Author: tjantzer

Christian. Conservative. PNW. Coffee, Rock Climbing, Running, Poetry, Writing.

On Hold

Is writing worth it? Do my poems matter?

Will publishing another failure make me sadder?

Why put time into something I love if it never becomes a real thing?

I can keep my head in the water above but my body’s still swimming upstream.

The life I have now is already enough. I won’t die if I give up my dreams.

Adding an accolade would only be fluff when I’m already stretched at the seams.  

Is it really giving up if I never commit?

Is my self published work way too much to omit?

Do you really climb a mountain if you never summit?

When every day life keeps you down; you submit?

At what point does desire transform into action?

You strive and aspire to grow beyond faction.

You’re looking for a buyer, spread of word, and some traction.

But lighting that fire is all but a fraction.

Passion is rarely all it’ll take

And effort can barely preserve what’s at stake.  

You need motivation to keep up the drive.

A little inspiration to keep it alive.

But nobody knows to ask you about You.

Your back burner still is kept hidden from view

Until someone wanders across what you do,

And asks you when they can get something new.

Can you really tell them how it’s all on hold?  

How you wish you were driven but you’ve never been bold.

How your last four projects were all but out sold

How you’re feeling your dream is just childish and old?…

Maybe their intrigue was all that you needed?

Your love for your work may not be conceded

Effort and energy may not be depleted

Take one hint of hope and be not defeated.

Six Alarms

(I love writing Punk lyrics for a band that doesn’t exist.)

I set Six Alarms on your phone

For the nights I sleep alone.

You’ll say “the hell?” at 1:00 AM.

And wake up pissed at 2 again.

Something’s wrong for sure at 3

By 4 you’ll start to know its me.

That 5th alarms the last? its not.

6 is on your Echo Dot.

If I can’t sleep you won’t either.

I hope you catch a gnarly fever.

The Crown in the Shadow

Late in the night, when all light turns dim,

Dark wings and claws might rise within.

In the back of the closet and under the bed,

Creatures are watching from behind your head.

Footsteps and growling can sometimes be heard,

Breathing and hissing like unspoken words.

But wait, if you listen, there’s a fairy around!

That shadow you see flickering back and forth on the ground!

Up on your dresser, what’s that? can it be?

It’s true! There’s a fairy, a tiny fairy you see.

“Don’t be afraid.” It whispers down low.

“I’m here with a message. I want you to know:”

With a still small voice the fairy tried to explain,

The mystery of the shadows, simple and plain.

“Not every shadow will be what it seems.

Not every shadow is actually mean.

Sometimes a shadow just shows what’s to come,

It’s just not yet ready and soon to be done.

With morning the dark will be brought into light.

For every new day is born first from the night.

God only knows what will come of tomorrow,

So hold to that hope; you can fly above sorrow.”

With that, and a smile, the Fairy flew away.

Rarely does a Fairy come by long to stay.

But notice in the dark of your room, you look down.

That scary pointy shadow, is actually a crown.

A prince lives in your closet and sleeps in there too.

The Fairy just left to tell him about you!

See, the Price fights the dark, and is never afraid.

He rests in his bed near the shadow You made.

So don’t be afraid when the lights all go out.

In the dark there’s a Prince and Fairies about.