Archive for June, 2018

Give No Quarter in Dispute

June 30, 2018

Be obnoxious, be a dick
Quarrel, quibble, contradict
State your case and never quit
Advocate the opposite

Be slimier and slicker
Contest, annoy and bicker
Mix it up and disagree
Create your own reality

Give no quarter in dispute
Be doctrinaire and absolute
Never agree with anyone
And always tell yourself you won

By Richard W. Bray

All you crazy dreamers

June 23, 2018

All you crazy dreamers
You silly, silly fools
Wanting Medicare for all
And parks and roads and schools

All you crazy dreamers
You’re such a bunch of clowns
Bitching and moaning
When our bridges fall down

All you crazy dreamers
You’re so full of boloney
We can’t protect ourselves
With rainbows and ponies

All you crazy dreamers
You’ll never understand
We blow up other countries
For a stronger Homeland

It’s a mean and scary world
If you really love your moms
You’d spend all your money
On guns and tanks and bombs

by Richard W. Bray

You were right and I was wrong

June 20, 2018

You were right and I was wrong
Now my life’s a country song
About a man who lost his wife
Wrecked his home and ruined his life

You were right and I was wrong
I lost the place where I belong
You found out—you said goodbye
I hate my wicked wayward eye

You were right and I was wrong
And everything I love is gone
Thought I could have a little fling
It wasn’t worth my wedding ring

You were right and I was wrong
You said be true or say so long
I tried to split my life in two
And eat my cake and have you too

You were right and I was wrong
I was weak and you’re so strong
I have to live with what I did
I miss my home—I miss my kids

By Richard W. Bray

hurt & love

June 16, 2018

Existence is a wound
That heals when you die

me

we ache
because we love
it takes us out of our skin
naked to the world
not knowing where
we begin

we love
because we ache
in blood & bone
with a hurt
that wants to tell us
not to be alone

no love
without hurt
it’s a package deal
hurt is the tissue
that makes
existence real

by Richard W. Bray

Den of Gripers

June 15, 2018

In the corner of the lunchroom
There’s a bunch of sour groaners
Whining bout their problems
Cuz they’re all just stupid moaners

Attacking & accusing
It’s a horde of angry gripers
Feeding on each other
Like a den of killer vipers

Dissatisfaction validated
From a whimper to a whine
With all the manners & decorum
Of a heard of squealing swine

Cynical & fussy
Right Down to their grouchy britches
Deliver me, Oh Lord
From such a prickly bunch of bitches

by Richard W. Bray

Your Shining Past

June 9, 2018

Life keeps coming at you
   Pretty fast
You’re safer with your head
   Outside your ass
As long as blood is flowing
   In your veins
There’s time to live the days
   That still remain
Step in the arena
   Every day
And live each precious minute
   Come what may

The world is moving way too fast
To talk and talk about your past
Gotta keep it moving
Got no time to sip your tea
Telling stupid stories
About the way it used to be

Don’t wanna hear how
   You were really cool
In the spring
   Of 1982
You hit the shot that
   Won the local game
A bunch of other people
   Knew your name
Talking bout your
   Meager ancient fame
Is silly, lazy, stupid
   Sad and lame

The world is moving way too fast
To talk and talk about your past
Gotta keep it moving
Got no time to sip your tea
Telling stupid stories
About the way it used to be

by Richard W. Bray

I don’t need permission to be me

June 2, 2018

I’m sorry for frustration
   That grows inside your head
I’m sorry you keep searching
   For something new to dread

I don’t need permission
   To be me
Don’t waste your time on worrying
   Who I’m supposed to be
I don’t need your ok
   When it’s time to take a knee
Don’t need your permission
   To be me

Maybe you should chill and put your
   Judgment to bed
Maybe you should love and try
   Forgiveness instead

I don’t need permission
   To be me
Don’t waste your time on worrying
   Who I’m supposed to be
I don’t need your ok
   When it’s time to take a knee
Don’t need your permission
   To be me

I don’t care what you learned
   In some holy book you read
And I’ll try not to judge you
   Just like Jesus said

I don’t need permission
   To be me
Don’t waste your time on worrying
   Who I’m supposed to be
I don’t need your ok
   When it’s time to take a knee
Don’t need your permission
   To be me

by Richard W. Bray