Faces etched in time
A bittersweet smile on a stranger's face
Silent memories like sentinals standing
Sight and sound intertwined
On a far away horizon
And the ever gentle touch
A soft wind always blowing through the canyons of my mind.

A slow and sensuous samba
Fear and imagination melting
A surrealistic blend
Hopes, dreams and abject despair
Dusty jars of aspirations
Floating far away
Drawn to a new dimension of dark and light
A soft wind always blowing on the wings of elegance and sight.

Emotions like infinite oceans
Lovers lost and lovers found
Sun, moon, planets and stars
Like dilapadated highway signs
On an infinite journey through space and time
A soft wind always blowing clouds of blue and gray.

An endless circle of life and death and life
Sails unfurled on an endless sea of emotion
The warm embrace of an early summer morning
Standing at the edge of fear
Majestic prophecy written in the sand
Guided by spirits from a strange and distant land
And a soft wind always blowing from so very far away.

No words left to say
A silent stranger's smile
No debts left to pay
Sunsets made of fire and passion
A strange and wonderous day
And that same soft wind
Blowing strong and free across the bay.

    We all have fears. They lie deep inside haunting us when we least expect it. Over the years I've learned to confront my fears. In the beginning it wasn’t easy. It isn’t easy now. My fears are deep, real and often difficult to quantify. But I perservere. 
    Fear is a healthy instinct in it's purest form. When it’s perverted by self-doubt and loss of confidence it becomes corrosive and debilitating. At times I question my abilities. Sometimes I feel less than confident. Sometimes I feel completely inadequate. I suppose it’s all part of a natural process. Sometimes in the early morning hours I find myself questioning what lies at my core. It is then I find the need to summon my strength and continue on. It's a never-ending quest. 
    My quest takes me on many journeys. It’s like setting sail on unknown seas. It’s like boarding a magical, mystical train and riding through the night with no clue as to the destination. It's not courage that drives me, it’s trust and imagination and curiousity. It’s the messages painted on the sky. It’s the spirit guides I encounter when I dream. It’s the magic of the talking trees, the amazing communication of all that surrounds me. 
    When the fear comes crashing down like a tidal wave all around me I seek refuge at a table by the window on the Hitchcock Railway. It’s there I feel love wrapped tight around me as I sip on a cup of warm tea flavored with honey and peer out the window. I can see my fears, look them in the face and learn to understand.
    Fear fades away the same way a sad and distant memory fades. Fading away like a long, lonesome train whistle in the distance. A sound familiar and reassuring.        
    The sound of me confronting my fears. 

You Are a Funhouse

You are an open, flexible person who is able to see the world through many perspectives. Self reflective and honest, you're able to take a hard, objective look at yourself (even if you don't like what you see!). In relationships, you are a bit of a narcissist. But you can't really help it... You're by far the most interesting person you know! Your life is a bit perplexing. Things aren't always what they seem - even to you. You've successfully cultivated an enigmatic reputation. But you're still a mystery to yourself. Deep down, you often feel a little lost in the world. And you're okay with that. Trapdoors and dead ends are something you expect. You just enjoy figuring out what it all means. At your best, you are self aware and savvy. You know yourself well... including where you've been and where you're going. At your worst, you are vain, self centered, and egotistical. You sometimes look so far inward... it's the only thing you see.

   
    For much of my life I've been collecting odd bits of knowledge in that place somewhere behind my eyes. These odd bits are like remnants from a long-forgotten jigsaw puzzle. And these odd bits of information create questions that take up residence in my head and are like mischievious garden gnomes. Here's a sampling of what drifts through my mind when I'm slowly slipping off to sleep; that amazing mental twilight somewhere between not quite awake and not quite asleep.

The distance from Stonehenge to the Egyptian Pyramids is within one tenth of mile of the same distance as the distance from Stonehenge to the Mayan Pyramids in Mexico. Coincidence? I think not, considering the incredible distances involved.

Archeologists have for some time discovered heiroglyphics from a variety of ancient ruins scattered around the world depicting flying machines. A lucky guess on the part of our ancestors? I'm not so sure.

Electricity. The stuff we take for granted and use on a daily basis. Our world would cease to function without it, yet to this day I still don't really know what it is. I understand it is the product of magnetism or chemical reaction, depending on the energy source, but what IS it?

In principle I am opposed to the death penalty. I long ago made a vow to the gods I worship that I would never bring harm to another human being ever again. Yet the same question nags at me. What if someone I love deeply was killed by another human and I confronted that person. Would I avenge the death of my loved one or take the life of the perpetrator. Maybe I would tell that person I forgive them and then when they turn and walk away shoot them in the back of the head. Or maybe I would let them walk away, leaving the decision to the gods I worship.

Why do we expend vast amounts of money, time and energy arresting, convicting and sentencing those whose crime is the sale of marijuana and at the same time pay tobacco company executives huge salaries?

Why do we consider prostitution illegal, yet at the same time congratulate and idolize those who marry for money?

And the most intriguing question in my mind . . . . if I knew the precise date and time I am going to die, would I live my life differently than I do, not really knowing where or when my life will end?

There's a scent in the air
Strange and beautiful . . .
A vortex behind my eyes
Burning like a new morning sun flare.

There's memories riding on my shoulder
An angel on an ocean
Tides of time gone by
Driftwood floating off the port bow
All awash in a flood of emotion.

Scenes of lives long past
Lonely nights on a long and lonesome highway
Movements in time
Passing by far too fast.

A warm rush of passion
A torrent of tears
Moments frozen with fear
In a mystical fashion.

Smiling eyes watching
Flavors of emotion
The taste of mangos and lime
Like a mystical cosmic potion.

Winds of magic
A new life no longer tragic.
Blowing down the canyons of my mind. . . .
Winds of magic.