A MOTHER'S PRAYER - by L. E. Homfray (1915)

A  MOTHER'S  PRAYER by L. E. Homfray When our hearts are sad with longing For our dear ones far away, Holy Father in Thy mercy Watch around them night and day. In the awful hour of battle When their enemies prevail, Strengthen them with hope and courage Lest their weary footsteps fail. Where we cannot help or comfort Thou in tender pity bless, Guarding them awake or sleeping Cheering them in loneliness. If in pain or sickness lying Far beyond a mother’s care, May Thy gracious mercy save them From the darkness of despair. 1915

 

 

FOREST DELIGHTS - by Belinda Stotler

 

FOREST  DELIGHTS by  Belinda Stotler Leaves fluttering on a gentle breeze,Within the forest of whispering trees,Makes sunlight gracefully dance there,Upon the ground and everywhere.Dappling streams with sparkling light,Catching the colors of birds in flight,Giving flowers a lovely surreal glow,Rousing our spirits with nature's show. Nightfall gives the forest a mysterious allureAs trees become shadows of what they were;Soon a chorus arises deep in forest thickets,From the croaking frogs and chirping crickets,Blending in the whip-poor-wills' lonely calls,With the owls' echoing pleas in forest halls,As fireflies scatter light upon a dark palette,All beneath the mystic forest's starlit coverlet. Nature's melodic sounds are sure to enthrall,As life's songs peal within a forest cathedral.Nature adds the wind's timbre with a breeze,Or the rain's resonating rhythm through leaves.Merging with rippling sounds of forest streams,All serenading restless minds into daydreamsThat comforts those who seek refuge there.If only they'll listen while in the forest's care. Thoughts become gentle among natural sights,While our spirits entwine with forest delights,Enticing us to hear life's natural gifts of mirth,Inviting us to see the wondrous beauty of Earth,As nature stirs feelings some cannot determine;Yet, the subtle answers lie in a forest's sermon,Urging us to listen to instincts we once knew,To walk lightly on Earth as other creatures do.

 

NOTES ON THE ART OF POETRY - by Dylan Thomas

 

NOTES ON THE ART OF POETRY by  Dylan Thomas I could never have dreamt that there were such goings-onin the world between the covers of books,such sandstorms and ice blasts of words,such staggering peace, such enormous laughter,such and so many blinding bright lights,splashing all over the pagesin a million bits and piecesall of which were words, words, words,and each of which were alive foreverin its own delight and glory and oddity and light.

 

 

 

CHANGING THE PAST - by Donna

 

CHANGING  THE  PAST by Donna The past is the past for a reason. That is where it is supposed to stay, But some cannot let it go. In their heads it eats away Until all their focus becomes The person they used to be, The mistakes they made in their life. Oh, if only they could see That you cannot change what happened, No matter how hard you try, No matter how much you think about it, No matter how much you cry. What happens in your lifetime Happens for reasons unknown, So you have to let the cards unfold. Let your story be shown. Don't get wrapped up in the negative. Be happy with what you have been given. Live for today not tomorrow. Get up, get out, and start living, Because the past is the past for a reason. It's been, and now it is gone, So stop trying to think of ways to fix it. It's done, it's unchangeable; move on.

 

YOU WILL NEVER SEE ME FALL - by Joyce Alcantara

 

YOU  WILL  NEVER  SEE  ME  FALL by Joyce Alcantara You may see me struggle, but you won't see me fall. Regardless if I'm weak or not, I'm going to stand tall. Everyone says life is easy, but truly living it is not. Times get hard, people struggle and constantly get put on the spot. I'm going to wear the biggest smile, even though I want to cry. I'm going to fight to live, even though I'm destined to die. And even though it's hard and I may struggle through it all, you may see me struggle... but you will NEVER see me fall.

 

 

DESTINED TO FLY - by Ashley Hyder

 

DESTINED  TO  FLY by Ashley Hyder I remember the day we met.Too young to see the danger.I didn't know the devil you were,That you'd fill me with so much anger. At first you gave me comfort,Numbed me from the pain,But the light you gave me faded,Brought blackness to my veins. Your trap worked as always.I am not the only one to fall.So many friends forever gone now;No one's left to call. Dragged me to rock bottom,Each day a life in hell anew,Felt there was no possibilityOf breaking this dependence on you. Every day I wokeWith only you on my mind,Desperate for your love,More desperate for you to die. Through time I saw you were evil.I watched you steal my soul.Each time I tried to get away,You would not let me go. Tried to scream and cry,Eventually accepted my fate.Everyone had tried to warn me,And now it was too late. Family and friends could never understand,Couldn't hear my silent plea.They did not want to seeThe sick effect you had on me. You locked me in a cell.You made me freeze at night,Made me deceive those I loved,Made me live in constant fright. Left broken, battered, and bruised,My number of scars grew.Both physical and mental,While the number of wasted years flew. Went through the motions like a zombie.No longer did I seeAny type of futureIn this world for me. You erased any shred of hopeWhen everyone turned their backs.Difficult to escape this dark hole and cope,Impossible to defend against your attacks. I knew no church, no God.YOU, my ultimate power.No way to know real love.I was now a rotted, dead flower. Then one day it happened.Most amazing hope one moment brings,And I decided then and thereThat I would grow my wings. No longer will you take from meLike you have stolen all these years.You will never take my life.No longer will I cry these tears. I will deal with the pain.I will swallow all my pride.I will deal with my life of rubble.I'm prepared for this difficult ride. If it kills me to leave you,Then I will gladly die,Because with you I'm only surviving,And I have been destined to fly. I will soar, laugh, and smile,Will breathe my life once more.I will go back to a timeBefore you came knocking at my door.

 

ENCOURAGEMENT IS... - by Catherine Pulsifer

ENCOURAGEMENT  IS... by  Catherine Pulsifer   Encouragement is . . . the person who takes the time to listen the person who supports you while others turn their back the person who lends that helping hand the person who has faith in you to be all you can the person who shares what they have the person who has confidence in you and your plans the person who gives you hope to see the project through the person who listens and does not judge Encouragement you see is not a noun but a person taking action showing kindness and compassion.

 

 

REMEMBER WELL, REMEMBER NOT - by Edmund Wong, Hong Kong

REMEMBER  WELL,  REMEMBER  NOT by Edmund Wong, Hong Kong When you should see the passing of the train,Remember not the voice that trails behind;When you should hear the falling of the rain,Remember not the day that once was fine. Imagine, instead, the meadow that we’ll sitOn hand in hand beneath the linden tree;If you are weak against the taxing heat, I will then let you hop on me, as freeAs clouds, and wander over the tranquil valeAnd brook, where I pick roses up along,Whose odor I can’t tell, in the mild gale,From my sweet Lily’s native scent, so strongThat it sets off the passion of my sweats.We need not books of tales to pass our time,Nor time will seize the treasure in our chests,For you‘re my fairy queen who lives in mine. When you should see the passing of the hearse,Remember well the reason of this verse,Be not sorry, nor sad, and miss me like a fool,As all of me is nothing else but you.

 

 

THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE - by Myrna Lambert

 

THE  LANGUAGE  OF  LOVE by Myrna Lambert The language of love is not music heard in the night, a heated moment of passion, a moonlit walk or a trip to lover's lane.  The language of love is not a sonnet sweetly written. It is not a Shakespearean quote defining a well read mind. The language of love is displayed in measures, a gentle caress from a lover in a chair with two wheels, or a long night spent beside the bed of an ill child.  Love's language speaks not to the face, but to the soul. Its memories are wrapped and placed within the corner of a bursting heart.

 

 

THE EXTRAVAGANT, MEMORABLE LIFE - by Bill Darrah

 

THE EXTRAVAGANT, MEMORABLE LIFE  by  Bill Darrah When I die you may choose to cry, but please do not wonder whyI was chosen to die. No one on Earth was designed to wonder whyWe must surrender our lives to the unknown future of an eternity weCan only rely upon as our enduring supply of true life, comfort, Extravagant love, and most importantly true inner peace. PleaseDo not cry for the memories lost between you and I but rather forThe memories you and I earnestly earned together as well as theMemories I will now strive for through my eternity my soul feelsFree to fulfill, always remembering those unforgettable memoriesI shared with you. As hard as it is for you to see me leave, pleaseDo not let your grief prevent and hinder the strength you need toMake new, more meaningful memories by allowing the peace of myPassing, I can truly feel for the first time, to overcompensate yourPainful thoughts and feelings of any regret for the abundant lifeYou were hoping for me with you I have once lived now restored inMy soul forever for you to feel joyful and rejuvenated about as ourThoughts of love merge together now in your time of encouragingNeed and in my time of remembrance of you loving me endlessly,Almost as much as I love you. With my peaceful passing I thankfullyExtend this deeply heartfelt message of love to help you build aStronger, more meaningful life of peace not only for yourself, butAlso for anyone else in need of a more soothing peace yourExtravagant love willingly provides.

 

 

ASPIRATION - by Basudev Chakraborty, India

ASPIRATION by Basudev Chakraborty, India Till the sun will shineAnd the rain fall,Amity will remainBetween I and you all. Till the time of breathWhen lastly shall I take ;I must ask those spoiledTo rise who yet to awake. I will be amidst youIn the time of reign,Let me plight youIn your plight even. Let me pray thy GodTo give impetus enough -And bless with the strengthTo face the problem tough. If the almighty succourEven after my demise,I wanna be amidst youThough you can’t surmise.

 

 

POEMS FOR CHILDREN - Verse by W · A · FRISBIE - 1901

THE HAUGHTY COW

Said an acrobatic monkey

To the staid and stately cow:

“Come let us turn some handsprings;

“I will quickly show you how.”

But old bossy shook her head,

“No indeed!” she sharply said,

“I have passed the age of nonsense

“And I’ll not begin it now.”

THE PEANUT BIRD

Deep in the forest, dark and still,

There lives the peanut bird;

It rarely walks, it seldom flies,

Its song is never heard.

No fear of hunters armed with salt

Will make this bird turn pale;

It can’t be caught with salt you see,

Because it has no tail.

DANCE WITH ME TONIGHT - by Kristi Day

 

DANCE  WITH  ME  TONIGHT by   Kristi Day I want to dance with you for a life timeHold you close to my heart,Stop the hands of timeMake the world give us a little more time.To feel our bodies close swaying togetherTo music that only we can hear,Letting it sweep us into HeavenCome, dance with me there.We’ll dance forever; never let goHearts in tune hand to hand,Building love between usThat we barely can stand.Candles low no bright lightsOur love will light the way,Come hold me close; dance with meTil the night breaks to day.Feel our bodies pressed closeAs close as skin to skin,Open your heart to me babyCome on, let me inFill my senses with your rushLet me taste your deep kiss,Hold me tightly to your heart.Never have I felt like thisNever will I feel it againFor within your arms I’ve died,I’ve gone to heaven in your loveThese are happy tears I’ve cried.Never have I been so lovedOr felt so much love for anyone,Dance with me honeyUntil the night is done.Dance with me until the world is doneI can’t resist your charms,Dance with me and hold me closeLet me die within your arms.Don’t ever let me goDancing with you is so right,I will never let you goCome …. dance with me tonight.