The Writing Block

The Pen is mightier than the sword, for while the sword can make someone fall with a single swipe, a pen can touch someone with a single swipe

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  • The Streets of London
  • Urburbia
  • The Top of the Bottom of the Barrel
  • Aftershock
  • A Little Reminder
  • Ocean
  • Outside the Wall
  • Dusk
  • Kidnapping
  • Clouds with Lining
  • Underneath Brick Buildings
  • Unknown
  • Untitled
  • Line of Sight
  • Boggy Fanfare
  • Chalk Outlines
  • Disturbanced
  • Last Impression
  • The Ladder
  • Ripped
  • Mine
  • Kids Enjoying Alcohol

    The Streets of London

    3/16/99; 11:11 AM

    It was the day before
    The day I hope
    Would have never come.
    I walked through a street
    That rang with the sounds
    Of people being beaten and maimed.
    A small beggar was huddled in a heap
    Next to the street
    Like a pile of rags.
    The man in front of me
    Had passed him by
    Laughing at his plight,
    So I gave him two fives.
    And even though I lost good money
    Emptying my wallet to a beggar,
    I know my charity will one day be rewarded.

    Urburbia

    3/23/99; 12:14 PM

    Last Sunday on a nunny March morning
    I was wondering around the house
    And I saw a plane soaring
    It was loud
    And the engine was on fire

    It did burn a bright light in the sky
    And it fell with a crash
    In a little sparkly gleam
    As it fell from the sky
    And into a tree

    The little squirlls ran away
    And the bond was broken
    The birds lost their home
    Amongst all the laughter

    And even though it was just a movie
    With some special special effects
    It still is a tragedy
    That is filled with death

    So next time you choose to move listen
    Before someone takes advantage
    And beats you into submission
    And so you run away from all these things
    You can try all you like
    But will you ever listen?

    The Top of the Bottom of the Barrel

    3/25/99; 2:13 PM

    More worry than trouble
    I don't like it a lot
    When I tried to defy
    However much was a lot
    I didn't think too soon
    And I missed my shot
    So I leave the counter
    And I chug another shot

    The glass was empty
    So I got one again
    My tab was 550
    But I needed more gin

    I got more
    And I hit the cellar
    Maybe more, maybe less
    My life is distress
    And so I left the kitchen
    And hit the wine chest

    I drank a little more
    All was quite blurry
    I tripped down the stairs
    It was the end of this story

    I dreamt a little more
    After I puked on the floor
    So I lost money
    And I almost missed the…

    Aftershock

    3/25/99; 3:26 PM

    I am feeling so alone
    More alone than you could know
    And all I want to do is talk

    Most people run away
    With a cold shoulder if you please
    Is it the glare in my eye that scares them,
    Or is it just this harsh reality?

    Nobody listens…
    They all just want you
    They want to take advantage
    Of your little mind
    They could care less for the person inside

    Some people just laugh it off
    But if I scream in a large room
    More people will run away
    Sure, they'll talk about it
    "Oh, did you hear that madman in the hall?"
    "Yes I knew him all along,
    he's such a dork."

    I know you don't want another one
    Just run off with your friends
    Go have some fun
    I'll just stay for a while and cry,
    "I hate you! I hate you all!"

    A Little Reminder

    3/25/99; 10:01 PM

    While I am low and sad and blue
    I sit alone and sigh and think of you
    And how you only show me hate
    And how you only taunt my fate

    Wanting to destroy my life
    Wishing to end your pain and strife
    Desiring only for my demise
    Contented least with your disguise

    Yet all I can do is laugh at you
    Suddenly you'll see a world, surprising and new
    Then you'll look and see that I am gone
    Like a child's dream, forgotten yet long

    For remembering me, I could only thank you twice
    That, then we could try to be nice

    Ocean

    3/29/99; 1:35 PM

    The sea is tranquil
    It's peacful, uneven, and unending
    It's cold in the day
    Yet warm at night
    It is really rather odd

    The sands where people rest their feet
    They go well under the sea
    And even if you can't see them
    They are still there

    And the little fish
    That fill the plate
    They are farther out
    Some swim in the sea
    Others jump
    While others keep the sand

    The sea is odd indeed
    Much like our shallow home
    It's a large pile of water
    All trapped in a hole

    Or are we just on mountains?
    Are we just eye level with the sea?
    And as the waves cross the shallows
    I know it can not be

    Outside the Wall

    3/29/99; 1:43 PM

    My eyes are big
    But they're a little dusty
    Or so says the mirror
    I look pathetic and minute
    And can only try to look beter

    When I look in the mirror
    I see a calm spring rain
    Ensued by showers with lightning
    Wetting a majestic little crane

    It has been humbled
    It used to spread its wings
    Trying to fly away
    A soft rain fell
    And it was struck by lightning
    Just as the mirror would saw

    How can you learn about somehting
    By looking at yourself
    With your eyes wide open
    If your mind is wide shut?

    So tomorrow won't be the same
    My reflection, a little changed
    The mirror will say that I am lame
    Again, just like yesterday
    So what? I still have no where to stay

    Dusk

    4/12/99; 2:26 PM

    It's time to be gone
    The crow's egg has finally hatched
    A blackened nativity
    Fears and worries unleashed
    There is no going back

    The sun had set
    The moon never rised
    Another man's troubles
    Had led to demise
    The grass wilted
    And the flowers have yellowed
    The skies are empty
    Except for the swallows

    A quick putrid rain
    That was without lightning
    The same crow fluttered it's wings
    It flew away, silently
    It was searching for the star of morning

    The book would close
    But the pages were trapped
    In a dw of this dreamy dusk
    The small gathering of swallows had dissapeared
    Then I knew I was in a fragile world
    And a world that couldn't trust

    Kidnapping

    4/12/99; 8:32 PM

    Barely had I woken up when he barged in
    Next I was dragged out the door
    A fire was blazing in my mind
    Caught in a bind, but perfectly dry
    So I did whatever bidding he gave
    Persecuted as I was possessed
    Crying out in a shocking misnomer
    "You're that lady in the black ballroom dress!"

    Smacked was I in the head, then the thigh
    And surely I deserved it
    For this was no bearded lady at all
    Just a brawny man from the slums
    He wanted half my Celine Dion collection
    I could've given it all to him there
    To his despair I owned none such crap
    In a chair he dropped me with rudeness hard to bear

    The bummed out bum pulled out a bag
    Only whisky did it contain
    But Irish Brandy warms the soul
    Being detained, I could not get the slightest sip
    So he chugged it all right there

    I was very mad at the greedy man
    He had left my throat unclean
    Following his footsteps I forced my foot
    Right into his tiny spleen

    He coughed up all his liquor
    At this he was extremely ticked
    In drunken rage of driveling dissension
    He charged straight through the window

    I freed myself from this unfriendly prison
    Pacing back to my home place
    So I left the drunk to sop the streets with drool
    As I passed him, my foot met his face

    Clouds with Lining

    4/14/99; 7:07 AM

    The shutters guarded the gateway
    They were the testament to my testimony
    All they did was add to my problems
    Ones that hadn't been solved

    It was almost like another puzzle piece
    That had been hammered in to fit
    But with the small stains where I used to sit
    Continuing to stare in my direction
    They wouldn't stop leaving me alone

    In the small cracks I could peek
    And see lavender skies
    My eyes were blinded by dim colors
    But I see purple clouds on the horizon

    The sun hasn't quite risen
    But there will be rain today
    All of the little children will go in and complain
    Their mommies and daddies may listen
    Maybe they'll understand
    That their child's dreams are fading
    As the ocean takes the sand

    But the morning has progressed
    The sky is now a little bluer
    Truer still that parents should listen
    Or their children will forget them

    Underneath Brick Buildings

    4/15/99; 10:04 PM

    The night has past
    Like a cloud hitting a wall
    It must veer south
    After traveling so far

    There were delusions of course
    Of sparrows fighting in air
    Of wolves prowling their lair
    Of troubles trying to snare you
    It's a bear trap
    Disguised as the Jaws of Life
    It sparkles as I walk near it

    Illusions, all of them
    They were only mental
    I am fully awake now
    Nothing to stare at me
    But bleak brick walls
    And nothing glittering like before

    My only comfort is incessant tapping
    Of a lonely man trying to connect
    He has failed
    I don't understand him one bit
    Alas, my day is a deluge of dismay
    But at least I have a friend

    Unknown

    4/16/99; 7:28 AM

    Lowly holes scatter the ground
    But they aren't gopher burrows
    Many men have died
    And they shall be buried
    So the gravedigger can collect his wages

    His is a thankless job
    He just digs neat square holes
    Pits pretty enough to be buried in
    Even if fortunes were bleak

    And after the day is done
    He worries about what could've happened
    To the poor little man dropped in the hole
    Everyone was crying
    He didn't know why
    He had no family to take care of

    So he goes home after the day
    But before, he puts daisies on the grave
    He missed this man
    The personification of gravedigger's futility

    He was walking home
    Out of the fog of the cemetery
    The sun beamed in him
    He only felt warmer
    And not the least bit better

    Untitled

    4/20/99; 7:32 AM

    Trapped in a building with walls so high
    So high that they touch the sky
    And the sky surrounds me all around
    I just want those walls to hit the ground

    In this container I am detained
    Detained in a horrible way
    They flogged me on the side
    Kicked me and wasted me high
    They beat me to detainment

    Now I sleep restlessly
    Stewing in my cell
    Wanting to go home
    Watching rat races is my entertainment
    The same one always wins
    If I could be so strong
    I would be out of here

    But stale bread with stale cheese
    Is my favorite meal
    But only because it's my only meal
    Life can be as simple as I make it
    But I've made it just as tough

    I like living the rough road
    But now I wonder why I liked it
    It has led me to nowhere
    Except for the worst of free lodging

    Line of Sight

    4/20/99; 1:46 PM

    Sitting in a chair
    What is there to be seen?
    You could watch TV
    Listen to the radio
    But it's hard to see sound
    And squinting can get painful

    Reading a book can teach you something
    But just staring at the words
    Can make you dizzy
    When people get bored
    They don't know what to do
    They just stopped the walk they've been living through

    While on a walk
    What is there to be seen?
    A skinny little man with a camera for TV?
    Not quite that much
    Unless you're near a riot
    You're more likely to see a bird
    Then to cause a structure fire

    So hopping puddles and skipping rocks
    Aren't the best ways to learn about yourself
    But if you think and you listen
    You will become someone else
    Sure, people will think you're crazy
    But you can still be proud of the life you're living

    Boggy Fanfare and Don't You Forget It

    4/26/99; 10:55 PM

    The reeds of the marsh whipped in the wind
    And the willows whispered in the breeze
    A cool summer moon is upon us
    A grayless twinkling sky
    And it is well before morning

    Everything is so bright though
    Like Fat Tuesday on the Bayou
    The fireflies are twinkling near the ground
    While the stars shimmer in the sky

    Dawn is a long thought past me
    But why should this night have to end?
    My clothes are soaked
    Sopped with boggy soil
    What is there to care though
    I don't want to go in

    I was alone by myself yesterday Today was somewhat the same
    But someone has joined me now
    Someone very near and dear
    And I can play those games
    Amongst the reeds and willows
    In this bog so dear

    How nice it is to mention
    That dusk was quite swell too
    Many were there with me
    And no one wanted to go in
    Just a fun loving bunch they were
    Just a barrel of monkeys in the peanut gallery
    Not quite the crowd I hang out with
    But that's something I can forget

    I don't care what the people say
    But meeting people is a good thing to do
    Be them good, bad, boring or diverse
    The choice is up to you

    But I divulged in my decision
    Chose many from the different selections
    For white walls are boring
    With white sheets to match
    So I decided why not have a happy gathering
    In a place like a marsh

    A few lingered; not caring to go home
    They were spinning down the spiral
    That threw me in the hole
    Maybe I've opened their eyes
    To what fun joy can be
    But if I've helped them survive a night
    In the struggle of life
    Then that's good enough for me

    Chalk Outlines

    4/28/99; 11:44 AM

    The world's a little darker
    Everything a little grayer
    Tinted just the way he wants it
    He's losing ground five times faster

    Breaking glass
    Trying to attain mastership
    Owning what he couldn't get

    He was a poor boy
    Dirt poor in fact
    His tattered clothes ripped apart
    And his jeans in shambles
    His hair a mess
    Clogged with mud
    That he had earned working

    He worked outside
    Getting down to pray for hope
    He only got whipped when he did this
    The overseer wanted him back
    Not to fall in the mud
    Nor crawl on the floor

    The Caveman thrust his middle finger in response
    It was promptly severed
    Nine lives to seven
    And they were withering away

    It was slipping further
    He bowed his head and continued
    No matter how deranged he was
    He knew tomorrow
    Wouldn't be yesterday again
    But only more lonely torture

    Disturbanced

    5/4/99; 10:06 PM

    Writing by moonlight
    Is not like by candle light
    But it will have to suffice

    My mind is a sift
    That has confused itself for an hourglass
    And the grains of sand are falling
    They slither merrily down the tube
    And into not-so-neat piles

    He sweeps and we do it again
    I'm in the dustbin all the same
    Residing as comfortably as the last
    Until I'm dumped into water

    The water oozes down my back
    It wiggles in my fingers
    But it is so very cold
    And I'm going in circles
    Pushed by some higher power
    That lets me control destiny

    How ironic then that everything isn't
    I help others get it right
    While I applaud and groan
    Someday, some way, I may reach the peak
    And breathe the cold thin air

    The moon is waning
    The candlewick runs out
    So too must I retire

    Last Impression

    5/5/99; 1:37 PM

    Fire and war sweep over the land
    As the blood comes rushing from my hands
    And they both say goodbye

    A whole fanfare with a thousand white doves
    And it only left me wondering
    I didn't think these people liked them that much
    But all they did was keep shouting

    They blow their noses
    They wept their tears
    And they kissed their final good-byes
    This same attachment
    Was leeching to their souls
    And they couldn't live without it

    I was just another faceless face in the crowd
    But I wasn't jumping up and down
    Sure I respect the departed
    The hands of detachment plucked my soul
    But my note was more full
    Than the sour ones of those who shout goodbye

    Be as quiet as you want
    If you want to be heard at all
    With a little patience and luck
    Things will get better
    And you won't have to shout

    The Ladder

    5/6/99; 12:52 PM

    More is what we need
    More money, more life, more things
    Perfection is the pinnacle
    Of a ladder that we're all climbing
    But there isn't space for us all

    It used to be easy to climb
    When we were all alone
    But now this space is crowded
    We all wanted to reach the top
    So we built things

    It started with the wheel
    Then the plow
    And as soon as things got better
    We built better things

    More like more effective things
    Like knives and scythes and swords
    Then later on we made guns
    Then we went to war

    The ladder was crowded
    Even though more and more people fell off
    And no one will reach the pinnacle
    For we forgot where it was

    Ripped

    5/7/99; 7:21 AM

    Laid out on the ground
    Looking at the clouds above
    I saw peace
    In a time long ago
    But now there is nothing there left to be

    Have you ever broken windows?
    Did the bricks fly hard?
    Did you do it, just to hear the crash?
    Or do you want a hard day to be long?

    Give me a pen
    I'll give you ink scribblings
    But give me a dream
    And I'll give you a story

    But go ahead and close up
    Don't listen and don't care
    You, the insensitive friend
    Will I ever see you the same again?

    Walk off with you new friends
    Try to make me yours
    We used to be good together
    But I'm no convenient store

    I'm losing my mind
    And losing my life
    This reminds me of seventh grade
    Everyone looked to stop and laugh
    They might not have wanted me around
    But they sure had fun when I was

    I've never been so scotted or scolded
    In the way that I was today
    Manipulation is all around the town
    Some kind of mess is bringing me down
    It isn't even my mess
    But they take it out on me
    I'm just the whip any ways

    Mine

    5/25/99; 3:56 PM

    Speckled all over they were
    Hunting like starved predators
    If they weren't chasing me before
    They most certainly are now
    God, why did I have to start to run?

    Their sweat ran in black beads
    As it slithered slowly to the ground
    Their teeth were showing
    Hoping only to pierce my bones
    They were sharp and menacing
    But their purpose was what worried me

    I darted down the lands they infested
    Running from my most personal of demons
    They jumped at me as soon as I opened the door
    For a moment I was open and willing

    In the meantime, I was also rash
    An escape appeared where I needed none
    For some reason I took it
    They rushed out, all of the new breeds
    They chased me, followed me
    They couldn't leave me alone nor go away

    The night sky would be bright with starts
    If it wasn't enshrouded in clouds
    Their teeth were very sharp

    Kids Enjoying Alcohol

    6/5/99; 11:29 PM

    At first they were a little giggly
    Then they bumbled around
    And because their parents can't watch them
    They'll drink themselves out of town

    Their friends have gathered
    Into a foreign country
    Unlike the brave state of America
    Where drinking is a sin
    These innocent little teenagers
    Only want to bust out the gin

    They think they're cool but they're stupid
    Or that's just the way they seem
    They dreamt all their lives
    Of getting drunk out of sight
    But now they've got to pee

    So bumble off to the bathroom!
    Watch as they all stare at you
    You may trip on your shoe
    Or worse, embarrass yourself
    You can call for a friend
    But you're drunkenness has no help

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    All writings are copyright of Chris Ward 1998-1999