Goodbye without Goodbyes

A goodbye without goodbyes is the worst of goodbyes
Farewells are said too late but, did you hear our goodbyes?
Hello is not the same because you cannot reply
But when we could, what did we have, but only goodbyes?
For each moment was so fleeting… we laughed, we cried
We danced, we sang, we lived; we dreamt we could fly.
A flower bloomed in April, in winter she died.
That April flower now blooms in heaven, alive.

Remembering

Suddenly, back to the day's devices

breaking me from my morning dreams

of memories that I hold in vices

while floating down life's stream

Remembering those warmer times

before the little one had place

hidden song in quiet rhyme

bandanna, and candy necklace.

[Tommy 'Canvas' Smith] via oneword.com

We Will Look Up.

-When we are shushed when we speak,
-When you put chains on our feet; we will not face defeat...
-We will look up.

-When our hearts ignite the dark,
-And tear your cold world apart; our poetry flowing as art...
-We will look up.

-We are young, strong and zealous, so we struggle to win,
-Over hatred, criticism, and those who pretend,
-Over girls getting pregnant; fathers not being men,
-Over drunkards on our corner streets addicted to gin,
-Over animosity, anger; false disguises as friends,
-When trouble blows our way, we won’t look to the wind...
-We will look up.

-So when you spit on our clothes and throw dirt in our face,
-When you put cuffs our hands and spray our eyes with mase,
-Don’t expect us to write our lives down for you to erase,
-Or for us to wear our jeans way up at the waist,
-Or for us to be plain and not fresh to the taste,
-When you stare in our eyes; your own glowing with hate,
-We won’t look at you,

-We will look up.

We WILL look up...

"I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth."
- Psalm 121:1-2

---God Bless All of You.

--Tommy 'Canvas' Smith

As Time Flies By...

As time flies by with no sense of cherishing moments for tomorrow:

My shirt stores your scent for my nostrils...
My voice cries your name into the distant time-line...

My mind replays our most beloved memories...
over a melody reserved only for our ears...
Whispering a soft "I love you" over the smoothest rhythm

My heart beat slows simply by the utterance of your name
Struggling to slow time down to savor my love for your presence

My skin crawls when I cannot be with you
Reminding me that I need your touch

My stomach growls with hunger for your company
Life without you would starve me...

My hands hug each other instead of you when you're not around
Reminding me to pray for your safety and contentment

My lips quiver when I talk to you
They still talk about you when I sleep.

My feet run to you from long distances feeling no fatigue
They know that I can't walk the path of life without you by my side

My eyes shimmer when you shine on them
They rain when you leave to remind you to end their storm by shining again

As time flies by with no sense on cherishing moments for tomorrow:

My spirit recognizes the angel God gave me
Content with understanding that time is infinite.

-Tommy 'Canvas' Smith

Still Waiting...

"Patience is a virtue," He said
"In time,in time," she swooned
Frustrated still, face turning red
Tears in her eyes; June.

Heartbeats attempt to sing the song
Each echo through this hollow tree
She wonders where her heart belongs
Slave to August; not free

Still waiting now beyond the fact
The bitter cold and brighter leaves
The shred of heart that's still intact
Now stolen by the thieves

The August warmth that scorched the earth
Replaced now by the cold
And for the world that took her worth:
The spite of getting old

Reflections in the melted snow,
She smiles as if to say:
"Still waiting on you, 'Long Ago'"
April showers, May...

Coat

Completely covered, lacking in sight
the dark peruades me to leave
this openness, this light,
this "after the eve"

This coat that I'm wearing
this place I should be
my wounded persona, everyone staring
protection, or just damaged me?


[Tommy CANVAS via oneword.com]

To Wednesday

To Wednesday,

Often forgotten between Start and the end
The middle, the crossing, the hinge, the bend

Where everyone sighs "I've made it this far"
To Wednesday, yes, you... you know who you are.


Inspiring to many, experienced plenty,
But still stands lonesome, ancient as greek
The initial hope, the knot in the rope
That we grasp and hold on to week after week.

To Wednesday, who after being prized and sought,
She opens her door, but soon is forgot.

Yet still we return to her welcome invite,
To Wednesday, the glimmer amidst morning and night.