Liberty Tolling

Let freedom ring across our land,
From sea to shining sea-
Liberty’s tolling, pure and strong,
Calling to you and me

O’er headstones of our heroes past
Unto new heroes of today.
Knelling, jingling- a patriots’ song
Whose music lights the way-

The pounding beat of combat boots,
Crossing lands unknown.
The brazen ring of sergeants’ shouts,
The flapping of flags flown.

The frightened prayers of enlisted men,
Whose fears must always hide.
The song of families, waiting home,
Forever filled with pride.

The mournful wail of trumpeters,
A silent, broken cry,
The voices of dear comrades,
Heartrending whispers of, “Goodbye.”

The bell of freedom forever rings,
Its defenders there to toll.
Its chiming disguised in many sounds,
Yet in each one, just as whole.

A bell preserved with honor,
Of those who serve its land-
Liberty’s musicians,
In America, most grand.

Seeking Neverland

Searching for the place I've loved
For longer than I've known-
A place of childhood loveliness,
The place that I call home.

A land where friendship never dies,
And hatred's left behind.
A sanctuary I once did leave,
But once again will find.

Though "grown up" in some ways, I be,
A part of me remains.
The child I have always been.
And the child I will stay.

My family ties do hold me here,
And secure for me a place.
For I am where my family is.
Our hearts- they interlace.

In this I'll forever find
Their home to be mine own.
For though time and space may part us,
Kinship has only grown.

An outcry or a heartfelt crow,
With an answer followed near;
A friendship that can keep us safe
In all trials, pain, and fear.

A bond of trust and love exists,
Between the Lost ones and their Pan;
It all is found within this place:
Our home, our Neverland.

As the Phoenix

Amazing grace,
How sweet this sound,
That lifts my soul
Up off the ground.

Though bleeding and battered,
Tattered and worn,
From these scattered ashes,
A new hope is born.

As the phoenix doth burn
And erupt in the flames,
It arose a new creature
With its own life and name.

Just as through death,
A new creature came forth,
Christ brings a new person,
And He gives them new worth.

Jesus gives hope,
Great peace and true love,
Which rains down upon us,
From Heaven above.

The Game of Life

People play the game of life.
They do what they can to get ahead.
They knock off other people to raise their own chances.
They compete and push things as far as possible.
They take stupid chances because they want to succeed.
They treat friends and enemies as if they are pawns for their use.
They undo their move whenever it suits them.
The only object is to win.

There is a problem with this.
Life is not a game.
The people are real.
They have feelings and wishes,
And if you push them too hard, they break.
If you hurt them, it doesn’t go away when you’re tired of playing.
If you make a stupid choice, you have to live with its consequences.
There are no undoes.
The object is to love.

Take My Hand

Holding composure,
Yet falling to pieces.
Always, always ok
Though the storm rarely ceases.

Waves pulling to,
And winds pulling fro,
So much is unclear,
As to where I will go.

The future’s so near,
And I’m so ill prepared.
Though I hate to admit it,
Sometimes I truly am scared.

Scared of staying,
Scared of leaving,
Scared of wishing,
Hoping, dreaming

Scared to remember,
Scared to forget.
Scared of making mistakes,
Scared of having regrets.

Scared of moving on,
Scared of being left behind,
Scared of making choices,
Scared of changing my mind.

So many choices,
New decisions to make.
Which risks are too risky?
Which ones should I take?

So many questions,
So few answers to be found.
I want so badly to soar,
Yet I’m too afraid to leave the ground.

Stepping out alone,
Into this new, exciting land,
Though we go in separate ways,
I beg you, take my hand.

For though my fears are many,
The scariest of all,
Is losing you, my family,
For alone, I’ll surely fall.

I’m not prepared to walk alone,
Though truly I should be.
I am merely mortal man,
And I am merely me.

I love you guys.

Neverland on Earth

The second star to the right,
And straight on ‘til dawn.
In a sky full of darkness,
Its light still lives on.

Home to unending youth.
And adventures most grand,
It’s our old place of solace,
It’s our dear Neverland.

Home to many memories,
Of both sweet and troubled pasts,
This sanctuary of our family,
Where said bond forever lasts.

Its shores are never-changing,
Its forests safe from harm.
Its Lost Boys and its Lost Girls,
Hidden in their leafy charm.

It is a place of safety,
Where in numbers we all lie.
Forever hidden from our captors,
In the ever-blackened sky.

Yet one day in dawn’s breaking,
The sun began to shine.
Our star began to disappear;
We left Neverland behind.

The growing process started,
Adulthood followed near.
From this light of safety,
We found a world with fear.

Still though the past has left us,
And we’re in this whole new land,
We all still hold together,
And forever we will stand.

We may be growing up,
But we’ll never grow apart,
We’ll remain within each other,
With a bond from heart to heart.

For family is family,
We see that it has worth,
So instead of letting our home go,
We’ll make Neverland on earth.