Chessboard Pieces

Forge on through to new beginnings
New doors open when old doors can’t swing
There is good and there is bad in this place

Chess board pieces have there places
Possessing strength within there weakness
There is no pond too small to cross to the other side

Always a chance for a new beginning
Keeping the canvass clean is a feeling
We all need to know we can unfold, uphold
And bring forth the innocence taken by time

The greater goal
The further the distance
The steeper the risk
Relentless persistence
Go with the flow of your own soul
Surrender not to time

If you are bruised and battered
Shattered from the lost hope
If challenge becomes drowning
Reach out for the last rope
Tossed from the banks
Give thanks the angels never left your side

The easy way will always be there
Cigarillos burning, bikinis with no cares
Become not polluted
Delusion becomes despair

And if the pain of past infliction
Carries you over into addiction
Time has a way to put on display
Correction in need

© 2005 Michael Gabriel

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Thirteen Rounds

Thirteen rounds
Still haven’s gone down
I’m not beaten by the padded fist
To my battered soul

No more mistakes to make
I have made every bad choice
Met every bad place in this world of ours

When you’re in time of need
And your hearts breaking
Souls shaking
Change is changing you
Into everything you never ever thought you would be

‘Cause you’ve been everywhere to be
And you’ve seen all there is to see
Hold on destiny play that card

Stripped down to the core
Lying naked
Sprawled across the floor
With nothing to show for this life

Impermanence is certain to strike
So surrender your defender
To what could becoming your way

Friends say you’re down and out
Two jabs, two hooks, one uppercut
To the canvass keeping you warm
Heeding warning of storm needing to come
You better fight a different fight
If you want to make it out alive
When you’re in time of need

Fought a fight
I though I could win
I went up to something
I thought I would never ever give into

 My phoenix wings are weak
From the fire burning embers inside me
I’m sorry heaven but this penance is a penalty
Too heavy a reprimanding for me
‘Cause I’m falling

And my hearts breaking
Souls shaking
Change in changing me into everything I never ever wanted to be

‘Cause I’ve been everywhere to be
Seen all there is to see
Hold on destiny play that card
Hidden up your sleeve

 © 2005 Michael Gabriel

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Break Down Your Wall

I want to feel
But I can’t feel
If it’s pills I’m pushing down
To push away pain

I look around
Sometimes I have found
People pleased with feeling nothing
From the neck on down

Break down you wall
Feel fire burn
Learn from the flame of your pain
Break down you wall
There’s an ocean waiting
Dive down deep in your heart

I want to love
But I can’t love
If I can’t befriend that demon
Dwelling deep inside me

I know it’s not easy
But if it was easy
We would never come undone
Blessed by a new sun

Truth is your light
Light from the dark
Harder when you’re smiling
Pretending you are doing fine

Come on live
Come on and give
Receive what’s coming to you
Believe you are worth it too

If you can’t feel
All that is real
Take a step back
Look at choices you’ve made
Along the way

Break down your wall
Have a sneak peak at what lives
On the other side of you and me
Depression a small session we all go through
To break on through now to the other side

© 2005 Michael Gabriel

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Dear Lord

Thought I had a little more left in me
Thought I could swim up river to the sea
My arms are tired, needing rest
Body, mind and soul lost sight of shore
I’m sinking slowly soon

He says,
Worry not I’m here
Watching your every move
Riding all waves you made for yourself
You will find peace soon
Again

Thought I had everything figured out
Heavy rain can be a blessing in a drought
Coming home alone
There’s nobody there
Waking up to myself telling me
I’ll make it through one more day

Dear Lord,
Can you send someone for me
Even if it’s for one more night
All of the others have all slipped away
I guess I held too tight
Again

© 2005 Michael Gabriel

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Raising Vibrations

I used to run wild
Free with the wolves
Now I’m spreading eagle feathers
High from the lows
Soaring into blue skies
Up from below

My engine been down
Dipped in molasses
I used to burn rubber
Now I’m kicking off the ashes
My transmission won’t let me below
Three or four, five times a day

I’m raising vibrations
Flying through constellations
Reflecting all thoughts
Speared in my direction
There’s no fire that burns
Without wood to kindle the flame

These new shoes feel good
No gum underneath
Sticking me like stucco
To the thoughts I grieve
This moment is the only moment I need
This moment is the only moment
I will forever and ever revel in

I’m going to learn from the inside out
I’m through with drinking poison  
From the adrenaline spout
I’ve followed through conclusion
To illusion beware
I’m jumping off this self-destructive locomotive
Leading me nowhere, I’m nowhere
I am only lost to come around

 I’m going to learn from everyone before me
Who wrestled with demons
Tried to shake free
Who went six feet below before their time
It seems that artificial stimuli
Is nothing more than a bore
A glorified white lie

© 2005 Michael Gabriel

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The Only King

Stumble outside of your world
Into a world that we all share
What have we done to her
She only seems to give we only take

And you’re trying to fly into a world
Where love is the only king that rules
Borders are erased

Peaceful the world outside
How peaceful the world can be inside
Like a bud in full-bloom
I see you wings spread
You leave from your cocoon

It seems so hard to free
The life living deep inside of me
But I can’t keep holding on to fear anymore

Just take one second now
To see how the hurt can crumble down
The one true thing that you wanted so long
The heart that was strong turned coal into stone
Leaving me so cold

And I’m finding it hard
Finding it hard to walk inside of the dark
Lonely nights keep me from sleep
From shattered dreams on empty streets
From shattered dreams on endless streets

© 2005 Michael Gabriel

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One Step At a Time

Some other love
Another moment in time
Will put to rest this memory
I’m holding onto the edges of this life
A crevasse from a broken heart swallows me

One step at a time
Is all you need to make it through this life
With patience, love, faith
Fate will deliver everything you wanted to be
Free yourself live this life like it’s your turn to fly

Tornado’s touch
Hurricanes can hit
Land like cat in any gale force wind
Dispel the hell they told you of this place
Paradise lies in the thoughts you keep

Whispers of gentle blessings
Warm tidings sooth the soul
I feel a new beginning
A world where I can feel myself fly
Without the chains and ties that bind

Let not the clouds forget to move
It’s never too late to start all over again
When that road winds alone for too long
Look up ahead and there will be someone for you

© 2005 Michael Gabriel

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What Needs to Dry

If there seems like no tomorrows
Dig past pain, undo sorrow
Let go, keep not in
What needs to dry

Life experience can shake you
Even when it decides to break you
Broken hearts mend stronger every time

There will be joy
There will be clouds
Who hover for too long
But somehow showers
Wash away the pain
We feel inside

Turn not back the pages of time
Where you are, you’re doing fine
Even if you feel that you are lost all alone

And this illusion can be a cunning fox
Who can bring you a star then morning frost
Upon a warmth you began to feel too safe

And in one moment it can change
All that you thought you knew re-arranged
There’s something bigger here than your will

Freedom can find you anytime
You’ve locked yourself from the world
Behind the door the key hangs in your heart

You’ve traveled so far in this world all alone
No more fuel to warm this cold soul
Let someone love you for who you are

Be gentle with the darkness
And it will only lead you to brighter days and nights
Will fill with flowered fields

© 2005 Michael Gabriel

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The Distrnace Travelled

Into the light
In from the night
I saw you
Spoken with ease
Your eyes speak volumes
I know I can feel
All the is real inside
With your body so close to mine

I’ve searched long and hard
Harmed hearts
Lied to myself and everyone else

But I won’t go I will stay
I’ve travelled the distance
The prices I‘ve paid to be here with you
I can’t lose this moment with you

Battles won, lost
Wars fought for your arms
There’s no need to run
No case for alarm
I know I can feel
All that is real inside
And I will

Without trying
I have let all of my horses run free
Without trying
You take me to that place I have wanted
I have always wanted to see
And to be here with you
Together we have sailed through stormy seas

© 2005 Michael Gabriel

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Beautiful Lines

Time won’t leave me alone anymore
And I can’t seem to swim away from your shore
I have tried to right the wrong in my life
Smile and bring beautiful lines upon your face

I can hear whispers from your soul
Like wind through the trees
You move me how I love to feel

Remember when you said a flame would die in distance
How that fire grows when two shores can no longer live
Oceans away

Happiness through everything that you do
And selflessness is the love I have for you
Smile and bring two bays to one shore
Smile and bring beautiful lines upon you face
Beautiful lines upon your face
Beautiful lines upon your face

© 2005 Michael Gabriel

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Angel Wings

When I close my eyes
I’ll be gone from this place
I will see life from the other side

Cry not tears I am with you
Feel my angel wings around your soul
You are not alone

And you, you were the best thing in my life
And I pray for you over on this side
Forget not I am here
Look above and see my wings
Peering over you
You are not alone

You cannot come where my soul will be
Far and away
Hold my hand
I am so afraid

I will come love you
Guide protect you
Wrap my angel wings
Around your soul
You are not alone

And you enjoy the rest of your life
And I save your soul on this side
Only now I can see
After you lay my soul to sleep
How much I loved you girl
I entered the night
And moved toward the light
You are not alone

© Michael Gabriel 2005

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Four Seasons

Oh, my love I know
Summer has past
Middle of winter came
When you arose into my life
My love, you must leave me
Before I go into a place
Of which I can’t return

Oh, my love I know
Something that feels so right
Is so wrong
Now, I must go
Condition has lead me to a road
That will never flow
Meander me back
But not to my pattern

Lying lonely inside of the rain, again
Trampled in abandonment and shame
Life is a game
Now, my love, I can’t believe
I let someone like you into my life

These words are now through
Take them with you
The next time that you fall for someone new
Remember that pain
Hides inside truth
Love will lead the way
If you keep not pain in your pattern

© 2005 Michael Gabriel

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Dear Lord (Reprise)

Thought I had a little more left in me
Thought I could swim up river to the sea
My arms are tired, needing rest
Body, mind and soul lost sight of shore
I’m sinking slowly soon

He says,
Worry not I’m here
Watching your every move
Riding all waves you made for yourself
You will find peace soon
Again

Thought I had everything figured out
Heavy rain can be a blessing in a drought
Coming home alone
There’s nobody there
Waking up to myself telling me
I’ll make it through one more day

Dear Lord,
Can you send someone for me
Even if it’s for one more night
All of the others have all slipped away
I guess I held too tight
Again

© 2005 Michael Gabriel

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