of lullabyes and winking dreams

a child's lullabye
brings dreams to mind
to take the child from the world
so filled with verses yet unseen
the chorus sung is lovely and high
and brings her sleep
but undertones of sad transition
from one end of the scale to the next
lends itself to verse despairing
in gradual downcast descent.

you are my sunshine my only sunshine
but when her eyes close
the words reveal
hidden sorrow
so deeply longing
for a love
that won't be again...

oh my darling oh my darling oh my darling clementine
truth is in the
verse but children
only hear the
gentle tones
of a song so
rife with loss and
ending with
a sour note:
love was lost and
then forgotten
with a kiss from
someone close...

twinkle twinkle little star
dreams above me wink and call
teasing me with glimpses fair
beg me heed their taunting dare
build me up to watch me fall
never cared for me at all.

-d.s.b.
10/2/2014

little white pill

there's more to me
than that little white pill
there's more to me
than i get from a drug
i am a human
i have a heart
and a brain
and a soul
that is tearing apart.
they tell me i'm destined
to do these great things
they tell me i can do
whatever i dream
but it comes with an asterisk
a bit of fine print:
you can't do it without
that little white pill.
but this is who i am
what i am
how i'm made
are you telling me now
i'm improperly made?
am i defective
will i fail as a human
did God overlook
some careless mistake
that i have to suffer
that's madness i say
that i can't be without
that little white pill.
i'm convinced of my value
with no drugs in my blood
it's not much i'll tell you
so you'd better ask God.
so i guess now i'll ask You
will my purpose still live
if my blood can flow free
from the drugs that they give?
will i choke under pressure
of doing Your will
if i don't choke down
that little white pill?

-D.B.

3/27/2013

Series (Part 3 of 3): "I'm flying up above the clouds--"

I’m flying up above the clouds—

Yes it is, for the final time,

A dream of mine

And something I

Think I’d really like to try—

I see the sea, blue, clear to—

Hell would pour me half the trouble

Society and conscience pours!

They dare to gather in a huddle

And say they’ve heard it all before—

I greet the mountains with—

A whisper in my head you see,

Or two, they’re fighting constantly!

One gives me very pretty rhymes,

The other bashes them each time—

And when I wake, I think, “Adventure—

It’s quite alright, I understand,

I’m speaking to explain.

I’ve never been too good at that;

I’ll write so its more plain.

-D.B.

2/14/2010

Series (Part 2 of 3): "I'm flying up above the clouds—"

I’m flying up above the clouds—
But there’s no cloud, there’s only blue.
But why can’t I imagine them?
I swear I do, they’re my dreams too!
I know some ancient poet thought
Of flying up there too,
And hasn’t every human thought
That they could fly there too?
But I really am original
And given just one chance,
I would’ve thought of flying high
Much sooner in advance.
And had I never read a book
Of birds who dreamed to fly
Or seen my friends jump off their beds
With plastic bags (they tried),
And if I’d never watched a plane
Weave loudly through the clouds
Or seen the cartooned superman
Fly swift without a sound,
I swear I would’ve thought of it,
And all that I would need
Would be myself, some faith,
A cloud,
And my thoughts to roam on
Free.

-DB
2/14/2010

Series (Part 1 of 3): "I'm flying up above the clouds—"

I’m flying up above the clouds—
No everybody does that.
I’m flying high over the sea—
But many others do that too.
I’m swimming in a gulf—of Mexico!
With dolphins and with sting rays slick,
And all around me water clear—!
But wait my friend dreamed that last week.
So what is it that I have dreamed
That none else have as well?
Oh dreams are such a common thing!
But life, oh life does swell
With all the different hopes and tears,
I think, and thoughts
I can’t control.
It’s unexpected and sometimes
It really takes a toll
On heart, on mind,
On body, soul; on—
Well, what else is there?
A treasure trove of lovely things,
And things that make me scared,
And things so sad and others happy
That I think they are quite mad!
So really isn’t life a dream
But just with less extremes?
No it’s the same, for I can fly,
And not just in my dreams.

-DB
2/14/2010