In toyland there are toys galore
They fill the shelves and crowd the floor
A sight to garner great surprise
It is a childhood paradise !
How marvelous the world would be
If all the children could be free
To run and play and laugh and smile
Enjoying freedom all the while.
Perhaps one day our God above
Will shelter them with all His love
And teach them how to live in peace
As war and hate and pain will cease !
Can’t find the words to speak of things
Like cats and dogs or queens and kings
Toy sailboats on a bathtub sea,
Or old old friends like you and me.
The words get lost along the way
And syllables have gone astray
As hopes and dreams that we’ve forgot
Are memories that linger not.
The slow process of growing old
When hands and feet and hearts turn cold
Are but the facts we need embrace
Before life’s end and time’s last race !
There are some times I’d like to be
A lion king who wanders free
Among tall grasses on the plains
With tawny skin and curly manes,
Ferocious roar and lazy ways
Keen sense of smell with steady gaze !
It might be great to share the den
With faithful Daniel way back when
He slept with lions in the cave
While God above did his life save,
Exposing those who compromised
And schemed to cause Daniel’s demise !
To stand up tall and not fall down
To learn to live without a frown
To be sincere while yet a clown,
To welcome those at your front gate
To proffer love instead of hate
To pleasant be and seldom late,
To greet success with gracious smile
To truthful be without denial
To kindness give and not beguile,
To help the weak before they fall
To answer when you hear the call
Believe that God is there for all !
One feeling is consuming me
It seems to set my senses free
This holocaust of life and death
Begs God’s forgiveness with its breath !
What courage does sensation bring
Will it engender anything
Or cower in some corner there
Afraid to take life anywhere ?
Where is the sun that chastens night
Our faith will guide us by the light
We have the right to see it through
God will be there I promise you.
If we have lost or we have won
We shall not know till life is done !
Sometimes I think that I could be
A noisy frog under a tree
With leaves so strong they seem to float
Upon the stream much like a boat
And there to be called Captain Frog
Who sails about and keeps a log.
Perched on my head a sailing cap
That while afloat I still can nap,
In storytime this tale is told
About a frog and princess bold.
I harbor thoughts now ever since
That I might be that froggy prince
But feel a magic kiss, how odd
For even frogs believe in God !
I’ve often thought I’d like to be
A giant whale who lived asea
Perhaps related to the beast
Who swallowed Jonah as a feast !
Think of the tales I could have heard
Right from an ancient humpback’s word
Oh what stories that I might spin
To shark or cod or small dolphin !
How much fun to splash about
Knowing God gave me my spout
Oh, what a grateful whale I’d be
Thankful He made great use of me !
These prayers are for those sad of heart
With grief for they who sudden part
Each hero’s death too high a cost
Who guides their way among our lost ?
While heroes live in memory
Such memories are never free
Their price is great who knows how much
What tears we shed or hearts we touch ?
When will this sacrifice be done
How long before the battle’s won
Ask God, please help our treasures save
How many more must greet the grave ?
I hear the distant voice of spring
It’s echo now remembering
The pleasant hours it left behind
That time to come may chance rewind.
Those days of calm before the storm
While hearts were young and without form,
Days felt so crisp the air was sweet
Our wishes then knew no defeat !
Crass life recalls those dreams forgot
That moved on by and lingered not
As hope and love did melt away
Into the mist of yesterday !
The leaves of time blow wild and sere
The trees of life turn stark and drear
This is the season we’ve been told
That chills the mind and waxes bold.
The serpent moves in secret ways
Designed to veil his anguine days
We need take care to not be caught
Within the net the viper wrought !
In the quiet of the room
Angels whisper in the gloom
Do not worry we are there
We shan’t leave you in despair.
God is here and with you now
He remembers all somehow
Child of God just close your eyes
It is time to say goodbyes.
Do not grieve this is the best
Time to seek that final rest
You are not lost or forlorn
The morrow brings your new morn !
The dreams we dreamt when we were young
The words we spoke, the songs we sung
The search for peace we tried to bring
Into our lives with hymns to sing
Has left us now with voices mute
All wisdom lost there in pursuit.
We cannot breathe we dare not think
This world is trembling on the brink
Oh sad the plight that is our view
Oh God above what shall we do ?
The little babe with smile so sweet
Whose tiny hands and wiggly feet
Are perfect as they move about
Is pure within and snuggly out !
Imagine what the years may bring
Dreams and hopes are just beginning
But it could take a bit more time
Before each child begins his climb.
Let’s beg that God will be right there
To guide him and to hear his prayer,
Do not forget him as he grows
Life’s hard enough all heaven knows !
I’d love to skip down to the sea
With salty air caressing me
The shifting sands under my feet
Were soft and warm and wet and sweet !
There was a day when I could run
Along that beach under the sun
Though age and time have had their price
Reclaiming youth would be quite nice !
It’s hard to keep my balance now
I try and try and wonder how
If there’s a way I might restore
My strength to where it was before !
But you and I are realists
We know these acts do not exist
And as our lives are winding down
Let no one dare embrace a frown !
I know dear Lord, You walk with me
Into the wind or by the sea
Along the path that winds around
The village square, the heart of town.
While children play and students learn
The flowers bloom and seasons turn
As summer’s heat begins to rise
The night displays clear sparkling skies !
Oh what a sight our hearts have seen
With good and bad laced in-between
A glowing hope that God forgives
Our weakness where tradition lives !
Sometimes dear Lord, the hour grows late
Time seems to pass beyond life’s gate
One’s entrance there can be denied
It matters not how hard you tried !
Appearing now inopportune
Depends upon how late or soon
The roots are sunk into the ground
Where permanence is to be found.
For God alone controls the space
He knows how each has run the race
You win or lose by your deport
With word and deed and inner thought !
EXCUSE ME while I share ! Over 65 years ago someone shared the following
poem with me when my father died after a 9 year battle with brain cancer. I
have been sharing this piece by James Whitcomb Riley since (less 12 lines) :
I cannot say and I will not say
That he is dead, he is just away
With a cheery smile and a wave of the hand
He has wandered into an unknown land
And left us dreaming how very fair
It needs must be since he lingers there.
And you, oh you who the wildest yearn
For the old time step and the glad return.
Think of him faring on as dear
In the love of there as the love of here
Think of him still as the same I say
He is not gone he is just away.
Sincerely, Claire B.
When but a girl I lost my dad
I could not know the gift I had
I watched occasions pass me by
All those precious years time did fly.
Days that he didn’t hold my hand
When my achievements turned out grand
No one there to cushion my fall
And walks we never took at all,
Especially down that long aisle
When dad and daughter cry and smile,
And here am I at my trails end
Still missing him, my next best friend !
The stalwart stag upon the hill
Waits there erect and rigid still
His antlers splayed and elegant
While seeming made of olifant.
This noble beast impresses me
He does not flinch nor will he flee
His heart beats hard and flutters fast
He rules the streams and forests vast.
A simple creature God has wrought
With strength and courage as he ought
He roams this land that once was free
Lost symbol of security !
Another day dawns full of light
To breach the stillness of the night
Under the clouds of starry sky
While angels weep and brave men cry.
Pray for silence of noise and din
Our worlds are suffering within
What words have I to offer you,
Oh Lord of all, this can’t be true !
What evil deeds are flung about
By those who claim to be devout
If this is life for fellow man
There’s no escape, no other plan !
The remnants of my former styles
Surround me here in glaring piles
Why can’t I just discard the mess
I really tried I must confess !
Possessions are more earthly stuff
By now you’d think I’d had enough
But somewhere in the distant past
I’m sure it helped the memories last.
The time has come without delay
To clean the house, pack ghosts away
Face life head on, emotions tossed
Reach out for God ere all is lost !
There are those dreams we’ve left behind
That in our lives true faith we’d find
Seems fate would have no part of this
Denying us our sacred bliss.
We’re sure that this hypocrisy
Is part of life’s vast mystery
That only God will understand
Because He gave us this command.
How sad that we have gone astray
What arrogance do we display
Discarding rules to take a stand
Negating God’s own master plan !
In the hours before the breaking of dawn
The time when stars take a moment to yawn
Just before the sun rises o’er the hill
The leaves in the trees are ever so still.
It’s the quiet that sighs passing us by
Leaving us wishing we knew how to fly
The clouds in the sky seem to beckon me
Calling my name just as though I were free.
My freedom has strings you know what that means
The one place to fly is left in my dreams !
We do not know what our lifetimes may hold
We can only wish that it’s courage bold
For that is what we all need to receive
If we have dreams that our hopes won’t achieve.
We have wandered lost and lonely too long
In a world void of peace, laughter or song
The problem appears we can’t find our way
And need God’s guidance to help save the day !
I have searched in vain for a special place
In which to occasion my last embrace
In my mind remains, after many years
How my dear grandma shed her final tears !
Her words to me I shall never forget
As she said her goodbyes with no regret
Though but a child I remember her still
And I love her now and forever will !
In truth, I haven’t forgotten her face
Or the strength of her courage, help and grace
For the child I was, she taught me to be
Honest and fair giving, loving and free,
She spoke with her God day and night
Was angelic in her apron starched white
She lived in that house I’ve told you about
No running water and toilet without.
She left her heart and her dreams behind
And whispered her secret that I might find
Whatever I prayed for would come to be
Especially God keeping watch o’er me !
( SHE JOINED THE ANGELS 7/20/1936 )
The time has come, the time has gone
The time is now to voice alarm
Our world has changed make no mistake
No time is left to catch a break.
The days grow short, I fear the count
With each new moon the totals mount.
When will the clock that ticks away
The hours and minutes of each day
Declare that life is just pretend
And moving closer to its end ?
I do not know, I wonder why
Can it be worth another try ?
Oh Lord, walk with me, we’ll go hand in hand
Across that sad beach in some foreign land
Our journey is swift, return we may not
But that long ago day can’t be forgot.
While the time fades away into the past
The lesson we learned is one that won’t last
Just turn around to observe where we are
Sadly you’ll see that we haven’t come far !
The wheel is spinning round and round
Where will my happiness be found
The wheel is turning, see it go
When will it end, how do I know ?
God is my partner all my life
Through all the joy and all the strife
In time of peace or in distress
I owe Him all that I possess !
Claire V. Bogdanos 