They all lie
Right
Left
They all lie
Even when the truth sounds better
Even when there’s no reason
They all lie

When I was a kid
The one thing that started a fistfight
Was calling someone a liar
Now it’s hyperbole
Now it’s normal
Now it’s spin
Even when the truth sounds better
Our country is drowning in lies
Flooding the world
Watching how quickly
Our democracy has degraded

They all lie
Them
Us
They all lie
Even when the truth sounds better
Even when no one is watching
They all lie

Now that I’m old
The one thing I value most is truth
Which is a rare commodity
To be treasured
To be protected
To be loved
Especially when the truth makes us better
In a country full of despair
Don’t listen to the lies
Turn up, tune out, drop in
On someone you love

Be Present, Be Kind, Be Truth, Be Peace
Be Present, Be Kind, Be Truth, Be Peace
Be Present, Be Kind, Be Truth, Be Peace
Say it with me

You couldn’t wait to join us
We couldn’t wait to see you

A few weeks early
Yet perfect
Bursting out
into daddy’s arms
A tiny gift
Sweetest face and biggest hands

You couldn’t wait to take a breath
We couldn’t wait to finally breathe

The ranch is so excited
Goose Dog
Mochi Cat
Rooter Pig
All the chickens
Mostly idyllic and wonderfully messy

You couldn’t wait to see the world
We couldn’t wait to show you off

Into a family of love
Forever bonding
All of us
Who came before
Mixed together
Some sassy and many sweet

You can’t wait to put on your boots
We can’t wait to see you get them dirty

A big, wide world to see
Rocks to climb
Horses to ride
Fences to mend
Life to explore
Sometimes tough and often amazing

You can’t wait for whatever comes
We can’t wait to see your adventure

Wendell Berry helped open my eyes
when I could not see
the trees for the forest

where the collective gratitude of the woods
cannot be stacked
up against the individual

gift of praise from every sentinel
which is more powerful
and ultimately more palpable

because each is together, yet separate
as I am with you
and we are in the universe.

We can’t keep on living
Like something deep isn’t happening
It’s time to open our eyes
To the steep slope in front of us
Pulled by lies toward an abyss
By the ties to our misguided politics
That blind us to the truth
And bind us from action
It only takes silence to comply
And ignore the violence so obvious
How can we make a difference here
And refuse the insolence I see
From an idiot wanna be king
And his court jesters of gonna be killers
Time for Minnesota to stand up
Denying the quota of dead bodies
To the jack boot criminals
With hack and shoot ambitions
The guard, police and citizens unite
To chase the denizens of hell called ICE
Out of their beautiful state
Through dutiful embrace
Of state’s rights that carry weight
Before they bury one more mother or nurse
We stand shoulder to shoulder with you Minnesota
And support the bolder and bolder action you take