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All the Smile
All the pain that I’ve marched through
All the things I didn’t want to do
All the time that doesn’t seem worth while
I did it all and kept my smile -
Busy Mind
Silence can prove the will of the working
No time to talk
Less spent distrusting
Action shows the words of ones mind
What is accomplished now
Gets left behind
It speaks for you and all to see
Who exactly
You chose to be. -
Return
Strength returns to me
So valuable but free
Determining how far I can go
And what I can seeTo be strong and unwise
Is a fools goal
Using that Strength
To battle an uphill roadBeing wise and weak
Does noone no good
Meek and afraid to say
The things that you shouldSharp and strong
Together in a blink
You’ll only ever be
As strong as you think -
R.eal P.eople R.ock
I wonder did I make the right decision
But I laugh in this place
Am reborn with a new face
Leave with more than I gave
Take that love back to the world in trade
So that others like us can also be savedFor my amazing friends at Rock Pit Ranch Ar.
-J.A. Shepard
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Given
I’m ready for life again
Ready to live again
Ready to do more than just sit here waitingFor a ship that won’t come in
So I begin to build another boat
While paddling to stay afloatI’ll Get back to my castle
Even if I have to drain the moat
Even if I have to eat every word I wroteI’d write em all again
This isn’t a show
This is what’s withinKind like your next of kin
Yet battle hardened
Ready to slay demons to save friendsNot much I havent seen
In this this life we’re living
But I wake with new eyes each dayAnd accept both the pain and the gift we are given
-J. A. Shepard Hardhitpoets.com
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Yeah, that’s the thing
Slow Gospel intro
They say fake it til you make it but then you’ll probably break it when they try to take it from you
Better learn while your young son
And earn while you’re a strong man
Less one day, you realize you’re an old broke foolYou’ll make money in the good times probably lose some with the bad lines.
And live everything in betweenDon’t lose sight of your dreams. When your low on your means, continue on and you might just pull through.
Yeah that’s the thing about you
Tshk, tsk, tshk, tsss… 1,2,3,4
(Think Fighters of the Foo)
Hard break bluesy with punk drive
V1
What is that thing they call a dream
It seems to steal everything from me
I’m trying to show what I know
There’s so much more I can sow
But the reaper seems to know about meV1 Bridge
Yeah that’s the thing about meV1 cont.
I don’t care if he knows
He’s gonna have to catch me
As I get faster his pace slowsV2
What is that thing that they call love
Supposed to be sent from above
Everytime I think I know
There’s so much more I am shown
Yeah, Cupid must have beef with meV2 Bridge
Yeah that’s the thing about meV2 cont
I don’t care if I have the love of one
I’ll fall in love with everything I see
Yeah, so far that’s been a ton of fun… yeah((leading into short solo that triggers Chourus… same as intro but this time all out… no slow gospel here))
Chorus
They say fake it til you make it but then you’ll probably just break it when they try to take it from youBetter learn while your young son
And earn while your a strong man
Less you realize one day your an old broke foolYou’ll make money in the good times Probably lose some with the bad lines.
And live every moment in betweenDon’t lose sight of your dreams. When your low on your means, continue on and yeah you will pull through!
Yeah that’s the thing about you.
Small break to reset for V3
V3
V3bridge
V4
V4bridge Yada Yada yada… you get itOutro the same as intro
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Exceed
Think it was easy, 2 am
So sleepy hadn’t eaten although it’s time to begin
Setting up moves for the next days big win
Moving past time, fast and unseen like the wind
Think it was easy, think again
Everyone that ever tried it would have had that win
It takes more than many will give
To truly succeed, to fully live
Think it’s easy. Think again! -
The wolf and the serpent
A wolf stalkes the morning
His senses keen
A serpent suns itself
It’s defense offensive yet unseen
Should a wolf be bit
No harm should fall
Just a scratch of the tooth
The wolf detaches indifferent and warm
Respect of all but no need to take warn
How does the wolf approach the serpent
With caution and respect
But if the serpent should strike
In the wolf’s mouth, it finds its neck
Immune from the venom the wolf may be
Immune from the teeth of the wolf
A serpent never will be. -
A sonnet of Air, Earth and Fire. Observed by water
Air
Air is light as a breeze, powerful as a storm, cooling all senses while circulating warmth
Beyond flexible air takes on any form
The effect of air is not seen but can always be felt
The breath of our life on its shoulders is the weight air is dealt
Earth
Earth is stable and grounded with roots that endure
Constant and connected holding together all we treasure
Her surface nurtures the weak as her heart protects strong
Earth is our kind mother all our life long
Fire
Fire is ferocious, a true redeemer of all that it touches, playfully dancing leaf to leaf with the forest in its clutches
Beautiful and desired by all men yet understood by a few
Owned by none, fire holds itself true
In the darkest of the night, fire says, “Let there be light,” warming the hearts of those dancing in the moonlight
Water
Water is at its best on the move, becomes stagnant when restrained, and if pure, you can see right through
“Erratic” in torrents it cuts valleys into stone
Gentle in streams that feed and protect all who call water home
Raging on the surface, calm at great depth, taking the shape of its containment until the levy breaks and away water is swept. -
Natural
Silent I have been
For far too long
I have not spoken the right words
Or clearly sang the songNow is the time
That I begin again
If only to let out
All that is withinDoes a bird not sing
for fear of being judged
A lioness not hunt
For fear of losing touch with her cubsAll this before me
Finally to find my cause
All these trials
To finally embrace my flawsAll that is within us
Painful glorious and true
Its only natural
What we all go through
Hard Hit Poets 