The next step in survival ironically is death

How does someone become so complacent that they are willing to settle for what life has to give them without going out to gather what life has available?

The Friend

See the vision in a dream;
remember how I tried to scream.
The fear inside kept me in shock,
unbelieving of my luck.
Sorry for the days I'd missed;
frightened for when death I kissed.
Nothing left for me to say
while yearning for another day.
Why control me? Let me be.
Set me free that you may see
I lied and led myself along.
Please forgive me- I was wrong.
But time had come to pay my debt;
I'd hoped to die with no regret.
When suddenly, I missed the end.
Awakened, I forgot the friend.

In the Woods

For the master of the trees

independence came with ease.

On the trails of his abode,

up and down the hills he rode.
Take a leaf and break a limb,
make them show respect to him.

When the summer went to hide,

no more shade did they provide.
No more leaves to take for fun;
limbs were breaking on their own.

Now what's this? the master said

when the winter came to call.

Freezing rain and chapping wind

doth surround me one and all.

Must the flowers be reminded

to withdraw to winter sleep?

Must I tell the forest creatures

where to go for winter's keep?

While the season chills the charges

I'll protect them, this I swear,

'til the gentle winds of springtime

come again to warm the air.

a fricative snore

Soon winter brings a fricative snore
to chill the air just as before
A timely desertion by the heat
reluctance in its warm retreat
the trees and plants will wither and dry
discard their leaves, appear to die
embracing the bite of icy wind
while waiting for the freeze to end
the cold is not so frightful to feel
to feel at all is quite a deal
if not for continuance of the sun
the life on hold would not return

iambic

I’m running down the sidewalk hot from sun.
The tiny islands pool the cool green grass.
Now scatter, creature, change your current view,
and know I only want to see you fly,
because it’s what I think that you do best.
If not, then by all means you must pursue.
Please tell me what it is that makes you free
so maybe it might shed some light on me,
but let me have my fun as I move past.
I promise not to crush what dreams you seek,
forever may they live inside us all.

Here we see a fallen angel,
bitter of its chosen birth,
submissively seduced by evil,
patterned product of this earth.
In this life of worldly pleasure-
power always, failure never-
ever-present mortal terror,
doomed to live in fear forever.

Smiling makes me feel like I look crazy, but I'm just smiling

I tried smiling while driving today. Not for any particular reason, just that it seemed better than frowning.

I've heard that it takes less muscles to smile than to frown, and even though I may not be smiling most of the time, I'm not frowning either. I usually find myself with my facial muscles relaxed because there is no effort in it. My expression is probably not interpreted favorably, though. I'd say I look angry, or empty, or unapproachable. Really I'm just focused, and maybe a little anxious. Just doing what I do, while going where I'm going.
I should smile more. Imagine, you're driving down the road and you slow to a stop beside me at a red light. You look over at me, and I'm just smilin' away. My windows are down, there's no radio coming from inside my car, it's hot as (insert expletive here), and I'm just grinnin' away. My cheeks are pushed up under my eyes and I'm squinting, but I'm definitely smiling. I probably look crazy, but I'm just smiling.