American Election Blues

We havin' an election
an' poor boys gotta choose.
We havin' an election
an' we poor boys gotta choose.
Which rich motherf politician
gonna win and who gon' lose.

When I made my cross,
my heart was full of hope.
Well when I made my cross,
my heart was full of hope.
Put my paper in the box
an' it slid down that slip'ry slope.

I saw who got elected,
an' I sure din't vote for him.
I saw who got elected,
ain't no-one vote for him.
I ain't accusing anybody,
but damn sure that fix was in.

Don' matter how you vote,
the gov'ment's just the same.
Don' matter how you vote,
damn gov'ment's just the same.
More money for the rich
and the poor goin' down the drain.

Best Friends

My heart skips when you walk into the room
and un-asked smiles appear upon my face
and where you walk the summer flowers bloom
in nature's own reaction to your grace
and though you may not 'launch a thousand ships'
you launch all mine with just a casual glance
and every word that drops from your sweet lips
is music for this foolish lover's dance.

But I can't tell you how I really feel
for your dear heart is to another given
and it would hurt you were I to reveal
that though my smile is whole my heart is riven.

So if we're to be friends by fate's decree,
then I shall be the best friend I can be.

Chapters

The story of your life is writ in chapters
some cover many years, some just a scene.
With highs and lows and miseries and raptures
from birth to death and everywhere between.
And friends and family are all just actors
who have their time on stage to strut and preen
their interraction's one of many factors
that mean the future cannot be foreseen.

And anyway the audience wouldn't like it,
to know the end before the story's told.
It's paid the price so now you must delight it,
a daily dose of anguish must unfold.
And though it takes the hand of fate to write it
no matter how the wayward ball is bowled
each crisis has its arc and you can't fight it
from fumbled loose to arrow in the gold.

Beauty

I look at her, look at her face
and see her life is written there.
Experience has left its trace
in every line inscribed with care.
But age has brought a certain grace
to parchment skin and silver hair,
allowing my eyes to embrace
true beauty that's beyond compare.

Regrets

A life is short so live it while you have it.
Take chances when they come don't hesitate.
Say yes when opportunity comes knocking
and set your hunter at that five bar gate.

Then when you go to rest, no more to waken,
you've ticked the boxes on your bucket list.
I'm sure that you'll regret some actions taken
but no regrets remain for chances missed.