I dare not teach you how to live
Or how much of yourself to give
I only know what I’ve been taught
That self respect cannot be bought.
To feel so good and love the Lord
To follow Him with one accord
Accept that He is always near
I’m not afraid for He is here !
Soon dark will come and curtains fall
I hear those faroff voices call
They speak to me of distant times
Of other places, other climes.
It brings to mind those yesterdays
When life seemed full of pleasant ways
And God and man together were
In league against old Lucifer.
But now all rules are cast away
As nearer moves our judgement day !
Such foolish works my eyes do see
Included in our destiny
We’ll visit Mars and plant a flag
And capture air there in a bag.
We’ll send a rocket into space
Perhaps to seek another place
And all the while back here on Earth
Most human lives have little worth.
I find it hard to understand
The ruling class lives large and grand
When millions die or have no choice
Who speaks for them with honest voice ?
A child of God I know I am
Our world consists of goats and sheep
I chose the life of gentle lamb
To closer be and safer keep.
It doesn’t matter where you are
Or who it is you think you know
Remember God is always there
He comforts you where’er you go.
How silly to be full of fear,
Have I forgotten who I am
I know my God is ever near
Because I am His loving lamb !
I said a prayer the other day
Help me to find a better way
To love my God and do His work
This is my wish I will not shirk,
That I must always humble be
If God should deign to walk with me.
Make truth and peace the goals I seek
In manner mild both kind and meek
I thank the Lord for all these gifts
This joyous heart His spirit lifts !
The night is father to the dream
And sanctity to those who scheme
Why is it that it must be so
That in the dark doth evil grow ?
The eyes of God see day and night
Where naught may hide from His keen sight
Thus Adam hid behind the tree
And covered his iniquity
But he was found and paid the price
Hence we have all lost paradise !
EXCUSE me, is there anyone out there who can remember “Myrt and Marge”, a soap vintage 30’s ? My early days were filled with these incredible programs; Helen Trent, Our Gal Sunday, When A Girl Marries, David Harum and of course The Shadow ! My dad and I were Shadow trekkies ! Oh, Lamont Cranston AKA the Shadow “knows what evil lurks in the heart of men”. HaHa, it didn’t take me long to learn that one, I guarantee ! The old wooden Philco with its static and truly lousy reception forced me to learn to fill in the empty spaces and I still do ! I loved my life all those years ago, we were family, we ate together, we sang together, we played together. We lived together ! Lots of joy not much stuff ! And that antiquated Philco on the side table reminds me of a searing memory of a day too many years past when a familiar voice began, “December 7th, 1941, a day that will live in infamy……..and it still does ! Sincerely, Claire B.
To those of you who read my stuff
I’ve no way to thank you enough
It makes me glad to think you care
It’s such a fragile world out there
So filled with loss and grief and pain
I will not come this way again !
Unless of course we have a change,
The present management is strange
I’d like to ask for their recall
Remembering I love you all !
The children that we leave behind
Aft we are gone away to find
That final place wherein we rest
There wait for those who ace the test
Thus be prepared to take the helm
Into their care within their realm !
We need the young to learn the task
And seek restraint within their grasp
To value faith keep God in mind
With open heart and bias blind
Reach out to those who hunger much
Receive God’s care and gentle touch !
The silence of the night is loud
There are no voices in the crowd
The hum of traffic silent now
And quiet rules the streets somehow.
But soon the dawn will bring the light
To once again renew the fight
I am so tired of all this mess
The burden’s heavy I confess !
Where’er I turn there is unrest
To north or south to east or west
One can’t find peace not anywhere
How shall we thrive in such despair ?
I wonder what to look for next
Will it be twitter, tweet or text
Or all the rallies in the streets
With slogans that the crowd repeats
Reminding me of scenes I’ve seen
From Planet of the Apes on screen.
What future will be left for us
If we escape this wild circus
I think that I begin to see
This is the new reality !
The children have all gone to bed
No lollipops are in their head
No sugar treats or pleasant dreams
Vampires are in right now it seems
Why are they born so very old
Like little men and ladies bold
What happened to our Jack and Jill
While tumbling down that famous hill ?
I think it’s called progressive time
And paid for with another’s dime
The truth is it’s been tried before
But failed to win or even score !
“Stand tall girls, girls stand tall” said she
This figure in my memory
All clad in jumper black with white
Her nasal tone would give a fright !
Gym teachers wore no curly hair
There was no inspiration there
Her glasses sat upon her nose
Her hands on waist her normal pose.
She was a figure much intense
She taught us well, in her defense
For all these years she does remain
This voice that echoes in my brain
Before I walk out my front door
“Stand tall girl” is my last encore !
………to Mrs. Schmidt, D.H.S.
Sweet Jesus smiled and took my heart
He gave my life a brand new start
There is no way I shall regret
The truth I’ve learned and won’t forget.
His patience lives forever here
He brings me joy and love and cheer
Each morn I wake and greet the day
I cannot wait my thanks to say !
For life is sweet, but sweeter still
Are dreams of hope time will fulfill
In God’s new world that’s yet to be
A world that brings eternity !
No flower sweet by any name
Shall diminish the roses’ fame
Her nest of petals circled round
Wherein the heart of love is found.
While velvet touch upon the cheeks
Doth wilt away when silence speaks
These precious words that do not last
Are gone as blooms must fade and pass,
The joy of early rosebuds’s blush
Will vanish with our breath’s last rush !
The trouble with us all I think
Is that we’re standing on the brink
Perched above precariously
Without knowledge of history.
Those stories that we have been told
Are simply that, just tales of old
Sometimes I find myself entranced
With mysticism so enhanced !
Oh how I wish that I’d been there
When Rapunzel let down her hair,
Or hiding in the robber’s cave
Where Ali Baba was a knave.
Now Cinderella had it hard
To clean that house and tend the yard
Or do you think Snow White had worse
With all those dwarfs and witch’s curse ?
Today I find the world’s not changed
Some tales I hear are quite deranged
The problem is we’re told they’re true
What do you think, it’s up to you ?
If you feel lost, misunderstood
Divorced from God, devoid of good
Perhaps your prayers can interfere
And help your faith become more clear !
Whate’er you do there is this fact
Your poor behavior will detract
From any help you may receive
If you continue to deceive !
For God’s all seeing, ever kind
You need to leave your angst behind
His grace is there reach out your hand
Beg His mercy He’ll understand !
EXCUSE me, in the past weeks I have had another one of my inconvenient strokes, 28 or 29, I can’t remember ! So I followed my routine, packing my trusty bible and necessities in a small bag as I checked into the ER of the Hoboken University Medical Center on Third Street where I am a frequent flyer since 1978. I’ve had 2 major strokes, 3 DVT’s, and sundry TIA’s which help explain both my wheelchair and passion for prayer ! My experience at this former Franciscan Facility has managed to be a bright spot in an otherwise frightening environ for many years. However I really do miss the old nuns who were an integral part of the staff since the hospital’s inception in 1863. (Civil War). Now that the last of the nuns, Sister Theresa, has been permanently transferred to the Motherhouse Retirement Home out of state, an era has come to an end ! She was a longtime acquaintance, sorely missed, who referred to me as Phil Casella’s friend ( he being a 3rd order Franciscan )! I’ve been okay with that recommendation ! We’ve been friends for almost 40 years, and known to most as Mrs. B. since my family and I fed Hoboken for mega years and that included clergy, doctors, police, fire fighters, Maxwell House, politicians, Stevens Institute, Tetley Tea, Hostess Cake, Continental Can to mention a very few ! Who remembers historic HOBOKEN House ? The staff at Hoboken Hospital is a true Americana mix, Hispanic, Indian, Filipino, Sihk, Czech, Russian, Korean, Asian, Irish, Greek, Italian, Black to name a few ! First time I needed St. Mary was spring 1957 when my son Matthew suffered severe skull fracture, successfully treated by my hero the late Dr. Sam Critedes ! This is a very busy place with 1st floor heroes Geraldine, Alba and Barry, et al, knowledgeable and caring. The ER has both Ria, Maria, Jason and scads of others deserving kudos for their attention and concern. I am fond of the staff on the 4th floor ( monitors only ) HaHa ! Where Charlotte, Amos, Minnie, Pattie, Diana, Paolo hold sway ! Mustn’t forget dietitians, kitchen staff and others who cook once-over-easy to die for ! Well I’m home now recuperating and forever grateful to all of those great professionals ! Thanks a lot ! Sincerely, Claire B.
I’ve wandered in this distant place
And seen the fear that strangers face
I wondered how the human race
Could live and work midst such disgrace !
I can’t accept that they should be
Lost victims of indignity
To bear all this with family
And have no exit strategy !
Instead of blasting music loud
And sidewalk lounging in a crowd
Strive hard to make your children proud
Reach out to God, your faith avowed !
A child of God he walked my way
I bid him come he could not stay
The lamb he held its fleece was white
The coat it glistened in the night
Where do you go with tethered lamb,
“To find out who it is I am
With this my gift to sacrifice
I beg my God give his advice
Long time ago I learned that He
Forever was my destiny !”
There was a child who wandered far
To chase that bright elusive star
He jumped and leapt to catch the light
That paled the shadows of the night
And took his heart to worlds beyond
With meadows lush and mystic pond.
He sallied forth in vesture grand
To greet each day with outstretched hand
He took the chance to dream anew
To open doors, to life be true
While all the time the hope grew strong
He’d find the spot where he belonged !
There is a book of memory
That lately keeps me company
There are no pages written down
No photos, slides or CD sound.
My book remembers days gone by
Where I have laughed or I did cry
Lost faces that no longer are
Have left to visit God afar.
We all must make that trip one day
And could use help along the way
Until the moment we are done
Those memories are what we’ve won !
EXCUSE me, do you remember RAGAMUFFIN parades ? They occurred on Thanksgiving Day, after church services but before dinner usually at 3 PM. Yes, we did go to church in the old days ! Then ran home to quickly change into our raggedy outfits needed to do our begging, remembering the obligatory shopping bag ! The proper question as friendly doors opened, “anything for Thanksgiving ?” Remember this was the 30’s, the Great Depression and hunger was common in the streets. Believe me this was so, but it made us LEAN and tolerant and kind ! The goodies we received were homemade and unwrapped, cookies, muffins, cupcakes along with apples or raisins and Mary Janes or other. This was all about food, silly ! However in better off neighborhoods, you might receive nickel or dime ! You carried a shard of soapstone to mark the sidewalks or front gates of generous donors. Soapstone the chalk of choice used to draw HOPSCOTCH boxes on cement sidewalks culled from city dumps like hundreds of other items we rescued ! While railroad tracks played a large part in some economies, collecting coal from between the rails to fuel the black iron stoves at home needing only a container of sorts and work gloves ! We scrounged in small groups after school, most trains ran on coal-fed engines. There was NO racism in the debris-field of my early years ! The Great Depression was the equalizer among the masses. And we all loved our Eleanor, I believe we still do ! Happy Thanksgiving ! Sincerely, Claire B.
Our country’s heart is in a vise
This should not come as great surprise
I’m sad we are a nation lost
With no truth to compute the cost.
The principles that we once had
Have lost their way and turned to bad
The wolves have clad themselves like sheep
While foxes now the henhouse keep !
When Moses prayed upon the Mount
The people fled, their gold to count
They sinned and all their idols cast
But God knew best, they came in last !
When I think about all the old tales that I’ve told
I remember my aunt with the heart of spun gold
As she and great grandma shared the same tiny bed
I’d often thought they should use a pull-out instead !
When the mail would arrive we sure got a big thrill
For each card that she sent held a five dollar bill
She wrote penny postcards to us all every week
No one had a home phone upon which we could speak.
That way we could know just how the family was
As we lacked the means to give each other a buzz
Well by now it’s too late and I’m left all alone
How I wish I could call them today on God’s phone !
The winter winds that spewed unrest
Will shrink and swell within the breast
They swallow air and gasp for breath
Like symptoms of impending death.
How shall we rise from ashes here
This phoenix lost must reappear
It was and once consumed by fire
Revives anew its past expired !
The door of life now slowly closes
Where I am gone please send no roses
For on the stem they live must be
Their petals strewn their fragrance free
To float upon the air or breeze
To swirl or stay where’er they please !
Then place no stone upon my face
I crave no words to mark my space
But on the wind my ashes fly
To seek my God who bides on high
Let no one come to mourn for me
From life’s impact at last I’m free !
The muffled sounds rise from the street
Loud voices raised midst running feet
Mankind has truly lost its way
How shall the children learn to play ?
What kind of anger fills the air
What would you do if you were there ?
There is a God who sees all clearly
Time is come we shall pay dearly
The truth of all it makes no sense
Trust in God’s law our last defense !
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Claire V. Bogdanos 