My life has been a bundle of
Both smiles and tears, laughter and love
Mixed in with all the varied ploys
Of growing up midst foolish joys
It ne’er occured that I should be
A child of opportunity
Oh how I wish I could have learned
To be grownup and more concerned.
The time has passed, it’s far too late
I guess I’ve missed the starting gate !
When I reflect o’er my lifespan
And try hard as I ever can
There are these things I greatly miss
The sweetness of my mother’s kiss,
The pleasure of my father’s smile
He made my life a world worthwhile,
The treasure of each tiny tot
Whose hugs and kisses meant a lot,
Such moments cannot be erased
Nor somehow get to be replaced.
I know all this is from the past
These memories I pray will last !
The waves they crash upon the shore
The oceans sigh and sometimes roar
The wind blows wild and billows out
Emitting sounds quite like a shout.
It whistles past each stand of trees
Without restrictions, if you please
To wander valiant in the brush
And give each blade of grass a rush.
The gust lends impetus to all
Attentions to this force of fall
The summer’s flown, farewell a must
Tis autumn with its burning lust !
I understand the worm and grub
And other insects in the shrub
But there is one great mystery
What can mosquitos do for me ?
Of all the vermin in the world
At which insecticides are hurled
Along with lice and flies and such
Mosquitos bother me too much !
I wish I knew just what to do
Since they escape my swatter’s “shoo”
I truly hope that heaven’s clean
And void of vermin on the scene !
I find it painful down memory lane
And prefer not pass this way again
Wounds of the past are too slow to heal
As all our weaknesses are revealed.
The courage it takes to stand up tall
May be the greatest challenge of all
We must believe God is always there
To cushion our falls and truly care
He leads us through darkness into light
And eases the blindness with His sight !
There’s little time for childish games
As now most face true adult aims
The chances lessen day by day
For those who choose a calmer stay.
More stamina is what we need
If all God’s values we pay heed
Remember life is here to stay
It’s only we who fade away !
There is an echo that we hear
It speaks to all both loud and clear
Remember for each time we fall
The will one needs to stand up tall
Lies in the grace of God above
Who showers us with selfless love
While all we’re asked our lifetime through
Is to His virtue, remain true !
My heart is full, my body numb
With grief severe and overcome
No matter where I try to look
My vision blurs, I am forsook.
Seems I’ve been here few times before
Appears there’s this familiar door
And of the lessons each has found
Let’s start with feet upon the ground.
The way is long, the journey hard
The rest I find best left to God
I pray that He will hear our claim
Greet a new dawn to spur our aim !
The silence slips into the night
Too many hours before daylight
To soften all the morning sounds
Before the noise of life surrounds.
The light so dim grows brighter now
Promising hope survives somehow
Wherefore we have been lost so long
Help us to rise above the storm !
Oh wicked wind where have you been
What kind of trouble are you in
You’ve set your aim upon the waves
And sent great ships unto their graves.
You’ve damaged all the tallest sails
With wild velocity of gales
You’ve churned the sea into a broil
Unfit for gentleman or churl.
All islands are in fear of you
Because of ravages you do
The mountains cower under seige
Due to the damages you leave.
The sands of deserts crowd the air
Because your strength does tarry there
Where do you fit into God’s scheme
I do not know, I can but dream !
Summer days are drifted away
‘Tis time for fall to have its say
Before the winter storms each door
And new year springs one last encore,
It’s the wee small hours frighten me
When I must face what is to be
I accept there is no recourse
And from this world await divorce !
The dragon slips its outer skin
To hide the evil that’s within
And joins the legions of God’s good
Devouring each neighborhood !
“SATAN KEEPS TRANSFORMING HIMSELF INTO AN ANGEL OF LIGHT”
Have you wondered what clouds must see
While floating o’erhead lazily
And what about the mountain’s heighths
With all its smells and sound delights ?
Do you believe that clouds can tell
If all below are doing well
Or when to rain or sail away
Perhaps return another day ?
God’s world is huge and ever wide
What do you think He keeps inside,
Seems it’s a deep dark mystery
A puzzle for eternity ?
There’s so much sadness that I see
It hollows out the heart in me
Sometimes one can’t tell day from night
Or when the path turns left or right !
How does one question up or down
Or if it’s time to smile or frown
Just keep on easing forward now
Praying all will be safe somehow !
It never once occured to me
When I was but a child of three
That memories of days gone by
Would crowd my head ere I should die.
Most instances are so complete
At times they knock me off my feet
Whoever dreamt that olden days
Would be the pleasure of old age ?
I thank You Lord, that You have cared
And softened all the blows we’ve shared
I pray whatever lies in store
Will grant me peace forever more !
The eagle flies and tilts his wings
Into the wind as courage springs
The sight of which from earth below
Imprints his efforts in this show
Upon those seeking there aground
The eloquence that he has found
With visions of his grandeur high
He is the strength in God’s great sky !
The sun’s grown pale, the moon is red
One dare not speak, words are unsaid
See how each leaf twists in the breeze
Erase the pain Lord, if You please
There is no solace in the grave
There’s no time left, no cause to save !
I’ve seen the world about me cry
And heard its whispers of goodbye
I’ve felt the tremor of its fears
All through these recent lonely years
I’ve known the truth and heard its lies
And seen them revel in disguise.
I’ve prayed for help in my distress
And been denied proper redress
I’ve hoped that opportunity
Would visit soon and set me free
But most of all I’ve asked of You
Dear Lord above, please see me through !
I cannot bear the tragedy
That is about to o’er take me
And wills my life to sadder be
From now until eternity !
In age one learns to appreciate
God’s sweet pleasures as they meet our gait,
What was, has faded into the past
Leaving remnants to soften the last.
As time alone fast winnows away
Visions return to lighten the day
Although the picture’s not always clear
Moments of clarity do appear.
God in His wisdom which we may share
Guarantees all the depth of His care !
Dark storm clouds gather up on high
While shafts of light shoot cross the sky
The rain it tumults to the ground
And fills each crevice to be found.
The thunder and the lightning roar
As darkness creeps inside the door
The streets are full of glistening streams
That flow forever, so it seems.
All lives encounter stormy days
Both cold or sad in countless ways
With this exception each may take
God helps us up before we break !
The heart does wander in sheer delight
In the quiet darkness of each night
How still the air in silence remains
While the soul regroups and peace maintains
Long after the sound of midnight chimes
Bringing back memories of past times.
We thank You Lord for the needed rest
Ever grateful, we shall give our best !
Of all the wishes I have sought
Or presents that I’ve ever bought
Like treasured dreams that I have thought
Are in my heart, forever caught !
Oh pussy cat, dear pussy cat, what is it that you seek
Hiding in a dark corner from which I now see you peek
Oh pussy cat, sweet pussy cat, all cuddly soft and warm
All heart and love and furry coat in such a friendly form
Oh pussy cat, I miss you so, you help me feel so strong
Come snuggle here beside me where both you and I belong !
I have browsed through many a page of time
And wandered lost in the vast world of rhyme
I’ve traveled alone or in company
From ocean to ocean and sea to sea
And all that I’ve learned and all that I know
God walks beside me wherever I go !
AMEN.
When we were young so long ago
Seems each one had places to go
Our world held opportunity
At least a million sights to see.
Before the young had dreams to share
Or found someone that truly cared
There was a path that each might take
Beside the promises they’d make.
In youth we’re prone to fool around
And fail to keep our feet aground
There’s always one more thing to do
Some song to sing or dragon slew
Rooftops to scale or mountains climbed
Oceans to cross with not much time
Hopes, schemes and plans, all praises sung
Tis sad gets wasted on the young !
There is a scale outweighs most life
That bends with happiness or strife
There is a moment time waits for
A prayer that’s said for one adored.
To live the truth and do your best
This basic hope bides with the rest
Tis now the end draws clearly near
And finds us captive to its fear,
Too soon each dream just fades away
How shall we bear our one last day ?
There’s an awesome place which I once knew
Where I was sure childhood dreams came true
As the children played the whole day through
Like those angels up in heaven do.
Oh how I wish I could join them there
With peace and joy, happiness and prayer
And spend my days alive and aware
In the glowing kindness of God’s care !
Claire V. Bogdanos 