Ode to a guy with ILS (Imaginary Lat Syndrome)

I see you as I walk toward the stairs to the RB.
You look like you're 15, and roughly 4 ft 3.

Is it short man's complex to which you've been diagnosed?
It very well might be, but it's not what I notice most.

It's your arms, oh your arms...how they hang there so awkward
away from your sides as if you've about to jump skyward.

Why is it, I ask, that you hold yourself mid funky chicken dance?
Why is it you stand in this most akward stance?

It's my muscles you cry!
My latissimus dorsi!
There's so swollen and huge!
roughly the size of Baton Rouge!

I take a second and look to see what you mean
but I see nothing unordinary, nothing obscene.

"Are you sure that's what's wrong?"
"Oh yes, I'm quite strong."

My fears now confirmed I have to profess
It's my humble opinion, this boy has ILS.

Goodbye My Love (aka Lost Melody)

My heart's bleeding inside me
but I continue to fake "just fine."
Lying sweetly through a counterfeit smile,
reminding myself you're not mine.

With every part of me exposed I've waited for relief.
But time weighs down my tired heart constrains to scream release.

Goodbye my love.
You've come too late.
This broken heart of mine can't wait.

To you friendship means silence.
At least that's what I've percieved.
If you don't love me just say it.
You're not saving me any grief.

With every part of me exposed I've waited for relief.
But time weighs down my tired heart constrains to scream release.

Goodbye my love.
You've come too late.
This broken heart of mine can't wait.

My heart's bleeding inside me
but I continue to fake "just fine."
Lying sweetly through a counterfeit smile,
reminding myself you're not mine.

You're not mine.
Goodbye.

Affirmation (Breathe In, Breathe Out)

[verse]

Breathe In
Breathe Out
Allay your fear
Beseech your breath to fathom air.

Control your tears
Compose your soul
Believe in grace and rise above.

[chorus]

Above the chains of self-inflicted doubt
Bestowed on you by a self-appointed crowd
Beneath all this, you know you’re so much more
Attain the crown that you were sent here for.

[verse]

Breathe In
Breathe Out
Allay your fear
Beseech your breath to fathom air

Divide your thoughts
Dismiss your nerves
Believe you can; you’re not alone.

[chorus]

Alone to face these trials here yourself
Begotten sons of what, you cannot tell.
Beneath all this, you know you’re so much more
Attain the crown that you were sent here for.

[bridge]

Each time you fall you know you must rise up.
Erect your fence where last you failed to stand up to the fear.

[verse]

Breathe In
Breathe Out
Allay your fear
Beseech your breath to fathom air.

Control your tears
Compose your soul
Believe in grace and rise above.

In the Foreground

We crown ourselves in our denials,
unfailing victims of the fire
we lit ourselves.

The flames to purge our sins it seems
unorthodox and quite obscene,
yet we continue on.

Why can’t we seem to see
our strength has become
our weakness.
Just open up your eyes.

The contrast between right and wrong
continues to fade ‘till it’s gone
and all is gray.

Consumed by all our righteous acts
we blind our own eyes to the fact
we’ve lost our place.

Why can’t we seem to see
our strength has become
our weakness.
Just open up your eyes.

If we could only see ourselves for what we are not.
So pious in our own discourse to remove all doubt.

The writing on the wall appears
not in our hearts and that’s my fear
that leads me to unearth my voice and sing.

How long our reign will last this way
I’m quite unsure and yet remain
unmoved myself.

Why can’t we seem to see
our strength has become
our weakness.
Just open up your eyes

If we could only see ourselves for what we are not.
So pious in our own discourse to remove all doubt.

The writing on the wall appears
not in our hearts and that’s my fear
that leads me to unearth my voice and sing.

We crown ourselves in our denials,
unfailing victims of the fire
we lit ourselves.

The flames to purge our sins it seems
unorthodox and quite obscene,
yet we continue on.

Why can’t we seem to see
our strength has become
our weakness.
Just open up your eyes.

not finished

Alone with my thoughts as I walk down the cold dark street.
Like a shadow, I follow my breath as I release.
And the white stillness of the snow reflects the light above
from the streetlamps that I know.

The stars smile down from their blanket of darkest blue.
But no outer warmth is conveyed from my point of view.
Like silent statues they stand as monuments to the grave
of the mistakes that I have made.