"Great wits are sure to madness near allied
And thin partitions do their bounds divide."  Dryden

Select a link below to view an original poem.
Index:
Total Desperation
Lament For Someone I Knew
Totally Blind To Life
They Will Show Us the Way
Learn To Walk Away
I Feel Heat
World On A Bullet's Head
Mankind
We Walk A Fine Line
Stop!
The Lovers Prayer
Quiet Time
Red Rose
Green-Eyed Monster
When You Are Gone
The Decision
Southern Boy
You Paint
Waiting and Wanting
Out On The Ledge
The Tormentor
A Rite of Passage
All The Questions Ever Asked

Total Desperation

Hanging by my own noose, I see.
I pulled it taut by my own arms.
I even built the gallows,
I hammered every nail,
And placed each board in place.
Then, I saw myself through a haze,
Climbing the steps of my destiny.
I watched as my hands grasped for the noose
About to be placed around my neck.
From a distant perspective it seems
I was viewing this sight.
Just fuzzy and not quite sharp enough to be real.
Astonished at this scene, as seen from afar,
I screamed, "Is that really me?"
Of course I knew, and yet I didn't
Know what was going on here.
But I still persisted in spite of myself,
Persevering I said, "How did I do this?
Only I know how this came to be,
And yet, I still don't know.
That, is desperation.

Dale E. Stephens © 2001

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Lament For Someone I Knew

I last saw you over a quarter century ago
Your face, now only a faint memory
Your actions are tainted by time
And the one-sided tales told to me.
You were a "bastard," an "asshole."
You were "unreliable and cruel."
These are the only things I know about you.
Do you ever wonder, as I do?
Are you even still alive?
Have you ever loved someone?
Did you ever become a father; have the family I never had?
Do you care that you have an heir that will leave no heirs?
Did you know that one's heart could harbor both hatred and love?
Do you know that one can yearn for someone they never knew?
Did the consequences ever cross your mind?
Do you have a conscience that causes you pain?
Do you ever wonder, as I do?

Dale E. Stephens © 1998

Totally Blind To Life

When the comet became snagged
From its arc across the sky,
It fell into the fiery brilliance,
Of a star that crossed its path.
The enormous star's gravity,
As well as it's nuclear core of energy,
Could never be compared, or matched,
To that of the tiny comet.
So insignificant it became,
Completely engulfed in futile struggle,
Like a dust speck blown from a mountain,
It was overwhelmed, and instantly consumed.
And there is no one to mourn the loss of the comet,
For, it had passed us all, unnoticed,
And its journey through the heavens,
Will remain a mystery forever.
What a pity it is, a shame for now,
To have lost such a heavenly body.
If it had only struck a planet instead,
It might have continued proceeding, unhindered.
For, planets are much more equal opponents,
Although often times greater in size.
They may still be fragmented and scattered,
For the comet strikes with great speed and intensity.
But, if you are not totally blind to life,
You may understand the moral of this tale.
The key lies quite deep, and yet is still simple,
If you are able to see, the tale will unfold.
And remember to look, to see in all directions.
Visions and decisions are extremely critical,
You have the power to destroy, as does the star,
And likewise, to be consumed, as was the comet.
We all know strength and size do not matter,
Being able to endure is what matters most.
You must take your humility with pride,
And you also must fight, for life, and for peace.
But, should it become too difficult,
For you to keep your eyes open,
You only need to adjust your perspective,
You must continue to strive, to never become,
Totally blind to life.

They Will Show Us the Way

Good and evil
The final coming
A climax in, or maybe of
All time and space
Is it close at hand?
How can one tell or know
The cold gets colder, the heat always hotter
Everything at extremes
Killers kill more, beggars beget beggars
And thieves abound
Artists give all of themselves
To the point of death
I can foresee that all humans
Will be astonished
Only God knows, and most certainly
Will not tell
And only the true and pure of heart
Will see the signs
They will then complete all their chores
And proceed to the end
A new awakening and a new birth
A new organism
We just don't understand

Dale E. Stephens © 1987

Learn To Walk Away

To walk away, to let go,
Learn a lesson.
Give up your heart,
Then run and hide
Within your mind.
Close all the doors,
Shut out the soul.
Rise in the morning,
Starts another day.
The years go by
Birth and then you die.
Live only for yourself,
Give in to no one,
And forget the past.
It is hard to remember,
When it felt like this.
Feelings run away,
Crashing into other feelings.
Loss replaces hope.
Hate replaces fear
Have little fear, and, do not hate.
Love comes all too often,
Always new and fresh.
Surely it will come again.
It should be strongly embraced,
Not, out of perspective.
Remember, caution keeps pain away,
For there will always be rain.

Dale E. Stephens © 1977

I Feel Heat

I feel the warmth, or maybe something more
No, I feel heat, intense, and I see colors.
The temperature is almost overwhelming
I find it difficult, and yet, easier to breathe.
I know I'm moving forward, searching for its source
Looking for the ignition point of such energies.
Trying desperately, to locate the incredible furnace
And the magnificent fuel it consumes.
For certainly its fuel must be very special
Most likely of a grade quite unknown to man.
With a degree of flashpoint, simply incomprehensible
Mere knowledge of it may cause spontaneous combustion.
Although it might be compared to the sun,
By those unable to fathom its magnitude.
For it is far greater than even the sun,
This, I know, for it is visible to me now.
As I approach the end of my quest,
I have come to know the heart of my enigma
Now I am close enough to see; feel it.
This is much greater than I ever expected.
I am becoming overloaded with information.
I am completely unable to keep up with its flow.
My mind is exploding, as I come to understand,
And I see that I am staring into the face of God.

Dale E. Stephens © 1978

World On A Bullet's Head

World on a bullet's head
Speeding down the barrel
Exploding from the muzzle
We hang on, else we're dead.
A straight line to target
Flattening, the result of friction
We hang on, better than dead.
Spinning, spinning, 'til spent
Gravity has a call to make
Still hangin' on, else we're dead.
World on a bullet's head
Missing its final target
Lays flat, useless lead
No one hangin' on, too late, we're dead.

Written in memory of John Lennon.

Dale E. Stephens © 1989

Mankind

In all the depths,
Of all the minds,
That ever existed,
There grows a seed.
To some or most, it grows.
Heartier and swifter for one,
Than for the whole.
Yet, in all it thrives.
This is the seed,
Known to all men,
Within the legacy of man.
Created by a weed.
Grown from a spore.
Borne of Hell's soul,
To fall upon mankind,
To fight a certain peace.
It is only a seed,
Known by many names,
And using many guises.
It's name is Hate.

Dale E. Stephens © 1980,1999, 2005

We Walk A Fine Line

You bite and tear at me,
Your claws are sharp.
The cuts run so deep,
And the scars never fade.
Behind all the hate,
I can feel your love so strong.
The hurt is just the same,
I too, feel all your hurt.
And yet you still hurt me.
We walk a fine line,
Between our love and hate.
And the fear that is in our hearts,
Is just the fear of learning,
That we still might love each other.

Dale E. Stephens © 1989

Stop!

The tide for life of the ocean of darkness,
Springs forth from the well of inhumanity.
Churning, frothing, beating down the sand,
Polishing the grains.
All becoming smaller with each passing wave.
Will it, can it, might it stop?
Maybe only God can stop it.
Will He?
Only time, only, always, time.
There are only endings.
We can never see where we start.
Always looking for the end.
Man's one hope, his only hope,
Lies in looking for the beginning.
Stop!
Take a look, the view is splendid,
And life goes on…

Dale E. Stephens © 1988,1999

The Lovers Prayer

Quiet Time

The day begins,
Quiet and cold.
The only sounds,
Are the sounds of old.
The rustling of thoughts,
As they pass through my mind.
Are all that I hear,
In this quiet time.

Memories in black and white,
The colors all faded.
Remind me of times,
Lost now and jaded.
Photographs in time,
Of one I have loved.
Is the only solace,
In this quiet time.

Red Rose

It's tight petals calling,
For the sun's healthy rays.

The sun will bring it to life,
And soon the petals will open.

The blossom becomes full;
The scent will fill the air.

Time is the rose's enemy,
Taking it's beauty with it.

The rose is now withered,
And it's petals have fallen.

They are trampled into dust,
And are ground into the loam.

Their scent is still in the air,
But will quickly diminish.

And all we will have left,
Is the memory of its beauty?

Green Eyed Monster

Jealousy, green-eyed monster of yore,
Rears its ugly head with vile reproach.

Jealousy tears us apart, destroys dreams,
It makes us turn our friends away. 

Jealousy, why do you take hold,
And make us do what’s wrong. 

Jealousy, the envy of wanting,
What we think we do not have. 

Jealousy, always wanting more,
Never satisfied, never satisfying.

Jealousy, you green-eyed monster,
Leave me now, and never return.

When You Are Gone

When you are gone,
My sleep is disturbed.

The emptiness I feel,
Cannot be filled.

The loneliness so great,
Only you can replace it.

My heart is heavy,
And my mind is full.

Of thoughts of you,
Far away from me.

The bed is cold,
It chills me to the bone.

I am waiting for you,
To lie beside me.

To feel your warmth,
Against my skin.

To hear you breathe,
As you dream.

To hold you in my arms,
And know you are mine.

It is what I yearn for,
When you are gone.

The Decision

A decision has been made,
To not be anyone's fool.

He will never so easily be led,
By someone wanting to lie.

The words were spoken,
But the heart was not true.

It once was easy to believe,
But reason has returned.

No longer is he a mat,
To be trampled upon.

A new light shines,
To lead him on his way.

Away from the darkness,
Into the dawn of a new day.

The chains have been broken,
And no longer bind him.

Freed from the whipping post,
He helped to erect.

Now gone is the pain,
And the scars will fade.

The Southern Boy

The room was full of people,
All in separate conversations.
But you spied me from afar,
And decided to make me your own. 

You knew of the entanglements,
And yet you bided your time.
Waiting for just the right moment,
You made your boldest move.

You must have been fearful,
Yet you took your one chance,
By being brave with your emotions,
Knowing just what you wanted.

The timing was on your side,
The sequence of events unfolded.
Your heart must have been racing,
Yet you followed unhesitatingly.

The dream became real,
On one certain morning,
When the answer you sought,
Was given without hesitation.

Now circumstances are new,
The past has been left behind.
Beginning the best of things,
For the future we provide.

The Southern Boy has taken,
What he desired and wished,
The quarry he has captured,
Will remain by his side.

The love they will share,
Among all other things,
Will expand for all time,
And fill the heavens above.

I sit here waiting, wishing you were here,
I sit here wanting, to feel your tender touch. 

I sit here waiting, to hear your voice again,
I sit here wanting, to taste your precious kiss.

I sit here waiting, for you to come back home,
I sit here wanting, to shed my clothes for you.

I sit here waiting, for the day when we are one.
I sit here wanting, to touch you in that way,

I sit here waiting, to give you all the pleasure.
I sit here wanting, to feel your warm embrace. 

I sit here waiting,
I sit here wanting.

I looked up and saw you,
Out on the ledge.

I didn't know it was you.
Out on the ledge.

I climbed the stairs to find you,
Out on the ledge.

And there you stood,
Out on the ledge.

I reached for your hand,
Out on the ledge.

We talked for a long time,
Out on the ledge

We both cried,
Out on the ledge

I held you close,
Out on the ledge

I told you go and jump,
Out on the ledge.

You looked into my eyes,
Out on the ledge.

You said you couldn't now,
Out on the ledge.

That's all I asked for,
Out on the ledge.

You took my hand in yours,
Out on the ledge.

We both could have perished
Out on the ledge.

But you heard me then,
Out on the ledge.

And we both made it back,
From out on the ledge.

You talk so very sweetly
Drops of honey drip from your lips,
Like a treacle so thick it's a stinking tar.

Your eyes are always flashing,
The glints of jade hollowly gleaming,
Like the eyes of an adder snake.

Your day will come to its bitter end.
And soon, loneliness awaits you,
The pain shall be your only friend.

For you to be able
To unlock this mystery,
You may only need to reflect,
For I most certainly know,
Where the key may be found.

And since I have been empowered,
With this enigmatic information,
I have striven greatly to overcome,
Any urge or desire I have to decipher it.
For I most certainly know,
Where the key may be found.

The citadel where the key is kept,
Lies deep within your heart,
For, if I should open your heart,
I will pass the key on to you.
The key will be revealed in the passing,
And now I will conceal the key.

And if I decide to share this,
To open your heart, and thus reveal the key,
I will have sealed and locked tight,
All the doors to the world where I now reside.
Thrown on a new path,
Never allowed to return,
The the life that I had,
In the world where I was before.