I shattered it all
Hundreds of pieces flying at the wall
I watched it crumble
Laying on the ground in a messy jumble
Darkness, envy, despair and doubt
Chains that bound, strewn about
Broken dreams, joys unfound
Regrets and shame scattered on the ground
Who I am vs who I should be
Looking in the mirror not liking what I see
Pieces that remained I crushed even smaller
With every crack and every shatter
I could feel myself standing just a little bit taller
No more waiting for the chains to be lifted
Joy and peace are never gifted
So I learned to find joy in the tiniest clock ticks
Stopped seeing myself as broken, as something to fix
I shattered my doubts
Stomped on the lies
That told me who I needed to be and why
I embraced who I am and let her run free
And discovered I’m capable of much more than I believed.

A newbie in town, clearly not from around here, he wasn’t welcomed with open arms, but suspicion and fear.
He made his way,working hard for little pay.
He didn’t need much, just food and a place to stay
On Sundays he went to church but never the same one and the people said “how odd! just pick one and be done!”
He was heard telling townsfolk “this isn’t right, this isn’t the way” and the congregations declared him a danger “he’s leading people astray”
He stood with the marginalized and walked hand in hand, as they marched to be heard. The churches declared him a formidable foe, a servant of the devil , the lowest of low.
“Where are you from and why are you here?”, they asked him one day, “Show us your papers or we’ll have you taken away!”
“The clothes you’re wearing don’t fit the norm, you’re promoting defiance, consider yourself warned!
Our Savior is coming imagine what he’ll say when he sees you carrying on and acting this way! Get yourself right with God by following our lead, we’re your only hope, we are what you need.”
He shook his head and calmly stated, “Did your savior not die for ALL he created? Did he not tell you judge not, to leave it to him? Why is my love angering you so? Why do you use his name in vain, by the hatred you sow?”
The audacity shocked them and fueled their fire! “How dare this nobody question our faith, how dare he tell us what OUR savior requires!”
Laws were passed and the witchhunt began, to rid the town of all who were not like them. “It’s a matter of safety, it’s for the greater good, we must protect our people in this neighborhood.”
So he, and those he stood with, were forced to leave, or face persecution from those who “believe”.
Time passed on and the town was quiet. A like minded haven for the truly “faithful”.

Years later the Savior DID come and as people across the world, so did the townspeople drop to their knees. Blinded by his light they could not see, they whispered to each other, “our time has come we drove out the heathens, so happy our Lord will be!”
When finally he spoke his words confused…”Why have you forsaken me?” And the townspeople gasped…”but Lord we have made our town clean all here are worthy!” They cried in rebuke. And his reply came as the brightness subsided and their eyes were opened. In front of them stood the newbie they’d run out of town …

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”

I don’t normally need disclaimers on my poems, but I’m going to add one to this. This isn’t knocking teachers, or students or sports. It’s not knocking college or degrees or good jobs or success… its not knocking anyone. It’s simply about the expectations of society placed on our younger generation and carried on through to everyone. You may read it and find something that makes you angry or makes you think what I’m saying isn’t fair…I’d ask that if that happens you take a step back and realize the words don’t apply to everyone everywhere, but they do apply to someone, somewhere.

The race began and you could barely crawl
Faster they shouted, don’t stumble don’t fall
Hit each checkpoint one by one
Don’t skip around, can’t start THIS til THAT is done
You’re being critiqued so do as we say
The answers not right unless you do it this way
You’re falling behind keep up with the group
You need to be aligned, a uniform Troup
Its not Knowledge that’s power but the letter grade
Yet you just need a D to stay in the parade
Play in sports to earn admiration
Score score score to build a reputation
Finding the IN crowd and getting a place
Ensures you’re noticed and helped in this race
You’ll be tested to see where you rank
Do real good and it’s money in the bank
Success is measured in dollars and cents
You’ll learn everything except common sense
Critical thinking? We don’t have time
Figure it out when it’s on your own dime
Go to college get a degree
get a job get a title get money money money
When this race is over you’ll see how it’s scored
Then you can join the masses to be shunned or adored
Character and integrity take a back seat
The world wants to see money under your feet
Before you know it you’re in another race
Keeping up with the Jones’ trying to save face
And race after race did you ever get time, to explore, to choose?
What makes you happy, what do You want to do?
Is your success measured by the happiness inside
Or are you leaving it for someone else to decide?

Out with the old and in with the new
It’s not something I’m sure I’m ready to do
The old is gone, I cannot change that
But new means you’re no longer here to chat
New Year they say brings new hope
So why do I feel liking I’m walking a tightrope
I wish you all well, I truly do
But please allow me to still feel blue
My grief doesn’t pause for the holiday
I wish I didn’t feel this way
But I need room and space to grieve
I cannot accept joy I’m not ready to receive
Give me grace as I travel alone down this road
When my grieving no longer requires all of my soul,
I’ll rise like the Phoenix as a new season unfolds

She was an Enchanted melody echoing off the hillside
A fiery storm brewing in the distance
But Like waves push at the sand, eroding the shoreline
So did the days and years crash into her soul
So she wandered a Labyrinth constructed by pain
On a constant search for her spark that always ended in vain
Entranced by a demon disguised as a friend
Deeper into the maze she would gradually descend
Until at last she dares to explore
And begins to believe she is destined for more
The labyrinth she sees was not meant to confine but rather a place to leave her troubles behind
The veil very slowly lifts to reveal,
no friend by her side but a beast concealed
Reality slowly overtakes the illusion
And removes the layers built by years of confusion
With each chip that falls a sliver of light glistens against the Labyrinth walls
The gentle kiss of the moon she thinks it must be, yet though she looks no moon can she see
As chip upon chip breaks off and falls
The light leads the way out of the labyrinth walls
She emerges alone with no beast by her side
At ease for once knowing, she’s left it inside
That light that guided her out of the maze had been and would be with her, always