Have you seen the trouble we are in
Our world’s tilted and in a spin
We’re upside down, we’ve lost our way
There’s nothing left for us to say.
We are not what we used to be
Our freedom is no longer free
The world we’ve known has disappeared
Transformed by lies and avid fear !
There is this battle that I fight
From early morn straight through the night
It is a war I cannot win
Sometimes I think I should give in
But that is not left up to me
And leaves no option I can see.
As much as I may choose to stay
Such choices do not pass my way
My God supreme does have control
O’er conscience, body, heart and soul
And He alone does make the choice
To stop my heart or still my voice !
Be still my heart, I hear your beat
And from my forehead to my feet
The numbness reaches to my toes
Tis strange the way this feeling grows.
At times my heart seems in my throat
I think that I could almost float
The fear it rises, comes and goes
When will this end, nobody knows.
But God’s here standing by my side
He holds my hand, He is my ride
I know that He is still my strength
However long be my lifes length !
The night is dark and lonesome too
I toss and turn and wonder who
Besides myself senses unrest
No matter if I do my best,
I really try so very hard
To conquer fear and trust in God
Seems like this world is so intense
There’s no room left for self defense !
The air is charged with thoughts intense
What shall we do in our defense
The days are numbered who can say
Who will the hero be today ?
Will they be travelling on a horse
Or sailing on a separate course
And will this choice affect our lives
Of course it must one does surmise ?
Let’s pray that God is on our side
Along life’s road He’ll be our guide
We need to take our country back
Stay safe from harm and all attack !
I wish that I could gift to you
A dreamcatcher to get you through
The darkest night or scary day
And carry all your fears away.
To bring you quiet through each night
So your nightmares would all take flight
As angels hovered o’er your bed
To leave you peace and love instead !
. ( SEE – LAKOTA SIOUX )
The mind has trod a narrow path
With subtle warnings nature hath
Endowed the shadows of the past
In tyrannies that failed to last.
We find ourselves in madness caught
Another lesson to be taught
Insanities surround us all
How shall we answer to the call ?
Our lives so very full of pain
When shall we feel alright again ?
Now I have trod a long, long road
Upon my mind this heavy load
My burden is too great to bear
I can’t be sure if I’ll get there
It is Your help I’m searching for
A beggar here outside Your door.
I only hope that You will hear
My urgent plea upon Your ear
And comfort me so that I know
I shall have peace before I go
As You assume the burden of
A mother’s last unfettered love !
See all the pieces on the ground
What is this image we have found
The damaged parts of each lost soul
All crumpled bare without a goal.
Now where did all of this begin
From far away or quite close in
For this is what a war will do
Tear all apart that once were two
A war is such a vengeful thing
And wears no peace upon its wing !
The trumpets sound, drums beat away
The voices have so much to say
Is this the future soon to come
What is it we are fleeing from ?
Is there some place that we may hide
From all the fears we’ve deep inside
Pick up the pieces, stand up tall
Let’s learn to walk before we fall !
Now words are just those thoughts we say
Aloud to help us make our way
Around this world that shelters us
From acts too vile or ominous.
It seems the crass and most unjust
Use voices louder than they must
And overshout the gentle souls
To stop us reaching our true goals.
Let’s show them by one act supreme
They shan’t destroy our peaceful dream !
Of all the dreams I’ve ever had
……But one remains quite clear
The dearest one I do believe
……That God is very near.
He sees our woes and understands
……How fearful we must be
And promises to stay close by
……Until at last we’re free !
Rage, rage against the breaking dawn
Rage, rage against the coming storm
And silent let the pressure swell
Unto the world our sadness tell,
This story of its own demise
That happens here before our eyes.
For what is there the heart must ask
To bring to us a greater task ?
Our Lord in heaven see and hear
The ending grows too close, too near !
I feel the power of the storm
It’s crying out, move on, move on
The wind it lashes through the trees
And carries off all of the leaves.
The rain in torrents pouring down
Reminds us that we all could drown
Oh what a fear that we must bear
Tomorrow’s sorrows, ours to share.
If we can make it past the night
And chance survive until daylight
Perhaps exists the hope that we
May live through this catastrophe !
There is a path that each must take before life’s walk is done
A lonely trek devoid of light and only trod by one
It’s filled with fear and saddened thoughts or is that how it seems
For who has not cried in the garden of forgotten dreams ?
There are those sounds heard in the fog
That to my mind do give a jog
Returning me to the high cliffs
O’erlooking down upon the ships
When youth did rule my growing years
As World War Two increased my fears.
I heard the buoys’ bells awake
Midst all the noises shipyards make
The fog was thick, the air intense
While all around signs of defense.
It was that time too many knew
When all our hopes seemed overdue
Though in the end our loss was great
Peace came at last and not too late !
All through my life I shall recall
Those balmy days that prefaced fall
The flippant breeze that slipped the waves
And carried voices from the graves,
Where are you love, where have you gone
What God is it you wait upon ?
Please tell me will we ever meet
Is death by war the last defeat,
Where is the day we know must come
Will God greet all or only some ?
I had a dream the other night
And woke from slumber with a fright
The late air whined it seemed to say
A storm is due some time today.
The wind rushed through the limbs of trees
And shuddered quickly in the breeze
The darkened clouds did hesitate
While all about were in a state
There in the gloom one ray of light
Did pierce the sky and caught my sight,
Perhaps the storm may change its mind
Now wouldn’t that be super fine ?
Close up the door turn out the light
The fire rages through the night
The world is mad it’s lost its way
There’s nothing more that one can say.
The mob has turned into the norm
Their anger has become the storm
Like Sodom was so long ago
The story told, who does not know.
Why have all been so very blind
There is no answer left to find
It’s too late now life’s gone astray
The end is here you’ve had your day.
Begin again as all must do
With millions gone there will be few !
Sometimes I wish that I could be
A cardboard angel on the tree
That’s packed away when Christmas ends
Into a box with all her friends !
Thence sleep in peace until next year
To waken there without a fear
Of haloes bent or wings half torn
When we rejoice on Christmas morn !
This dream’s been my attempt to flee
A life filled with uncertainty !
The only bears I’ve ever seen
Are in the zoo or on the screen
I’d like to think I’ll never meet
A single one out on the street !
Most bears are wild and roam about
They are quite large with scary snout
But if we met I’d stay quite calm
And slowly turn away from harm,
I’d try to walk with a loud sound
Or crunchy step upon the ground
Talking and praying as I flee
Hoping that he’s as scared as me !
The raindrops trickle down the pane
To leave a wet and foggy stain
Upon the windows of my room
That sometimes seem so full of gloom !
I glance around this world we know
And tremble as the terrors grow
What shall we do when we awake
How can we halt the coming quake ?
It’s sad that we have failed our friends
There’s no way left to make amends
And through the windows of my mind
There’s no solution I can find !
Oh little child, what have you known
Of loss and pain that is not shown
With all the chaos that you feel
How will you sense just what is real ?
Misfortune’s child wih life amiss
What happenings will you dismiss,
What patience can your nature find
To keep you safe and warm and kind ?
It must be stark to live each day
When no one’s there to guard your way
How can you bide in this bleak space
And keep God’s peace upon your face ?
As time goes by do you recall
Those yesteryears when you were all
Aglow with thoughts of what you’d be
In that bright world the hopeful see ?
Have you questioned why dreams get lost
Or wishes crushed and values tossed,
Or why one cannot sleep at night
Or dreads the coming of the light ?
The heart denies these fears exist
Yet still the lack of faith persists
While you alone must make the call
Your trust in God can conquer all !
Out of the depths of darkness old
The sound of voices harsh and cold
Do echo through the silent night
Reminding one of freedoms plight
Like loneliness the runner finds
Along a road that winds and winds.
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.
In this world full of people I’m thinking perhaps
The intelligent move to avoid all the traps
And nestle away in some contented disguise
Might be the direction to foil any reprise.
I’m afraid we’re remiss in our casual ways
And are earning the harvest of our reckless days
It’s a cumbersome load that we carry too fast
T’would be better to learn from mistakes of the past.
The emergency alarm bells rang out blaring the call to faculty and student body summoning all to the high school auditorium before noon on a warm spring day, April 12, 1945. This event was being repeated throughout our nation ! We pledged allegiance to the flag, sang the “Star Spangled Banner”, then bowed our heads for the morning prayer and took our seats. There were more than 1000 in attendance. A hush fell over the audience as Dr. John Connelly, a former Jesuit and our principal began to speak. He told us of our nation’s battle and the war effort, advising us to remain calm and to return to our homes to advise our families that our president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt had died that morning. The sound barely audible, gasps, sobs, disbelief, whispers, the words, “You are dismissed” and the shuffling sound of thousands of feet exiting that huge arena. Not a word was spoken. We were a nation in shock engaged in a war of atrocities and horrors with a new and inexperienced leader we had little or no knowledge of to date! We were a nation in mourning! The following week was so quiet, a week of fear! So here we are today almost 70 years later remembering that all we had was radio and several newspapers to tell the biggest story of the moment, the tragedy of the day the music died! Does anyone remember ? I do.
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Claire V. Bogdanos 