double vision
bad decision
a collision
lost in the swell
this won't end well
it's show and tell

she's got the beat
take the heat and
go meet her be
sweet to her she's
gonna be oh
so free wait and
see let her lead
meet her need don't
exceed her or
plead with her for things she isn't giving up

a nice guy but kind of shy
living in the world and wondering why
things are so complicated

a sweet girl with a spicy smile
gonna stop and chat a while
about the way things are

a shining star, a ray of hope
dangles at the end of the rope
and all they can do is hang in there

some will freeze, some will drown
most will never come around
to face the truth or take the dare
they just stop and stare
they don't care

no one knows how the story ends
who will break and who will bend
what matters is they take a stand
just one more time

that which is over begins again
count it as loss, then count it as gain
forget all the tears, forget all the pain
turn off your thoughts on the down-bound train

Happy Hanukkah
Merry Christmas
Happy New Year

It was a nice, quiet holiday season for me. I liked it.

Starting in January, I am going to strive to write at least two posts a week. If I can make six posts a month, I will be satisfied. One post will be essay. One post will be poetry.

I don't read enough, either online or offline. For some reason I can't stay focused on reading like I used to. This has to change.

Also, I need to start making money from other sources. I'm tired of teaching in classrooms where the air is either too cold, resulting in sickness, or the kids are paying more attention to their computer games. I have ebooks available on a number of websites, but poetry doesn't sell well. Not like it used to. I need to try to write some short stories for a change, and maybe do it right enough to sell to a variety of markets.

I have a lot of pictures, but no clue as to whether or not there is a market for what I have.

Seems like my mind is wound up too tight in the wrong direction. Let's see what happens when it ticks the other way.

More later.

lacking happiness,
a rebel without bullets
continues the hunt
for joy in a depressed world.
he does something with his life.

he played the blues
win or lose, paid
his dues, lit the
fuse as he taught
what he thought was
long shot romance
bought a dance and
a chance to en-
hance their love for the music of Saturday night

nine years away from home
a big world that I've got to roam
got a lot of miles that I have to go
but I'm down on luck and short of dough
can't go back but I can keep straight
keep goin' forward to my expiration date

a world full of borders
guard towers and fences
seven billion line their own defenses
no one knows who gives the orders
they can't look back or shoot real straight
keep lookin' forward to their expiration date

brothers, sisters, human disgrace
I got lost in this place
and I know I have to move on
say goodbye and then I'm gone
I can't come back so please don't wait
keep movin' forward to my expiration date

I have three ebooks available through several ebook sellers. Here are some links.

The Chiang Mai Sessions

Amazon.com

Barnes and Noble

iTunes Store

Goodreads.com

Kobo Books

The Bangkok Sessions

Amazon.com

Barnes and Noble

iTunes Store

Goodreads.com

Kobo Books

Shadows of Doi Suthep

Amazon.com

Barnes and Noble

Goodreads.com

iTunes Store

Kobo Books

A fourth collection of poetry is in the works. "Under Crushed Black Velvet Skies" is my poetry journal from April, 2013. It features all the poems I wrote in answer to a challenge to write a poem a day during National Poetry Month, which is promoted by the Academy of American Poets. I hope to have it available by the end of the week.

how many heroes have left the room
after they couldn't take no more?
what of the promises of doom and gloom
were they broken when they closed the door?
somewhere night has fallen
it's fallen and can't get back up
and I'm calling on you
'cause I've fallen and can't get back up
I'm calling on you

there are no more heroes in the room
they left at the break of day
the silly promises of gloom and doom
left us broken with nothing to say
somewhere night has fallen
it's fallen and can't get back up
and you're counting on me
to play the fallen hero again
you're counting on me?

this is not where I will meet my fate
and I'm not taking the fall
doom and gloom promises are out of date
they are no longer posted on the wall
a smile is fading
it is fading into the darkness
and I'm calling on you
but you won't answer the telephone
I'm fading away