I am alive and well
And oh, such truth to tell
I seek one last foray
Into the fading gray.
Too soon the dark must call
While nighttime covers all
Obscuring all the rest
To take God’s final test !
LEFT BEHIND ( 2014 ) 2014/02/11
While childhood does so quickly pass
Those lessons learned forever last
A child has eyes that seek the truth
And caring heart that needs no proof.
The child does not a judgement make
Based on reports both real and fake
The honest world of children knows
That “thank you” works and kindness shows.
Why do we lose this simple touch
When older grown we’ve learned so much ?
What we have lost and left behind
Is innocence we’ll never find !
MY HANDS ( 2014 ) 2014/02/09
Here in the deepest reaches of my mind
I treasure all the happiness I find
The chaos of this world about me flies
Encouraging a weakness faith denies.
While each new day must make me stronger now
The battle looms ahead that won’t allow
My trembling hands to fumble as I play
Instead I’ll clasp them tighter as I pray.
The Lord will guide me in this need I’m sure
To help me find one goal that is secure
Direct my hands to forge a brand new start
And bless me with His kind and loving heart.
SURVIVAL ( 2014 ) 2014/02/08
The mourning dove and I have been
Observing each and much akin
Our lives as such kept company
In times of hope and liberty.
The wings of birds do restless fly
Across the width and length of sky
To search for truth and wonder how
We each survived from then to now.
I cash my chips with grateful ease
And beg my God to help me please
This is my stand and once for all
I’ll answer to survivals call !
GOD’ S PALETTE ( 2014 ) 2014/02/06
We search for the rainbow to show
These colors wherever we go
The blue for the calm of the sky
The yellow to keep our hope high
Green to remind us of rebirth
And brown like the color of earth.
There’s purple to honor our love
Of God and the angels above
While red brings great passion to life
With orange to challenge the strife.
Now lavender favors our past
The pink helps the sweetness to last.
The chartreuse works to calm the mind
But aqua seeks patience to find
The peach has a wonderful glow
And the gray, the wisdom to know.
I think the magenta’s the best
It outshines the whole of the rest
I wonder if God wore a coat
Would pale lily capture His vote ?
LAST CALL ( 2014 )
I have climbed to the top of the mountain
I have waded the impossible stream
I have suffered through a lifetime of pain
And been part of the American dream.
I have held myself in parade proudly
And have determined that God made us all
I shall answer the last call profoundly
Be it the spring, summer, winter or fall.
LOST INNOCENCE ( 2014 )
I thought myself alone one day
When voices soon came out to play
They called my name and cheered me on
Return with them to times long gone.
I dreamt I was transported back
To childhoods trust and angers lack
To days of joy when friendships grew
And sharing dreams were things we knew.
Then I awoke to noise and din
Into our world engrossed in sin
I wish I knew how to return
To that safe place of love and learn !
PAST IMAGES ( 2014 )
There dimly through the window seen
Vast veils of snow upon the green
Old visions of once long ago
Gave credence to the falling snow.
Seems time has lost its human face
That haunted every special place
And greets us all in manner same
Small difference in stance or name.
Snow laden folk in iced disguise
With runny nose and sparkling eyes
Were there to greet us as we passed
Lost images in looking glass.
I’m sad those days have flown away
This world is cold and dark and gray !
THE BELLMAN ( 2014 ) 2014/02/05
The bells ring out with such joyful sound
The bellmans feet scarce touch the ground
He performs the chore his very best
His effort seems to outdo the rest.
What a happy face he shows to God
As he pulls those cords so extra hard,
What a wond’rous place for us to be
To share this path to eternity !
ONE DAY ( 2014 )
As danger raps upon the door
To warn me of times settling score
I face the fact that fate won’t wait
Until a more convenient date.
I chuckle now and make a joke
Why must I go, I don’t feel broke ?
A bit of pain just here and there
I won’t complain, I grin and bear.
But time and I have got a date
I know the rules we can’t be late,
To come the day I’ll close my eyes
And it will be one big surprise !
THE HEART REMEMBERS ( 2014 )
The times have come the times have gone
Some times were good and some forlorn
The heart remembers with a smile
The days that made our lives worthwhile.
The gentle deeds and loving word
Our ears with gratitude have heard
Are not forgot but linger long
And in our minds repeat the song
That angels in the clouds on high
Will echo till the day we die
That God is love not foolish pride
And comforts us from deep inside !
THE TRUTH ( 2014 ) 2014/01/28
I have placed my life in God’s hand
Hoping to glimpse the promised land
Like Moses on that magic spot
Who saw the place but entered not.
Just the distant sight of it all
Is enough to lift lifetimes pall
For in the end when truth is known
Each of us reaps what we have sown.
LONG GOODNIGHT ( 2014 ) 2014/01/26
I think I have come to the end of my dreams
Was it but pretend, because that’s how it seems.
I’m not sure I know what the next step will be
But whatever it is Lord tarry with me
Forgive my failures and stay close by my side
As I slowly begin the last of my ride.
I’ve traveled so far on my journey of light
It’s time now to enter that final goodnight.
The sound of voices I love may twist the rules
Belief otherwise is the substance of fools.
ENOUGH ( 2014 ) 2014/01/25
What shall we do this blessed day,
We’ll walk with God along the way
And tred the path to long ago
When kindly thoughts did ebb and flow.
We’ll take a moment here and there
Remembering the love we shared
And try to keep our dreams alive
While unrelenting powers thrive.
When we have chosen every word
The angels up above have heard
And tasted both wins and defeat
Then may our hearts decline to beat !
VALUE ( 2014 ) 2014/01/23
We dwell upon this chaotic earth
With no understanding of our worth
We twirl about and chance fantasize
There exists much more than meets the eyes !
None but God knows the fabric within
That fosters depth and thickness of skin
And softens the odd thoughts that we think
On return from adversity’s brink.
God has the knowledge of all our tasks
And the simple truth is what He asks
To live with respect and do your best
Depend on Him to secure the rest !
SHADOWS IN THE SNOW ( 2014 ) 2014/01/22
These criss-cross tracks seen from o’erhead
The only sign our eyes have read
Some lonely truck half-cased in snow,
No telltale signs that we should know
How drivers found their safe escape
In this abandoned stark snowscape !
The storm continues wild and wet
How long before the wind will let
The drifts abate and settle down
So we may trudge on solid ground ?
I love the snow its smell and feel
Reminding us of all that’s real
One more facet of God’s great love
That shadows us from up above !
BUGLES CALL ( 2014 ) 2014/01/20
The God I know is good and kind
The world outside is deaf and blind
The rules of life are cast aside
And compromised by greed and pride.
The little that we know and fear
Won’t aid us as the time grows near
To make that one decision bold
Wherein the final truth is told.
God’s love will triumph over all
When bugles sound the last roll call
I’d like to be excluded from
Anathemas old curse and sum !
MORNING MOON ( 2014 ) 2014/01/19
I looked outside into the sky
And in the west there shone this eye
So round and full and bright and white
Set in blue sky mid morning light.
I find it strange the two should meet
Like passing strangers on a street
I think that God employs surprise
Morning magic as we arise !
How much more ere we each depart
Will He reveal to trusting heart
To prove to us omnipotence
Is His alone in every sense ?
VISION ( 2014 ) 2014/01/18
The fog encases all I see
As snowflakes strive to rapid flee
By tempest tossed chased in their flight
They cloud the sky and dim the light.
How clean and white the ground appears
While buried in God’s frozen tears
This fragile thought has crossed my mind
Perhaps the wind will purpose find
And churn the storms of faith about
Ensuring lives remain devout.
DATELINE: HOBOKEN, NJ, USA “COLOR” ( 2014 ) 2014/01/17
THIS A.M., I wakened early to visions of streets trod by nodding smiling people, assorted ages, sizes and in various shades of color, now that’s Hoboken ! Frankly even if you are a stranger, almost all seem to nod or greet in some mild fashion both with the familiar and occasional “homeless” . Here we are more than three and a half centuries after our initial encounter with resident Native American Indians. Can you imagine such camaraderie ? We have gone from Ho-Ho-Hoboken to a town where the cost of living space has tumbled to a low of $ 500. per finished square footage due to struggling economic times ! For those of us who have survived the Great Depression the dichotomy is astounding, not to mention, overwhelming ! Yet the homeless are with us still. I have become convinced that they may be the last extension of our society that remains impervious to the color GREEN ! HaHa ! But I digress, this is a place of many languages and dialects since it’s inception but grows even more divers daily and all in one friendly mile, which we happily share with the Cake Boss !! On that sweet note I wish to remind you that Hoboken WAS the home of Hostess Cake and Tootsie Roll when I was a little girl ! Sincerely, Claire B.
GENOCIDE ( 2014 ) 2014/01/16
We can’t forget the children small
Whose portraits hang upon a wall
Of some far place we cannot see
Where angels guard their memory.
These little ones have paid the price
For madness and insane device
Of men who have no mind to care
About young lives and whom they spare.
Pray God soon acts to right the wrong
And beg it will not take so long.
THE PRICE ( 2014 ) 2014/01/15
My heart cries out it’s full of pain
To think that we’re at war again
We search for calm it isn’t there
The world still writhes in deep despair
When will it cease the unknown crime
This war on peace destroys our clime,
Oh why is man so incomplete
Unable to accept defeat ?
We’ve lost all sense in this foray
Will we survive another day
The question rises to the fore
From day to day who keeps the score,
The boy who grows to be a man
To love his God and have a plan
Or one who scatters discontent
No matter what the message sent ?
Who is to judge the final test
And weigh the cost of such unrest ?
MY PARADISE ( 2014 ) 2014/01/14
A hopeful dream has piqued my mind
If I seek God what shall I find ?
A treasure trove of caring thought
With acts of love in kindness taught
Great patience gathered all around
While simple truths and peace abound,
The joy that bides with one each day
And faith that carries fear away
The gentle calm believing brings
And happiness where gladness sings.
DATELINE: HOBOKEN, NJ, USA “WAKE UP” ( 2014 ) 2014/01/13
TODAY is one of those days, remarkable and reassuring, a day to renew my connection with American values! A day to believe that we can rise above the chaos of our declining society with unfailing faith in our humanity. I have spent a number of hours in the last few days in the company of what I found to be a cohesive family, gathering for a wedding. How comfortable to witness old fashioned affection ! It brought back memories of my childhood and those wonderful family togethers by the lake, by the beach, in the park. Doesn’t everyone recall one magic occasion ? What is the fascination with immediate gratification of all of our senses when we leave no opening for that spectacular surprise or chance occurrence. Where did we lose anticipation ? Oh, Santa will you become the next victim of expediency ? As a small child, Christmas Eve filled our home with varied relatives, there would be rapping on the front window, a jingling of sleigh bells on the porch and as the curtain was pulled aside, the sight of a jolly person in a red hat waving a big red sack ! It took a few years and a new home before I realised that it was my cuddly and chubby aunt in a homemade costume who came calling, I know, I know, Alice in Wonderland ! I believe HER family WAS dysfunctional ! But aren’t we all just a bit, who wants to be perfect ? Such a heavy burden to bear ! I found it delightful to wake up to a brief spate of normalcy these few days in the Sheraton on the Hudson. HAHA !! Sincerely, Claire B.
GOD’S CHOICE ( 2014 ) 2014/01/12
The morning dew collects upon the petals of the rose
The leaves that fall into the stream drift as the water flows
The breeze that greets the newborn morn may whisper ever sweet
As birdlings in their parents nest await their early treat.
I’d like to think that men are bold and to their faith keep true
It might just be my fondest dream it would be me and you
The dearest hope I can conceive is one which makes Him glad
These must be joys that God does love and will not make Him sad.
DATELINE: HOBOKEN, NJ, USA “DOGGIE-DOO” ( 1984 ) 2014/01/11
EXCUSE ME, is that your dog poop on my sidewalk ? Sound familiar ? Rumor has it that one of our more visible brownstoners arose early one morning recently, wearing cap and woolplaid mackinaw, bearing spade in hand with a determined grin, approached the stoop, ladling animal excreta on same. I guess that he experienced momentary satisfaction in the act, relieving pentup frustrations of the past week. However one performance does not a cure make. I recall my own first night, a cold and snowy holiday eve many years ago. Sometimes I think I’ve never lived anywhere else, so assimilated have I become. To continue, after a 30 year exile in suburbia, HOBOKEN was a culture shock. I had a dog, a large dog, oversized and overfed who required a walk ! I grabbed a robe, slipped on scuffs, proceeded down the stairway and out into the night, dog and all. Once outside I reflected on the foolishness of my action, good grief, it was 3AM and the local bars were emptying out, all it appeared on my block ! Tightly clutching one fleece robe, sloshing through the snow, I “toughed” it out walking that dog with my heart pounding madly all the while muttering to myself hoping the passersby would think “maybe she’s crazy. Finally returning to my doorway, dignity challenged but intact, vowing to teach him in the very near future to use paper ! There’s a real need to provide dog walking areas, they do that in European cities out of necessity. Perhaps someday here ! Excuse me, for the moment I have to buy the Times. Sincerely, Claire B. PS. This in memory of Leo Perez, a dear friend and owner of the mackinaw who left us so young.
PLEASURES ( 2014 )
The rain that falls upon this place
The breeze that blows upon ones face
The leaves that flutter to the ground
The winds that rustle all around
The stars o’erhead that twinkle bright
The clouds that hustle day and night
The seas that play against the shore
The waves that feed the oceans roar
These things that keep our minds awake
Gods gifts that do our pleasures make !
WISDOM ( 2014 ) 2014/01/10
The storms of life ride on the winds and round again
While noses pressed upon the frosted window pane
As closely as one can should sight the lights below
Of cars that creep and crawl and skid in midnight snow.
The safety and the eloquence of night time charm
Encouraged to protect us from intrinsic harm
Far wiser to outwait the storm and greet its end
Than try to force a circumstance and not unbend !
Claire V. Bogdanos 