The Iron Rod

Another from a while ago. Based of the idea of the iron rod leading to salvation as described in the Book of Mormon.

I came upon a mountain path, following to see what it hath,
And came upon a split of ways, and wondered which trail I should blaze.
Each ran along a narrow drop, but all had rails, fallers to stop.
I followed first the rail of gold, expecting wealth its road to hold,
But soon I found to my dismay, others had stolen the gold away!
So to the fork I then regressed, knowing I had wrongly guessed,
And chose this time to follow wood, for folks would leave it where it stood.
I followed this trail for quite a bit, but never reached the end of it,
For full of termites and decay, the poor old fence just fell away.
I started next on that of stone, but soon I let out quite a groan,
For t’was very difficult to hold, from it’s cover of moss and mold.
And one last time I traveled back, to go upon the final track.
I caught upon the iron bar, expecting it to fail ‘fore far.
It kept me well from the abyss, and led me past the precipice.
Yea, following on this iron rod, I found the path that leads to God.

After Happily Ever After

This is another from a while back when I was really disillusioned with that love thing. It's about a couple, who when they were newlyweds experienced bliss, aka happily ever after, and now their dealing with the hard part after that.

Why do fairytales always have to end?
Though it’s happ’ly ever after, there are heartaches that time can’t mend.
Even prince charming  has a bad day,
Glass shoes and tiaras, soon fade away.
At midnight silk dresses turn into rags,
Roses wilt swiftly, and droop like limp flags.
Cursed spinning wheels prick us again,
And old poisoned apples more potent than when,
We fell the first time,
In what we thought was sublime.
In after happ’ly ever after.

Like You

It's been a while...
Here's one I started a long time ago but finished tonight.

I shrugged as the judge said community service or jail; I chose to help kids that were not physically well.

My first day working in that hospital ward, I met a boy named Benjamin Ford.

Benjie was six and terminally ill, the cancer had taken his strength and his will.

And a tear came to my eyes as he said to me, “Sir, I want to be just like you, strong and free.”

And another fell as I tried to explain, “Ben, on the inside I’m crippled in pain.”

“I’m just like you on the inside, although I’m strong on the outside

My soul is hunched in its own wheelchair, and my spiritual self doesn’t have any hair.

Ya see Ben I’m sick too, there on the inside I’m just like you.”

The weeks went on and my time ran out, but I had the urge to keep comin’ ‘bout.

I spent hours with my new little friend, though it broke my heart every time I saw Ben.

Every day paler and skinnier he seemed to me, his small body was near it’s end I could see.

As he trembled there on his hospital bed, I leaned over and held up his head.

I choked back a sob as I said in his ear, “Benjie my friend you've got nothing to fear.”

“You’re just like me on the inside, although you’re weak on the outside.

Your soul is standing on its own two feet, and your spiritual self will never be beat.

Ya see Ben you are free, there on the inside you’re just like me.”