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
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
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’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
I climbed a rope ladder
To your balcony
That was the place
You said you were gonna be
I found out later
You were way across town
You’re trying so hard
To put me in the ground
You’re always saying
It’s only you and me
But everybody knows
I’m just your Plan B
I had enough whiskey
To make a man drown
But you still haven’t got me
Under the ground
I ran into a wall
Cuz you said it was funny
I gave you my heart
I gave you my money
Stuck my head up my ass
To be your clown
But somehow I managed
To stay above ground
Finally figured out
You’re not the whole world
There’s over a billion
Available girls
The sky is blue
And the Earth is round
I got a nice girl
Keeping me above ground
by Richard W. Bray
Why aren’t there more people
Like you?
Lovely, kind and gracious in so many things
You do
In this crazy old world, you don’t have a
Counterpart
There’s a sparkle in your soul and twinkle in
Your heart
Why aren’t there more people
Like you?
Quietly shielding others from the pain you’re
Going through
Ignoring smears and rumors that others
Wanna start
You’ve got better things to do than pick their
Hate apart
Why aren’t there more people
Like you?
Instead of looking backward you’re happy
To renew
Now is where we are and this journey is
One-way
The most important places are tomorrow
And today
Why aren’t there more people
Like you?
Your serenity and wisdom enhance my
Point of view
You generate sweet harmony from so much
Disarray
The rhythms of the universe conducting
Your ballet
by Richard W. Bray
All is grand in Fancy Land
With towering mushrooms growing wild
There’s purple skies that mesmerize
And no one ever hurts a child
The unicorn band in Fancy Land
Plays heavenly tunes with a thundering beat
Wishes are granted and all is enchanted
And everyone has enough to eat
Hate is banned in Fancy Land
Everyone lives how they want to be
An endless sensation of happy creation
Where all the creatures are roaming free
You’re welcome to visit Fancy Land
As long as the magic lives inside you
With access forbid to all but kids
But grownups wanna go there too
by Richard W. Bray
ibble-snabble wibble-wabble
wicka-wacka woo
I wanna be the man
Who gets to spend my life with you
Sometimes people say
That I don’t make a lot of sense
They say that I’m a stalker
Cuz I stand outside your fence
wimpa-wampa dubba-dampa
bimpy-bampy boo
I’ll be gone tomorrow
If you tell me to
Sometimes I get silly
But I’m serious as hell
Things you make me feel
Are impossible to tell
numble-namble bimble-bamble
limba-lamba loom
Tell me how your presence
Makes a million flowers bloom
No place in the universe
That I’d rather be
Waiting for an angel
Underneath a cherry tree
by Richard W. Bray
It takes fifty-seven lies
Just to get you outta bed
Lies are like a fungus
That grows inside your head
You need a journal to keep track of
All the lies you ever said
Once upon a time
There was a girl who loved you true
Now there’s someone in the mirror
But you swear it isn’t you
The lovely thoughts you’re thinking
And those ugly things you do
Your heart is black and rancid
And you can’t erase the stain
You got booze and you got pills
To protect you from the pain
An umbrella in a hurricane
Won’t keep away the rain
Your body and your soul
Are in a nasty civil war
You just keep on doing
Crazy things you did before
There’s gonna come a time
When you can’t take it anymore
You choked to death on love
That you were too afraid to give
On your tombstone it will say
That you had too much pride to live
Some folks choose to die
When it’s too frightful to forgive
by Richard W. Bray
Wally walks my poodle
Such a silly little dunce
I totally deserve it
Cuz I smiled at him once
Albert does my homework
I always get an “A”
I’ll let him buy me dinner
Or shine my shoes someday
Brenda gives me clothing
That she only wore one time
I’m telling all my girlfriends
To stop treating her like swine
Dennis does the dishes
Parks the car and cooks my meals
I can just imagine
How wonderful this feels
Chloé cleans my bathroom
And she doesn’t mind the smell
If she ever disobeys me
I’ll make her life a living hell
I’m popular and pretty
And my family’s really rich
If I didn’t know me better
I’d probably think that I’m a bitch
Richard W. Bray
