THE STRANGER

The stranger

Where am I; where can I be?

I search and search, but I can not see me.

I look in the mirror, and I’m not there,

A stranger is looking back at me with a curious stare.

 

Where am I? Maybe I’m in a bad dream.

Maybe I’ve traveled ahead in a time machine.

What has happened to me, I don’t know.

I feel like I did when I still had time to grow.

 

When I see you looking at me,

Do you see the same stranger that I see?

Do you see the stranger that follows me around?

I see the stranger’s reflections all over town.

 

The reflections used to be younger is all I’m trying to say.

The reflections seem to be getting older every day.

I keep trying to figure out who the stranger can be.

The more I think about it, the more I’m sure the stranger is me.

Stanley Hendrix  10/23/2020

 

I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP

I lay me down to sleep

 

 

Every passing day brings on the night.

The darkness arrives, filling each second with fright.

We have no choice but to sleep when our energy is gone, and our brains are numb.

When I close my eyes, I feel that I will never see the sun.

 

Pain is in my body, and pain is in my mind.

I try to think of something else but pain is all I find.

Pain is the master; pain is in control.

Pain is a demon that possesses my soul.

 

Pain invites fear, and fear becomes pain.

Pain can be controlled, but fear will drive you insane.

I don’t fear hell, and I don’t fear that I’ll burn.

I fear that if I close my eyes, I will never return.

 

I’ve known those that were lost in their sleep.

I wonder if they prayed to the Lord their souls to keep.

I wonder if they had plans for when the sun would rise.

I wonder if they thought at all about their imminent demise.

 

Will anyone see the plans that I’ve done?

Will anyone finish the work that I have begun?

Will anyone see the light that was me?

Will anyone feel my essence where I used to be?

 

In a vision, a dream invites my soul in.

A spirit brings me someplace I’ve never been.

I fear that I’m in so deep that my soul he’ll keep.

Despite my fear, I lay me down to sleep.

Stanley Hendrix

9/14/2020

 

MY EYES WIDE OPEN

 

My eyes wide open

 

Lying here in the dark with my eyes wide open,

In the darkness, I will find sleep, well, that’s what I’m hopin’.

I close my eyes, and I seem to jump into a new dimension.

After all, in this darkness, that was my intention.

 

There is no color in anything as I stare.

I know what the colors should be, but they’re just not there.

This dimension has made me quite limber,

So I move quickly to places I remember.

 

I see mom and dad, they are young, and I am small.

Then suddenly, my mom is old, and I am tall.

They’ve been gone for a while, but in my mind, they roam.

I’m not sure if they’ve come to visit or take me home.

 

I see more people, some dead, some still among the living.

There are those with grudges and some that are forgiving.

There are enemies, friends, wives, and lovers.

There are people that I don’t know or just can’t remember over some others.

 

All at the same time, I’m happy and sad.

I become confused and a little mad.

I feel that everyone here is watching me.

I look all around, and no one is looking that I can see.

 

There’s a beautiful woman that I’m sure I don’t know.

She has my arm; there’s someplace she wants me to go.

She touches me, and I touch her.

I’m feeling good; then everything is a blur.

 

I see someone coming; he has a gun.

I feel it’s me he’s after, so I begin to run.

It’s like I’m running in all directions as I hear a blast.

I’m in no danger because here I can run very fast.

 

My attacker is on my heels when the dimension bends.

Suddenly my attacker is surrounded by my family and friends.

Knowing they were there for me filled me with delight.

Laying here with my eyes wide open, I can finally see the light.

 

Stanley Hendrix

8/26/2020