Reform, Restore and Teach
By Jim Wood 11/12/22


Some say be hard on crime
Yeah, Lock ‘em up make ‘em pay
If they hurt bad enough
Once released they won’t stray
Punish, degrade berate
Eye for an eye, tooth a for tooth
That’s how we breed hate
Hard on crime’s inherent truth


Chorus
All have value despite the crime
How to bring out the best in each
Do more than sentence time
Reform, restore and teach

Prisons overflowing
Crime still on the rise
With time served where’s redemption
Reoffending ain’t no surprise
What motivates self improvement
Encouragement or blame
The answer made evident
Nurture pride over shame

Chorus
All have value despite the crime
How to bring out the best in each
Do more than sentence time
Reform, restore and teach

Want to help the wayward
Use a humane approach
Walk a mile in their shoes
Don’t condemn but coach
How to stop the rise in crime
Help the offender find their way
Use a pride based paradigm
Teach ‘em job skills to earn their pay

Chorus
All have value despite the crime
How to bring out the best in each
Do more than sentence time
Reform, restore and teach

Reform, restore and teach

STRANGER IN MY LIFE by DOUG ROOSSIEN / Produced & Mastered NO KILLIE FISH April 18, 2023
Well, this song is the 6th production of my songs with Johnny (NoKillieFish), He really outdid himself on this one. Please visit Johnny on his songs @johnnymc2, and you’ll see an extremely versatile musician and lyricist. 
LYRICS ONLY STRANGER IN MY LIFE by DOUG MICHAEL ROOSSIEN 
FEEL LIKE A STRANGER IN MY LIFE    
NOT A SOUL I’D RECOGNIZE 
THIS STRANGER I DON’T KNOW IS ALL ALONE 
I LOOK IN THAT MIRROR, WE USED TO SHARE 
JUST SEE THE GHOST…OF YOU STANDING THERE 
And …THIS BED, WHERE WE USED TO LIE, …HAS GROWN SO COLD 

Till …THIS STRANGER… CAME INTO MY LIFE 
NOW HE’S THE ONLY ONE I RECOGNIZE 
I DON’T EVEN KNOW… DON’T EVEN KNOW… MY OWN SOUL 

DROVE BY OUR DINER THAT WE USED TO KNOW  
ORDERED A PIZZA FOR JUST ONE TO GO
SAT ON THAT PARK BENCH SWALLOWED MY PRIDE TILL I WAS FULL 
READ YOUR LETTER...EVERY WORD 
WHISPERED INSIDE IT’S …JUST WHAT I DESERVED 
MY TEARS, SOAKED ON EVERY WORD, YOU WROTE 

To …THIS STRANGER… Who Came into my life. 
And He’s the only … ONE I recognize. 
DON’T EVEN KNOW, DON’T EVEN KNOW,.MY OWN SOUL 
 FEEL LIKE A STRANGER….(a stranger in my life) 
FEEL LIKE A STRANGER….(a stranger in my life) 

REREAD YOUR LETTER...AGAIN EVERY WORD 
WHISPERED INSIDE … IT’S JUST WHAT I DESERVED 
AS MY TEARS, SOAKED ON EVERY WORD,  EVERY WORD YOU WROTE 
To this stranger …this stranger …in my life 
Feel like a Stranger ,… a stranger …in my life. 

I believe we are closing on an album of our songs together: (six so far) …Stranger in my life, Only Just a Picture, Tears you just can’t cry, Never Sailed Goodbye, Sad River, and Goin’ to Hell,… Thank you Johnny!!

STRANGER IN MY LIFE by Doug Roossien (production NoKillieFish)

Written to the Grand Rapids Songwriters Alliance prompt "You're the _____ to my _____" (for the May 2023 meeting)
An original song by Julia Yob, ©2023

"Nothing Personal"

LYRICS:
🎶 If I were a red-winged blackbird, you’d be a pygmy kangaroo.
And if you were a diesel truck, I’d be a bicycle built for two.
And if I was the top of a mountain, you’d be a coral reef in the sea.
In other words – you mean nothing to me ☺️  

If you were a pink flamingo, I'd be a camel in the desert sun.
And if I were a quiet library, you'd be a stadium whose team just won.
If I were a breeze blowing leaves in the trees, you’d be a buzzing bumblebee.
In other words: you mean nothing to me!

{CHORUS}
You’re the sunflower to my snowy day.
You're the autumn leaves to my month of May.
You’re the wish on a birthday candle at the party of someone I’ve never met!
Don’t worry, I’m not finished yet - 

If you were a bike ride into work, I would be public transportation.
And if you were a PhD in IT, I’d be a 'real world' in Communications.
And if I were a pine back in 1809, you’d be a modern-day apple tree.
In other words, you mean nothing to me.

If you were a fairground ride, I’d be an art class full of second graders. 
And if I were writing dirty limericks, you’d be an accountant hounding tax-evaders.
And if I were a frog sleeping in moss on a log, you’d be a buzzing bumblebee.
In other words – you mean nothing to me!

{CHORUS}
You’re the yellow flowers of tomatoes in June,
And I'm an auto harp that needs some auto-tuning.
Just give it an hour or two and you’ll agree…
And I’m sure that somewhere there is surely a flower in need of a bee…
But I’m not a flower – you mean nothing to me.

And I’m sure that somewhere there is SURELY a flower in need of a bee…
But I’m not a flower – you mean nothing to me! 🎶

Nothing personal!

Nothing Personal

Nervous Dog Walker


VERSE 1


She's got her hands double wrapped 
with the reinforced straps 
hanging three dogs off her leash

Her eyes always wide 
with every passerby 
as the canines drag her through the streets

Their tongues hang out 
as they pull her all about 
up and down every single avenue

Their nostrils perked 
while they're panting from the work 
but she's the one that's more afraid of you


CHORUS


She'd never bite though
But if she did I'm not sure that I'd mind
You'll never get close
You'll only ever be a passerby 

Too many jitters for a jitterbug
Too shaken up to ever shake it up 
You'll never get close
You'll only ever be a passerby
so pass her by 


VERSE 2


Tuesday 3 o'clock 
She is right here on the dot
Just like every single day before

But today's more fun
'cause she only has one
And something's caught her eye up in the store

She looks down the street 
for a place to hang a leash
A golden opportunity it would seem 

But she took one look at me
and ran away and screamed
with a little poodle tied between her knees


CHORUS


She'd never bite though
But if she did I'm not sure that I'd mind
You'll never get close
You'll only ever be a passerby 

Too many jitters for a jitterbug
Too shaken up to ever shake it up 
You'll never get close
You'll only ever be a passerby
so pass her by 

INSTRUMENTAL
CHORUS

Reform, restore and teach

Jimwood150

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