Freedom

Freedom
By John A. Wilson

To worship my God in the way that I chose
To publicly speak my mind as I will
To print whatever I feel is the news
And earn my keep according to my skill

To travel when and wherever I may
To be judged by a jury of my peers
To vote as I wish on Election Day
To choose the music that falls on my ears.

These freedoms are but a few that we know
In this country that I call home
Where our freedom has been allowed to grow
And people are free to settle or roam

But freedom is such an uneasy thing
And the price oft-times is war's ugly sting

Primal Fear

Primal Fear
John A. Wilson

My heart beats a tattoo inside my chest
My breath becomes short, respiration rapid
Sweat pours from my forehead
My mind becomes foggy
All rational thought stops
I want to run
But there is nothing to run from
An no where to run to
And the hardest part is
Trying to figure out what I'm afraid of

Hell

Hell
By John A. Wilson

I once could imagine the depths of hell
With all of its horror, torment and pain
For all of the souls who therein do dwell
Forever condemned to the devil's reign

But now of myself I am not so sure
As I sit here and try to contemplate
Just what those denizens there must endure
Once they have gone through that terrible gate

I thought I knew what real suffering was
But now I see how little I did know
I deceived myself as everyone does
Whenever we think that hell is just so

For hell is beyond imagination
Regardless the depth of contemplation

Everyday Heroes

Everyday Heroes
By John A. Wilson

Today like every day you put on that uniform
You can not know what today may bring
But ready you stand to take on come what may
The health and safety of our country depends on you
And you accept the responsibility even at your own peril
It matters not what uniform you wear
Be it military, police, fire or paramedic
Whether or not you ever hear a shot fired in anger
Rest assured, a hero you are.

Word Art

Word Art
By John A. Wilson

With lined paper for a canvas
And a pencil for a brush
Letters are my tubes of paint
My palate is my mind

Like a painter mixing colors
To create the perfect hue
I combine the letters together
To turn the perfect phrase.

My pen chisels away the unnecessary
To find the truth beneath
As a sculptor wears the marble away
To reveal the sculpture within

I use my words as building blocks
To build joy, suspense or romance
As an architect uses mortar and brick
To erect a magnificent edifice

Art is not confined to marble and paint
Or buildings and structures strong
Art exists in the mind's own eye
With none more beautiful than words

Complexity

Complexity
By John A. Wilson



Here sit I with pen in hand
Trying to explain what I don't understand
I don't know why I feel this way
Or why on my heart such burdens lay
I don't know what has brought me down
Or why on my face you see such a frown
The doctor says these pills will help
My friends say try this tropical kelp
But truth be known, no one understands
They say my happiness is in my hands
But the human mind is a complex thing
And from the brain strange things can spring
In my mind lies a living hell
And a raging storm I can never quell
So don't waste time trying to figure out
This thing that you know nothing about
Don't think that you can take away
The pain that I live with everyday
All you can do is love and care
And say for me a little prayer

The Sea

The Sea
By John A. Wilson

Storms will rise and gale force winds will blow
Waves will crash that can wash you overboard
Care must be used to best the windy foe
Though skill and nerve and trusting in the Lord.

Days there will be when there's no wind at all
Boredom sets in and your eye may wander
`Till another ship may hold you in thrall
Beware of the intrigue that you ponder.

Most days your sails will be filled with fair winds
The sea that you sail will be smooth and sweet
And with everyday problems you'll contend
With gentle hands on the tiller and sheet.

With love you can handle any weather
As you navigate life's seas together.