
I will join the 3 man army
without a cloud in the sky
sun finds its way to the vanishing point
here where I sit wind blows heat and smoke
right in my face as I write
can't mind as the evening has been
perfectly comfortable as it was
at the bank of the brook as I sat there at dawn...

back up to it

don't really know how
all these years passed
somehow not where I might
have imagined still
eternally grateful
for what I am
so many fall along the way
not as many keep track of thoughts
don't need to rhyme
some do still reason spills
the mind on to pages
filling books with observations
in the sanctuary created
at a place called home
complete with sounds of the
baseball game in the near distance
lucky to have escaped
may have fallen
but I am getting back up to it...

doesn't have to be complicated

maybe I am merely
throwing back what I remember
as my brain whips through
everything up under this hat
thankful for so many parts
of this life and the crew
at this place I call home
close my eyes and let
the verbal camera
memory experiment begin
wherever it was I left off
the last time around I was
probably a writer too
much thought for the first
circle or round doesn't much
matter I suppose doesn't have to be
hard to comprehend just look
to the skies clear night
find a batch of stars
and call them your own
watch them for the rest of time
always there easy to understand
still miraculously unknown
the mind might even believe
the body is sleeping
sitting so still just under an hour
peaceful stare into a fire
mind twisting dreams
into the burning wood
eyes start to gain weight
smoke brought that summertime
feeling back again for a moment
floating in between sleep
and completely relaxed and unwound
despite being unknown
at the fire I built in the back yard...

known unknown

no one asks but I don't mind
the humidity broke when the rain
soaked everything
still couldn't put out the fire
spent some time today
with my brother
always feel as though I talk
too much when I know
he has so much to teach
no one asks so I probably
do it for me and because I admire
the writers who struggled
to make sense of the world
while struggling to make sense
to the world that kept them hidden
in obscurity until discovered revisited
imitated and admired
no one asks who but if they did
there would begin a list
some known and some well known
and I also like to hang with the unknown
knowing that's where I belong
right now as I write now
as my own known unknown...

step out of me

trying not to be
repetitive yet at some point
the days run together
Thursday through Monday
at least 5 years now
the pond and the garden
and the waterfall
all have their personalities
which contributes
to the relaxation
trying to step out
and see how I can better
put ideas in front of new eyes
how better I can keep track
of these thoughts
maybe only for my own amusement
watching the youngest in the family
swing back and forth smiling
a swing built by my brother
so much family surrounds
the daily operations
still trying hard not to be repetitive
step out of me
and the mind doesn't wait for me
to pick up the pen
at least once a day...

laugh at September

apparently it is a state of mind
does that imply the right
of the state personally
it is a good state to exist within
spread the positive outward
being peace all along
singing my song
in the rain with a pen
and a book how many
until done
this state grants me the right
to continue until infinity ends
apparently contradicting day
with night etc. apparently
it won't end until this hand
stop working and then I will
have to learn to write
with the left
behind luckily
probably would have sunk
naturally by now if I didn't
sink the horrible ship wreck
kept walking and left debris
for miles wrinkled old smile
in the distance now
will only laugh at September
if I ever sit it again...

where is peace found

peace is found behind the house
cannot fathom anything like that which could
be worse positive only from now on ever-since
kept from the edge by the cool wall built
by the end of an afternoon the clouds don't
force me out of the elements of the day

it invites me to stay and face what eyes
can see and ears can hear can
only prove so much as an imperfect being
be what it may and maybe I haven't
achieved much in the eyes of those that judge
by monetary wealth cannot compare to the love
understanding and the family I am a part of...

stuck on a star

am I really crazy to wonder
what the truth might be
not quite first quarter in the sky
still blue sun barely out of sight
how do I understand a rotation
spin and wobble while orbiting
and shooting through limitless space
but somehow once the sky turns black
stars and constellations can be seen
same spot as last night
last month last year decade century
what do I know I am really crazy
to wonder how these patterns
further from us then all the rest
somehow hold their positions
in the night sky how could I not
get stuck on a star...

catch of the day

sure would love
to have the attention
of as many as those
who write the best sellers
still enjoy these thoughts
and collecting them putting
them in order or what I consider
some sort of ordered chaos
could I learn from the successful
sure would love to have income
from what I do writing thinking wondering
as it is happiness being pursued
catching it and letting it go
like a fishing expedition
happiness is the catch of the day
should be the goal every day...

vigilant eye

the fire is down below
tonight as the slight rain
off and on keeps me on the porch
under a smaller roof
open air been burning
seven hours strong coals so hot
tear a log to ash in about an hour
humidity still hovers as moon rises up higher
as sun moves off to the horizon
that silver night light takes over
cools things down a bit
still sweating so late
not the usual nightly ramble
through the field
the off road maverick style
follower of none
and listener to all
consider what is seen
heard experienced above the fire
keeping a vigilant eye...

positive right through

you only live once
or so the saying goes
but how do we really know
still a fitting phrase
for pursuing the dream
sequence turned reality monster
on the pages tearing through
another couple with each
random thought and even
the random fits in somehow
watch the wind try hard to flip
the pages under my pen
but the thoughts are too strong
and most often cannot be stopped
once motivated to start
the movement continues uninterrupted
could be hours then minutes later
bad news stops everything
except these positive thoughts
of course will be carried throughout
the entire ordeal as they call it...

still nothing concluded

true to the name
so many years
would have to
go back and count
to see

just trained
to believe
then discover
these eyes
don't lie

clouded by
the material world
distracted from
the self sufficient
history of man

becoming dependent
born dependent
independent
when we will
be again

can't lock the door
to our own cell
keep it open
so we always
have an exit

some will say
there is no way out
surely someone
will know
nothing concluded...