I do not wish to live in fear
I cannot see the sense
I’d will the terror disappear
Such thoughts are too intense.
I do believe God would agree
I’ll speak for the defense
His love will keep us safe and free
We are His innocents.
DATELINE: HOBOKEN, NJ, USA “SHOELESS” ( 2013 ) 2013/10/31
Coming of age In the 30’s and 40’s was a difficult time. Prohibition, depression, poverty and the threat of a world wide war was a formidable venue to thrust upon one generation. Between the desolation caused by the Dustbowl and the epidemic of Infantile Paralysis along with Diptheria and Rheumatic Fever, we were a nation under siege. Remembering that penicillin did not surface until mid 1940’s, near the close of World War Two. We survived because we believed in our God, our country, our flag and ourselves ! Small wonder the fates worshipped at our feet but we were too practical and honest in those days to pay them much attention. Through the years my mother had this standard answer to any complaints visited upon her. It was, “I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.” This obvious reference to conditions of the era affected my outlook for a lifetime as once again her secular 8th grade education proved the power of common sense. I now gift you with her closing line that echoes still, “this too shall pass.”
Sincerely, Claire B.
THE DAWN ( 2013 ) 2013/10/30
Welcome winds whisper sweet nothingness in my ear
While silent shards of sunlight pierce the shadows sphere
The morn has whisked away the demons of the night
And left untouched the eagerness of early light.
Thus begins anew the cycle which shall revive
Perhaps that character we all need to survive
Another day, another time, another place
Imagining the fragile dawn of human race.
EARLY WINTER ( 2013 ) 2013/10/29
Winter wind your chill voice calls
I hear the echoes through the halls
They wail and blow and heave and sigh
What will be autumns short reply ?
This season new bursts on the scene
Assuring us much to be gleaned,
Spine tingling cold and freezing rain
Historic storms without restrain.
Undaunted now I cannot wait
As day and night participate
The wind blows wild as snowflakes fall
Soon ice and snow will bury all !
THE QUESTION ( 2013 ) 2013/10/28
I’m on a journey I’m traveling alone
The passage is slow and the cast is unknown
It’s terribly far and sometimes it’s too dark
I must carry on though its outcome is stark.
I’ve been on this road for a very long time
How I wish it would end it’s such a steep climb
My spirit is weary more so with each day
When I’ve reached the conclusion I’ll kneel and pray.
It’s a cumbersome thought that now piques the mind
At the finish of life what is it we’ll find ?
HERITAGE ( 2013 ) 2013/10/27
I’ve no dreams of great eloquence or grace
My heart just sings to view your laughing face
Such joy it carries to my simple heart
Enough to give my day a blessed start.
I’m sure this love that spreads is whole and real
And feeds the courage of the hope I feel
That you’ll turn out to be the finest lad
With kindly thoughts and deeds as did your dad.
KEEP SAFE ( 2013 ) 2013/10/26
Is there some place that we may hide
With God to keep us calm inside
Free from the fear of aging pace
Another trial or pain to face,
Or distant battle to be fought
Within this web in which we’re caught ?
We’d like to think there is an end
In which both fear and hope will mend
To keep us whole and safe from harm
There in the crook of God’s vast arm !
LAST FAREWELL ( 2013 ) 2013/10/25
What shall we do
When winter calls
And those we knew
Leave empty halls ?
Secure the door
We’ve wandered thru
They’ll tred no more
Within our view.
The place they’re bound
Is far away
It can’t be found
No, not today.
We’ll need a break
And patience there
It may just take
A special prayer.
INTO THE BREACH ( 2013 ) 2013/10/24
The night is cool and the wind is swift
As the breezes spin and twirl and lift
Reaching far above the chimneys rise
Into the breach between earth and skies.
Where does it lead as we make our way
What will we do there, what can we say ?
Searching the hearts of one another
We’ve still wisdom left to uncover,
It’s crucial to pause when growing old
Keep images clear and courage bold
Accepting lifes role doing our best
Waiting in line, Gods ultimate test !
RENEWAL ( 2013 ) 2013/10/23
You’ll find the joy of life can be
The doorway to great ecstasy
In which reigns love without delay
And peace that is sweet freedoms way.
The huge forgiving loving Heart
That welcomes your new second start,
A gift now bought with no disdain
Can open doors to faith again.
It’s one to cherish with your strength
So it will last your lifetimes length.
COUNT TIME ( 2013 ) 2013/10/22
There are times when hours seem to fly
And those when minutes just crawl by
Hours, minutes, seconds building days
To give us time to mend our ways.
TAKE TIME ( 2013 )
Just one simple act in the course of each day
To keep hope alive and chase sadness away
A moment to pause and spend time with old friends
Sharing our love for God on whom life depends.
DATELINE: HOBOKEN, NJ, USA “IPSO FACTO” ( 2013 ) 2013/10/20
“We have met the enemy and he is ours”, Perry. What more can we add ? The history of this nation leaves one both amazed and aghast, a dichotomy of kindness and cruelty, of simplicity and barbarism. Who are we? The new Jerusalem or Hades personified or perhaps a bit of both ? Who IS the enemy ? “Not I” said the duck, “not I”, said the goose, oh well, someone is ! It was much less complicated when I was a girl ( early 40’s ) in the era of black and white films, the hero always wore the white hat, e.i. Gene Autry, and the villain wore black, with the exception of Hopalong Cassidy ! You see ? During World War Two the bad guy always had an accent and sported a glass monocle, today that would be called “profiling”. Who knew ? On a rainy Saturday you’d get a dime, a sandwich wrapped in wax paper and after chores, you’d go to the local cinema to spend the day, instead of the mall which had not yet been “imagined” or necessary ! The venue began with coming attractions, a comedy short, movietone news, serial episode, sports special, B film, cartoon and main attraction. Wow ! No Bingo on Saturday. However a 2 cent luxury tax was added later in the war. No one turned on the lights to empty the theatre between the showings, you simply took turns in the restrooms and returned to your seats on which you had left your sweater or jacket. How’s that grab you ? Care to try that today ? Don’t get me started on Dish Night, you”ll have to ask your grandma about that !
Sincerely, Claire B.
THE GIFTS ( 2013 )
The springtime gales that fill the sails of vessels out at sea
And bring the rain that nourishes the farmlands that is free,
Summer winds that fill the air with odors of faint perfume
The breath of ocean breezes blowing cross a sunlit room,
How wild the call of autumn rolls complete with heavy scents
Of chimneys belching forth the smoke from warm hearthfires intense
The winter storm that carries Mother Natures ice cold sleet
Staccato sounds ring all around like heavy crunching feet,
These are the gifts that God has wrought to bring us happiness
And to our lives has added all the blessings we possess.
We thank you God and go our way believing that we’ll earn
Our daily bread, our prayers are said awaiting our new turn.
PERSEVERE ( 2013 ) 2013/10/19
I wonder now if I was ever meant
To find lifes happiness and be content
Somehow the stars on high lost sight of me
Neglecting to secure my destiny.
While on my own I tried and failed alas
Each way I turned I met a wall of glass
I never gave up trying though I knew
It was so hard no matter what I’d do,
Until I found the Master of my fate
Who taught me that it never is too late.
THE BEST ( 2013 ) 2013/10/18
I walked about in my garden today
Speaking with plants in my casual way
Trimming the leaves and hand picking the weeds
Cutting dried pods and collecting the seeds.
I tried to converse with positive means
Praising their growth and the length of the beans.
I respect nature, I’m careful with words
Fondly addressing the vocal wild birds,
I make sure they get appropriate treats
Would I do less for broccoli and beets ?
I do have a secret I must confess
I think may add to my gardens success.
Leftover coffee with all of the grind
Mix with water in a pail of some kind
And ladled with love to sprinkle the rest
Has helped me to make my garden the best.
HISTORY ( 2013 )
The madness of war in which great battles were waged
Where brave men fought and died as their armies engaged
And those heroes who lived to the end of the day
Will fairly attest we need an alternate way.
But wars aren’t parried between equals as we
It’s usually twixt the enslaved and the free
Their combat continues while insanity reigns
Perhaps with our prayers we can salvage remains.
IRONY ( 2013 ) 2013/10/17
Oh Romeo, Romeo where have you gone
Seems there’s no love left to wish upon
Romance has fled its fate is unknown
While its happiness has all but flown.
Does this mean we’ve lost our chance at love
What hope is left to be dreaming of ?
You’ll text and tweet and speak on the phone
Yet after this you’re still home alone
The instant has passed and gone astray
You’ll have to wait for another day.
Would you rather live without surprise
Or find passion deep in someones eyes ?
You really don’t have a choice you’ll see
Finding love appears lost fantasy !
SWEET INNOCENCE ( 2013 )
I love the sound of children at play
It makes one smile and brightens the day
A little child is a golden gift
And sure to give ones spirit a lift,
With smiles so sweet and a tear or two
Their innocence and sheer trust in you
Gives one the courage to stand up tall
Unselfish and kind loving and all.
SKIES ( 2013 ) 2013/10/16
As a small child I stared in awe
At all the beauty that I saw
As each morn spread her fairy wings
Enchanting all with magic things.
Sunrise bled melting rainbows high
Wild colored spectrums in the sky
I’d spot the pictures in the cloud
Some here and there I’d name aloud.
When I was young and in my teens
I’d spied about a thousand scenes
The world was in an awful way
I knew because the skies turned gray.
Sometimes the clouds came rushing past
Above my head with visions vast
Then as the day approached its close
Sunsets glowed purples, plums and rose.
The brilliance faded all away
As night moved in to end the day
I’ve wondered where the color went
When after all the days were spent.
I miss the beauty that we had
It disappeared and left me sad
Today the sky is dull and bleak
And there’s an answer that I seek
Some lesson here that can be taught
Do skies reflect Gods precious thought ?
PATIENCE ( 2013 ) 2013/10/15
There’s never time to do the things you’ve always wanted to
Lifes journey seems to just run on until its turn is through.
As prayers are meant to ease the pain for most not only you
So dreams can’t be confined to nights, the days must also do.
While hope springs forth in many ways to help your wish come true
It takes awhile to grow a smile and have a laugh or two.
OLD FRIEND ( 2013 ) 2013/10/14
I’ll speak of death reluctantly as my old friend
Who seems to grasp farewell and hold on to the end
This silent one whom I have grown accustomed to
Is now my close companion ’til my life is through.
We have spent so much time in near proximity
I oft forget he’s there and is my enemy
I cannot quite recall the instant that we met
A sad time and dark place I’d hoped I could forget.
To realize that life can be so full of woe
Be quick to learn there is ought other space to go
The time has dwindled down to greet the end of days
When each of us must choose the path that goes or stays.
TOO SOON ( 2013 )
Too soon autumn’s child will appear
There in the fog he’ll disappear
Clad only in the fruits of fall
In orange, red, tan, rust and all
Colors lively shouting my name
Inviting me to join their game.
The air so clean it halts my breath
Speak not of season’s coming death
As flying leaves come tumbling down
To rest at last upon the ground.
There’s time still left to spar and play
We’ll make the best of each today
Before the chill of winter’s drive,
Too soon the snow and sleet arrive.
OCTOBER ( 2013 ) 2013/10/13
The autumn skies were like a dream
They filtered past in style supreme
Mirages drifting swiftly by
Such beauty poised in nighttime sky.
The stars all seemed to lose their place
Not one alone did shine their face
I looked above, the throbbing moon
Kept winking her half-eye too soon.
So in and out her light would go
Enchanting but I could not know
While wandering across the sky
That nights grew cold and crisp and dry.
This jumbled quilt of cotton clouds
Were gathering in random crowds,
I looked again there o’er my head
How may I touch, my senses said.
It caught my breath within my throat
I felt my heart begin to float
I thought perhaps that I might die
The world around came rushing by.
While watching here my brain grew numb
Impoverished and overcome
The wind was brisk the air inclined
To force the thoughts within my mind
Imprinted on my inner eye
To join those clouds still sifting by !
SADNESS ( 2013 )
The shades of night fall oh, so silently
Upon the dimmed remainder of each day
The telltale shadows here reminding me
Of another time and another way.
There was a place so far and long ago
Perhaps one might believe it never was
I lost my heart I prayed it did not show
Sadness follows loss, it quite often does.
This heart of mine that never fret a fear
May chance survive intact with small success
So full it cannot hold another tear
Or find a love it can at last possess.
SACRED HARMONY ( 2013 ) 2013/10/12
The dawn breaks bright and full of hope
And carries wisdom in its scope
Today can be victorious
A new beginning glorious.
Delighted that we have been heard
We’ll find our faith in sacred word
We’ve lost the joy that life should be
With treasured love and symmetry.
We’re sure it’s there we see the light
It gives us ease to view the sight
The lesson learned we must agree
To know God’s perfect harmony.
CONUNDRUM ( 2013 ) 2013/10/11
I feel so light I want to fly
On eagle wings into the sky
To some deep woodland far away
Where unseen creatures live and play.
To breathe the air our fathers knew
When times were kind and purpose true
There seek some spot with peace content
To ponder where our ethics went.
My arms will fail me if I try
The problem is that I don’t fly !
SEARCHING FOR GOD ( 2013 ) 2013/10/10
God has not lost us, we have failed Him
And all the angels and cherubim.
How did this happen, what could it be
Is this a puzzle or mystery ?
No merit how hard we really try
Who can determine the reason why !
While striving to do the very best
We need to put our faith to the test
And help to discover gentler days
Lead us again to walk in Your ways.
We must embrace humility first
Ere we may fill this essential thirst
Seeking forgiveness for trust that’s lost,
We’ll gain His love small matter the cost !
Claire V. Bogdanos 