the grass is greener on this side

8/13/2019 The Grass is Greener on This Side

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The Grass Is Greener On This Side

A collection of poems by Alan Eby

All work Alan Eby


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Note:

The work in this collection retains its uniqueness and initial spontaneity. All of these poems

contain the emotions I was feeling at the time. No additions or revisions have been made to the

poems. I want the reader to eperience this collection !ust as I did when I originally wrote it.


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Sometimes love is a white flagSometimes love is standing tall

Sometimes love is a featherSometimes a cannon ball

But it's worth fighting for

Baby, sometimes love is war.

"#ove is $ar% & American 'oung


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No Sleep


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(elong

$hat turn did I make to end up here)

*isguided by a malevolent angel+nseen by my trust but clouded by my na,ve lust


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-ecembers /acation

0he said she wanted him home for 1hristmasThis years gone too slow

2ust some time to rest her head on his shoulder

3e said he wanted to go home for 1hristmas

This years gone too slow

2ust some time to sing her to sleep

And its time to pack your bags and head down south

-ecembers on vacation this year

0he felt lonely all year

This years been a crying fest2ust some time for the heart to reflect

3e felt cold all yearThis years been hard with no warmth

2ust some time to toughen up

And its time to pack your bags and head down south-ecembers on vacation this year

0he heard he wasnt coming homeThis year !ust turned for the worst

2ust another mishap for the scrapbook

3e learned he wasnt going home

This year !ust keeps piling up

2ust another hope up in smoke

And it time to pack your bags and head to the motel

-ecembers winds are cold as hell


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1andle

*y reflection in the window paneThe glare from the moons wane

0ilent candle in the night

4entle changes pile up

Time collects memory dust

5aint candle in the distance

0ilver platter of lies

5ork in lovers eyesEtinguished candle at the table


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#ook at *s. Al

6h7 do you see *s. Al)Traveling the world with her gals

(uilding new things and pushing trouble around

6h7 do you hear *s. Al)

0peaking sweetly with her heavenly voice

'ou try and not listen but theres no choice

0hes a working girl with her hair in curls

No time for silly things like !ewels and pearlsAnd giving her time to the boy whos on the phone

6h7 do you feel *s. Al)3er presence when she walks into a room

#ike a flower7 her petals are starting to bloom

6h7 do you taste *s. Al)

(aking them treats for her friends

Everyone says that their hunger ends

0hes a working girl with her hair in curls

No time for silly things like !ewels and pearls

And giving her time to the boy whos on the phone

6h7 sweet *s. Al'our hair is bright !ust like the sunToday you got the world on the run


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4ive a *an

4ive a man armor5or when he goes to war

To protect his armshis head7 his chest7 and legs

(ut one well placed

blow

will bring him to his kneesAnd at -eaths doorstep

4ive a man true love5or when he goes to war

No need for armor

0ince her love protects himAnd if he should be hit

$ith a mortal blow

3is death will not be in vain-ue to the victory of love


10/29

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3ome

I used to be out breath#ike I was catching a train

4oing to a place with no name

The day I caught up with you

*y knees thought about giving

#oves heart got bored with living

(ut that all changed when I met your eyes

0kies filled with thunder7 hearts full of wonder

Ive been running around this whole time

(ut youre the one I call home

The days bled into one

As the sun would always set6ver the crest of that fallen brunette

0hadows followed me around

+ntil your light shined through(right as the sun7 this love from you

(ut that all changed when I met your eyes0kies filled with thunder7 hearts full of wonder

Ive been running around this whole time(ut youre the one I call home

This place I call home

It carries me away5rom the past7 to the present7 youre here today

Ive been running around this whole time(ut youre the one I call home


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A 0ingle 0troke of #uck

Its like hes hit the lottery

0wimming in cash

(etter yet7 a womans love not so brashIts like hes hit a grand slam

The home team winsA gigantic trophy for the showroom

Its like winning an award

5or doing something good

3is mark has been left on the world3er world

Thats the only word that matters

To himAnd even though hes !ust a simple man

(ound by earthly constraints3e still does everything in his power7A never8ending power7

To change her world one

dayat

a

time

The changes may come slowThey may come tiny

(ut one thing is for sure

Is that she noticesAnd she does the same for him


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Scared Like a Puppy


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A 1all 3ome

It was too dark to see the path ahead

I strayed away

I couldnt hear the whistle to guide me

The pines deafened me

*y north star has a name

0he shines brighter than all

$hen I hear her callI come running back home

A call home for the lonelyA call home for the broken

A call home to be a part of something


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9eaching the 0ummit of *ount 1armel

Everyone has a *ount 1armel

Its only a metaphor for our dreams and goals

Ecept this one is personal to someone


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17/29

17

4estures of Normal uality7 Abnormal to *e

'ou help me out

I feel awkward

'ou say nice things

I am embarrassed

'ou are normal

I am abnormal

'ou help me

I learn from you


18/29

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3ow It #ooks

'ou make it look so damn easy

$alking through life without a pause

$hile Im stuck at seventeen7 a wanderlust without a cause

The lights all blend into oneA rainbow of fluorescent dreams

5lashing by the city streets7 up and down the city seam

And how it looks to you may keep you guessing(ut Ive got the whole picture right in front of me

Im !ust choosing to save the best for last7 youll see

In another life Id be a doctor

0aving lives and volunteering on the side

2ust as you did back in ;


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20/29

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Love is War


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-rop of 3ope

Trust me that I love you

Trust that the sky is blue

The truth will always come around and come in view

Ever hear the sound of rainAs it washes away the pain

5eeling lost but finding something to gain

$ell surrender tonight-ont run7 Ill hold you tight

9emember all that we have sacrificed

A drop of hope will go a long way

0ee the lines on the white paper

The white candle in the taper(urning love will leave a sweet vapor

-o you think of me and youThe time comes to say I do

Ill be ready and will you be too)

$ell surrender tonight-ont run7 Ill hold you tight

9emember all that we have sacrificed


0urrender my flag tonight

0et aside all the pride and mightIll give in even if you choose not to

$ell surrender tonight

-ont run7 Ill hold you tight9emember all that we have sacrificed


$ell surrender tonight

-ont run7 Ill hold you tight

9emember all that we have sacrificedA drop of hope will go a long way


22/29

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6ne

6ne

Its !ust a number$hile in my lonesome slumber

A concept I was ready to adopt

Then you came along

0topped me dead in my tracks

4ave me a lovers heart attack*ade me question my road

0o we got to know each otherA little better

And better

+ntil we decided to give it a go

Its going good so far

Nothing slowing us downNot turning around

To look at the past

*y days are spent with laughter and !oyisses and hugs

Not too smug

$ith gloating about my pri@e

Its only been one month

'et it feels so much longer0omething so much stronger

Than the average attraction

#ets keep up the paceAnd slowly intertwine

$hen lovers eyes become mine

And then well keep going


23/29

23

Advantage

0he came down from the north

The girl from the northern country

A girl who I met once and befriended quickA girl who would stick

6r so I thought

I !ust wanted to cradle her after what all had happened to her

All the men she let inside7 who tore her apart

(ut maybe I could step in line and end it all

0o the music played that Thursday night

The beer and wine made her eyes bright0hining like gla@ed eyes of the na,ve and sad

The bar cleared out around two0he slid on over and told me she loved me too

It seemed the alcohol was doing the talking

>icking her up and not letting her do the walking

At the door of her friends place

$ith the cool air between her and Is face

6ur lips became intertwinedAnd I could have sworn that there was no time

3er hands found the edge of my shirt

>ulling me inside7 inside the layer of her skirtAnd the basics of man kicked in

Ecept for my heart stepped in

I backed away and stripped my words of their ease

nowing that what she wanted wasnt what others in her place need

3er eyes have a cautious glare and started to stare5inally reali@ing who I was and why I cared

"'oure one of the good ones7% what slipped from her tongue$ith a hint of liquor that came off strong

6n the outside she wanted me to take off her pants

(ut on the inside7 she !ust wanted to danceAnd hold her as she wept

(ut none of those happened0ince I knew I didnt want to be one of those guys

$ho didnt understand who she was

And why she never looked them in the eye


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As my fingers fell from hers and became cold again

The porch light draped across the area between two friends

nowing that one had a lot to work out$hile the other saved her from another put out

That would end up in another phone call the net day


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If 'ou $alked In *y 0hoes

'ou know me so well as it is

5rom my favorite foods to my secret spots

$alking around my heart and soul without charge

(ut theres one thing you will never know6ne thing youll never understand

And thats how much you mean to me

Its not about the way you laughed at my corny !okes on our first dateIts not about the way you held that 0tarbucks cup and drank your tea

Its not about the way you look when you are intently listening

Its not about the way you smell when you step out of the showerIts not about the way you look when you have no clothes on

Its not about the way you sound when you sing your favorite song

Its not about the way you make me feel so alive I feel as if Im dreamingIts not about the way you make me forget my past and want your future

Its not about the way you walk into a room and cause others stare

Its not about the way your head feels on my chestIts not about the way you make the world a better place

Its not about the way you say7 "I love you7% and mean it

If you walked in my shoes and tried to comprehend7 youd get lostB then found again


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C8;


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I Fucking Hate You One Last Ti!e


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The #ast 4oodbye

This is not going to be nice or heartfelt

This will not reminisce about the good times

#ike the time you fell asleep on my arm when I watched a basketball game#ike the time I need time and ran right back

(ecause you were !ealous of that concert night$here my entourage was women of friendship status

No

This will not be thatThis will be negative memories of what happened

since I am a resentful and vengeful person

Although I wish I wasnt

I gave you my heart three times

'es7 you read that rightThree7 Tres7 Tre7 however you want to say it in whatever fucking language you speak nowadays

I was so pissed off at you in the beginning

Then I became oppressively sad$hy)

(ecause I trusted you and what you said to me

(ut what do words mean to a con8woman)

Ill tell you: they only mean a slight effort to a maimum counter offer

At the end of the day you were I had but all I had left was hope on the rocks

3a8ha8ha. I was in need of someone like youB yet you failed whenever the going got toughAnd I resent your lack of faith for that.

'es7 like -arth /ader

$e were young lovers Gin hindsight7 only meH in a picture frame I was ready to hang on the wall

A fairytale for me7 but a hindrance for you#ike a splinter in your finger that annoyed you

(ut you grew accustomed to that splinter in your hand

#istening to all your problems and offering solutions$ith only a small return of love needed

I guess that was too much to ask

$aitB No7 it was7 because all I wanted was the truth

And yet you lied about that2ust remember: its easier to lie to yourself to me

I could have been the best man you ever had

I would have done anything for you


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#ike $ally to *ildred7 I will !ust ignore when the important times come for you when you need

a helping hand

And you can beat your sweet7 sweet ass that I will disregard you with a solid second stare

'ou may think why I didnt !ust write you to epress all of frustrations and anieties

And to refresh your memory7 I didAnd you didnt respond like always

3eres the end of it:

I dont like the person you have become

Not because you dont love me(ecause you lied to me

9ight in front of my face

(ecause thats what con8woman are professional atAt doing things in their favor

I will never understand what your motive was or what you got out of it

(ut I will tell you this'ou did get my devoting love and care

And yet you threw it away like a plastic grocery bag

I guess Ill go pack in someone elses groceries

the grass is greener on this side

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