To fight aloud Is what you do To hide from What's inside of you Refute the things That people say And box in bars On Saturday To fight aloud Is what you do To hide from What's inside of you Upset, attack Disturb, annoy Nag and nag And nag your boy To fight aloud Is what you do To hide from What's inside of you Bicker, fuss And fight and feud And then you say "You're being rude" To fight aloud Is what you do To hide from What's inside of you
by Richard W. Bray
Parting is all we know of heaven, And all we need of hell. —Emily Dickinson
I heard a funny story I saw a good film So many things I wanna tell you Things to make you smile So many things I wanna tell you Every single day So many things I wanna tell you But you went away I had a bad day I wanted to cry So many things I wanna tell you To help me get by So many things I wanna tell you Every single day So many things I wanna tell you But you went away I pulled myself together Dug out of my ditch So many things I wanna tell you Life is such a bitch So many things I wanna tell you Every single day So many things I wanna tell you But you went away Everything that happened Was better with you So many things I wanna tell you But there’s nothing I can do So many things I wanna tell you Every single day So many things I wanna tell you But you went away by Richard W. Bray
‘Tis sweet to know that stocks will stand
When we with Daisies lie—
—Emily Dickinson, If I Should Die
Darker nights than ever
Hearts of shattered glass
Hefting laden caskets
Setting granite in the grass
They will come for all the bodies
Then they’ll come and take our homes
The machine keeps right on turning
And grinding up the bones
When disaster makes you richer
What could ever make you whole?
Is it just the love of Mammon?
Or the absence of a soul?
They will come for all the bodies
Then they’ll come and take our homes
The machine keeps right on turning
And grinding up the bones
by Richard W. Bray
I had no time to Hate—
Because The Grave would hinder Me—
And life was not so
Ample I
Could finish—Enmity
—Emily Dickinson
bullets bombs and mayhem
centuries of hate
liars on my tv
paid to complicate
swords into plowshares
anger into hope
we only got each other
and there’s nowhere else to go
the man behind the curtain
ain’t who we elect
greedy getting richer
so many lives are wrecked
swords into plowshares
anger into hope
we only got each other
and there’s nowhere else to go
always question Power
resist the exploitation
don’t listen when they tell you
to hate another nation
swords into plowshares
anger into hope
we only got each other
and there’s nowhere else to go
by Richard W. Bray
Parting is all we know of heaven
And all we need of hell
—Emily Dickinson, My Life Closed Twice Before Its Close
I always thought we’d have you
I always knew you cared
I always felt your presence
Your love was everywhere
Suddenly I feel it
Everything is wrong
Nothing’s where it should be
And half the sky is gone
The flowers on the hillside
The birds passing by
Sing to me of your love
In a cosmic lullaby
By Richard W. Bray
They storm the Earth and stun the Air,
A Mob of solid Bliss –
—Emily Dickinson
Stir some dust
And make some noise
A mob of happy
Girls and boys
Romp and stomp
And kick your heels
Listen how
Your body feels
Play and laugh
And squeal and shout
Bounce your feelings
All about
by Richard W. Bray
O heart! oh blood that freezes, blood that burns!
Earth’s returns
For whole centuries of folly, noise and sin!
Shut them in,
With their triumphs and their glories and the rest!
Love is best
—Robert Browing, Love Among the Ruins
What has posterity ever done for me?
—Groucho Marx
You did it
For the People
Is what you
Told yourself
You thought
You were
Bigger than
Everybody else
You ruled
You conquered
You told people
What to do
Now you’re just
As dead
As everyone
You knew
Time
Gurgles on
It’s gonna
Wash away
Everything
We ever do
And everything
We say
Existence
Is a gift
Will you squander
Your ration?
Or will you
Live your life
For love
And compassion?
by Richard W. Bray
Great Spirit — give to me
A Heaven not so large as Yours,
But large enough — for me
—Emily Dickinson
He cooks me eggs
When I wake up
He never needs
To act tough
He just feeds the family
That’s Man enough
For me
He’s home for supper
Every night
He loves the kids
And treats em right
Isn’t really hard to see
He’s Man enough
For me
He don’t write sonnets
To sing my praise
He warms my night
And fills my days
Always keeps me company
That’s Love enough
For me
by Richard W. Bray
To fight aloud, is very brave–
But gallanter, I know
Who charge within the bosom
The Calvalry of Woe–
—Emily Dickinson
I’m damaged and I’m blue
And I’m gonna damage you
The grief that grew and grew
Is the damage I can do
But I know it hurts me too
When I spread my hurt to you
Don’t wanna look within
At the hurt inside my skin
Or see the monster that I’ve been
Abusing kith and kin
Anger is my cage
But there is comfort in my rage
by Richard W. Bray
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
—Emily Dickinson
Some folks hide their hurt
Under a carapace of cruel
They’d rather be an asshole
Than be anybody’s fool
It’s easy to give up
It’s easy to despair
It’s easy to bamboozle
And pretend you just don’t care
It’s scary to acknowledge
We’ll never find a cure
It’s daunting to consider
All the hurt in the world
Focus on the little toil—
Cool one pain
It’s all that I know
To keep one sane
by Richard W. Bray
Laughter hope sock in the eye's Blog 