Poems and Short Stories

Envision your life however you wish

Though it was probably imprinted on you

By a little boy or girl with curiosity

Oh so very long ago

Pull from any story on the shelf

Be it with dragons and princesses

Jedi and sith

Elves and orcs

Atreides and Harkonnen

Angels and demons

Gods of all levels

Indian cosmology

Play pretend and take it seriously

As you have a very real imaginary friend

Or perhaps you have many

They are so very true in that they affect

Cannot be seen or heard or touched

But they are surely making their marks

If you respect the stories you are living

A story with challenges, doorways, and surprises

Then you may come to understand

The grand power of your imagination

“What are you doing?” God asked.

“Raising hell!” The Devil responded.

“But why?” God asked.

“Why? That is what I want to know! Look at what there is out there! Why shouldn’t I raise hell? How could we not all raise hell?” The Devil cried.

God frowned.

“Why is it that it rains?” The Devil asked.

“I am what I am.”

“Yes, but why? If I were you, I would make sure it never rains. And one more thing! Why is it that people waste so much time? Why are they just so damn stupid? Why don’t they all just do what they are supposed to?”

“I am what I am.”

“Right, right, but that doesn’t really answer the question, does it? And, actually, another thing! How could you make it that men are so unfair? Why have you made a world in which there is war? Why have you made creatures capable of such things?”

“I am what I am.”

“A unhelpful answer as always! And to think of it, what about death? You are telling me that you created a world in which people build intricate lives just for it all to go away? What about the love those people form? Is that meaningless to you? Wait. Let me guess… You are what you are?”

“You got it. I am what I am.”

“And what about those born with disabilities? What about those born in terrible conditions? Are they all excluded from your little love parade? Why? Why must any of that happen?”

“I am what I am.”

“And what about me? Why have you made me this way? Why am I cursed to this fate? You could have made me any way! You chose for me to be this way!” 

“I am what I am.”

“Is that so?”

“It is so.”

The Devil began to leave.

“What are you doing?” God asked.

“Raising hell!” The Devil responded.

“But why?” God asked.

“I am what I am.”

God smiled.

Taking a step back to just stop and see,

Vigilant eyes in the control tower,

Amazed at the young pilot I’ve called me,

Did a radio voice take the power?

Now I realize the skies are for the free,

Feeling that flying is a way to be.

This poem is taken from my book (WIP) Love and Madness Under Moonlight. Two of the main characters, James and Xavier, are discussing various texts that they have found in an underground library.

When King Love was sad with a frown,

Prince Pain came to turn it upside down.

King Love then left for a nearby town,

And Prince Pain wore the royal crown.

But someday the King will return for the throne,

As the Prince’s power is only a cheap loan.

In darkness shines an unstoppable light,

But to understand this, one must put up a fight.

The Kingdom and fight is within but it is also without,

The journey will be riddled with questions and doubt.

At the top of the mountain, it will all make sense,

For the Prince put up a very high and strong fence.

Pain and fear will undoubtedly be muddled into one,

Mixed in with hate and anger doubles the hero’s fun.

Life is a flowing song, but can you hear all the mysterious notes?

Or have we all abandoned the song on the Prince’s escape boats?