Best of me!
1. I always saw the world in shapes,
You know it's my only escape
I never had a need to keep my cake -
Cause life doesn't work that way.
2. I spent my life grieving the past and loving good memories,
Till you -
You make my lowest moments memorable
Over and over again,
I fall for you.
3. I don't belong to you,
Or to anyone.
Throughout, I have become insatiable -
I can't see a life without you.
4. Call me obsessed,
Call me foe,
I am only a jeweler searching for his gem.
5. They all say it hush, but the walls have ears.
I say it now - the truth in their fears:
You are the best of me,
Maybe my only virtue.
("Untitled", aka "The Crawling Eye", 2018, original encaustic)
Paranoid Eyes
We live in the old part of town
Where the walls have ears
And the dark, eyes
We have learned to watch
What we say and do
Until mere husks remain
Of former selves
But we are proud
To live in such a world
Where inside is out
And out knows what is in
Where age-old atavistic fears
Have been projected
Into technological feats
We even like
That our phones know
What we want to buy
Before we do
The iron fist of the surveillance state
Now just a velvet glove
On a limp consumer wrist
At least we have our dreams
The place where all lights shine,
And all eyes turn, on us
The land before time
Within the prison of our minds
Secure that we, while endlessly watching,
Are at least the only ones
(10/17/23)
Speaking of love that’s free, always hears
Sometimes seems even the walls have ears
But it’s Jesus who understands me
Love invites me to fall to my knee --
Stirred by the One who ends all my tears
Shafts of light fall swiftly, truth endears
Painting souls with gentleness that clears
Whispers of hope that the heart can see –
Speaking of love that’s free…
Silencing the wind with grace that cheers
Filling the whole life with lovely years
Prayers sent up, it is my heart’s plea
Love will touch each soul with Jesus’ key
This is joy from Him who spoils all fears –
Speaking of love that’s free…
The words echo, walls have ears
Echoes around the centuries not absurd.
My Pisces ways have me believing
From childhood to where I am today.
Days when food was in short supply
Mother became a magician preparing meals.
The kitchen table was quieter than normal
I was often banned to my bedroom
Appreciate what you have, met with quiet disapproval.
My bedroom was my kingdom, full of imaginary friends.
Noise of conversation, brought my parents to the scene
Fathers head appeared through a half open door
Looked, and left me to my own World.
Mother checked, giving me the look
She held out her arms inviting comfort,
Be careful of words and how they are spoken
These walls are listening.
My invisible friends all nodded in agreement,
My punishment room was full of treasure
Friends came and went, the door frequently opened.
Now later in life I ponder these times
I feel I have deserted them these friends of mine.
On occasions when waking from dreams
Laughter is slowly fading, but I can hear
I utter some words, then hear a closing door.
The moonlit sun that will not set.
Fore see's a life that no one's met.
It leaves a dimness in the heart.
Where love just has no chance to start.
The walls have ears that never tell.
The mystery of an unknown spell.
That keeps the secret that's not spoken.
That leaves a lonely souls heart broken.
A solemn solice that's not soothed.
A single truth that's never proved.
Belief in something not believed.
That leaves that lonely soul bereaved.
An endless question never queried.
That tires the blood and keeps you weary.
Of a hope that someday love will come.
And bring back feeling that's now numb.
Even the walls have ears,
And gnarly gnashing of worn out teeth.
Waiting, just waiting with bated breath
For what will surely never come.
Whisper...
Just whisper.
Manic shadows struggling to move into the light,
Upon the walls of their own wrong judgments.
See how they run.
A bloody murder of crows
Swiftly fleeting , searching out the cracked plaster
That will land them in the now.
Now...I begin again.
Now I begin again.
Oops! Wrong thought.
NOW, I begin again.
They say that walls have ears to hear
But not a mouth to speak
Though it's mostly for the good, I fear
For if I did, I'd shriek
Permit me to introduce myself
I'm a doctor's office wall
My length and width are twelve by nine
I'm round 'bout eight feet tall
My eyes are on the doctors
As they step into my room
What I see oft-times sicken me
While some patients it may doom
So many of these doctors
just do not wash their hands
Yet without a mouth I cannot shout
~ or softly reprimand
If blue
Could choose
Then how does blue do
If air could breathe
then would we
If walls have ears do they hear;
And if air flies, then why can't I;
If all be said, this I say do, be true;
NO wonder then this is why I'm blue;
5/7/19
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr. 2019©
Into harsh terrain they ventured,
From drainage to a marsh.
Healthy brothers suddenly died,
By an unknown deed.
Saints went to hell,
For the land disliked them.
Desperate for what to tell guardians,
Anger was the seed that was planted,
Roots began to grow,
Where provoking and poking were the fruit it bore.
Those who had never spoken ill,
Now found life to be hard.
But walls have ears,
They hear all conspiracies whispered.
Shattered nights turn to cold dreams
Alone in my mind who will ever understand me
I meditate with sight on how to be free
But free isn't cheap especially for me
Imagine being cast out into a dangerous place
Various times I look death in the face
I shivered at first from his cold dark stare
After a while I seemed to quite not care
Immunity... Tolerance
Whichever way you put it
Evil is a drug it just depends on how you use it
Evil is an emotion that is grown over time
Evil is how I feel about sacrifice
Silver dagger black cloak
Right in the throat
Can't say too much the walls have ears
They run back to the universe who tell all ears
Shooting stars and firey moons
Plants and animals alike
We all have the same goal
What is next after this life?
Walls have ears,
Walls do hear,
Even the most concealed of plots,
Even the most whispered of words.
Walls have tongues,
Walls have lips,
With which they gossip,
With which hidden secrets they shine.
Walls have souls, souls of lazy old women,
Walls have hearts, those of life- spanked grown men,
They chatter, loudly they sing all they hear,
They paint with their assuring lips untrue tales.
Walls have breath, to speak out caged shadows,
Walls have voices which echo chained words into men's ears.
Thus, as speech with a brother is carved, be wise
For not only he listens but walls too.
Unsolved
Mystifying the situation control room shut the door
Huge questions returned without willed answers
Everything was simple sun was shinning
No dark was there trying to make more oblivious
The will of arrogant mind was in confusion whether to sublime
Unsolved came collecting litters from all side
And whispered matter was not simple
Neck turned towards him and eyebrow alerted not to signal
All four walls have ears to hear and lenses are put everywhere.
Poor stepped away shaking broom for another place
Returned immediate as if he saw ghost horrifying
Bla bla he blew in air in vain no words was clear to in
Insert the key into a lock to open it for dirt clean
Message rolled as if advertisement at square place
Suspension declared for three months from for betterment
All should be clear without hindrances
Unsolved whether new or not the decision
Matter flashed sticking paper on notice board
Seeing paper written and signed by delegates
Thumb pin on four sides did not speak
Gatherings started to become thin
Stepping away with different guess.
Unsolved remained again in the hope of solving case.
Speaking bout creeps they crawl, they aint tall but chase you till you run out and you gone,
Speaking deep out of experience, the resilient take a right grip at first sight because they are tough at their course,
Seeking a solution for the none of course cause they change like chameleons, stick over, under, on walls, to be honest they are full of guts, to my deeper goats or horns they have walls,
No wonder wise said walls have ears,
Sticking to these creeps, they aint stupid they have goals,
They rip,
They dont keep secrets, they are generally ingrates,
They aint cheap,
They sail in mearchant ships,
The reep what they havent sown,
They enslave more than french fries and chips,
Beware of Sticking Creeps.
If the walls have ears
They will hear of my tears
Of a lost pride and embraces
I speak of love but hatred has been
My friend at the start of each day
Listen to the sound words of a lost man
In an unknown perfect road of love
What business does a fowl have with the
Grasses of the field when the grains
Awaits him at the door step?
I cry only for your sake, i weep
In the cage when all has gone to bed
I hope for that faithful glorious sabbath
Morning on the altar when i will say i do to you
If the walls have ears
They will pick up the sound of my tears on the ground
Your love made me blind
Your beauty lifted my dreams positively on the other
Phase where men are adored by the gods
I speak always to the four corners of the walls
They couldn't help me in any way but stare
I love you but hate you for the punishment
On my mortal soul.