Laxner 1
Helen Laxner
Comfort Zone
Red, velvet wallpaper
decorates the wall.
No cell phones are needed
when Mom gives her dinner call.
“HONEY, JOHNNY, TOMMY”
is all she has to yell.
And before she even finishes,
we’re closer to the smell.
A little, white cottage
becomes our destiny.
“Dibbies on the bathroom...
Man, I gotta pee.”
Like thunder before lightning strikes,
we trample up the stairs.
No worries in the world.
No dream defying fears.
Between the quilted railings
on summer nights we lay.
Beneath our star covered fort,
we laugh, we dream, we play.
At times we get inspired
by the rustling of the trees
to make up scary stories
that we whisper in the breeze.
Finally, we have reached the top,
and we burst right through the door
to find Dad roaring with laughter
at the t.v. on the floor.
HEAVEN
WAITS
TAKE ME TO THE PLACE
WHERE THE SKY MEETS THE LAND
AT THE END OF THE OCEAN,
FAR ABOVE THE WHITE SAND
THE PLACE THAT MY SIGHT
CAN’T SEEM TO BREAK THROUGH
AS I STAND BY THE SEA,
SEARCHING FOR YOU
TAKE ME TO THE PLACE
WHERE PEACE FREES MY SOUL
THE PAIN IN MY LIFE
HAS TAKEN CONTROL
TAKE ME OH LORD,
BUT DON’T TAKE ME YET
I HAVE CHILDREN TO RAISE,
CHEEKS TO DRY WHEN THEY’RE WET
AND WHEN THE TIME COMES
FOR MY NEW LIFE TO BEGIN
LET’S MAKE SURE THAT MY CHILDREN
HAVE
THE KEYS TO GET IN.
Close
By 
W
TO TEACH AND LOVE AND GIVE
THE ANGELS CAME AND BROUGHT HER TO
A SPECIAL PLACE TO LIVE
WE ALL THOUGHT THAT SHE’D BE GONE FOREVER
FOR HER PRESENCE WE ALL YEARNED
ALTHOUGH HER BODY CAN’T BE SEEN
HER SPIRIT HAS RETURNED
IN ROOMS THAT SHE ONCE WALKED THROUGH
HER VOICE WE STILL CAN HEAR
THE SCENT OF HER, THAT SOFT, SWEET SCENT
STILL LINGERS IN THE AIR
IN PICTURES THAT WE LOOK THROUGH
REMEMBERING GOOD TIMES THAT WE HAD
SOMETIMES THEY MAKE US HAPPY
OTHER TIMES THEY MAKE US SAD
WE WISH THAT SHE WERE WITH US
DESPERATELY, WE START TO CRY
THEN REMEMBER THAT SHE LOVES US
AND SHE’LL ALWAYS BE CLOSE BY.
THE ILLUSION OF LIFE
The shadow of a person once filled with joy
Moves robotically throughout the day
Yearning for the sun to go down
So it will tuck the shadow away
Look at the eyes that have lost their spark
And you will, most certainly, find
A spirit and soul that have long ago passed
Leaving just a body behind.
Listen to the sound of the broken heart
That has been shattered by lies and deceit
Hear the echo from the emptiness
Resounding to silence the beat.
Now, your eyes must have deceived you
If you think that you saw life
In the woman who has lost her child
Or the man who lost his wife
So when the sun begins to rise
And you’re blinded by the glare
Don’t be fooled by the illusion
That a person is standing there.