1.

A poet sits in his one man room
thinking his thoughts singing his songs
Writing down words which turn and twist
Searching for a line
that would make some sense
Hopeful to complete his rhyme
Perhaps that someone might buy-like
Looking out his window
to the streets below
He thinks of this life
how it does go
Many are the pitfalls all along the way
Where can he run
who can he blame
He says to himself
isn’t this a dream
poverty and blue jeans
simply rice and more beans
Write my hand write
for this is my love
Running the race
until the storm comes
When my life is no more
I stand at the grave
Will you remember
the words that I gave

2.

In this land I love and call mine
Wild flower blossoms fragrance
dances toward the new summer's sky
Melting snow waters
gently flow not asking why
It’s course is driven
Into the singing soul of this countryside

Our children listen well
Understanding the rhyme
Reverence for all life
beneath the breathing sunlight
This is a spiritual insight
etched upon our lives
From the lasting spirit
Written long before our time

Mountain bird’s song
prarie dog’s bark
talking horse his hooftracks
laying upon the broken turf
Half moon’s dance
summer cloud’s song
they all give birth to beauty
upon this living mother earth

3.

I’d like to sing, sing my life away
I’d like to sing and laugh everyday
but sorrow comes creepin’ into my heart
makes me feel down  makes me feel sad
I’m wondering why must it be
why can’t we sing everyday

I’d like to dance, dance my life away
I’d like to dance and smile everyday
but sometimes you know its hard to smile
when people can be so unkind

That’s why I’m thankful for the sun and the rain
that falls on my window pane

Still the songbird sings her song
tellin’ the whole world everything’s gonna be fine
there’s gonna be clear days, sunny skies
and warm summer nights

So we must say
be thankful for the rain
Be thankful for the sunshine and everyday

Don’t you cry, no need to sigh
you know it will pass by

It’s good to hear her melody
breaking the silence
bring in the light
To know that everything is gonna be fine
So I can dance and I can sing
I can dance and sing everyday

4.

Here I sit just flat common stone
No value to boast or beauty to show
Staring continuously to the summer moon’s glow
Feeling the cool mountain waters that graciously flow
Over my head to the sea these waters run
Running their course without regulations to break

Hundreds of years I’ve sat and stared
Beholding the beauty naked and bare
Mocking bird’s song echoes though the trees
His song is sung as a gift for you and me

Redwood, birch and pine,
a home for all who need
When the winter’s rain does fall
And the snow drifts pile high
When the summer’s heat does burn
There’s a place of refuge to hide
There’s no admission to be paid

Now the times have changed
Humanity has come
He cuts down the trees
And builds up the towns
He dams up the waters and dumps his trash
Poison the earth, look at all his tracks

I’m still just a stone no value to boast
With a long story to tell, no beauty to show
Is there anyone who will listen
Is there anyone who cares
Planet earth is dying
Better put her up for sale

5.

I dreamed about sailin' on an open sea
where song birds sang a melody
There weren’t any storms raging
I could sail until the end of time
Sail on sailor… search your life away
everyone looks for their peace of mind

I dreamed about living in a world of peace
where all nations lived in harmony
didn’t have to worry about war planes flyin' by
didn’t have to worry about politics
that cut, tear and tie

There goes another rainbow
Floatin’ out of my mind
Taken’ me captive on a sweet, sweet ride
It’s the favorite part of my day

I dreamed about livin’ on a mountain high
there weren’t any pollutions of mankind
I was listening to a songbird singin’
When the sun started dancin’
Didn’t have any armies marchin’ by
Didn’t have tear drops filling my eyes

I dreamed about ridin’ a painted pony wild
ridin’ over a open range
didn’t have any barriers to break down
didn’t have any stop signs hanging around

There goes another rainbow
floatin’ out of my mind
Taken’ me captive on a sweet, sweet ride
It’s the favorite part of my day

6.

A poor boy goes walkin’
During the early light of day
Knowing those city sidewalks
Cold and gray
Looking for any kind of job
He gets turned away
He wonders how it must feel
To earn a rich man’s wage

Does this life mean anything?
He yells towards the sky
Shaking his fists
Closing bloodshot eyes
An empty stomach growls
A broken pride weeps
Struggling to survive
Upon these broken city streets

Questions which begin with why
Usually ending with because
This tug of war between
The darkness and the light
Manufactured and designed
Long before our time
Navigates our fragile feet
Disturbs and confuses
Our mortal minds

Upon the corner he does stand searching
Hopeful that he’ll find
The strength to carry on
At least until the dawn
Through this life he’s grown to hate
City sidewalks which cut, tear and take
Capitalizing upon everyone’s mistakes

I peak no good English
Me work hard

7.

The train whistle was blowing
while the people were towing
everything they were owning
Trying to avoid the war that was coming

Children were crying
while the men were loading
their guns for the killing
The governments were arguing
about the armies that are invading

United Nations were debating
issues which are binding
The force which is tightening
The fear that is gripping
So now that we’re dying
From the poison gas we’re breathing
I hope that the nations
might learn one more lesson
That war is for killin’
and killin' is not helpin’

8.

I can't help but ponder
the course of these times
Gazin' out my window
to the out goin' tide
My spirit is weary
my heart does ache
From all of the trouble
I'm seeing today

Can we build a paradise
will we survive
Tear down the barriers
away from our minds

Are we going to teach
our children to love
Telling them to help
everyone they see
All of the people
in the world today

Or will we rape
mother earth till she's dead
Building our castles up to the brim
When there's nothing more to kill
nothing left to eat
Will we be satisfied
with the world we create

As I watch the ships going out to sea
I think and try to figure out
Humanity and history
dark pages in time
Now I'm closing my eyes
Perhaps in the morning
It'll all be a lie

9.

Greasy torn clothes
cut and patched
Hair with dry blood
Scares on his neck
Reflecting street battles
He's had to endure
His name is Charlie
Some call him Sir

Collecting scrap metal
Hanging these ornaments onto his clothes
Precious metals, priceless stones
He screams out loud
It's three in the morning
Nobody's around

Ask the police they all know his name
Observing him daily
Babbling to the street
Scribbling on the walls
Over three thousand cases
just like him
Living in these city streets
I'm told

10.

I'm singin' this song for all the people
All the people who fought and lost
All the people who've been searching their hearts
All the people who've been looking towards the sky
All the people who've been wonderin' why

There's gonna be a new morning
it's comin' right around the bend

I'm singing this song for all the people
All the people who've been washed aside
All the people who've lost their eyes
All the people who long to be free
All the people who are weeping

There's gonna be a new morning
it's coming right around the bend
It's gonna be for you
And it's gonna be for me

I'm singing this song for all the people
All the people who've been sailing those seas
All the people living in the streets
All the people with patches on their knees
All the people with their heads hanging down
All the castles laying broken on the ground

11.

Military madness is on the run
tanks, planes, soldiers with guns
You think they would learn
After all these years
Killin' each other
doesn't make us brothers

Who's to blame
when its over and done
Presidents, generals
or the soldiers carrying the guns

If you hurt me I'll hurt you
that's what's done
Is that the way it's got to be
Until the world is gone

12.

There's talk going round
that we're all going to die
This planet is being abused
But don't wonder why
You're late for work
There isn't much time
Hurry up shut the door
pull the blinds

Run men run to earn your wage
Forget about mother earth today
You've got a mortgage to pay
A boss that complains
Who needs rainforest anyways

Your train is ramblin'
scuffin' down the track
No need to worry about the elephant
Don't concern yourself with ecology
There are more important projects
like paying your electric bill

13.

There's a train whistle howlin'
breaking the dead of night
poor boy is walking
He says it's just another
cold lonely night

All the people and all their stories
All the hard luck stories ya hear

To one was given a kingdom
To another was given disease
and the strength to carry on
carry on who you are

I heard a songbird singin'
In the early morning light
She sounds happy to be alive
I wonder where she got
a heart like that

Where does the sunshine go
when she's feelin' low
Where does the wind
gather his hope
If I new I surely would go

14.

Eagle feathers, buffalo bones
hanging from his bow
War paint covering a scared wrinkled face
He sat on his painted pony
Confirming the enemies strength

Temperatures that cut and bite
Warriors stand ready to fight the fight
For their sacred lands they'll sacrifice
They will pay the ultimate price

Weary of running tired of the fight
Our guns have no bullets
The old ones were right
Hungry are the children
Hollow and sunken are their eyes
It's a good day for dying
Isn't it Dull Knife

These lands are our lands
He cries to the wind
Where our fathers are buried
Our children began
Buffalo and bear they know our names
They'll tell our story
When we're in the grave

15.

Grey wings of steel lay silent
Facing the dimly lit runaway
they set in slumber
Hand painted pictures proudly glowing
beneath the cockpits
the war birds patiently waiting 
Boasting of nick names and battle glories
Warning the enemy of their anger and fury
Protruding battle scares lay torn and barren

Upon red rose bud the queen bee rested
Face of anger,
hands filled with bombs anticipating
brutality of war, fear kisses the courage
through the skies youthful soldier
his heart pounding
gripping a lucky medallion
hoping to avoid the danger lurking
One more mission boys, our duty beckons

Ghosts of past war due cry
uttering the misconception
Foolish or brave
be the man consumed by duty
You be the judge, my friend give thought
Duty was the word our ears sought
Rows of tombstones
printed names, our reward
worthy was the cause we gave our lives for?
When will the world learn, we ask
Nothing is worth killing
Killing is worth nothing

16.

I heard a songbird singin’
I heard a blind man cryin’
I heard the sound of children
playin’ in the park
I saw two young lovers
walkin’ on cobblestone gray
I felt the sunshine on my face
I heard an orchestra playin’ in my mind
Well you know it’s good to be alive

I saw clouds driftin’
I heard an angry sea speakin’
I heard thunder in the night
I saw the wind tossin’ and turnin’
leaves in the early mornin’ twilight
I heard a melody in my heart
I sense something in the dark

I heard the wind howlin’
I saw a sail boat sailin’
I felt a storm ragin’
And I saw a beggar beggin’
I felt sorrow bittin’ my skin
sometimes its hard to grin

17.

The hurt in his heart shown through his eyes
Rain mingled with the mud hanging on his knife
He mutters with a cough what  went wrong
Numbness in my legs my missing thumb
laying in the mud mangled and confused
he listens and wonders what did he do

Faces and scenes penetrate and gouge
His thoughts moving around
in a silent stormy cloud
Bodies hacked apart
bowels in a mouth
Mutilations of the war
Troubling his soul deep down

Kneeling giants of green,sing the song and say
we’ve got to get this soldier out
No need to search for his limbs lying about
Medavack him now before it’s too late
Political military madness will have to wait

Iron birds hover, human cries drift
throughout the battlefield
Piles of bodies, the stink that sticks
Into the soldiers souls, fright stands firm
Guns spit their bullets the wounds that don’t heal
Guts, bone, decapitated heads which creep
Onto the TV screen, the parents who weep

Now he just sits
the wheel chair  charades
Whiskey bottle provokes
the thoughts do tear
Faces of the battle torment
His life does rot
For a war he hasn’t stopped fighting
Guilt that’s not dissipating
The governments reluctance in accepting
The responsibility for the body he’s grieving

Is there an answer
For the question that’s dancin’
Around the people who are livin’
In that war coldly ragin’
Their country who called them
Told them it’s worthy
Proudly they left their loved ones for serving
Justification is there any ?
For the sacrifice they continue making

Young men listen to the words I’m speaking
There’s got to be an excellent reason
For War’s destruction
If your thinkin’ about fighting
In a war that’s comin’
Consider the cause greatly
More than one life will be dying

18.

Death came dancing
With joy in his eyes
caring a basket of souls
he’s been plucking with great delight

While stopping at the crossroads
to check his road map
He said to me, son your time has run out

Without hesitation I said with great fear
Kind Sir, I’m much to young for dying
besides my work isn’t finished here
I’ve got children to feed
A wife that has much need 
So he said he’d leave
And later he’d come

Gathering my things
through the house I did run
Out the back door and into the barn
But death was waiting
With open arms and a smile
I said can’t I wait
Maybe just for a while

The hay needs to be bailed
Christmas cards haven’t been mailed
He said he’d leave now
But later he’ll come

Breaking down the barn door
to town I did run
hoping to catch a fast train
to take me quickly out of town
But death was holding
the tickets for sale
Saying where would you like to go son
I’ll make you a comfortable deal

I said I forgot my money at home
I’ll be right back
It’s only a few miles
He said son that’s tough luck
your time has run out
Reaching for my soul and laughing outloud
You’ve all got an excuse
And a long story to tell
Did you think, Life’s a road
that goes on for endless miles?

Copyright © Stephen C. Hall 2005. All rights reserved.