That opaque interlude of childhood is far behind us.

Worn and tattered and splayed by uneven, unreliable memory…

Spread thin until it’s meaningless, no flavor, no substance…

Just unrelenting nonsense that needs to be stared down; gone but not forgotten.

We are in the heart of meaning NOW!! Standing, pacing, one step in front of the other, dealing with what needs be…

Maybe the opaque is required… maybe we need to grow before we can see behind that curtain and roll into the arms of Angel’s.

Dennis Mantin

I’ve always been a leader… Natural leader above all.

When I was just a baby I led baby marches by the crawl.

Influencer, public figure, I’m now a man about the town.

Or I might be a woman, it’s whatever’s going down.

If I post it and you’ll like it then you can be my friend.

I’m an influenced public figure I major at pretend.

All the other babies they gave me the brightest ball.

None of us could stand so there wasn’t far to fall.

Influencers and Public Figures… lift your faces from your phone.

Take a look around you, you do look so all alone.

Dennis Mantin

He’s a beggar and he’s filthy and he sits across the road.

He’s shoeless and he stumbles, from the burden of his load.

I can’t see his burden but he’s carried it for years.

I’ve never seen him cry though I know he’s shed some tears.

He sits across the road as if he’s held there by a force.

Which is really quite invisible except for him of course.

There’s a mother or a lover or both you can be sure.

Someone got abandoned and for that there is no cure.

Except my few small dollars and the ease that drink it brings…

And for a few small moments he hears theangel as she sings.

Dennis Mantin

I was told that I didn’t suffer fools…

I couldn’t imagine anyone who would.

A coworker said about the man we work for, “He suffers fools gladly.”

Then he added, “He sees the big picture… doesn’t swet the small stuff.”

We have no shortage here and I have been shown true leadership.

I am humbled… and that is wonderful!

Dennis Mantin

It came as a surprise and you know I’ve had a few.

To open up your eyes and see for real what you do.

And you didn’t run away and I swear I saw a tear.

You mouthed the words I’m sorry that battled out your fear.

They say awareness is the start but you know I disagree.

It seems to me to be so much more that can heal the blind to see.

Never really happened except somewhere in my head.

Above where I grind my teeth and deal with you instead.

Dennis Mantin

He sits outside the liquor store day after day greeting and cajoling spare change; telling all who pass to have a wonderful day or wishing them the best for whatever upcoming holiday is arriving. He’s healthy and personable and appears to have the gift of gab and a memory for names.

I can’t help myself from wondering how one arrives at a career choice like this. Does it come on gradually or did he just wake up one day and say, “I’m going to be a bum.”?

This falls under the category of question that I can ask and feel satisfied at not ever getting an answer.

Dennis Mantin

We circle in the darkness and we’re waiting for the sun.

And the fever has been broken and a new day has begun.

Nothing has been promised just expectations of some light.

Somewhere between faith and hope and will be a welcome sight.Dennis Mantin

What started out as a wonderful tool for people of like ideals and ideas to connect and share information…

Has transformed into a machine that isolates individuals while allowing a shared insanity lacking in spiritual principles or virtues…

What a ride!

What could go wrong?

Dennis Mantin

The Mathematicians brother was senseless… thick as a brick.

They couldn’t be related was the talk they laid on thick.

We watched them add the numbers to be certain they were sure.

That someone must have played around, the numbers far from pure.

It’s not a perfect science this family side of life.

They couldn’t blame the numbers; so they blamed the mathematicians wife.

Dennis Mantin

For 40 years I have worn a mask and I am no longer interested in catering favor.

Chris Rock and many others say that women don’t like nice guys.

Once again, I’m doing this for you ladies as much as my own fading abilities to tolerate bullshit… my own included. Dennis Mantin