Gentle Giants
Rider’s view in Avenue of the Giants, California. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Gentle Giants
Packed together shoulder to shoulder,
Stretching higher than a rainbow’s sigh,
The redwoods reach up and scrape the sky.
No wider than a river’s grin,
No longer than a cloud can cry.
What majesty these giants portray,
As they reign from day to day.
Their subjects are content
For gentle do the scepters sway.
Only the wind can make them smile
As they share wisdom for awhile.
Tall and proud they guard the land
Gentle giants mile after mile.
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My Son, Listen to My Words of Wisdom (Part 2)
wisdom with toast (Photo credit: Leonard John Matthews)
My Son, Listen to My Words of Wisdom (Part 2)
My son, the time for choosing friends is ripe,
First, you can tell a tiger by its stripes.
A friend can fool you when he growls or talks.
You can discover more by the path he walks.
Others will know you by the friends you choose.
If you don’t pick winners, someday you’ll lose.
If a friend observes danger but pretends he’s blind,
You would be wise if another friend you’d find.
A friend will always tell what is true,
Even when the truth might hurt you.
A friend is there to watch your back,
And he will reason with you if wisdom you lack.
A friend will help when there’s nothing to gain.
A friend will listen and share your pain.
He’ll be there always even unto death.
But a fair weather friend has wasted your breath.
If he doesn’t want you to be better, he’s not a true friend.
Like a drowning swimmer, he’ll pull you down at the end.
Someone who always flatters you has a concealed goal.
He’s shallow and self-serving and playing a role.
Beware if he’s not loyal all the way through.
He’ll sell you out and then desert you.
A friend is there all life to share.
So choose wisely, son, a true friend is rare.
My son, as for girls, your future is bright.
You’ll find contentment if you treat one right.
A girl needs thoughts of love to fill her day.
If she has love she has less reason to stray.
A girl’s world is different from the one you know.
Relationships and emotions help her bloom and grow.
Look in her eyes each and every day.
Her feelings are important. Listen to what she has to say.
Don’t be afraid to show a little romance.
Hold her in the moonlight and laugh and dance.
Your thoughts will remain positive, son,
If you count your blessings one by one.
Tell her she’s beautiful and just what you need,
Then it’s like dancing and you’ll have to lead.
Don’t look for things she might do wrong.
Mention what she does right. Then move along.
There will be days when your cup is half full.
Choose to be positive and life won’t get dull.
Surprise her with flowers, whether picked or bought.
Keep your romance smoldering and the flames hot.
Kiss her each night before you sleep.
A kiss will remind her your love is deep.
Whisper sweet words as you hold her near.
And the wisest of all, son, always be sincere.
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Turning My Life Around
Self esteem (Photo credit: toastforbrekkie)
I wondered often if I was worth loving,
For my world seemed to turn out wrong,
All my efforts to claim happiness,
Were useless since I felt I didn’t belong,
Yet I knew my life counted for something,
Because my talents were unique,
But as long as I felt worthless,
Without love, life would be bleak,
You boasted about your successes,
And said I’d never be in the game,
I would never be as good as you,
I would always remain the same,
You told me I didn’t look well,
Even when I felt great,
I got tired of being put down,
It was time to set things straight,
You weren’t here to show me love,
And you weren’t ready to share,
Your negative attitude pulled me down,
And I didn’t believe you cared,
Being loved will build my self esteem,
And I need to have respect,
I want someone to show me love,
That’s the first thing I’ll expect,
Without love I might spend a lifetime,
Searching for the things I lack,
I’ll find the things that make me strong,
So I can get on a winning track,
For once I know what to do,
My life is upward bound,
I’m working hard to reach my goals,
I’m determined to turn life around,
I have a wealth of untapped potential,
There’s so much that I know,
My strengths will be productive,
I’ll use them as I grow,
My self esteem does not depend on you,
It’s what I make it to be,
I’ve decided to take charge of my life,
I won’t give up on me,
Each day I’ll put on my positive face,
Before I walk out the door,
I want the world to like what they see,
And have them asking for more,
Life is real and life is rough,
I’m determined to do things right,
All the hurdles I’ll come against,
I’ll cross them as I fight,
Positive thoughts will move me on,
Away from the deadly mire,
I’ll reach for goals on a higher plain,
Away from life’s consuming fire.
What Help Can I Give?
Retouch (Photo credit: Rachel Ford James)
Where was I when you needed a hand?
How did I miss your plea, did I not understand?
You were there all along, living in your car,
Your home happened to be wherever you are,
You shared your life’s problems and let me in,
Your world was in chaos, I didn’t know where to begin,
But slowly and surely my understanding grew,
I learned a lot about me while I learned about you,
I won’t plead ignorance, I just didn’t see,
My focus was on myself, I was concerned about me,
You’re searching for ways to get up from the ground,
If I give you a hand up, a job might be found,
I’ll look through new eyes and change my view,
The world is hurting, I can feel it too,
I’ve got to reach out to the world I see,
For each person there is a lot like me,
A man walks along with pain on his face,
He has nowhere to go, he lives no place,
Or the orphan child who goes hungry at night,
What can I do to ease her plight?
What help can I give to help you along,
What can I do to help you grow strong?
This life is tough, I hope you understand,
For when you recover, give someone a hand,
Each of us is weak but together we’re strong,
We’ll face the world bravely and help each other along.
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I’ve Learned to Look Beyond Myself
Image via Wikipedia
As I reflect
on my life it all seems surreal,
Why were
there moments when I did not feel?
I saw a man
crying because he had killed his friend,
Stabbed during
an argument he still didn’t comprehend,
Killed in a
flash because they disagreed,
What should
I tell him, how should he plead?
Why did I
not stop to talk when I saw someone wanting to die?
Was my life
so busy that I just passed by?
She had
given up in total despair,
There was no
way for her life to repair,
She just
wanted her problems to go away,
So she
swallowed some pills one day,
When I found
her she no longer had fears,
It was too
late for conversation, too late for
tears,
Why didn’t I
talk to her when I had the chance,
Let her know
she was important in life’s lonely dance?
When I think
of what I should have done, I stand accused,
I saw
someone who had been abused,
Why wasn’t I
more alert?
Why didn’t I hurt?
It was not
enough to forgive the abuser on that day,
I should
have insisted that he be put away,
And
protected those who were innocent and unaware,
Rather than
leave them in his care,
I saw
someone once young and strong,
Now old,
ignored and forgotten for so long,
Her children
were all grown,
Why did they
leave her with no love shown?
She was confused
and needing love’s touch,
If I stopped
by, would it hurt me much?
One of my
neighbors was a longtime user,
Did that
make him forever a loser?
He became
more than a burned out shell,
And escaped
his private hell,
A friend
cared enough to help change his scope,
For all he
needed was a little hope,
I saw
someone with a crippling disease,
Why didn’t I
help, tell me please?
He was begging
on a busy street,
I could have
gotten him food to eat,
There are many
things I could have done,
But I had
decided I’d help no one,
Why didn’t I
reach out?
Why did I
doubt?
I have a
friend who was laid off from work,
He’s on the
verge of going berserk,
His phone is
ringing off the hook,
Because bill
collectors think he is a crook,
But he has
no money to pay his bills,
He can’t
sleep because dreams give him chills,
Maybe it’s a
sign of the times or stormy weather,
His
depression is real, we will spend time together,
I’ll let him
know I’m there for him,
A friend is
a friend, through thick or thin,
There was
someone who cheated my heart,
But maybe I
didn’t do my part,
I thought
like a child, I felt pity for me,
I needed to
look beyond myself, but that’s all I could see,
Why didn’t I
trust?
My heart knew
I must,
But what
could have been great,
Was destroyed,
I blamed it on fate,
I saw someone who judged me because I didn’t follow the rules,
She was
convinced I was a fool,
I cared too
much for those in the world,
And I cried,
and tried to help as it twirled,
I saw all
these conditions, all these people, yet I didn’t see,
That one of the
negligent ones was me,
Why did I always
seem to hesitate,
When I knew time
was precious and I shouldn’t wait?
Problems in
life might not start with me,
But I will be
compassionate whenever I see,
Those who
are hurting wherever they might be,
I know all problems in life will not end with
me,
But there
are words of comfort and things I can share,
I’ll reach
and touch with tender loving care,
Giving back
to others what I can possibly give,
I must not
wait, for I have a short while to live,
I know I’ll be
vulnerable as I go my way,
There is so
much to do each and every day,
This person
hurts, and that one too,
There may
come a time when I’ll help you,
Everyone
needs someone when things go wrong,
Moments when
they’re weak, I might be strong,
I don’t want
to spend my life focused on me,
This world
has many needs, you see,
If I help others
sharing my heart’s best,
I believe I’ll
make a difference in all the rest,
Lives
intertwined stretching across the land,
Compassion
and love, walking hand in hand.
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Dying to Live or Learning to Die
Image via Wikipedia
Dying to Live or Learning to Die
(Sorry, I couldn’t make up my mind)
I might be around for quite a few years,
So don’t shed any tears,
Oh, for goodness sake,
Give me an Irish wake,
Or bake a large cake,
I’ve been dying since the moment I was born,
A finite length somewhere in eternity,
Not that anyone said that to me,
But I knew life was limited like a blade of grass,
When my time was up I expected to pass,
I didn’t want to close my mind,
Facing death is but a challenge to find,
The other side, without the fear,
Of leaving here,
I was taken from my mother’s womb,
Uncomfortable there with little room,
To grow, and do you know,
I’m being crowded again,
With my limitations and eager to emerge,
Into a new world, I’m on the verge
I’m ready to face, or even embrace,
Death when it comes for me,
Like going to sleep and awakening in another place,
But for now I want to live every minute of every day,
Not worrying about the ifs and whens,
Ready to confront death with a grin,
Not fearful at all, knowing it will happen,
Sooner or later, maybe not today,
And it might not be my way
I might want to take a snooze or die on a cruise,
Take medicines to keep me sane,
Or just sit back and let my life wane,
You can help me by showing love and support,
Take out the trash, give me a glass of port,
I don’t need to see you cry, or to know why,
You think you’re going to miss me,
My passing will set you free,
I don’t want to take care of you,
I’ve got enough to do,
Keeping death from snuffing my wick,
Hey! Remember I’m the one who is sick!
I have faith that there is life after death,
I have my hope, and that helps me cope,
I’d like to see you there too,
Not just another molecule,
Returning back to dust,
But if you must, you must,
How much time do I have really?
I enjoy life, but how time flew,
I was ready to give life up long ago for you,
But I didn’t have to,
I’ve lived a full life, faced a little strife,
And discovered much about me,
But don’t you see, that’s vanity,
I want to have a normal day, the best,
Go home and get some rest,
Get my life in order, no unfinished business,
No unsettled mess,
I don’t intend to leave you all alone,
I’ll be watching, helping you atone,
All the times you thought I wasn’t a great friend,
I want you to know I was the best I’ve been,
And whatever you say or do, remember I loved you,
Play some music on my last days,
Or read me a book about how to mend my ways,
Tell lies about telling the truth,
Laugh and share things with Ruth,
Wait a minute! I don’t know any Ruth, that’s the truth,
Tell me funny stories or remind me of stories I still need to write,
But I’m afraid that would keep me up throughout the night,
I can see me now, waiting with my laptop in bed,
Wanting you to remember the last words I said,
It’s hard to type with these clumsy fingers of mine,
“They’re coming for me, it’s about time,
I’m waiting in line,
Oops! I’m out of time. Don’t forget to write!
Call me sometime!
Okay! I’m going already.
Uh, could I tell one more story or write a poem?”
Written in response to my own thoughts about death and dying, knowing that I don’t know what tomorrow might bring, should tomorrow even come. I’ve tasted hell a few times here on earth, and decided I don’t want the full menu. I tell people that every day above ground is a good day and I say, “Thank God, I’m alive!” I’m reminded daily of all the good things here and better things yet to come. When you get to the pearly gates, I want to be there to greet you with a smile and say, “I’m glad you made it. There’s a place reserved for you. Take off your shoes and stay awhile. Don’t worry about the weather. It won’t get too hot or too cold and Hell storms never make it up the hill.”
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Fear
Image via Wikipedia
Fear
The oldest and strongest emotion is fear,
So I’ll release any phobia and not hold it dear,
I cringe when I think of letting fear run loose,
Stirring up trouble with adrenaline’s juice,
I know love makes the world go round,
While anxiety shuts those feelings down,
Love opens windows so the sun can shine,
Fear brings little deaths that kill the mind,
Hope brings a sparkle to weary eyes,
Fear douses dreams with untold lies,
Caution could keep me from places I could go,
Keeping me from trying what I know,
My sensitive heart has fears as well,
Letting phobias within it dwell,
For fears enter dreams and claim the throne,
Gliding in silently when confidence is gone,
Jealousy and distrust also climb aboard,
Wrecking havoc with love and cutting the cord,
Sweaty palms and a racing heart set the stage,
My fears overcome me, slowing creativity on every page,
Howling and snapping, fear continues to grow,
Until confronted, stared down, and commanded to go,
Apprehension is hesitant on life’s long ride,
And runs when courage stands by my side,
I may risk it all and not complete a task,
But I’ll try my best, that’s all I’ll ask,
With courage running over I’ll free my mind,
And leave fears in the dust, far behind,
My future is unveiled for me to see,
No web of fear to hinder me,
I’ll step forward and let nothing block my way,
Facing the world bravely, day by day.
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