To all God’s children far and wide
I’ve known the fear that looms inside
Tis difficult, the younger years
That harbor pain, defeat or tears.
Sometimes it seems a miracle
If you should ever make it through
Remember always keep your stride
And live with dignity and pride.
Be kind to those whom you pass by
Give none cause to be hurt or cry
Try your best, pray, you will be heard
So praise the Lord and keep His word !
A child am I, quite innocent
My feelings clear, my heart content
One thing I’ve learned within my mind
Towards love and peace I am inclined.
I’ve seen the damage hate can do
I fear for those with anger too
The ways of God, simple and kind
Are all I ask and wish to find !
There is one fact that I observe
In friendships that we would preserve
If you speak somewhat softer now
T’would seem a better job somehow.
There’s no such thing as always right
There is but proper and polite
Try please to keep an open mind
For greater knowledge you may find,
There are some limits to recall
As none should be a know-it-all !
Lord who am I to offend Thee
I’m one that’s full of sad regret
I am neither great nor pithy
And likely sometimes to forget !
Tis sad to think that you and I
Too soon will take our last goodbye
It’s been so very long indeed
I know not how we shall proceed,
The time has gone the end draws near
Remember, I still hold you dear.
We have been friends forever now
It’s time to cut the chain somehow
And when and if there comes that day
When either one should go away
It’s not because we did not care
It’s that one is no longer there !
I hear a rustling in the tree
And wonder now who can that be
See there a flash of mottled coat
A vision of especial note.
Oh precious bird, what do you do
Is there a way I can help you
I wish I had some cracker crumb
I’d be so pleased to feed you some.
But you and I are at loose ends
There seems no way we can be friends
For what you have is your sharp beak
While all I have is tongue in cheek !
Love is a word I use a lot
For without love what have I got,
A lonely world all to myself
I’d be there wasting on some shelf.
I’d rather be a loving soul
Than searching for an empty goal
Whatever joy that life may bear
It’s so much greater when we share !
I’ve wandered lost through life’s long corridors
Without one question or list of what-fors
Because my heart’s been laden with a trust
That I must perform the deeds I deem just.
It seems I have not found the circumstance
To change my ways or make a second glance
I heard the angels whisper in my ear
Follow your heart it’s no mistake my dear !
Oh blessed Lord I cannot bear
The madness of this world we share
Please help us through these times of need
To vanquish those who will not heed.
Grant us the strength to stand up tall
Declare our choice before the fall
His time is near, He’ll not be late
This world is all His vast estate.
Who are we, only passersby
And on His care we all rely
Please help us Lord to do our best
We know that You’ll perform the rest !
Oh blessed Lord please take my hand
And lead me to the promised land
Help me to leave the pain behind
In this new life that’s mine to find.
The freedoms that await me there
From those who taught me how to care
Are worth the price I need afford
To grant me peace as my reward !
Sometimes my heart seems to skip a beat
My throat goes tight, unsteady my feet
Searching for reasons what shall I find
Do deeds from the past enthrall my mind ?
Did I waste my time with selfish fun
Do I feel guilt for whatever’s been done,
Is there a rule I’ve refused to heed
Have I failed to help someone in need ?
Perhaps tis now time to readjust
Try to keep smiling, learn how to trust
Think happy thoughts, get on with God’s tasks
Be ready to help when e’er He asks !
I’ve failed to take the time to say
To folks I’ve met along the way
How grateful I have always been
For kindness shown, to my chagrin.
So many things get left behind
I’m loathe to think I’ve been unkind
But vow to try to make amends
As best I can to all my friends.
For friendship is this special thing
That carries care upon its wing
And shares the hopes we’re dreaming of
Amid abundance of our love !
There is a quilt upon my bed
With snippets of the life I’ve led
It’s made of patches bright and bold
And meant to save me from the cold.
This quilt has kept me warm for years
It’s shared my dreams, my hopes, my fears
And every piece of fabric sewn
Does have a story of its own !
Blind-stitched it is and all by me
Each patch contains a memory
My hands are old and gnarled a bit
Still they have shaped each square to fit.
I wish these rules would all apply
To life we know before we die
With needle, thread and sharpened shears
We’d patch the world and scrap our tears !
There are so many ways to say
Good Morning World, have a great day
Remember always to be kind
Never leave good manners behind.
Too often we are quite remiss
And bid farewell without a kiss
Or slam a door on the way out
With hurried gesture or a shout !
Please stop and think before you go
What kind of love is it you show
Can it be like care God gives you
Unselfish, fair both just and true ?
I’m guessing this is not the case
There are issues need be embraced
Solutions we are praying for
With caring hearts and open door !
Among the wishes that I made
When I was young and unafraid
The one that I remember best
Is that I vowed to not possess
A jealous heart or unkind thought
In keeping with the lessons taught
Stick to the rules obey the Lord
Accept His grace with true accord !
A lonely man with head cast down
I saw him pass with puzzled frown
His shoulders hunched his step was slow
It seems he had nowhere to go.
I wonder what can be his grief
His burden’s great without relief
How weak the old appear to be
Bowed down by our society.
Perhaps if I could make a wish
That with God’s help their pains vanish
I’d pray so hard that they might be
Allowed to keep their dignity !
The children laugh, they run and play
For soon it will be Christmas Day
A holiday for one and all
Our Santa seems to heed the call !
I think his image tries to be
A joy to all of those who see
Race and religion play no part
It’s all about a kindly heart
It has to do with sharing things
And happiness that giving brings !
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 !
Sometimes the heart wells up with joy
Fueled by the truth friendships employ
And brings sunshine to time and place
To leave impressions we embrace !
To be a friend is no small act
It takes great effort and some tact
But most of all forgiving thought
Will in our growing web be caught !
How wonderful our lives would be
If God should bless this company
And save us with a show of hands
Mongst friends from many other lands !
I try to keep myself quite occupied
And free from traits of vanity and pride
Preferring to embrace those simple joys
Of loving kindness, happiness and poise !
For in my life this is what I have found
Tis best to keep one’s feet upon the ground
Forsake the envy hiding in each heart
And grateful thank the Lord for His new start !
For some strange reason I awoke this AM with the name NORMANDIE in my head and began a mental odyssey of a cold and windy day in February 1942. It was quite personal because the husband of my old Aunt Rose was the chief engineer of that incredible former French great lady, his name was George Clow. He left his home, his mom and sisters in Glascow, Scotland at age 14 to join the Royal Navy in the 1800’s to see the world ! Which he truly did until he retired at age 75, hash marks on his uniform clear up to his elbows ! He looked quite heroic with a chest full of medals. His tanned leathery face with laughing green eyes and rugged chiseled profile, mouth full of gold and ivory teeth, cut an impressive figure of a man not quite 5′ 6″, not to mention those colorful tattoos that wiggled ! A lovable pixie was he ! Times he would be gone for 2 years, but oh, the ecstasy as he returned laden with gifts for all, from darkest Africa to the mysterious Orient. He enthralled us with the tales of his adventures with that heavy Scottish brogue he never did lose. By the time I was 12 he had traveled the entire world nine times, sending cards from each port including Fiji and the Pitcairn Isles ! It was the 9th day of the month that this noble ship, rechristened the Lafayette, met her fate, sinking on the 10th, the death of an era and tragedy beyond belief ! We watched that NY harbor blaze from the Heights cliffs above HOBOKEN for hours, believing it was sabotage ! Today I still wonder why no one has ever attempted to tell the whole story of her life and death ! Aren’t you curious ? I am ! Sincerely, Claire B.
I know dear Lord, You walk with me
Into the wind or by the sea
Along the path that winds around
The village square, the heart of town.
While children play and students learn
The flowers bloom and seasons turn
As summer’s heat begins to rise
The night displays clear sparkling skies !
Oh what a sight our hearts have seen
With good and bad laced in-between
A glowing hope that God forgives
Our weakness where tradition lives !
I have never cried so many tears
In the length and breadth of all my years
As I did then in that foreign land
On the heights above a beach of sand.
Ten thousand crosses rise in your sight
Lustrous shining in days brilliant light
Row upon row where the eye may fall
Each one had answered his country’s call.
It’s a sacred place you can’t forget
The sight of which will share deep regret
We haven’t learned how to really live
In God’s world of peace, pray and forgive !
Good morning sun we meet again
One feels your warmth upon the pane
We hear the sounds of creatures small
As one by one they coo and call.
How strange it is to wake this way
And greet the world at start of day
With little thought upon the mind
About the futures we may find.
Tomorrow can be time suffice
To do the work and pay the price
Today’s the day to take awhile
And thank the Lord with one huge smile !
There is this little girl I know
Who is as sweet as sweet can be
And when her grey eyes smile and glow
She brings great happiness to me.
I need to add she is quite smart
And uses words with charm and grace
She brings much joy to this old heart
Her kindness beams upon her face.
I find her ways are just and true
This gentle child that God has wrought
Her laughter sings and filters through
The wisest lessons we’ve been taught !
A lacy heart, a tender tug
A gentle kiss, a loving hug
We have no need to lovers be
Since friendship binds both you and me.
We have been friends a long, long time
When we all knew a kinder clime
Though days of old are long forgot
We comprehend forget-me-not !
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 !
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.
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Claire V. Bogdanos 