The Quest

I hold some firm beliefs.
Place faith in what I know.
I've had my share of beefs.
So far I'm 12 and 0 .

Mastered mayhem with my mommy
who lied about the truth.
Conflicted with the commie
when I was but a youth.

Got poisoned by the preacher
whose God has long been dead.
Whose double feature creature
still resides beneath my bed.

Misled by wild tales
from mild mannered books.
Led down the wrong trails
where forks become fishooks.

I've chased the wild goose.
Dropped matchbooks in the mail.
Slipped the hangman's noose
and tripped on love for sale.

I've followed bad examples
and wallowed in their wake.
Exploited by free samples 
of outdated shake and bake.

Pretentious pot luck preachers
and know nothing told ya so's.
Tongue in cheek teachers
with an alcoholic nose,

who've preyed on me,
and beaten me,
then laughed when I was down.
Taken trick or treatin'
by the predatory clown.

I learned from each and every
to turn the other ear
in the opposite direction
to see what I could hear.

Faint yet friendly voices
so distant yet so near.
"You're the product of your choices
or the sum of other's fear.

This life is what you make it.
Don't let the others in.
They'll do their best to break it.
They hate it when you win.

To navigate this odessey
know life it self's "The Quest"
and never let yourself be
double teamed or second guessed."