My dearest boy I miss you so
How sad was I, you chose to go
Of all those dreams that you did spin
When did your fear of truth begin ?
Your spirits rose with every thought
How could your inner self get caught
With real foresight that you possessed
What was it cost you your success ?
Who was it told you all would fail
And stole the wind from out your sail ?
How softly falls the gentle rain
That trickles down the window pane
Reminding us that spring is due
Before the Lenten days are through.
As Easter wears her coat of green
And early buds burst on the scene
The trees prepare for all the guests
Who’ll need to gussy up their nests.
Oh what a joy for us to bear
With such great memories to share
As spring returns again this year
To spread its happiness and cheer !
Hark, what is it that I now hear
The sound of sleigh bells on my ear
Their ringing sounds so ever sweet
Oh how I pray they do repeat.
The tinkling of the bells anon
Reminding all that time moves on
Twill come and go and leave behind
Those ashes of another kind !
WHERE IS THE END OF SADNESS ?
To find oneself alone at last
With memories of things now past
Of happy days and lazy times
Some foolishness, some silly rhymes
Or moments when tears cannot stop
As dreams we’ve had did a flip flop.
Tis strange how life’s misunderstood
In quite many a neighborhood
But we must carry on, you see
For that’s a part of destiny
The path that each one has taken
Leaves some winning, some forsaken !
Old Solomon, he was a king
Who did possess most everything
He was the wisest of all men
None would e’er be alike again.
His instructions came from above
Conerning God and His great love
For forty years he ruled replete
His job, God’s Temple to complete.
This task achieved in seven years
And lauded by both prayer and tears
Oh sad end for King David’s son
He’d lost his way and was undone !
Oh sad this time that’s now begun
Without an option, no not one,
There’ll be no babies that you’ll see
Upon your lap or on your knee.
You’ll never walk the marriage aisle
To see your daughters’ precious smile
Behind each veil the world may see
Such scenes will ever hide from thee.
We’re all so sorry you are gone
There’s no choice left but carry on !
The angels up in heaven cry
For all the babies that will die
Ere all their lives have yet begun
In agony as one by one
They feel the thrust of surgeon’s knife
Before the ending of each life.
Our dearest Lord, have mercy on
These tiny victims that are gone
Help all who’ve suffered from the crimes
To rise again in kinder times
There find the promise of God’s love
And help from angels up above !
Outside my window I can spy
A flock of birds exiting by
The day is crisp, the air is sweet
Perhaps the winter’s in retreat.
Can you hear water dripping down
It makes this happy joyful sound
And melts into a drip, drip, drop
That seems somehow to never stop.
What if tomorrow does not come
To all of us but only some
Tis time to thank our God above
For sharing His eternal love !
The snow is falling all around
And multi-layered on the ground
The trees are wearing crowns of white
There’s ne’er a color in our sight.
It hasn’t stopped since yesterday
How long before this goes away
Outside the windows all you see
Is winterscape infinity.
The rooftops all seem burdened too
The eaves resemble an igloo
No matter where the eye may fall
The world outside is white o’er all !
The world outside’s pristine and white
A sparkling, glistening joyous sight
There’s not a single moving thing
That to each surface snow won’t cling.
All silence shouts with one accord
Let’s take a moment to afford
God’s challenge that He brings to us
In life and times too glorious.
How little do we know or care
About this heritage we share
For all we love is there to see
The power of His majesty !
I hear the music in my head
With words not always quite as clear
Since I arise from my small bed
All full of love and void of fear.
The world around us is a joy
Its grandeur overwhelms me so
Like all the comforts we employ
With all the treasure God may show.
The length of time and how we knew
However long, His mystery
No matter now what e’er we do
None may escape life’s symphony !
There was a man that I used to know
He was my gardener long ago
A man of honor and good intent
Who said exactly just what he meant.
True, I knew he was a man of God
And back in those days that was not odd
He went about his work with great ease
His goal in life was to help and please.
A kindly man full of deep respect
Not an inch of ground did he neglect
His parting words I can still recall
They never changed, no not once at all.
He taught me a lesson that does survive
” See you tomorrow, if I be alive ” !
THANK YOU, JOHN ATANASIO !
Across the meadows of the sky
The scattered clouds are drifting by
Like puffs of cotton hung in space
All seeming to be out of place
The clouds diminish one by one
Until the skies of day are done !
Mocking bird, mocking bird, sing me your song
Help keep me amused through all the day long
Sing me a garrulous tune with your notes
Including for me, your mocking bird quotes,
Love your clear whistle each morning I hear
Wishing me well with an earful of cheer !
When I was young I used to pray
That I would be a mom one day
I’d raise my offspring to be good
And do the things that children should.
I’d hoped that we’d fulfill the dream
It was a lock or so it seemed
The angels watched from up above
And filled their heads with care and love.
But love is not enough to save
Each one of them from perils grave
There is no way that we may know
Wherein life’s tragedies will grow.
In winds of war or illness great
Who knows the time or day or date ?
Of all the joys I’ve ever known
The ones I treasure as my own
Are those that I have always spent
Enclosed under God’s earthly tent !
Days when I’m sure I can’t go on
Because the pain is never gone
It tries my patience and my faith
But love of God keeps my heart safe.
And if I keep believing thus
Another day is one more plus
I must have hope to stir my soul
And make tomorrow my next goal !
The wind is in the willows
The birds are on the wing
While lazing here on pillows
My heart begins to sing.
The year is growing older
Before long twill be spring
My will is growing bolder
In spite of winter’s sting.
My faith begins increasing
In every way it may
With all my fears releasing
The burden of each day !
Oh gentle beast, I see you there
Alone close by your hidden lair
The winter’s been and is half gone
Tis soon the season will march on.
Those little ones who have survived
Must learn right now to keep alive
To run and hide and secret be
Escaping this hostility.
Oh what a lesson life does teach
To all who would adulthood reach
In fact, we know the truth is cruel
This gift of life’s not meant for fools !
I really don’t know how to hide
This sadness that I feel inside
I’ve tried so hard to do it right
E’en though I’m lost, night after night.
The ache is there and won’t subside
And all because my child has died
Love’s all we’ve got no matter what
The grief remains though we may not.
I love you now, I always will
Until my heart at last is still !
The sun has risen o’er the eaves
As shards of light do patterns weave
And all the limbs and branches seen
Cast shadows on each window screen.
Oh let the joy of morning sun
Enter each window one by one
To spread the light and share the heat
That sunshine brings when e’er we meet !
Oh little lamb you are to me
A symbol of God’s charity
Your wooly hair and all your curls
Reminds me of our knits and purls
In early spring you sacrificed
So we’d have garments warm and nice.
A pair of soft and wooly socks
Or sweater set that really rocks
Paired with wool tights tucked in the boots
While shearling-gloved hands pulled up roots
You’ve mown the lawn there as you eat
And trampled turds with your hoofed feet
You’ve closer gathered when it’s cold
And seem to live to be quite old !
Oh how I’ve wished I had a friend
Who’d bide with me until the end
Or take the time to sup with me
Share coffee, tea and company.
How sure am I God’s always there
Anxious to learn He’ll constant care
No matter what the issue is,
Because I am forever His ?
I promise that I never will
Betray His trust or doubt His skill
He is the Master I adore
The Friend that I’ve been waiting for !
It is quite tiresome when one stops to think
The world outside waits trembling on the brink
We may all wish there was another way
To blink our tears and sadnesses away.
But how can we effect a change indeed
When most struggle with this same care or need
Oh faint of heart, who lack the push to start
Back up your strength and all your will impart !
Can you feel the chill that’s in the air
Do you sense its power everywhere
Will it burrow in and move about
As it spreads its wings both in and out ?
There’s a pendulum that keeps apace
Of all the matters each one must face
Sometimes the pressure becomes too great
Or an answer comes when it’s too late
Truth is I really would chose to be
Included in God’s serenity !
When I was but a child of three
My nana made costumes for me
Because I danced upon the stage
At such a very early age.
It was the time of childhood stars
And “black and whites” bout men from Mars
Now my grandpa, he sure could tap
He’d dance till dawn if people clapped.
It seemed so natural to me
To imitate what I did see
For years I danced my heart away
And if I could, I would today !
AT THE AGE OF 2 ( 1933 ) I BEGAN TAP LESSONS WITH
THE SWIFT SISTERS ON WASHINGTON ST. HOBOKEN, NJ
MY SISTER ( 9 YEARS YOUNGER ) STUDIED WITH BEN
BLUE AND RUBY KEELER AT JOURNAL SQUARE, J.C. STUDIO
ALL MY SONS STUDIED WITH BETTY BYRD HOCTOR IN
HOHOKUS, N.J. FOR THEIR EARLY YEARS AND MOVED ON TO
FRED KELLY’S STUDIO ON KINDERKAMACK ROAD IN ORADELL
FOR ADVANCED LESSONS. HE WAS GENE KELLY’S BROTHER !
THEY ALL DANCED AND STILL DO !
Today’s the day for hearts and flowers
Along with Cupid’s finest hours
You’ll get a posey, two or three
And have a pleasant day, you’ll see.
Saint Valentine has long been gone
Replaced by Walmart’s gift coupon
Tis silly thus to celebrate
If all is not to be first rate.
Let’s wait to learn what will come next
And pray it’s not some silly text !
The snow has covered all the ground
There’s not another soul around
Our world of white is drowning in
A swirl of ice and sleet and wind.
There is no color anywhere
Except for trees whose limbs are bare
And evergreens both small and tall
Whose silouettes display it all.
This winter beauty that we see
Will fade away eventually !
Gone from all sight are the autumn leaves
We hear the wind, it attacks the eaves
The ice does crackle across each lawn
A small sparrow chirps, move on, it’s dawn.
The clouds are laden in shadowed sky
Let’s pray this storm quickly passes by
It’s the time of year the branches break
While plants that sleep have too much at stake
Tis the moment all must carry on
Since we have spring to depend upon !
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| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
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| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | 31 | ||||
Claire V. Bogdanos 