I, The Sinner

I found some of my older poems just today. They were in a plastic tote, along with some diary entries, an old half-finished screenplay, and some story ideas and notes. The following is a poem I wrote in 1998 while struggling with active alcoholism and marijuana use. You can see how hopeless I felt back …

Blackness

Blackness came to replace the light, Caverns echoed back the fright; Young children yelled with all their might, Parents’ lips held secrets tight; Who could end the evil plight Of innocent lives Torn through with spite; Their soft, sweet dreams Now black as night. © 1999 Steven Barto

Hatred

That hatred you have for everyone, that global anger, Is going to kill you. It doesn't matter how justified you are, or how wrong the other person is. You can fume and cuss and scream, complain and blame everything on others, But it's just going to eat you alive. You can get pissed off at …

What Is A Poet?

What makes someone a poet?  Is it all about rhyming and sounding flowery?  Maybe it has to do with making profound statements or painting a picture with words.  Does it involve moving people to tears or creating an emotional surge?  Could it be all of the above?  Yes, it could.  Some of my favorite poems …

How Do You Go Forward?

Unfortunately, my father passed away at 5:07 p.m. on December 9, 2014.  Probably about twelve hours after my last post.  I expressed my thoughts about losing him, as he was not expected to live longer than a few days. Instead, he passed away later in the day on December 9th.  This was not a surprise …

Losing Your Hero.

Every once in a while there comes a day when we must face hardship. Sadness. We question God, although we know He is Sovereign and He knows best. Still, we wonder why certain things have to happen. This is one of those days. My heart is heavy with grief as my father is facing his …

My Primary Reason for Existence.

I believe I am sober and alive for only one reason. God has a job for me to do. I have also come to believe that I must please God first, myself second, and everybody else third. (I know this sounds self-centered, but it's not. How can we care for or love others until we …