THE MYTH OF THE COLOURS

lost in time and space
what is before my face?
white is all around, it is all i see
is it actually a real colour or is it me?
how do we know objects are the colours we perceive?
but how do we know how to classify what we've seen?
only by physical touch these colours become real
only by our curiosity do we reach out and feel
tantalize our eyes
educate our minds
what is this before me?
what is this thing i see?
is it really that colour, or has my mind decided to play games?
colour is in the mind; if there wasn't segmentation, it's all the same

© 1998 thomas bates

I MISS THEM

apparitions of my past
once in a while come back
but do they recognize me
do they take a second to see
i am under the radar i believe
no one probably notices me
silence and darkness shrouds me
and back in the darkness i keep
in my solace and comfort
but so badly i want to depart
i do miss them when i knew them
but they left and faded into the horizon
one by one away from my eyes
and in their memories another piece of me dies
and again as before i slip in oblivion
and they slip back into their life's rotation

© 2004 thomas bates

CAN WE...

why do we grow old so fast?
why can't we stay young as we are in our heads?
why do we change,
when we age
i want to understand
on my knees with outstretched hands
tears fall down onto the dirt
sweat soaks my shirt
grass stings my skin
why can't we stay young as we are within?
child is lost
lost behind a door that is locked
where is the key?
i want to go back and relive and see
i want to figure out the meaning of life
i want to give life to dead eyes
i want to laugh again
i want to stay in happiness... not in confusion
why do we change,
when we age?
childhood is lost
lost behind a door that is locked
i want to understand
on my knees, i try to grasp the key with my hands

© 1994 thomas bates

GOD

morning dew, sparkles around
laziness falls me to the ground
let go of all conscienceness
slipping out of existence
numbness overcomes pain
it starts to rain
drop by drop i feel it fall
on my feet and on my palms
the coolness splashes over me
open my eyes and what do i see
a water droplet stopped in motion
a minature world swallowed by oceans
the smell of moisture engulfs me
as heat from lightning breaks trees
i am not scared of my surroundings
as lightning strikes down all around me
found my peace with God
and engulfed in His love
He is the ultimate dimension
beyond an universe compression
He takes care of His children
in His hands they are shielded
worlds collapse around me
but He still remains
He showers us in His love
and washes away all pain

© 2001 thomas bates

NUMBERS

2 to the 2, and 1 to the 1
but did you know there's a 4 to the 3
it's all going to be tough
but i'm not going to cease
it's all 17
and it's coming down on... me
but then there's one last 3
after that... i shall be free

© 1998 thomas bates

WINTER SONG

it just came again
time for us to leave, my friend
outside your hell, inside myself is my winter song

come with me, run with me
promise me my winter's dream

we shall leave this place tonight
to winter land we go
in the snow, we'll play
it's time to go home

© 1997 thomas bates

MRS. BOWLES

dedicated to the passing of my high school principle... an old family friend

i know it's late, but i'm real sorry
didn't want you to die
feel so sad, you were special to me
is this the final goodbye

i know that you're in heaven
sad to say your passing was pleasant
i know it's hard to keep from thinking of you in that altered life
i didn't like to see you dying, but it's better on the other side

college has made me old
my past is all alone
you were there i know
watching me go home

© 1999 thomas bates

SMILE ON ME, PRETTY DIAMOND

i breathe in sweat aroma of angelic hair
inside i hold a love that will always care
though time has shaped you into a masterpiece
i hope you will come in search of me
i long for the empty seat beside me to be filled
i long for to see your love inside your heart spill
don't shy away, don't hide
come one, come all tonight
i have never seen such beauty so fair
i would like you to open up and see i care
once in my life, i would like you to come
and smile on me, pretty diamond

© 1995 thomas bates

MEWITHOUTYOU

flowers and weeds adorn the stage
the band goes up in the made up fame
the crowd is embracing them with their words
words of comfort and adoration
dramatic pose and poetry
screamed out in passion and combustion
of pent up rage and sorrow
thrown out at all of our expense

© 2003 thomas bates

SCENE 7/1/2002

sits down... weary one
pounds bottle on the ground
stone looks ahead
music of revolutionary noise flood out the right
curious seekers roll in
some flee the scene
by feet
by wheel
the life source drink is quenched here
orange glow overhead
as darkness tries to suffocate the viewer
bootleggers looking innocent... don't interupt their stolen show
bored youth run after the thrown white ufo in hordes
rainbow hair add to the prism of the colours
friends commune in silent and unsilent conversations
those who have to fight to stay awake get conquered
many pilgrimage to this land even the handicapped ones
crippling affects don't hold them back
a celebration is going on
in different ways in different points of view for different people

© 2002 thomas bates

LAKESIDE

moonlit night
shines so bright
shimmering ripples of a lake
like a crazy fire fly's flame
dancing around in disarray
the trees peacefully sway
people talk to a friendly ear
while an acoustic guitar echos near

© 2001, 2007 thomas bates

CHALK DUST

take away all that i am
take it away from me, You can
i no longer deserve to hold on and to keep
this person, i no longer want to be
erase my soul
make me whole

© 1997 thomas bates

WORDS AND TEARS ON A SATURDAY NIGHT

what can we be proud of?
how can we live on?
tears of frustration and regret
how can we ever forget?
years of pain
what did we gain?
nothing except lessons of how to avoid certain issues
yet barricades do eventually fall and you're faced with "you"
you run and don't stand
many voices behind your back
ramble, ramble, ramble, ramble... on
keep putting the blame on someone
tear down someone to justify the means
yet you're the instigator to this attack on self-esteem
fear is a mind killer
become a fallen broken pillar
to accomplish something, you might never know
till someone hits you upside the face and shows
a diary of painful experiences
is a glimpse of life's lessons
to teach discipline and self-will
then fear can be killed

© 1997 thomas bates