WHO AM I By ... Steve Lucky My name is Steve Lucky. I was born August 13, 1969 in Lexington, Kentucky. Belief in God I treasured at an early age And still treasure those moments even today. Pretending to be a member of the opposite sex Comes easier for me than most. Years of practice is the reason Despite what other people think about it. Shyness has always been a problem for me. Too many times I have missed my chance Because I was too shy to face it. Romance, though rare, I have been able to find. Most of it has come in the final moments Just before distance plays its cruel hand. Greed is not something I want dominating my life. Dreams of mine concern saving lives And making the world a better place. Words, my words, I want to reach More and more people until all the world Can hear what I have to say. Fear of anger, especially my own, Has always exisisted inside me. It is something I have to overcome daily. For many causes I have fought, But what do I want for myself? A chance to relax and make my work Known to the general public without recieving Questions I am too shy and embarased to answer, Courage to continue no matter what obsticles might be in my way, And dreams reality tells me will never happen But I want anyway. Lack of descriptions for my inner thoughts Hopefully will be overcome with the passage of time. Knowing imperfection will always be with me, Some secrets I will keep to myself forever. Goals for the future include continuing with my poetry, Establishing a solid foundation, and hopefully adding some stories To my growing collection of books. Not all the goals I have set for myself are easy. I do not predict I will succeed with all of them. Psychics are often wrong and many frauds can be found, Yet I know psychic powers are real. Any disaster they can forsee should be taken seriously. My life I would give to make sure Their message reaches the general public. For many causes I would be willing to give my life, Especially my belief in God. I also know the importance of living So I can keep doing Whatever I feel needs to be done. Does any of this answer the question of who I am? Yes, but the question can never be answered fully. I am a complex human being with constant and changing Strengths, dreams, and faults. Predictable and unpredictable are my behaviors. All of it is blended into a single humen being, The one who is known as Steve Lucky. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky POLITE By ... Steve Lucky For a job to be done right, It is best to be polite. Whether the others are kind or cruel, Politeness gives one a better chance to rule. Kind people tend to recieve kindness in return. This is a lesson many people should learn. Despite all the problems that might be found, Usually things work better when politeness is around. One who practices politeness day after day Is more likely to be polite when trouble has come to stay. Even when things have gone horribly wrong, Staying polite can keep one going strong. Basic manners have a universal appeal Letting others know one's politeness is real. Changes to many things large and small Are best done adding politeness to it all. Understood by even the smallest child, The meaning is the same in both civilization and the wild. Politeness motivates when the day has begun And keeps one going when the day is done. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky CART ATTENDANT By ... Steve Lucky The job I have I have had for years. I get the carts outside and put them in the store. Sometimes hardly any carts can be found And sometimes there are many, many more. Far from the most dangerous job in the world, Cars still sometimes remind me of the risk Of what can happen if I get too careless. Without sacrificing safety, I should be brisk. No real surprises are in the daily routine. Each day the type of work is basically the same. Surprises come in the amount of activity. People tend to vanish as quickly as they came. Coworkers around me sometimes change As people come and go. Not just at work, this is a part of life Which everyone should know. Years accumulate and so does experience If I do something long enough. Jobs no one wants to do still must be done. Someone, maybe me, will have to remain tought. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky FANTASY WORLD By ... Steve Lucky A complex fantasy world I have created For myself and others. It began when I was a small child And continues to the present day. Occasionally I share part of my fantasy world With someone I consider special to me. Close friends, relatives, and people I greatly admire Have seen parts of the vast construction Being built and rebuilt inside my head. Not all fictional stories have happy endings. Fictional sad endings should help people deal with Tragedies they have to face for real. Some fantasy adventures are continued day after day In a pattern no outsider has any hope of comprehending. Fantasy worlds have caused arguements that are far too real. Designed to let people escape their problems, Sometimes it does just the opposite. Without fantasy worlds, reality would be too much For most people to handle. I am dependent on my own creation To face the problems reality throws at me, Even if I do not want to admit it. Sharing my fantasy world with another Makes me feel good inside. It is not because my fantasy world is a master creation, Although it might be, But because it is a part of me Far beyond what words can express. Gradually the other person becomes aware Of this part of me normally hidden deep inside. Creating a story together, We are able to do far more Than either of us could do alone. Some of my best performances have been Designed for an audience of one. When I am alone I prepare My fantasy world for the next time It will be used for the sake of another. On the other hand, I need something to keep myself occupied During my times of trouble. Constantly my fantasy world is growing and changing. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky MONEY By ... Steve Lucky One of the biggest problems in the world today is money. Many people do not have enough of it to survive. The suicide rate goes up during times of economic stress. No matter how much one has, It never seems to be enough. When I was eighteen, I would consider somebody Having the money I do not to be rich, Yet I can see I am spending More money than I make. Unless something changes in a few years, This will become a problem. Several projects have the potential Of delaying this problem indefinitely, But I can not be foolish enough To depend on something that may not happen. Love of money is a very bad thing. I should avoid it at all costs And so should everyone else. May I never get so concerned with my own needs That I neglect the needs of another. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky CHARITY WORK By ... Steve Lucky At times charity work can be hard. It is more than just giving a business card. One must be convinced the point of view That the charity holds makes giving the right thing to do. Even people supporting such work with their heart May not with their money be able to part. Remembering those who gave money before. Giving tends to make charities want even more. Financial burdens should not be placed on the few or the one, Yet charities need such people to get their work done. When people feel charities have gotten rough, Sometimes a note of thanks can be more than enough. Not all charities are for a noble cause, Learning which one are makes many people pause. Charity workers, for their cause, are willing to sacrifice Including people helping charities most people think are not very nice. Having the majority does not make something right. Can rightness be determined without it leading to a fight? Far too often charity work is a thankless job And one not giving is considered a snob. Kindness can help almost any charity. People are motivated most by what they actually see. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky HARMONY By ... Steve Lucky How can people live in harmony With all the differences one can see? Some people simply do not care. Grim reminders are everywhere. Not all types of view can blend, But it may be more important to have a friend. Trivial things can get in the way Of more important issues here to stay. All over the world, people are in need. Who has the courage to do them a good deed? Good deeds can be done anywhere one decides to roam. Neglected one are far too often close to home. Details are taken into account, Yet help still does not add up to the proper amount. Those wanting help should remember to give it. Help comes more often to those who live it. Earth all people have to share. Lack of harmony can not compare. Working together will more easily bring A way for all people to reach everything. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky MAJORITY By ... Steve Lucky Rule by the majority Is the way of democracy. Though far less corrupt than rule by the one, Does it always get the job done? Evil majority ideas are nothing new. One has the right to such a point of view. When one questions the majority, Very important it is to see How the majority came to think An idea will float that will actually sink. Self questioning should be done, Whether or not one's opinion is the majority one. Can an evil majority be replaced By something even more sinister which then must be faced? Descenters sometimes bow to the majority will To prevent such a horrible ill. It the majority will is not carried out, Many people will start to doubt People in power enforcing their own part. Who has the best interest of the public at heart? Although rule by the majority no one can perfect, This system most people are willing to protect. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky PRETENDING By ... Steve Lucky I have pretended to be many different things Such as heroes, little girls, athletes, and kings. Each of them carries a part of me Others are not always able to see. Characters removed from their own limitations Are better able to handle the given situations. Hopefully they are not confined just to fantasy, They may give people a different view of our own reality. Most of the time my real life skills fall short Of what, as someone else, I am pretending to support. Pretend injuries also make themselves known, Whether it is done with others or done alone. Future story ideas often enter my head. By the time I act on them, I usually type something else instead. Some pretend games are played to escape Horrible realities infecting the entire landscape. Despite the most complex fantasies, reality is where I will remain. This fact has to be kept somewhere in my brain. Realities once considered too horrible to face Can be confronted temporarily because a pretend game took their place. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky I LOVE YOU By ... Steve Lucky Three simple words can be the ultimate test of a relationship. Some people want to keep it a secret While others announce it to the world. If the words said Do not have the meaning they are supposed to have, Mere words can become one of the cruelest things imaginable. On the other hand, if the words are true, Bad days and even bad lifetimes Can be turned around in an instant. How many words have been given to the meaning of those three? Large amounts of time have been spent by many people About the meaning of those words and the ways They can be put to better use, But can such talk ever replace the words themselves? Deep meaning is found in those words, Especially love the verb, the action. I, the word used to refer to self, Must create the action, otherwise the verb is meaningless. You, the one being addressed, recieves the action. Hopefully the one being loved Will be able to love in return. Great variations can be given to the original meaning By focusing on a particular detail. Said by lovers, friends, relatives, and even total strangers Having an interest in each other for many different reasons. All of the meanings are different, Yet they all have the same meaning. Found beyond the boundaries of space and time, Just three words are among the easiest to understand In the spoken language. I LOVE YOU! Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky ACTORS By ... Steve Lucky Before the curtain is opened, The actors took their place on stage As they had done many nights before, Feelings they had to express of happiness, sorrow, and rage. Sometimes this was hard to do When they had happiness, sorrow, and rage of their own. Just saying the right words was not enough. It had to be said with the right speed and tone. Real life events continued unceasing. Parts in the play were steadily repeated. For once the actors could try something again. Over time it could be perfected as needed. Even as the play took place The actors could not forget each other. No curtain would fall on their problems off stage. Most worked as a team so they could better recover. Dreams combined as they performed for the audience. Hopes were connected to the success of the play, Yet they could not forget the human connection Used by them all day after day. When the play was one, the audience applauded, Night after night it was always the same. Room for improvement could always be found. Questing perfection was part of the game. Friendships did not end when the season was done. Bonds they had made would last for years. The actors and the audience were what was important. Keeping this in mind, the confusion clears. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky LIFE STORY By ... Steve Lucky A life story takes a lifetime to create. This is what one would expect. Every event builds on what took place before. For the living, their life story is not done. While one is still alive, it is not too late. Surprise plot twists in the life story one can still select. No matter what one does, one can still do more. It equally applies to everyone. People have different types of skills And can perform them in inequal amounts. Differences are not always something one can control. Facts like these can not be denied. Overcoming personal handicaps and ills Gives one a noble skill the counts When overwhelming opposition to one's personal goal Threatens to ruin people who have tried and tried. Life stories for the living are still being written. One should not think the story is complete Until death declares it the final page. Endings tend to be what people most want to read. Stories do not require one to be bitten. Changes make sure events do not repeat. What does not go away with age Is the forest that grows from a single seed. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky NEVER OVER By ... Steve Lucky Obsticles not cleared using one method, Might be cleared using another. Until one tries, one will never know What one person can do. Those who think the game is over As the game officially continues, Need to rethink their strategy, Before they make the biggest mistake of their lives. Heroes can be found among those who Keep going despite overwhelming odds. It is never over as long as one Can still look for a way to win. Games and wars continue even as hope fades. Human beings are tougher opponents than any natural disaster And should not be underestimated. Some of what is to come is within one's control. Prepare for anything because anything can happen. When anything does not happen, anything can still happen. Despite it all, attitude does make a difference. This is why it is never over. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky PROMOTION By ... Steve Lucky For almost as long as people have held rank, Someone occasionally moves up in rank. This could be for winning a battle, A great accomplishment or series of accomplishments, Or sufficient time of dedicated service. Whatever the reason, with the promotion comes More privilleges and more responsibility. It is considered an honor and a sign of continual improvement. Promotion is something many people keep working to get, Yet it is not something that happens very often. Higher and lower ranked people alike Need to readjust their routine To take the new promotion into account. Adjustments to a greater extent have to be made By the one recieving the promotion. Life for that person will never be the same again. One promoted to the highest rank Recieves the most honor and the most attention. Entire nations stop what they are doing to celebrate the event. With a new promotion, even the highest one, life does not end. People continue to advance in ways other than rank. Journeys do not end with advancement, only by reaching the destination. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky PERFORMANCE By ... Steve Lucky Actions speak louder than words, Words that have withstood the test of time. Deeds tell far more about a person than what one says. Public performance is not easy to do, But it more than counters words said about a person Second hand or even third or fourth hand. Quality performance may be required at an unexpected time. It is best to be prepared for anything. One who performs well regualrly gains respect. Likewise, one who does not perform well regularly loses respect. What good is it to have a skill Unless one can perform it when it is needed? As with everything else, performance takes practice. Mastering the skill of doing something on the spot Can be added to most other skills increasing their effectiveness. Everyone has to perform sometimes, some more than others. Doing can back up saying or destroy it completely. No one is immune Including those watching the performance of another. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky MY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD By ... Steve Lucky The God I believe in is a personal one. With billions of people living in the world, He still knows my name and cares about me. Before I was a child, He watched over me And He watches over me still. God knows me better than I know myself. My hopes and fears He knows before I tell Him, Yet he will still listen to me when I talk about them. Personal actions, belongings, and friends He knows quite well. Sometimes I do not remember how well He knows me. Greater than the universe, great enough to care about individuals Is the power of God. While He protects me, I have no worries. Even when I am not thinking about Him, He thinks about me constantly. Regardless of what I am doing, He is with me. No one is ignored because He does this for everyone. All people are known to Him. Countless people He can still keep track of as individuals. Jesus should not be forgotten because He does not forget about us. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky HUNGER WALK By ... Steve Lucky The Atlanta Hunger Walk I have been part of Almost every year since 1986. Even before that I was part of the Crop Walk In Raleigh, North Carolina. Originally it was not planned this way. Participation was done one year at a time, sometimes spontaneously. For my church, Good Shepherd, I have become a landmark fixture, Irreplacable whether I continue to do this or not. Walking is something I like to do, Doing things for charity makes me feel good about myself, And the Hunger Walk combines both of them year after year. Most of the people walking in 2003, Were not yet born when I first started walking. This sea of ever changing faces gathered together For a number of different reasons, One main reason being to help the hungry. Crowds, under any circumstances, are composed of individuals. Things will not get done without them. Year after year one can see why It will appear again the year after. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky FRIENDS By ... Steve Lucky Whether in the sunlight or in the shade, Friends are something easily made. Greatly treasured over the years, They share each other's hopes, dreams, and fears. Bonds with friends are supposed to last In some cases the bonds form really fast. Constantly trying to do something nice, Many friends are willing to sacrifice Personal needs for the needs of another. One can not handle everything, but friends often cover Each other when one of them makes a mistake. Some friends for each other will put everything at stake. What would one do from day to day Unless friends help each other out along the way? During times that are both happy and sad, Friends can sometimes make each other mad Yet friendship has the power to survive. Togetherness often lasts longer than one can stay alive. Quality of friendship is important too Which can be strengthened from everything we do. People with many friends and people with just one Realize the value of friendship can not be undone. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky QUALITY By ... Steve Lucky Perfection is a common goal, Yet few are willing to pay the toll. It takes time to do a job right. Sometimes it means working day and night. Whether it comes from a crane or a pen, Things that are done have to be done again. Gradual improvement from repetition people know Will eventually start to show. One who gets better can get better still As long as he or she has the will Needed to work on every detail. Hard workers know they can prevail. Using all the energy one has got, Constant effort applied to one spot. Results from hard work are not always seen Except by those with an eye that is keen. Few people know how to appriciate Quality effort until it is too late. To be able to apply the winning card Most people have to work long and hard. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky QUANTITY By ... Steve Lucky Strength can be found in numbers that are large. Having many followers lets one be in charge. Multiple objects can do much more than one. Backups can be added where there are none. Powerful enemies one person could not even bribe Can be taken down by the entire tribe. Duplicate objects can be combined. All of them together are quite a find. When no one knows the right direction, Numbers give people a wider selection. Each person doing a specific part Together creatures a team with a heart. Groups amplify individual power Regardless of the day and hour. People of great diversity using a common source Adds up to be quite a powerful force. More will be needed in the days ahead Both in what is done and what is said. One has to find many things in the dark. While one search fails, many searches hit the mark. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky CRUELTY By ... Steve Lucky Some kids gathered together around one of my classmates. I wondered why they did such things. Past experience taught me to avoid that group And all of the trouble it brings. This time conflict could not be avoided. Neither side was going to stop. Despite her persistance, there was little chance My classmate could come out on top. One on one against any of them Would be considered quite a battle, But fighting the group as a whole Could make even the toughest classmates rattle. Failed attempts for peace occurred multiple times. Rarely would they listen to reason. Everyone in the class feared them. Great damage they did to every person every season, Yet she was willing to stand her ground So I would do the same. After all I was their original victim. It was time someone put an end to their game. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky KINDNESS By ... Steve Lucky To me, kindness outweighs lack of cruelty. It is a considerably stronger force. No matter what one has done in the past, Kindness comes from a more powerful source. When a former gang member starts helping others And gets attacked by the gang he used to call his own. People will notice and a few will make sure He does not have to do things on his own. Sometimes kind deeds are not recognized. Great heroes can be seen as doing wrong. Once the truth is discovered, honored are those few Refusing to simply follow along. Just two of the many reasons For kindness to be given to all. Doing it over and over again lets one improve By the successes and failures one can recall. Even if it is not returned, Kindness is the way to go. All events are connected together So eventually people will know. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky FOR JESUS By ... Steve Lucky Many conflicts can be found on Earth. People on both sides give it all their worth. As long as their efforts continue to collide, Success will not come to either side. Jesus knew this and tried to tell Others how they could finally feel well. While some listened to Him, others did not. Death by crucifiction was what He got. Two thousand years later His message lives on. Critics, great in number, have come and gone. Events unfold as the years progress. Horrible things many have to confess, Yet many words Jesus said still remain clear. Forgiveness is available in any year. If Jesus could forgive those who nailed him to a cross, Can people forgive each other when they suffer a great loss? Things done for Jesus with nothing else in mind All over the world one is able to find. Greatness comes from the slave who is least of all, Just one of the lessons people can recall. For one to enter Heaven above, One has to remember the power of love. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky EVERYWHERE By ... Steve Lucky Rarely is good or evil found alone. Most people have it in some type of mix. Internal good and evil should be discovered So it will be easier to fix. Knowing evil is everywhere, One has to be willing to forgive. Unless people can tollerate each other's faults, How can one find the courage to live? Good can be found everywhere too, Even in places one dares not look. No place is too dark for the light. Changes have been made. One person is all it took. People should settle for nothing less than pure goodness Despite the fact it will never be reached. At the same time one must tollerate evil Keeping it at bay the way others have teached. Before one can make a noticable difference, One has to look at others and care. Fighting evil continues without end Since, like good, it can be found everywhere. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky GUESTS By ... Steve Lucky Recently into their friend's home Where they were allowed to freely roam, The rest of the group gave puzzled looks to one another. Little did they know what they were to discover. Besides their friend, not one else they knew. Until knowledge of the others grew, Most of them decided to stay in the room And do what they could to bring light to the gloom. One of the guests wanted something more So every room he was willing to explore. Everything in the house was strange. Touching everything within his range, From room to room he continued to go. His exploration refused to slow. After opening the final door he heard a bark. Coming out was a dog who like him would not park. No longer wanting to look around, He ran away from the barking sound. The other guests laughed when he returned With the valuable lesson he had learned. Following him was a very small dog Making sure her room the guests would not hog. Insistantly the owners of the house put the dog away. Once again they asked their guests to stay. Apologizing for not warning of the dangers Encountered by hidden animal strangers. Guests could sometimes be hard to please. Needs they had could leave the owners on their knees, Yet they continued to do their part Because they knew they could do it in their heart. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky CHASING A DREAM By ... Steve Lucky They laughed at her because of her dream, But she knew she could make it come true. When events did not go her way, Her continual efforts she would renew. Although her skills greatly exceeded their own, Such meaningless comparisons they did not use. Results were all they cared about. Excuses she made would only confuse. Nightmares of being eaten by animals Constantly entered her mind. Faced with growing doubt she kept on going Knowing she would win because she was kind. Progress was slow but clearly being made. Obsticles already passed would not block her way again. Listening to others, but deciding on her own She would have her way right there and then. Doubters simply could not keep up With her enforced desire to be a success. Not always victorious in what she did, It was up to her to clean up the mess. Time went by and the course of events Clearly was going in her direction. Helping others while chasing a dream Proved to be the right selection. Even when doubters turn out to be right, Dreamers do not give up hope. Advice was given, but she had to decide for herself Which way was best and how to cope. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky COMPUTERS AND PEOPLE By ... Steve Lucky A single misplaced character and a computer will not understand What the typist was trying to say. Lacking intelligence, despite performing complex functions, Computers can not figure things out on their own. People, on the other hand, sometimes recognize spelling errors So they can perform the intended commands Instead of what was actually typed. Guesses about such things are not always right And can make the situation worse. However, more often than not, People are able to successfully correct mistakes Others make when typing under less than ideal circumstances. No matter how sophisticated computers may semm, Human beings are the only ones Capable of carrying out flawed commands. Even though people may give flawed commands, They are the only ones capable Of giving out commands of any kind. Useful tools such as computers Make lives easier for human beings, But people have to be precise when giving computers instructions. Since people are the only ones With any intelligence of their own, People have to make sure things go as planned. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky MATURITY By ... Steve Lucky Some people try to set clear lines for maturity. One who reaches a certain age or performs a certain ceremony Is considered mature by his or her peers in society. However, maturity is a lifelong process With no clear cut boundaries or destinations. People mature at different rates. Even the same person does not mature At the same rate for an entire lifetime. Realizing mistakes and making every effort to correct them Becomes part of the never ending process needed to mature. Ceremonies may be a marker for maturity, Not the beginning or end of it. Well before they even knew about the ceremony, They were maturing, each at his or her own pace, And it continues well after the ceremony is over. Gained with age, age does not tell the full story. Some people are forced to mature against their will Due to circumstances beyond their control. Forcedly mature children, teenagers, and even adults May feel like they have been robbed of their childhood. It is not always wanted, but maturity eventually comes. Otherwise people would remain immature forever. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky CORRUPTION By ... Steve Lucky No place on Earth is completely immune to it. Wherever it is, it will try to spread Until it has control of everything. It will try to consume anything given to it No matter how noble it might be. Corruption is a powerful force And should not be taken lightly. Power itself is not only a poor defense against it, But can actually allow it To take over from the inside. Most attacks against it will actually make it grow. Despite the best efforts of many people, Once it takes hold it usually remains and grows. Love, the best way to defeat it, Far too often is used in insuffient amounts. Spreading to all parts of the world, Even those hidden from view, It may turn out to be The ultimate opponent of all mankind. No disease or natural disaster is as devistating to humanity As the actions of human beings themselves. Fighting corruption from within May turn out to be the toughest battle of all. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky SUICIDE By ... Steve Lucky Suicide is a subject few want to talk about, Yet many have to deal with the consequences. People are more likely to end their own lives When they feel circumstances are beyond their control. Over the years things change Both for the better and for the worse. Despite the constant changes, people begin to realize Those changes will not elliminate some problems, even temporarily. Many see suicide as "the murder of self", and immoral act. Does it offer any comfort to those seeking it? Poor grades, lack of money, and irrepairably damaged reputations Are some of the reasons people turn to this horrible alternative. Families and entire communities can be left Shaken for years trying to understand Why such an act took place. Good guesses can be made, but no one absolutely knows The person most likely to commit suicide. People who talk about it constantly And people who hide such feelings from everyone Need to know someone cares about them. Emotions from the heart know what to do Better than the best intelect. Herd with every breath, life goes on. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky STEP BY STEP By ... Steve Lucky Step by step, inch by inch, One crawls steadily forward. The burden one carries may seem unbarable, But it never is. Gradually one can see forward progress As long as one has the will to keep going. Nonfatal errors are not the end of life. Dealing with setbacks is one of many things People have to do if they want to continue Living through all the good and bad things Found during the course of life. Uncontrolable emotions add color To the black and white reality of human existance. Imagined objects can have an impact on the mind greater than What people can actually see and touch. For better or for worse, Reality itself is shaped by the imagination. Changes may not be noticed right away But the change steadily occurs. Many drops combine to form streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans. Slowly but steadily, water shapes the entire surface of the world And continues to shape it day after day. Nobody is successful all the time Or a failure all the time. During the normal cycle of give and take on learns How to achieve personal success. Why should such things be measured by worldly standards? Everyone has a chance for personal success, No matter how unskilled they may be, If they can learn to do things step by step. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky SUGAR By ... Steve Lucky Sugar can be quite a treat. What other substance tastes as sweet? Healthy foods with a horrible taste By adding sugar with not go to waste. Just about anything that can be eaten Extra sugar is able to sweeten. Food is esential to keep people alive. Unless one eats, one will not survive. One still should not try to decieve. Too much sugar makes it easy to concieve Problems caused by cavities Bringing the strongest people to their knees. Dentists can stop cavities before it is too late, Yet can not stop the problem of gaining weight. Anything eaten in excess Can add up and lead to a horrible mess. Whatever pleasure sugar brings will not last long. Long term problems sugar can make strong. It has a good use in moderation. Not using too much takes skill and concentration. Risks are taken for simple pleasure. Moments of sweetness one should treasure. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky HARD WORK By ... Steve Lucky Hardships of the world one has to endure If one wants to achieve results. Only through hard work can one be sure A plan will work despite its faults. No substitutes for hard work can be found. Tempting alternatives lead to ruin and dispair. Before one can gain any solid ground, For the situation one has to care. Effort to make a difference during a crisis Comes only from those willing to work. Some types of problems only entices Those who refuse to simply lurk. Gigantic stones has to be lifted While the pyramids were being built. Plans had to be made while the weight was shifted And part of the pyramid started to tilt. Mistakes can sometimes lead to disaster. Learning is done by those who work hard. Despite fewer mistakes, they can get things done faster. Hard workers should be given high regard. Into almost every life hard work comes At times when it is needed. Rare are those who constantly reach the sums Of their potential when no one has pleaded. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky BEGGING By ... Steve Lucky People give to beggars out of sympathy, Yet most beggars want to remain low key. It is not often treated with great respect. Beggars may have to face years of neglect. Humble a beggar has to be For others to be able to see Someone truly in need of aid Instead of someone refusing to work to be paid. Con artists and poor people learn begging takes skill To make sure they can get their fill. Most people at one time or another had to beg. Embarasement conquers some and their requests become vauge. Some people think begging should be a crime Due to those selfish few who beg all the time. Not everyone has what they need or the skill to get it. If one is not willing to beg, later one may regret it. Priorities should be set to ask for only what one needs. With all the things people want not everyone succeeds. Consistant begging should get results Though people in general see it has many faults. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky QUESTIONS By ... Steve Lucky Answers to questions of every kind People are desperately trying to find. From personal problems to the great unknown, Many refuse to leave such mysteries alone. Should one who gazes at a distant star Without question accept things for what they are Or insist on learning what is hidden No matter who says they are forbidden? Unknown forces have a hand In what people are able to even understand. Even those who fear questions will ask Details about carrying out such a task. Questions themselves can change the answers. Stress plays a part in many cancers. Caution should be given to what is said. Knowing or not knowing something can leave people dead. Trivial things people want to know too. People spend many hours bringing details into view. Looking for answers continues thanks to many suggestions, But the search itself presents many questions. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky FOUNDATION By ... Steve Lucky Groups who want to attract more members Need to have a good foundation. People want something solid to support Be it person, club, company, or nation. Even if other things start to fall apart If the foundation remains firm, Rebuilding can be better done At times when people start to squirm. With everything building on everything else, Solid beginnings must take place. Few people want to start from scratch Knowing all the other problems they have to face. The foundation should not be overlooked. It is the most important part. How can a group hope to survive With an adaquate supply of heart? Great care should be given to the foundation. One should not depend on luck. Rough times are almost guaranteed. Preparations should be made for when one gets stuck. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky MOUNTAIN By ... Steve Lucky Extending up into the sky, Mountain peaks are very high. Learning how to properly climb Up to its summit will take plenty of time. Things such as how to climb it best And when to get some much needed rest Comes to those who can endure Paths for which they are unsure. Risking their lives just to learn, Future climbers look and yearn To find a way to reach the top. Ambition is something hard to stop. Helicopter rides to the top may be neat, But climbers consider it a cheat. Only through hard work can one even hope Success will be found at the end of a climbing rope. Gradual progress has to be made In a place sometimes offering very little shade. Everything can be lost if one climber should fall. Weight placed on one is placed on all. Done for more reasons than simply to brag, Higher and higher they place a flag Until it is as high as it can be For the people down below to see. Others are content to look, Knowing the risk those climbers took. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky BURDEN By ... Steve Lucky One married couple had the responsibility To make sure the entire church was fed. It was a huge responsibility for only two people. When people offered to help them, Both of them insisted they could do it on their own. Great was the burden they had placed on themselves And they were unable to see it Until the wife got sick Leaving the husband to do things alone. Somehow he had to find a way To get help at the last minute. He called people who had offered to help in the past, But they were all busy doing other things. Praying for a solution, he set to work preparing meals alone. Even though he knew he could not Fix all the needed meals in time by himself, Some meals were better than none at all. Work continued as if the burden Could actually be lifted from his shoulders. As if in response to his prayer, The preacher and his family stopped by to check up on them. Once he explained the situation to them, Plans were made for the preacher's family to stay behind And help while the preacher gave the sermon. Enough meals for everyone were made in plenty of time Despite previous appearances, everything had been solved Because someone was willing to share the burden. Next time such an event occurred, the couple made sure Others would be there to help lighten the burden. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky VACATION By ... Steve Lucky Like in the days of candle wax, People occasionally need a chance to relax. Some would prefer to stay at home And only inside the house will roam. Getting some greatly needed rest They will later return to work to do their best. Others go to far away places, Double tying their shoe laces Because they are always on the go. Who would expect them to take it slow? Playing harder than they work Might be a personality quirk, Yet often they are the ones who get things done Since they do things harder than anyone. For them what they need to learn Is how to rest before to work they return. Rarely does everything go as planned. Even during vacation their time others still demand. No one can get everything done. Time is still needed to have some fun. Brain activity is always going. Vacation is a time when this is showing. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky PACE By ... Steve Lucky When doing a chore or running a race, One tries to keep a solid, steady pace. Things timed to a rythmic beat Are much easier to repeat. Each small part adds to the whole Bringing one closer to the goal. People trying to do things too quickly May soon tire or even become sickly. Doing things at a rate too slow Is not the way when ambitions are not low. Setting a pace that is right For one to keep going with maximum might Comes with experience as one learns what to do With different paces to see them through. Eventually one discovers which pace is best To put forth maximum energy and still get sufficient rest. Keeping everything times to the pace one sets Makes it more worthwhile to cling to whatever one gets. Wrong things happen more when one looks too far ahead So one should stick to the planned pace instead. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky LOUD By ... Steve Lucky Making a noise for everyone to hear Sometimes is the only way to get people To understand something is actually being said. Energy needs to be put into every word For it to travel to every part of the world. Loud noises are the only things some people can hear. Brutal tyrants send out armies Just to keep certain things from being said. Half an effort is simply not good enough for all situations. Refusing to be silences many people want to make As loud a noise as possible. No one can keep things quiet forever. Bursting forth, the noise insisting on being heard Comes through loud and clear. Sounds can combine to create a sound Louder than the original sounds that came before. Inspiring people to take actions, Words make a difference in many aspects of life. The louder the noise, the more people can hear Until everyone knows what is trying to be said. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky QUIET By ... Steve Lucky Not all words are broadcast to the world. Some things are heard by one person alone. Quiet sounds tend to be more pleasant, But require greater concentration to hear. Focusing on the quality of the sound, Every word is given great care As if it were the only word in existence. Listening is a skill everyone should know. Pleasant sounds are not always the ones best heard. It takes a subtitle touch to create a sound One will want to remember for a long time. Too often quality is lost When one tries to be as loud as possible. Gentle music can have a greater effect Than the sounds of explosions. Quiet sounds give one time to get the sound right Before broadcasting it to the world. Subtile noises often plant the seeds From which the major changes come. Quiet does not mean unheard. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky WORTHWHILE By ... Steve Lucky People try to express their individuality By doing things in their own style, Yet everyone continues looking For something they will consider worthwhile. As they continue trying to be individuals, They sometimes forget to look inside. Differences between people will always be found. It is something many try to hide. Shortcomings and faults are part of people Like the positive qualities others seem to ignore. Everyone has a different mix of these traits Going from the surface all the way to the core. Worthwhile goals can be different or the same At times when individuals get together as teams. Helping another with his or her goal May bring more benefits than it seems. Constantly being on the go can wear one out, Yet some people are still able to smile. To actually enjoy what one is doing, One has to do something well worthwhile. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky LAST By ... Steve Lucky The Bible states "the last shall be first", Not the first or the second Or the ninth or the one thousandth. Putting self after everyone without exception Is a still few people are willing to even attempt. Like most other things, it takes practice to succeed. Experts are rarely found overnight. Gradually one learns to sink Below the places one thought he or she could go. Carrying large burdens becomes easier As one gains strength from lifting the burdens of others. Only in the last position can one look up To see what everyone else is doing. God can be seen supporting all humanity. In areas of poverty, holy things are better seen. Food, water, and a chance to heal Come far more often from those who put themselves last. Those people really are the first others look at When they decide to start helping out themselves. Being first is a good way to be placed last, Just as the Bible says. Logic can fail, but good deeds From those willing to place themselves last Are remembered for a long time. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky CONNECTION By ... Steve Lucky Rarely can the whole picture be seen. Often it comes in pieces with gaps in between. The pieces are examined from every direction, As one tries to find some type of connection. It becomes clear what one needs to do When the right clues have been brought into view. Shapes and colors tend to blend, Like a friend who will refuse to bend. Patterns can be seen from the pieces brought together. Guesses can be made by those who are clever. Even if the guesses are not right, They can bring the proper direction into sight. If two people get together to overcome trouble, Overall effort can more than double. Between them is a bond that is strong Designed to last for very long. After some of the gaps have been filled, More clues for other gaps come to the strong willed. Weaknesses threaten to make people quit. Some will keep going in spite of it. Everything can appear to be on the brink Until one finds the proper link. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky SLITHERING By ... Steve Lucky Sometimes just moving around can be troublesome. One who does not want to move Has to because he or she has to be someplace Within a certain amount of time. Intense energy is needed Just to find the courage to keep going Despite how little progress is made Even with the best effort put forth. Results, even minuscule ones, Are better than no results at all. Close to the ground one realizes How silly competition can be sometimes. Personal bests are something anyone is capable of reaching. Movement is measured in centimeters So one has to decide carefully where to go. Wrong turns will not be corrected for a long time. Quick solutions can lead to trouble Too great for one to overcome. Vulnerable to all sorts of dangers, One realizes how important a friend can be. Being helpless but finding help Is a memory that lasts a lifetime. Everyone has times of very limited mobility Whether they want to mention them or not. People who come during these times For the purpose of lending a helping hand Can have the favor returned At times when it is least expected. Giving up should not be done. Centimeter by centimeter, small movements are added to the greater whole. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky CRAWLING By ... Steve Lucky Improvement comes with time and practice. Noticing this improvement one may not realize One still has a long way to go. Progress, though considerably faster, is still quite slow Compared to the standards wanted. Minor success does not mean the end of the journey. Everything has the potential to be built on everything else. With the nearest destinations reachable, dreams come into focus, But not a way to make them a reality. Nearby objects become familiar as one travels To all the places he or she can go. From these objects one begins to get an idea Of what the world is like. Long distances are a reminder limitations are still very present. Help is still needed for goals that are out of range. Since help does not always arrive, More realistic goals should be set and done alone. Complex tasks can be divided into parts well within one's reach. Each minor goal, once completed Adds to growing confidence the whole thing can be done. Finding a solid foundation, one tries to stand. It is very different when not held up by another. Realizing one can only do so much, one also becomes aware Even the most powerful people have limitations. Doing things for himself or herself, Becomes a part of everyday life. Zooming around a room makes one aware What can be done right away, what can be done in time, And what can not be done ... yet. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky WALKING By ... Steve Lucky Distant journeys begin with a single step. Those with the courage to take it Are on their way to their intended destination. One is capable of exploring the world If one has the willpower to keep going. Handicaps may be less noticable, but they are still present. Time is needed to reach a given location. By the time one reaches it, Surrounding circumstances may be quite different. Usually one can do what needs to be done. Neighbors can be visited almost anytime. Even people in nearby cities can be visited occasionally. Landmarks in the area become familiar Since they are passed time and time again. With greater freedom of movement comes moral obligations. Requirements to help those less fortunate may not be found, But one should still help others, less fortunate or not. People communicate with each other making sure Gifts given ultimately come back to the giver. Once the initial pattern has been established, Improvements can be made through steady repetition. Each step leads to the next one Which one learns to do faster and more accurately. The world is far from empty And many parts of it can be reached By one willing to make such a journey. Reaching out brings dangers as well as new friendships. Distinguishing between the two few people can do perfectly, if any. More than other people, experts have to trust those around them Which is why they learn to run. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky RUNNING By ... Steve Lucky Putting one foot in front of the other In rapid succession is all it takes to run. This is not always done to win a race Or set a personal best. Sometimes it is for exercise or even for fun. With greater speed comes the sacrifice of enjoying the scenery. Details can be lost for the sake of speed. Greater emphasis should also be given to safety rules Because injuries are far more likely to occur. Faster and faster one tries to go Until one can feel the wind During even the calmest of days. If one sets a demanding pace for others to follow, One must remember not everyone can keep up. At the same time no rule states No one can be faster than anyone else. Help can not always wait for someone slower. Everyone has a personal best which can be broken. Usually the fastest time is set after about three decades of life, Yet the elderly often reach their destination quicker Because they know a shortcut. Over the years they have learned to go around Dangers younger folks do not even know exist. Long after physical speed has deteriorated, Mental speed continues to increase. Temporary setbacks are plentiful, but one keeps on moving faster. Going to where he or she is needed, Reaching places he or she wants to be, Eventually one learns to fly. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky FLYING By ... Steve Lucky Velocities most people only dream about Come to those gifted few idolized by the masses. They are the ones who set the standards for others to follow. Popularity is not always a good thing. Even the most creative projects can be shattered By those with their own ambitions. Fame does not give one immunity. In fact, it does the opposite. Most people are more than willing to pay the price Just for a chance to reach the highest speeds Human beings are capable of reaching. Competition is fierce, yet competition is only A small part of it. Races won mean little compared to personal goals One sets to use this speed for something beneficial. No matter how fast one goes, It never seems to be fast enough. When one finally clears a major obsticle, Another one often takes its place. Greatness is found only in those willing to be great. Natural ability can not be ignored, But practice holds a more vital role For those trying to be the very best. Destinations few people have any hope of seeing, May not be so interesting when they are visited frequently. One can not outrun moral obligations. Racers have the biggest responsibility of all To provide those less fortunate with what they need. Pressure placed on these people is high Which is why only the best or worst of people can make it. Speeds even faster are still obtainable As long as at least one human being continues to excell. Instantaneous travel may never be possible, Yet one keeps coming closer Dreaming it can actually happen. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky ACCESS By ... Steve Lucky If one wants to be a success, One needs to have the right connections. Very few people have enough access To have an abundance of different selections. Moral values are put to the test When these people try to enforce their own way. Standing firmly above the rest Is not worth the price one has to pay. How can one truly be great By letting an opposing view take control? Recieving money and fame at a steady rate Can never replace one's soul. Better to face the struggle alone Than try to pay off such a moral loan. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky NETWORKING By ... Steve Lucky Moral values should not be compromised, Yet teamwork and friendship are part of moral values too. When another brings a solution into view, One might become greatly surprised. Friendship even thinly disguised Keeps one from knowing what to go. Courage is needed to see it through. Solutions are in nearby places when one never realized. Networking should begin with friendship. It provides a much stronger foundation Than the quest for success. Going on a distant trip Just to reach the heart of another nation Provides both nations with a way to progress. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky CONFUSION By ... Steve Lucky Conflicting ideas form a sea into which one is thrust Leaving one in a state of confusion. Simple solutions may be only an illusion Or incredibly helpful to those willing to trust. Whichever the case one really must Get rid of any overconfident dellusion And clearly see that any intrusion Either helps one to shine or forces one to rust. Picking which ideas to use Is better done when one is prepared. Not all ideas have equal worth. Fights and distortions threaten to confuse Unless the information is properly shared. Horrible secrets can be suddenly unearthed. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky LETTING GO By ... Steve Lucky After some time to think, one will know Not to keep bringing up the past. Whatever comes from it does not last. Tage inside should be let go. Great deeds done will only show If one to the present remains steadfast Enough to support the current cast Of people who are willing to grow. Building up inside is the rage from wrong deeds done And the sorrow from wrong deeds done on one's own. Letting go often leads to a relapse. Desire both to stay and run Gradually makes one aware sensitivity has grown. Unsupported, wrong deeds will eventually collapse. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky GOOD DEEDS By ... Steve Lucky Every good deed can find a place Deep inside the living heart. Small good deeds are still a start On the path no one can replace. Whatever one might have to face, The path is a divine work of art Created with good deeds before people ever had a part. Any mistakes it will erase. God told His people to do good deeds, Yet He is more important still. People change from year to year. All of human wants and needs Vanish when one obeys His will. Mere thoughts of good deeds, He is able to hear. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky ROOT By ... Steve Lucky Long after the visible problem is solved, Neighboring people will not be mute Until one has actually reached the root By actually daring to be involved. Once the root problem is disolved, The visible problem gets the boot. For dealing with the visible problem many will recruit, Yet the root problem is more dangerous while still unsolved. Solving problems properly requires one to go deep. Well beyond where visible problems are found. One must be able to look inside the heart. Problems still occur while one is asleep. Even while looking for common ground. All should be encouraged to have a part. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky ALL TOGETHER By ... Steve Lucky If all people could work together Global problems would be reduced greatly. Fighting causes more problems than bad weather, Both ancient problems and ones appearing lately. Local problems could be solved too With the strength of an army in each neighborhood. Those eagerly looking for something to do Could be put to work for the greater good. People could combine their technology. Inventions would come faster that would greatly please Especially in the field of biology From vaccines to cure many types of disease. Against each other, progress is slowed. Only together can people help lighten the load. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky ONE By ... Steve Lucky One person can indeed play a key role In solving problems such as world hunger. Children do not need to wait to set a goal. Experienced adults come from those who start younger. As long as one is still alive, Something else can still be done. Words used unsuccessfully to help another survive May still make a difference as they echo to everyone. Thousands of dollars can be saved By a simple solution others overlooked. Paths to success are not always paved. Good sources of food are not always cooked. Keeping people alive can sometimes be done With the hidden power of one. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky GOING ON By ... Steve Lucky Past successes one should treasure, Yet one should not dwell too much on the past. Thinking about it might bring great pleasure But that treasure will not last. One must continue to advance Living in the current time. Words whispered or put in a song and dance Might withstand the daily grime. If not, one can always try again Until a solution can be found that works. From all the words of tongue and pen, Many of the greatest were originally considered quirks. Disasters continue so efforts must renew. On past successes, present solutions grew. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS By ... Steve Lucky No matter how sophisticated a moral code may seem It will fall apart unless people are taken into account. With more illogic than a dream, People destroy human based equations found in any amount. Those teaching moral values to others must never forget One of the best ways to learn is from example. Scenarios for all possible outcomes can not be set. Best one can do is create a sample. Heart to heart people can create Personal relationships that will not go away. For better or for worse, keeping friendships is a trait Everyone needs to have every day. Mistakes of past days quickly fade Compared to the personal bonds friendships made. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky SPONTANEOUS By ... Steve Lucky Being spontaneous creates a risk Since it gives one little time to prepare. False hopes are given to those who are brisk. Every opportunity should be treated with care. People needing rescue can not wait Until someone decides the need for heal is real. Although verification would be great, One still needs to blindly feel Needs of others large and small. Rescuers can not be picked. Help given others will recall When one's own problems need to be licked. It rarely comes in large amounts, Yet the present moment is the one that counts. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky FOLLOWING A PLAN By ... Steve Lucky Following a plan can pave the way So solutions can come at a quicker pace. Although it will never replace Need to get things done today, Investing in the future gives people a chance to say What long term solutions one should embrace, Faced with the problems one has to face, To hold all of the problems at bay. One sometimes can hear the tick of the clock Reminding one of deadlines approaching from all sides. More deadlines come with the greater dare. Loyalty solid as a rock Helps another to decide Better solutions to the problems people share. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky SELF DEFENSE By ... Steve Lucky When hostile feelings become intense It is good to know self defense. Violent reactions often grow. This is something even enemies should know. Defense does not mean one has to act tough. Stopping hostilities may be enough. Protection for self can be extended to friends Keeping them away from horrible ends. Great power one hopes will never be used Leaves some people terribly confused. Fighting for peace is a delicate thing, Yet the mere attempt can bring Courage to those being bullied around By giving them more solid ground. Danger can strike at any time, Rarely following reason or rhyme. At all times one must be prepared To love no defense can be compared. Worthless is protection when one forgets love. From the ground below to the stars above, Love is the overriding force Since it comes from the most powerful source. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky LAWYERS By ... Steve Lucky With all the corrupt people in the world today Lawyers offer a valuable service, Providing protection to businesses and individuals So they do not have to worry as much About the corruption going on around them. Is the benefit of protection worth the price of restrictions Businesses and individuals place on themselves For the services of the lawyers. Often this is nothing more than a fee, Yet even a fee Keeps other options from being carried out. Contracts and lawyers seem to be more and more common. Need for them comes from a greater problem Which can not be restricted to a single location. Do the lawyers themselves actually contribute to the problem Knowingly or unknowingly? Laws should never replace the basic moral values Everyone seems to know. As criminal activities become more complex So do the methods used to stop them. This may only lead to unnecessary confussion Obstructing the obvious, more primative system of justice But if the primative system is wrong Complex, more accurate laws may be exactly what people need. Like everyone else, lawyers are human beings Dormant mixtures of goodness and badness Remain inside every single one of them. It can be triggered by external circumstances. Most of it, however, depends on their own actions. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky REALITY BEYOND REALITY By ... Steve Lucky Is there a reality beyond reality Where lies that have survived the ages Finally will be revealed for what they are, Unstoppable bullies are put in their place, And people who have been victimized their entire lives Get compensation for the actions taken against them? Do law exist higher than any law Made by human beings? Can beings far more advanced than human beings Be found by anyone who is not afraid to look? Who, if anyone, is not afraid to look? How can someone who has made A terrible mess of the past Still change the future for the better? Looking at over six billion people in the world Does one lose the value of the individual Or does one lose the value of the individual By not looking at it? Can the answers to these questions be found In a reality existing beyond reality? Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky CAREER By ... Steve Lucky Day by day, year by year, One tries to build a successful career. Each event relies on what took place before. No matter what one does, the public still wants more. The needs of the many against the needs of the few Keeps even the generous from knowing what to do. As time goes by one learns techniques Which allows a month long job to be done in weeks. More than just a career in life can be found From what is always seen all around. Humanity should never be lost Regardless of the unseen cost. Precious time ticks by from the moment one is hired Until at last he or she is confident enough to be retired. Done for food and other things, Work is an important part of what life brings Yet life does not end when the work is done. Others will complete what one has begun. People continue with what has already been built Because a successful career will never wilt. A successful life is greater still. It covers more things than a job ever will. Every part adds to the whole. Just as a career leads to a lifetime goal. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky RELEASE By ... Steve Lucky Stress is encountered every day. Continuing problems make tensions increase. When not properly handled, it will only grow. One needs to find a way to release Tensions blocking the solutions from sight. Faced with illusions it is better to be blind. Distortions keep one unaware Nearby objects should be easy to find. Released from illusions and other deceptions, Answers can be brought into view. Looking at things from a different angle Is another way to learn what to do. This is easier said than done Because stress is often trapped deep inside. Overcome by problems, instead of finding a solution All one wants to do is run and hide. Everything is not solved in a day. It takes time to do a job right. For one to release the skill that is needed, Practice should be given maximum might. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky MEMORIES By ... Steve Lucky Knowledge of the past can hold one back Or keep one focused on the right track. Success and failure through the course of time, Points to what one has to climb In order to find common ground With anyone else who happens to be around. For success to continue and failure to halt, One has to learn from every result. Images from the past, barely within recognition, Come back to mind thanks to subtle intuition. Reoccurring similarities happen every now and then, But no memory will ever happen again. Memories from deep inside Can be useful as a guild. Whether they are painful or pleasant They are no substitute for the present. Action must be taken in the present day Before all known memories fade away. Even as distant memories fade, Tomorrow's memories are being made. Copyright 2002, 2003, Steve Lucky POINT OF VIEW By ... Steve Lucky The type of knowledge and the degree, Comes from the viewpoint one uses to see. If possible, one should look at events from another angle So one has a better chance to untangle Mysteries hidden from one point of view, Enabling one to learn what to do. Judges must hear stories from all sides Before deciding on where the truth hides. People who think they know it all Often are the most likely to fall. Facts should be gathered one at a time. Different viewpoints are clouded with different grime. Combined the grime starts to fade away Since most of it comes from problems encountered every day. One will know a viewpoint is real After from that viewpoint, he or she can feel Common problems which make the view distorted. Even clouded viewpoints should not be aborted Because it might hold the key to what needs to be done When combined with the viewpoints of everyone. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky FIREFLY By ... Steve Lucky Firefly, with your light so bright How did you disappear into the night? Without your friendly glow I am lost So I must find you no matter what the cost. Can you turn your light on and off at will Or do involuntary reactions control them still? If I want to find you, where should I look. Unless you glow, you can be mistook For another type of bug flying through the air. Distinguishing takes time, but I do it because I care About the obsticles, whatever they might be Because I want to be able to see. Like you, I light a path for others to follow, Even if the idea seems hard to swallow. On the ground below and in the sky above, Friends and enemies alike need love. More than one viewpoint is needed to know In what direction a group should go. Dear firefly, this is why I look for your shine. Without finding yours, I can not find mine. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky GIVE ME THE STRENGTH By ... Steve Lucky Lord, I ask You to give me the strength For whatever needs to be done. Problems of tremendous length Need to be completed once begun. Opposition can be numerous and tough Causing me to lose vital ground. I often wonder if I have enough Strength to give courage to everyone around. Attempting to do things on my own Quickly gets me into trouble. Keeping in mind Your patient tone, Things can be done on the double. Whether it is a simple need Or making a difference on a global scale, Holding back the temptation of greed Is best done by letting Your will prevail. Friends and enemies You created Giving them the ability to love. This love needs to be demonstrated By my own actions so it fits me like a glove. As well as strength I would like to know How this strength should be properly used. Even with sufficient willpower I far too easily get confused. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky SOMEBODY CARES By ... Steve Lucky More than one person on more than one occasion Has said that nobody cares. This is not true and even if it was Most things are not done to gain popularity. One person or group of people Should not try to speak for everyone. Rarely does everyone agree about anything. Disagreements are a sad, inevitable part of life. Perhaps those saying nobody cares do not care themselves, Which I dare say might very well Be the source of the problem. I care, even if no one else does, About the lives and souls of my fellow human beings. Small problems of concern to others do affect me Because it affects someone near me. People interact with each other all the time. All problems are shared with everyone to varying degrees No matter how small that connection might be. Events of concern to my neighbors are my concern too. Becoming desensitized to my neighbors, busy with their trivial problems Will eventually densensitize me to more important issues Like war, famine, and disease. My personal actions while dealing with others Reminds me that someone cares. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky CHILDREN ARE IMPORTANT By ... Steve Lucky Everyone has something to teach Regardless of how short a time one has been around. Babies also have something to offer the community. They give important information with a crying sound. Children have a different viewpoint of the world, Forgotten too often by adults. Less time they have to accumulate Normal, basic human faults. Watching children as they play Can teach adults about times long past As well as changes occurring over generations In a world many feel is spinning too fast. Not yet aware of the needs of business Yet perceptive to what others create, Many children blend emotions and senses. Further learning comes as they immitate. What children first learn about the world around them Determines the course of their entire lives. Other children add their own input. More than adults, they decide who survives. Voices of children echo for years. Generations later people still try to respond To the echoes coming from their childhood. Groups of children from a lifelong bond. Often trusted more than adults, People will listen to what children have to say. Knowing the difficulties children face to speak in public, Adults might be more likely to obey. Do not let anyone convince children No one will listen to young people when they speak. Power is far from everything. Strong voices sometimes come from the weak. Children are important to everyone. Every adult was once a child. Without saying a word, they are still human beings Learning from others while running wild. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky WRONGLY ACCUSED By ... Steve Lucky Nothing makes me angrier than being wrongly accused. The jokes some of them tell make me really feel used. I usually help out the people in need, But I become quickly discouraged by their unsatisfiable greed. Effort should be made to give them what evidence I have got Whether it is enough for them or not. Kind words are needed even here Despite growing emotions of anger and fear. Helpless I feel when the work I do Will not be enough to see me through. No one is successful everywhere. This fact I must embrace with care. Many places show I made genuine progress. So why do I stay in places where everything is a mess? Often I wonder how people can be so blind. Could it be because I am so far behind? Rage burns deep inside of me, Yet I still must be able to see False accusers are human beings do, Not always knowing what to say or do. Wrong accusations made in my favor Are not something I should savor. If I want to do what is right, Those wrong accusations I must also fight. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky FACE TO FACE By ... Steve Lucky Face to face and heart to heart, Nothing could keep the couple apart. Arguements too numerous to count Was still an insuffiencent amount To destroy their loyalty to each other. Perfection is not what makes a lover. He was a workaholic and she was lazy. Many said those two getting together was crazy. Somehow they proved such people wrong Because deep inside they heard the same song. While some couples through the day tried to race, They would still talk face to face. Struggles with money both of them knew. Neither of them knew what to do. If their own view was not clear, Advice from others both of them could hear. Listening to each other they were inspired So their listening skill was aquired. Valuable time to spend together Did not depend on the time or the weather. Places to meet were always found Giving them more common ground. Money and time could never replace Being together, face to face. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky LUCKY By ... Steve Lucky Lucky is my family name. Lucky is an upset win in a game. Lucky is not being filled with shame. Lucky is having success and fame. Lucky is being full of good luck. Lucky is not getting stuck. Lucky is narrowly evading a truck. Lucky is the unshot duck. Lucky is getting a solid break. Lucky is recoving from a mistake. Lucky is knowing miracles are not fake. Lucky is surviving an earthquake. Lucky is winning the lottery Lucky is not breaking pottery Lucky is never being called snottery. Lucky is prospering with something tottery. Lucky is a stranger who is kind. Lucky is a valuable fine. Lucky is outsucceeding predictions in the mind. Lucky is escaping a terrible bind. Lucky is the word I use. Lucky is the word I choose. Lucky is withstanding attempts to confuse. Lucky is a friend who does not abuse. Lucky is a name for divine intervention. Lucky is a signal for people's attention. Lucky is a word I dare to mention. Lucky is not being filled with tension. Lucky is sometimes referring to a person. Lucky is knowing luck will not worsen. Lucky is not a word soon to go away. Lucky, the person, is here to stay. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky SPARK By ... Steve Lucky Deep within the surrounding dark Can be found a single spark. The spark looks small and very dim Resting on an old tree limb. If the spark were properly covered, All the fire would be smothered. However, this spark was under control. Light and warmth was the family's goal. Spead quickly by a gentle breeze Its temperature increased many degrees. Just seconds later, the whole limb was on fire. Nearby family members had to perspire. Growing more the former spark contined to comsume Fuel turning firewood into smoke and fume. Everything in the pile was caught in the blaze, Yet no fear did the family raise. Knowing just a spark could burn everything around, They made sure no extra fuel could be found. One of them would always watch the source of warmth and light So they would be ready if something did not go right. A spark of love brings joy to all who know its beauty, But unlike fire keeping in under control was not their duty. Love should be spread beyond limitations Enabling it to reach all the nations. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky FAILURE By ... Steve Lucky Unless one is perfect, failure must be faced. Many will deal with it many times. It is breaking something which can be replaced Or spending time in jail for various crimes. Sometimes failure can be overcome. If not, one must accept the results. To its consequences, one should not be numb Yet one should avoid being swallowed by faults. Life goes on in spite of it all. Everyone must make due with what they have got. Reoccurring failure many can recall When a solution must be found on the spot. Failure is a horrible thing. Risk must be taken if success one wants to bring. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky SUCCESS By ... Steve Lucky What is the secret of success? Answers are numerous and diverse. One who takes a random guess May just make the problem worse. For success to be reached, one has to try. This is something on which most people agree. To achieve success some are willing to die Because they refuse to just let things be. Success almost always will take work. Everyone has a different view of the type. Proving personal success is not a quirk Means overcoming a great deal of hype. Failure and success constantly reoccur Until something stands out amidst the blur. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky ONE AGAINST MANY By ... Steve Lucky How can one person hope to withstand Power unleashed by an angry mob? Even those who are in command Know dealing with people is part of the job. Important facts one needs to catch When seeking what is true. Sometimes the right answer does not match The majority point of view. One person knows what the world does not No matter what everyone else tries to do. Facing a task alone has brought Many the courage to see it through. Unpopular solutions are sometimes discovered So many people try to prove them wrong. By pure numbers, inviduals can be smothered. Going against the multitudes the process can be long. Listening to people is something one should do. Everyone has a different way of getting out of trouble. Convincing individuals is important too. Just one supporter and the odds will double. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky KEEPING IN TOUCH By ... Steve Lucky Old friends should not be forgotten. Without contact, the bond tends to fade away. Methods of contact can be numerous For those who feel they have something to say. Although people can greatly change, Part of them still remains the same. Happy memories can be returned To those who hear a familiar name. Close friends going their seperate ways Often ask each other to keep in touch. Vacation should not keep them away from Someone they love so much. Distant and nearby friends and relatives, Many people can recall Because they were willing to keep in touch In spite of it all. Generations of friendships form a chain, Extending for as long as the human race. Years, even decades, should not rust Something beyond the limits of time and space. Rekinddled friendships have a good chance to prosper. Keeping in touch has a timeless appeal. New friendships will definitely be made, But old ones are just as real. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky STUBBORN By ... Steve Lucky Why do so many people insist on their own way? Great clashes between opposing wills Rarely produces any thrills, Leaving everyone around in a state of dismay. Stubborn people have to pay. It can be an expensive bill When one has such a powerful role to fill. These people are very tough to sway. People have a system of give and take On which they usually rely. Unwritten rules govern their interactions. For obsticles halting ambition to break, To the needs of another one should reply. Enforcing one's own will brings unwanted reactions. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky OPEN MIND By ... Steve Lucky Variety can be found everywhere one looks. With all the strange things one can find One needs to keep an open mind. Many types of tempting hooks Found on the street and read about in books, Lures one into feeling left behind. Despite it all one should remain kind. Not all people out their are crooks. Abdunt solutions of great diversity Provide a better chance of the right one being found. Inside an open mind, knowledge will ring. Going to a university Can not cover up that sound. Knowledge can come from anything. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky PUBLIC IMAGE By ... Steve Lucky People and corporations want an image That portrays them in a positive light. However, the image may backfire If the image is not right. Even those who do their best Know their work is not always seen. When part of a public image is tarnished Can any of it still remain clean? On average the public knows far less Than those who can remain close. Letting the public see only what one wants May make them want to look for something gross. Various specialists try to build public image. Gossip reporters are involved in its destruction. Depending on public image is unwise. Real image is what requires contruction. Although the real image may never be revealed, Internal problems public image will not halt. Confidence can be built or destroyed Knowing who is at fault. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky PROSPERITY By ... Steve Lucky Prosperity does not always come to the good. It comes to the evil unlike it should. What does God intend with this plan? Individuals are able to do what they can To prevent this horrible injustice from spreading. Good, evil, or both might be found in the heading. Righteous giving is something emphatic Because success for good people is not automatic. Differences between good and evil are true Not done for rewards that come into view. Who prospers depends on what is done. Part of it can be controlled by everyone. Some people have greater control than others. Many innocent people one cruel leader smothers. For those many people to cope, They deseperately need a source of hope. Hope can be found in people nearby. On these people many of them will rely. Additional help comes from more distant lands From people not afraid to disobey cruel commands. Wicked neighbors and dictators of the world Can become prosperous with the proper events unfurled, Yet many people still insist on what is right. Upon their beliefs they are willing to fight. Kind people may not always find prosperity, But no one can deny their sincerity. Good things happening to just one Makes others feel it was a job well done. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky GREEN By ... Steve Lucky Green is the color of grass and trees Swaying in the slightest breeze. Vital to every human being Is the green plant life most are seeing. Because green things are so abundant, Many will think it is redundant. Only a certain amount of green plants are needed. Why should the rest even be seeded? Different shades of green are all around. Plants change color as they rise from the ground. Leaves get old and the green starts to fade. Hints of changing color is the changing shade. Without green the world looks old As can be seen during times of cold. Returning green darkening all the way through Makes the world once again seem new. Nature shows one color in countless variety. Its image should remain in human society. Few people said it is easy being green, But it is even harder being mean. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky MORTALITY By ... Steve Lucky Many times I have been confronted by my own mortality Skills in some areas can not be shown to the general public Because of what I lack in others. Things I want to do I simply can not Even if I spent the rest of my life training for it. Careless mistakes are once again found Years after I thought such problems had been solved. Foolish attempts to get ahead Hurt both myself and the people around me. Doing the right thing seems useless When I lack the power to convince numerous, superior opponents Of the most basic of moral values. People all over the world and people in my neighborhood Suffer from problems I do not know how to solve. Giving them everything I have would be nothing more Than a drop in the bucket. Laughter, intended for humor and joy, Becomes warped into the enjoyment of suffering. Knowing this is not a problem I can solve, I ask other people to solve the problem for me Only to discover they are just as powerless as I am. Power and popularity does mean immunity to natural disasters. Life is very fragile Compared to the incredible powers surrounding it. As I grow older, things I once did easily Take considerable effort to complete. Eventually I will not be able to do them at all. Signs of improvement are very real, Yet these same signs let me know I will never improve enough to handle everything. Dealing with mortality requires to the realization Of how little can be done or even attempted. Why even attempt to do what experts say is impossible? Experts are mortals too. Not all problems I come across can be solved, But I know my efforts are not wasted. This is only is only way I can learn How to do what I can to make the world a better place. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky THOUGHTLESS WORDS By ... Steve Lucky Thoughtless words and careless action Can lead others towards despair. Far from harmless minor distractions, Their words can actually impair. People laughed at the Wright brothers When they dared to attempt flight. Lesser inventors such a person smothers Until they run from the mere sight. Mockers are not portrayed kindly in history. So should these things continue? Daring to solve a complex mystery Should put one on the mockers' menu. Early attempts to get people to fly Were humorous and tragic, Yet many people were still willing to try Knowing it would not be done by magic. Intelligent people thought some things impossible Before another proved it could indeed be done. All things should be possible. Failure is not something done for fun. Truly wise people are aware Some of the things they say will be proven wrong. Efforts no one can compare Proves to the human race all people belong. Kind words and caring action Coming from deep inside the heart, Gives another a lasting satisfaction. Death itself will not tear friendship apart. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky BARELY A TRACE By ... Steve Lucky Behind the shadows where few could see Was a person who went by the alias Marie. Daring to be all she could be, She found a place in history. Her work with others she had to share. Unless someone bothered enough to care Enough to take action against what was there, Tragedies would continue, each beyond compare. Perfection none of them could ever hope to reach. Imperfect people would have to teach. More and more tasks Marie would beseech Giving special care to each. Lives were at stake. It was no joke. Care was needs for every word spoke. One person alone may not see what is broke. With the help of a partner, more ideas they could evoke. Just when they started to set their own pace, She disappeared without a trace. Together they could do what neither could do alone. Heard only as voices over the phone, Both of them still had wills of their own. Ideas they were willing to give or loan. Neither could deny the work they they did, Coming from a free or very low bid, Made a difference to some future kid. From the general public both of them hid. Those waiting for perfection would never get to do, Greatly needed tasks and see them through, Yet to their cause they had to stay true. Such a fact was repeated with every review. On each other they would have to rely. Although involved in a major lie, For each other they were willing to die. Reaching out to others they continued to try. Looking like she was winning the race, She disappeared without a trace. Nothing more than job satisfaction Was required for them to be part of the action. Keeping their work a quality attraction, Connections came in a chain reaction. Having the skill to hypnotize, Marie's partner made her realize The fragile mask of a thin disguise Shattered in the presence of potential demise. Each task completed was a greatly needed win Against a problem so large they could only begin To solve it by looking from within. In a hostile world came a fragile grin. Faint grins they had would strengthen and grow Into grins that would actually show. On the big screen, their work they would know, Put into place to solve great woe. Grinning from the tasks she could ace, She disappeared without a trace. Love is the quality beyond all others. Countless potential mistakes it covers. Selfish deeds it easily smothers Not forgetting the doers are sisters and brothers. Effort to learn how to sing and dance And later how to build romance, Took them to where they had a chance. Others were encouraged towards a similar stance. Passing years would not remove Work neither of them seemed able to prove. Repetition would cause them to improve Until they found the proper grove. Faster and faster their efforts came. No two tasks were ever the same. A deperate gamble in a high stakes game Gave some credit to a forgotten name. Desperately in search of her proper place, She disappeared without a trace. People would remember some of what they said Long after both of them were dead, Yet on this knowledge they could not be fed. Both still needed their daily bread. In order to satisfy their thirst, Much work could be done in a single burst. Even when they feared the worst Their noble task had to come first. Overdue effort had to double. Unless it did, they would be in trouble. Constantly they appeared to be on the bubble, But personal gain turned quickly to rubble. Saving the world is no easy task. Marie tried to do it while wearing her mask. From personal glory, they could not long bask. They needed help, so they had to ask. After problems of great magnitude she dared to face, She disappeared without a trace. At last time came for the two to depart. Tears came from deep inside the heart. When friendship might be torn apart, Living a lie is not very smart. Friendship can withstand many things Such as thoughtless words and the damage it brings. Joyful songs one eagerly sings Knowing on and on true freedom rings. Righteousness is rarely the easy path, Yet forgiveness involves no complex math. Great destruction that comes from wrath Can not compare to the aftermath. Distance between them could not destroy Happy memories both could enjoy. Echoes of their kindly shared joy Spead to every locate girl and boy. Love can be found beyone time and space. She disappeared without a trace. By herself, Marie would continue her work, To prove it was not just a quirk. Despite her occasional mischievious smirk, This was a job with a definite perk. Valuable connections had been made, Especially when she did not get paid. People remember kind deeds of the highest grade And make sure the doers get plenty of shade. More than just an over the phone voice, She gave herself and others a choice. From this fact she could later rejoice When she was the one people tried to devoice. Unseeen events would cause things to change. Once common events were treated as strange. This forced Marie to rearrange Just to stay in the modern range. For her skeptics, she tried to stay filled with grace. She disappeared without a trace. As more and more of her work was seen, It was time for Marie to finally come clean. Fear and a sense of duty fought for the scene, And she ended up somewhere in between. Mental debates occurred deep inside. Noble deeds are destroyed by those filled with pride. Her true name she no longer put aside. Giving her the courage to no longer hide. Revealed in a single tick of the clock, To many the name came as a shock. How can one stay as steady as a rock When long hidden truth others try to block? Revalation was the beginning, not the end. Long delayed facts from her and her friend Combined with technicalies few could ever hope to mend, Meant many would think her work was pretend. Each person no person can ever replace. She disappeared without a trace. Although mockery and riddicule Marie would recieve, On that day she tried not to decieve. The whole story many could not even concieve So some of them simply refused to believe. It is known to even the youth, People can be punished for telling the truth. Methods many consider uncouth Can lead to persuit by the amateur sluth. Friends and foes alike need advice. Judging does little to entice. When distinguishing them, one has to think twice. Helping enemies is really nice. Rumors left her in quite a bind, Because evidence disproving them was so hard to find. Temper built up in her and refused to unwind. Problems caused by rumors lingered deep in her mind. Wrongs from the past, no one can erase. She disappeared without a trace. Work came more often than ever before. Keeping rumors from spreading was quite a chore. From her heart, the effort would pour. It would take all of it and considerably more. Frequently Marie wanted to rest, But she knew she had to keep giving her best. Without warning, they might have a test Coming from a statement made in jest. Results were not always as intended. Some of the work had greatly descended. No longer as concerned about who was offended Until her crushed ego at last was mended. Even so, moral values remained supreme Because they were taken to the extreme. The people she worked with worked as a team Causing her face to once again beam. Ready to defend her case, She disappeared without a trace. Joyous time and tragic times many can recall, But life goes on in spite of it all. Save during prosperous times in case of a fall. Every scrap is needed, no matter how small. One step at a time, Marie made her way To a place where she could at last have her say. Perfect people will not be found here to today So imperfect heroes are needed every day. Love is needed by everyone. Problems can feel like they weigh a ton, But removing them can still be fun If someone is willing to get the job done. People move more swiftly towards the goal When working for the good of the world as a whole. Motivation comes from deep inside the sole. This motivation extends from pole to pole. Establishing a solid base, She disappeared without a trace. By herself, her work continued to progress. Although years it would take for notable success. Results were far less likely to regress. No longer would she be in constant distress. Help coming from others had to be conceded. No progress was made while she constantly pleaded. Being lucky without luck was all the she needed. The grass was already properly seeded. Flaws in everyone can be found So all mortals have a common ground. Out of this ground, sprouted seeds will surround Anyone who happens to be around. Blindly all people are treated alike. Mistakes and rumors do not force one on a hike. Even when trouble happens to strike, People want him to help himself and the like. With nothing more than a lucky embrace, She dissapeared with barely a trace. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky AWARE By ... Steve Lucky Problems lingering in the air Let people know they should be aware Of the needs of others all around Wherever a problem can be found. Great and small, rich and poor Tend to beg for more and more. Few of these needs will ever arrive, Including one need someone needs to survive. This does not mean no one will care. Many try to always be there, But the forces against them are simply too great. Delays may make one show up to late. Action should be taken by someone near. Often this mean overcoming horrible fear. Heroes come in many shapes and sizes. Someone ignored can bring joyful surprises. Even when something must be done alone, Results of this battle should be made known. People willing to help may need help too. First their problems should be seen through. Once done if others do not help still, Those problems can be faced with a much improved will. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN By ... Steve Lucky Jesus told Peter the number of forgiveness Is more like seventy times seven than seven. Those who actually try for this number Discover the number of forgiveness Will not be reached by counting. People considered to be immoral, not the moral ones, Are far more likely to come crashing down full force Whenever the slightest wrong is made against them. Righteous people know when one is required to forgive, Strong desire to do otherwise will be present. Grace is a generous gift from God Meant for righteous people and wicked people alike. Forgiveness is a fundamental building block Of religion, life, and lasting friendships Because imperfection is a part of human nature Never to go away. Forgiveness is a gift which can never be earned. Uncountable is its value. While one searches for perfect beings, The imperfect beings surrounding and including everyone Can show the way to God If he or she is willing to hear What the least of them has to say. Seventy times seven is only a glimpse of eternity. Copyright 2003, Steve Lucky FEEL By ... Steve Lucky Early in infancy sight and sound And other things constantly surround The growing child who has not yet found Other human beings are on common ground. Growing up in school one tries to learn If anyone can ever earn Pleasant feelings for which all seem to yearn Unless they know it will later burn. Life is full of many surprises. During the tough times, the unsung hero rises. Being burried alive with countless disguises Can not erase the donated prizes. These prizes come from within the heart, Something with which one will never part From the knowledge that even being smart Will not defeat the divine work of art. More than the senses, knowledge, and power Is the fragile beauty of a flower. One can crush it any hour, Yet it prospers after a fierce rain shower. Hope will come to those who forgive Because they have a glimpse how to live Like God who continues to steadily give Moments people will want to relive. Important it is for one to think. Without feelings, however, these thoughts will shrink. Thoughts can be wonderful, but they can also stink Or be missed in a single blink. Not just mind, but heart and soul, Brings one closer to the goal. Love extends from pole to pole, Capable of paying even the most expensive toll. Secrets one tries hard to conceal Another can still find a way to steal. How can one know something is real Unless one is somehow able to feel? Copyright 2004, Steve Lucky DESPERATION By ... Steve Lucky Human beings usually cling tightly To the smallest trace of hope Even as the hope itself diminishes. Dire situations bring out the best and worst in people As they ignore oridinary warnings For an all or nothing gamble Bringing miraculous success or horrifying failure. Panic sets in with the rational idea No rational solution can be found. Why do people strongly refuse to believe Something they greatly desire is impossible? More than once the so called impossible has been done. Odds have no meaning when nothing is left to loose, But people with supposedly nothing to loose Have increased their own problems exponentially. Great ideas and careless mistakes Come from those people who refused to die When common sense told them Anything they did was pointless. Innovation in abundance leads to a few successful outcomes Rather than no successful outcomes at all. Numbers and facts, however, are not the reason They hold on to their desires in spite of it all. Every ounce of will adds to the whole. Quality and quantity can improve. Perhaps failure itself will lead others to ... desperation. Copyright 2004, Steve Lucky WILL POWER By ... Steve Lucky One attempting to climb a hill Becomes aware of the power of will. Stress and fatigue make one want to quit, Yet the will will continue to function through it. Like the mind and body, the will can be trained. For continued results, it should be maintained. Room for improvement can always be found As long as perfection is never around. Towards the impossible one tries to reach. Quitting is something the will will not teach. Every step taken, no matter how small Is another step closer to completing it all. Power from will when other power fails Helps ensure that endurance prevails. Finding success when success will not come May be the only way to get the job done. Through any given circumstance on any given day, Somehow will power will find a way. Will power is nothing unless one will act To keep the power of will intact. Copyright 2004, Steve Lucky GEOMETRIC By ... Steve Lucky One, two, four, eight ... Like the number the change goes from small to great. Everything has to stay in proportion. Who among billions will notice one abortion? Sixteen, thirty two, sixty four ... Powerful people seem to want more and more. Greater amounts are needed for the same effect Regardless of race or dialect. One hundred twenty eight, two hundred fifty six ... Increased power plays devious tricks. The more one has, the more one wants. Soon it takes more than a few tricky stunts. Five hundred twelve, Two to the power of three less than twelve. As smaller numbers disappear from sight Does one even consider if the direction is right? One thousand twenty four Plenty is available to give to the poor. Will one or two dollars even be missed By the rich who have plenty of greed to resist? Geometric increases will wear everyone out, Both the poor unknowns and the rich with clout. It is clear for anyone to see No one can keep up with geometry. Copyright 2004, Steve Lucky BROWN By ... Steve Lucky Brown, the color of mud, the color of soil, Frequently overlooked by people scurrying about Hoping to find a beautiful arrangement Of brightly colored flowers. Little thought is given to the dull brown soil Without which such flowers would not be possible. Unseen and overlooked things serve their purpose too. Although it lacks the stands out features Displayed in the colors of the rainbow, The hope and creativity of white, And the mystery of grey or black, Humble brown has its own part to play In the overall picture of life. Serving the basic needs of the other colors, Dependable brown provides what is Essential for living things to grow. Not all jobs appear to be important. Appearances, however, can be deceiving. Job of vital importance to global society Can seem meaningless, dull, an insigificant at first glace Like the brown soil from which the brightly colored flowers bloom. Copyright 2006, Steve Lucky HANDICAPPED By ... Steve Lucky Many people take for granted Good health, sound mind, hearing, and sight. Not all people on the planet Have what most consider right. They may try with all their might But will never do what the rest of us can. Are people in this dire plight Not included in the overall plan? Just an extra second of life really can Change the overall state of the world. Rarely will one not be a fan Of those who stand up to whatever is unfurled. Problems may come in massive amounts Yet the handicapped prove it is the effort that counts. Copyright 2007, Steve Lucky PERCEPTION By ... Steve Lucky Life experiences are not the same. Everyone has a different point of view. Too many look for someone else to blame When one is not quite sure what to do. Blending together the old and the new Is easier to do when information is shared. Gifted athelets and helpless babies both review Their environment to which their own memories are compared. Only when the risk is dared Will there ever be a chance of success. Perception changes as one is ensared In a world that appears to be a hopeless mess. Experiences shared just might inspire Someone else to rise even higher. Copyright 2007, Steve Lucky I TOUCHED THE STARS By ... Steve Lucky The stars were out in front of me And I reached out and touched them. Stars may be considered hot But I felt a chill inside of me As I reached out to touch them. Some people have a chance to touch the stars Yet never reach out to them Content with what is familiar to them. Being overwhelmed by it all, I sometimes wonder if touching the stars Was indeed the right thing to do. Everyday things can be torn apart Once it is discovered the stars are Not as they appear to be. Maybe my own opinion Does not make any difference To the stars themselves. On the other hand, maybe it does. Somehow this makes it all worthwhile Because the stars have touched me. Copyright 2007, Steve Lucky REVENGE By ... Steve Lucky Revenge has a destructive power. Innocent people can be caught in its shower. Some people these feelings they try to hide But one can not ignore what is deep down inside. Unleashing it others try to do Yet these hostile feelings are never through. Overcoming this desire is the only way. Sadly to do so there is a price to pay. Negative internal thoughts can never be fulfilled. They must be possitively resisted before they can build. Pride which makes even anger look pale Must internally never prevail. Decades later thoughts keep returning Of a childhood pain that left over yearning For a way for that person to somehow get back At the one for whom just rewards seem to lack. Revenge breeds revenge with no end in sight So against these feelings some try to fight. Flawed human beings will not completely succeed In the war against pride, revenge, and greed. The war is not over if one should fall. Against all odds love conquers all. Copyright 2007, Steve Lucky EDGE OF THE COIN By ... Steve Lucky People have a tendency to divide other people Into various categories and subcategories Based on all kind of things. Male and female, black and white, child and adult, rich and poor All need to be able to see life from the edge of the coin. Not all things can be neatly placed Into one category or the other. Hermathrodites, children of mixed race, teenagers, and the middle class Remind people that even the best classifications of people Have a tendency to break down When seen from the edge of the coin. One needs to take a look at who people are instead of what they are. Individuals, not categories, is what makes up the human race. How can anyone even pretend to judge By standards they do not live up to themselves? Whatever else we are, we are all filled with human frailties. To improve life for the individual and for the world, Everyone and every view point Needs to be taken into consideration. This includes the unpopular ways of doing things. Sometime those ways actually turn out to be right. As a whole, the coin is valuable. Heads and tails come together In a way too complex for even the smartest person to comprehend. Could the coin exist without heads, without tails, Or without an edge to hold them together? Looking carefully to see whether a coin has landed heads or tails Might make one forget the coin also has an edge. From that vantage point, heads and tails are alike yet different. Male or female, black or white, rich or poor, child or adult Everyone has a human edge. Lord, help all people, great and small To see things from the edge of the coin. Judgement comes from what is done to the soul Not from the exterior factors surrounding it. Fighting is done far too often And done for the most trivial of reasons. Help all to remember, Whether one is classfied heads, tails, or even an edge. It takes all of us to make the coin a vaulable whole. Copyright 2007, Steve Lucky SHIP IN A BOTTLE By ... Steve Lucky Inside the bottle the ship is built, Designed not to break if the bottle should tilt. With skill and precision the pieces are placed Because mistakes breaking something can not be erased. Why was the ship ever placed inside? So with outside objects in can not collide. Another question is stranger still, One not appearing to be solved by mere will. How can the ship ever be pulled out whole Unless the bottle is broken to pay for the toll? Onlookers can see but never can touch Because if they could it would not mean as much. Keeping it safe from dirt and grime So it can withstand the test of time, Comes at the price of isolation. Glass as a shield brings the realization That it is a fragile thing one can break at will, Yet the ship in the bottle is more fragile still. Leave it alone and it will last for years As a sign of the builder's sweat and tears. Copyright 2007, Steve Lucky BASIC FACTS By ... Steve Lucky Many lies about my life I will tell And many words I will misspell, But no matter how bazare or strange Some basic facts will never change. Hidden from most people's view Plenty of things both old and new, Just as real as what is known Remain unseen until they've grown. First they will appear impure Until they have had time to mature. Once uncovered the news will spread Quickly to places few dare to tread. Stories about them, real and fake, Will cause stronger appearing facts to break. Even rumors need a strong foundation To be accepted in every nation. Theories are constantly being tested By both the tired and the well rested. History itself is being rewritten, Yet a few basic facts can keep one unbitten. Nothing in this world is pure. On this basic fact everyone can be sure, Perception changes as new facts are discovered. Any given day, something else might be uncovered. When the couragous dare to look. Great things can be seen like an open book. Copyright 2007, Steve Lucky ODE TO LAURA By ... Steve Lucky I am far from an expert on love and romance. You were the exception. Someone called you on the phone Pretending to be an eleven year old girl named Lisa With the same cheerleading coach you once had. This person invited you to my house And you came not thinking anything unusual about it. What in the world compelled you to listen to me? Deception on a grand scale Came from an unlikely sixteen year old boy. Your old cheerleader coach was my stepmother So I had an abundance of inside information. My "brilliant plan" had a major flaw. Geniune feelings you had for Lisa, The girl who never was. I attempted to cover it up, But you knew better and were determined to find out. Finally I whispered, "Maybe she used an allias." You cried. The reason may not have been what I thought it was. Even so, you cried. Short sighted vision allowed me to see Only the ways in which you wronged me. I had let you down. During one of my most troublesome moments You were there for me. More was going on than could be seen at first glance, For both of us. Placing my hand on your back, we stood in silence. Redemtion came while I was still sixteen. Copyright 2007, Steve Lucky MIRROR By ... Steve Lucky As I gaze into the mirror, I see my own reflection gazing back at me. Though not the messiest person around, Plenty of room exists for improvement. My hair needs coming as it usually does. Someday I should get it get it cut, But it will require taking the time and effort To get the job done. Even though I still look young for my age, The reality of me being in my thirties Is starting to creep into my facial features. Fourty will be here before I know it. Then I can say I look good for fourty, If I will only take the time and effort to get my hair cut. My thick red hair is probably my most noticable feature. Blue or green eyes, depending on who you ask Are there to keep the face in place. Teeth kept white by brushing And the occasional use of whitening strips, Stay hidden most of the time Due to a closed mouth. Currently my physical features Hide fact I was once overweight, Yet I know I have to keep an eye On my steadily gaining weight Before it shoots up again. Personal style can be seen in my movement As I continue to gaze at myself in the mirror. Seeing the moving person gazing back at me. My person style is Both my most loved and my most hated feature, Not only by others but also by myself. Like most people, Things could be better but they could also be worse. Future bodies and future minds Are shaped in the present, Just like my present image Is the result of things I have done in the past. Copyright 2007, Steve Lucky FORGOTTEN KNOWLEDGE By ... Steve Lucky Modern inventions allow one To access massive amounts of information Sometimes with as little effort As the click of a mouse. Yet as more and more information Reaches the general public, Have we lost the quality information Necessary for day to day living? Lost in a sea of trivial facts No one could possibly comprehend Exists the forgotten knowledge Of ancient and not so ancient times. Those who lived during those times Managed to aquire what they needed to know From nothing more complex Than the world around them. Vast quantities of information Can not replace the forgotten knowledge Provided by what can be seen, heard, and touched. Modern inventions are far from useless, But they must coexist with the rest of the world, Past, present, and future. Copyright 2007, Steve Lucky GRAND DESIGN By ... Steve Lucky Who notices the microscopic life Found on a speck of dust Resting on the floor? Such creatures are probably Not even aware of our existence. Does that make their life any less important Than the life we can see all around us? Could anyone elsewhere in the universe Possibly notice the lifeforms called human beings? Our home, the earth, is like a speck of dust Floating in the great sea known as the universe. Despite this undeniable fact, Human beings should not be considered Any less important In the grand design of the universe. Everything, whether large or small, Relates to the rest of the universe On its own scale. These scales are far too different For learning which one is the best. Each scale adds its own unique contribution, More than one scale is needs for a good concept Of the vast complexities of the universe. Perhaps the best scale Is whichever one is needed at the moment, But the moment is a scale of time So the original question remains. All things large and small, near and far, Timeless and instantaneous, Can be found in the grand design. Copyright 2007, Steve Lucky MOVING DAY By ... Steve Lucky Hints of events to come are found Just looking at all the boxes scattered across the floor. At the end of the day those boxes will be elsewhere. Once familiar objects will be seen no more. Even when expected, it comes as a surprise. Preparing for a lifetime will not be enough. Most of the neighborhood has never before been seen, So for anyone the adjustment can be tough. With the boxes places at their new location, Time is left over to rearrange. Day to day living can be an adventure Because even one's own home appears strange. Getting motivation from the brand new world, Some look forward to the challenges brought. Nothing in the area will be familiar Meaning daily routines must again be self taught. For better or for worse, life keeps going. Change is something to be expected. Life has a way of adapting to everything, Whether or not those changes are selected. Copyright 2007, Steve Lucky FACING FEAR By ... Steve Lucky I dreamed I was driving a motorcycle. Just riding one scares me. Driving one would be terrifying. Still I felt compelled to do it. Many twists are turns were found in the road, Yet I continued to accelerate. As I did this, I realized I was dreaming Making it a lucid dream, a rare dream phomenon, Facing my fear, I tightly gripped both handle bars. Keeping my speed at the posted speed limit, I followed the road wherever it went. The road had far more turns than any road Seen in the waking world, Yet I took the turns one at a time. My body would bend and stretch So I could keep pace with the unrelenting road. Waking up, my concsious mind Still had many questions about the dream. Did the motorcycle represent a specific fear Or fear in general? Either way, my solution was to face it. Copyright 2007, Steve Lucky RIPPLES By ... Steve Lucky When a pebble is dropped in a pond, Ripples extend to places beyond. Gradually fading, moving further from the source, These ripples usually maintain their course. Created by wind, moving objects, and the tide, Ripples form ripples as ripples collide. Following waves of the silent song, Leaves and debris sometimes travel along. As various types of ripples roam past, How long will these ripples last? Never breaking the rules of nature and math Hardly anyone can predict their path. Simple ripples are easy to see. More complex ones are a mystery. As individuals create ripples in society. How strong will these ripples be? Following patterns, even under stress, Their complex behavior is still anyone's guess. When even the questions make the answers change, The end result must be very strange. Copyright 2008, Steve Lucky ALPHABETICAL EXERCISE By ... Steve Lucky Access to the inspiration needed to Begin the task of writing this Crazy poem requires it to be Designed in such a way that its Elegance should not be limited to the required pattern. For the poem has the tendency to Gather momentum as it continues to flow. Hopefully the pattern can be found Internally and will be able to Just slide into place. Keeping things on track does not require discarding other ideas. Looking at the words taken out of the poem May yet give an idea as to where it should go. Nothing, or at least very little, is gained when Only the same words are repeated. Progress should be made Quickly, yet for the Real and imagined ideas to Sound the way they should. Time is needed to Understand what needs to be done. Very carefully the words are planned to Welcome the reader to the pattern within the pattern. X marks the spot as Years of experience go Zooming by in mere seconds. Copyright 2008, Steve Lucky ANOTHER ALPHABETICAL EXERCISE By ... Steve Lucky Zero error is not possible, Yet it is possible to learn from past mistakes. Xylographing something does not change its meaning. Works of days past, Vary in size, structure, and meaning but Underneath are the experiences shared by all human beings. Time has not changed the basic needs. Somehow everyone needs to Remember to get food, sleep, and water. Questioning the importance of these things does not change their value. Progress with discoveries like Oxygen has not changed mankind's dependency on these things. Normally one does not have to think about breathing, but it must be done. Modern discoveries could show us more Little things people take for granite that would Kill everyone if taken away. Just as we depend on food, sleep, water, and oxygen Individuals depend on one another. Holding on to material objects does not change this need. Giving during hard times is a reminder how Feeble we really are. Every day passes with the same needs required of all human beings. Doing something or not doing something is required to survive. Careful planning helps, yet it never makes things certain. Beyond the reach of mere human beings can be found the Answers for all we need to know. Copyright 2008, Steve Lucky HARVEST TIME By ... Steve Lucky Ideas are the mental seeds To help us resolve our basic needs. Great ideas may be found in the mind Powerful enough to serve all mankind, Yet those seeds will seeds remain With the soil, sun, and rain. Feelings of doubt one must face Before within the soil the roots take their place. Motivation can be the proper soil So results can be seen from the daily toil. One must learn what one needs to know Allowing the seeds to properly grow. During long drough or sudden cloudburst Just hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Brown soil does not become suddenly green. Effort must continue for results to be seen. Harvest time which for most crops is in the fall May be the most important time of all. Unless harvested with due haste, Months of work on the crops will just go to waste. Crops from ideas must be harvested too. Only then will the needed changes get through. Copyright 2009, Steve Lucky VIRUSES By ... Steve Lucky Deadlier than any war Viruses travel from door to door, nation to nation, house to house, Person to person, bird, pig, and mouse All this can happen before anyone is aware Such a deadly virus had ever been there. How can human beings greatest threat be Something too small for a person to see? Living, breathing viruses are able to show Anywhere a person or animal can go. Growth at an exponential rate May keep the public unaware until it is too late. The damage left in a viruses wake Can make even the bravest people quake. Greater population means a greater threat From all the viruses a person can get. Multiple viruses within the same host create Evolution at a terrifying rate. Those viruses combine in a multitude of ways Creating many potential threats in a matter of days. As the virus best able to survive reproduce Medicine to kill them becomes of less and less use. For people of every religion and race, Unseen virsuses are difficult to face. Copyright 2009, Steve Lucky
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