Lost

Lost in the woods.

No compass, no direction.

Serenity. Take it all in.

Find the roots

that stabilize;

Find the routes

untraveled.

Earthen brethren

take solace in the sun

through tattered treetops.

A leaky roof; frail canopy.

Falter not at nightfall,

but make camp, make fire.

Let it reflect in your eyes,

and never burn out. Not until

the sun can pick up from

where it left off.

Lightness commands the soul

so let it fly freely,

through trees and above

just as lost as can be,

perfectly so.

Dusk

I grow weary in anticipation of the days looming ahead. So much potential. And it might not all be good. There is much uncertainty in the decisions of my future. I try not to worry so much about what hasn't happened, for there isn't much I can do to change that which has yet to make itself apparent. It just seems like there is something missing. Considerations of gadgetry and whimsical purchases occupy my mind as a distraction to more severe underlying concerns. Patience is not one of my strong suits, and, in conjunction with great curiosity, an eagerness to know what lies ahead slowly tolls on my thoughts. For each step towards true adulthood, I find myself confronted with an equal set of problems to endure or conquer. I know that this will be the case for the rest of my life. It just makes me sad to know that these upcoming years are what so often break the spirits of my elders. I hope that I can overcome the difficulties without great hardship. Yet, at the same time, I desire the difficult times to harden my heart against the tribulations. I don't want to lose affectation towards others in the process, but I want to function as a pillar of stability to those who otherwise cannot find a means to stand on their own. Something that particularly is bothering me is how much I've said the word, "I" in this writing. Surely my readers want to listen to me talk about me. That aside, there is a lot more ahead. I'm not planning on dying any day soon here, and I'm sure there are bound to be some serious burns before I can handle the heat. Time will tell, no need to lose sleep over it. Writing on the other hand? Always worth losing a few extra minutes before throwing in the towel and getting some shuteye. Goodnight to all. My most earnest and heartfelt gratitude and best wishes are extended to each and every one of you.

For Now,
T

Wishful Thinking

"The integrity of a man is tested by how he proceeds when he knows failure is imminent." -Anonymous

The first summer night.
House parties and porches.
Cigarettes and swingsets.
Distance. Oh, the distance.
Drunken stupor and words.
Honest words spewed as fast
as the moving hands of the clock.
Sunrise, sunset, rinse, repeat.
Stumbling into work
Goofy smile, ruffled hair.
Trips. So many trips.
To so many places.
The East, The North, Outer Space.
Growing up?
Sonic bliss.
Moments of pure ecstasy.
Tents, bears, fires, tranquility.
Anxiety. Unspoken words.
Shooting stars and painted skies.
That sunset. Ego death.
Souls touching the void.
Skinny-dipping day and night.
Cliffs and Eagles.
Miles and miles, gone and to go.
Well-traveled, well-read.
Stress and work
Rest and relaxation.
So much learning.
Pirates. Bassheads. Star-crossed.
So close. So close. So close.
This boulevard of memories.
The best I ever had.

Beings

A wise friend once gave me a sound piece of advice. He said to me, "No matter what you do, never try to make something be anything other than what it is."

Well, what is it?
Not for an effort to change it,
but rather to preserve it.

Dare you impart on your journey
and while we do part ways
Depart with smiles and memories
To not forget while apart.

Go find what you're looking for
And be happy.
I'll be here, waiting, waiting, waiting.
And be patient.
As my whimsical dreams blur with waking life,
And I wonder.
How you're doing. How are you doing?

A spirit that's free is seeking to be
unbound from the chains of the living.
May you fly back to me, surely you'll see
The err of my feeling misgiving.
When I look to the sky above and seek
My destination among the stars
I hope you've landed there too,
So that your dreams came true,
To where you've achieved your peak,
And me to stay on my pars.

So I'll follow his advice and let it be what it is. It keeps me wary of the past, honest in the now and sane from the future.

Ender

Ambient delirium
weak end, weekend
striving forward
yet take me back
to sunsets and shorelines
to the grandiose Up North.
Let the stars permeate
like pinholes in the
black blanketed night.
Bring to life the stories
of our Grandfathers
of adventures
and camaraderie
of new beginnings
remembrance, let history
be doomed to repeat
only the highs.
Find me by the bonfire
and see the reflection
of my soul resonate
from the embers I made.
Take me back. Forget me not.
Summer. Summer.
Long days and perfect nights.

The Poet's Journey

The Poet's journey is one of accomplishing in words that which can only be otherwise elicited by art or music. It is to tap into the larger portions of the spectrum and touch the cosmos. Loosely must the poet define the limitless love and realm of emotion through constrained vocabulary. Our relationship is one with words. Our souls rest with the notion that we've connected with another, no matter if only for the briefest of moments. That fraction of intertwined essence brings with it ubiquitous happiness and the single greatest commodity known to man. The Poet knows of tricks of sentimentality, but also knows to avoid such, as the warmth of emotion cannot be feigned. Each word of the poem resonates with similar beauty to a piano chord. Carefully chosen and properly executed. Poetry bridges the broad gap between words and song, and as such prove to be a most intriguing and appealing form of speech. Eloquence abounds from the inspired mind; a translator's dream come true. To speak well is to understand and to understand poetry is to be naïve. It is an unabashed work of another soul. Yet, to omit the effort of trying and understanding would be the greatest failure to the poet. For what he understands is that his world depends on each of us attempting to understand one another and landing somewhere close enough to attribute it meaning.

Death of Self

Life was never about you
or you or you or you either.
The Soul Purpose is to observe
a far more grandiose happening.
Mere specks of stardust comprise
our existence in this plane.
So interesting the perception
of importance and self-preservation.
I seek out the death of my ego
in favor of a more precise fit
into the schema of the universe.
We are merely here to watch
and progress. There is no self.
So be kind, curious and stubborn,
sit back and enjoy the ride,
for that which you can control
you can change indefinitely.
And that of which you cannot?
Well, you cannot, so do not
waste your time worrying.
Just be.

Good Life Advice

It isn't about the money. Nor the fame or the prestige. Happiness and success are measured by freedom. The inability to go and do what one wants becomes the biggest milestone to overcome. The world in which we live makes it difficult to attain true freedom. As life goes on, people accumulate debts and obligations which dictate the tempo of their lives. Never forget the end game, the goals of your youth, and the means of accomplishing those goals. Never be too complacent with any aspect of your life and always strive to be a little bit better at something. Don't let the years pass and wonder what happened to your life, how you suddenly became a 30-something and are still working that same job you started post-graduation.

Do what you like. Find a way to be happy. Don't stress about anything. Taking a laissez-faire approach, albeit risky, can work surprisingly well. The world makes it very difficult to fail if you are determined to work hard and keep your eyes open. Laziness is the greatest epidemic of our times. A general lack of caring and motivation has carried us into our darkest days. Hard work will often times overcome raw talent, mostly because the talented folk don't feel as though they need to work as hard to achieve. Yet, when they reach their plateau, the determined will be able to fly higher and reach a much greater potential.

Surround yourself with the people you care about. Don't let them go and always fight for those bonds. They're the best reassurance during difficult times. Leave no room for the unstable and abusive. At the same time, be sympathetic to their cause, because you never know what somebody else has been through to shape their experiences. Keep an open mind to the opinions of others. While many will act ignorant, there is often a lesson to be learned from their beliefs. Let those you care about know how you feel and never speak down to anybody. You never know if they're going to be the next person to interview you, the brother of your future partner or otherwise a potential friend.

Always, always, always be honest. You can massage the truth, but never lie. Untruths quickly snowball in complexity. Furthermore, it is bad karma and makes you look like an asshole if you get caught. If you ever do something wrong, apologize for it before being criticized. It shows integrity on your part, and may spark some sympathy from the other party.

Be sure to always own up to your debts. If you owe somebody, find a way to make it up to them. Better yet is avoid owing anything to anybody. Square up and don't get in a situation where you can't afford to pay up immediately. Taking money out on credit leads to a long and dark road.

Most importantly of all, don't ever give up on changing the world. If there is something you disagree with, speak out about it. Be a voice of reason and inspire others to do the same. Respect the opinions of others, but humbly disagree. Do your research and learn the counterpoints of your argument. Stick up for the underdogs and be a pillar of stability in an otherwise unstable world. Never stop fighting--for peace, for love, for freedom.