Together

We had met three women yesterday, two sisters and a daughter.  They were doing a yard sale after the passing of the husband and father in the family.  In spite of their pain, my entire family was overwhelmed by the warmth we felt with them through their love of life, of God, and each other.  This was written for Linda, Louise, and Linda's sister Lisa.

Within the warmth of morning,

We had gathered together,

Purely though chance,

Working in each of our lives,

The Father guiding moments,

Until we met each other’s eyes,

We spoke of small things,

The love of plush toys,

Moments shared together,

Life’s emotional weather,

And tools that we employ.

For they had suffered great loss,

A man that brought them together,

He was a husband and a dad,

Knowing how to fix a problem,

Or just hold them in hard times,

With the warmth of an embrace,

For love had build this place,

It was not a home of wood,

But a structure built by heart,

Decorated with colors of joy,

On the foundation of forever.

For within the daughter’s smile,

Was the faith instilled by the mother,

And shared by the family there,

For all we could feel was love,

As we spoke with them for a time,

Seeing with perspective that is mine,

As God sought to show us truth,

For he lives on within their hearts,

Not even death can break the bond,

Of the power that love imparts,

For love binds us all together.

Robin's Song - A Message from Us to Robin and the Gibb Family

I have written this to all who know, and will know, the music of the BeeGees.  Robin and his brothers have reached out to us over the years, and the music they have given has carried us through our joy and our tears.  Now the question comes, what is the best way to honor Robin's life and all of the brothers?  The answer is to let them hear our voices in song whether it is in their souls during silence, or on the streets in their community.  Music is the language of love.  Let us use it as they have used it for years, and express our love to them.

From his heart he took flight,

Through the darkest of nights,

Providing light in his song,

Showing the full joy of love,

Through the depths of pain,

Bringing joy with a smile,

That we might rise again,

Taking the path he gave,

To where the heart does long.

With his brothers on stage,

They became all the rage,

Legends are born of heart,

Through the changes of years,

We rode through together,

Events of joy and of tears,

We held on to the tether,

From music we cannot part.

Lift up your voice,

Lift up your heart,

Make this your choice,

Make it your start,

For let him hear,

To what is dear,

Unto your soul,

While he is near,

Make it our start,

Make it your choice,

Lift up our hearts,

And use our voice.

It is the language we share,

It sounds throughout the air,

A tool that can seal any rift,

Binding across waters,

Shining brighter than gold,

It is the ageless language,

From beyond days of old,

For in using his voice,

He gave the greatest of gifts.

Using the power of rhyme,

The brothers came in our time,

We carry them in our heart,

With Robin part of the band,

Leaving nothing undone,

Bound together in life,

As love’s song makes us one,

For our hearts beat forever,

And we will never part.

Lift up your voice,

Lift up your heart,

Make this your choice,

Make it your start,

Let him to hear,

To what is dear,

Unto your soul,

While he is near,

Make it our start,

Make it your choice,

Lift up our hearts,

And use our voice.

By The Light of Your Candles - For Lech and Maria Kaczynski

 

Written for the people of Poland in the loss of their beloved president Lech Kaczynski, his wife, and their cabinet officials in the crash of April 10, 2010.  See YouTube report below for full details.

When I wrote this two years ago, I sent it to the Presidential family in Poland, and received a response of gratitude from Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the former president's brother.  I also received a response from Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of the Polish Church.

Two years later, I felt it important to post this on the anniversary of their deaths, along with the loss of 90 other members of their administration on that fateful journey to Smolensk.  May we always remember those who live for a purpose, giving their gifts to life itself, and blessing the world on our behalf. 

________________________

I can see you standing there,

Together in your streets,

I can feel you standing there,

Embraced within your grief,

Shaken and in shock,

Stricken with silence,

In a time void of words,

An endless moment of darkness,

For the ones who have given guidance,

Are never coming home,

Taken to the air in travel,

To be taken to a place of remembrance,

Taken from the people in a moment,

Without a sign of warning,

Leaving all in morning,

Flowers and candles form a mosaic,

A growing tapestry of sorrow,

Laid upon the street,

I can see you standing there,

Lining the streets near every door,

I can see you standing there,

As you have in years before,

For when I was in sorrow,

When the towers were struck down,

You came in to your streets,

From every town,

With candles in hand,

Hearts burning in place,

I could see the light of your fire,

I could see it from space,

I could feel the warmth of your hearts,

Within the sorrow that was mine,

I can feel the warmth of your hearts,

From across the distance of time,

I am standing by your side,

We are standing together in spirit,

As your leader was returned,

I was with you,

As your leaders knelt by his coffin,

I was with you,

As his daughter knelt by her daddy,

I was with you,

In the days that lie ahead,

I am with you,

Our hearts here and yours there,

Beat as one,

For our grief binds us together,

As does our joy,

For as this darkness came,

Testing all we could handle,

I could see the way,

The light of truth,

The power of the heart,

By the light of your candles.

For a Purpose - In Memory of Krzysztof Kolberger

His voice was like time,

Persisting through changes,

And all that rearranges,

For as seasons give way,

The sun will still rise.

A clear sound of comfort,

We could hear him any day,

For what ever he might say,

And in times of turmoil,

Peace was in his eyes.

For faith is foundation,

From where we may stand,

To survey all the land,

Seeing the darkness come,

While safe in God’s hand.

And when I heard him speak,

Though my strength had been run,

I knew the storm was done,

Though we could not see land,

Home would come with the tide.

When illness touched his heart,

And took away his voice,

It was not by his choice,

To see his gift fade out,

Would not change how he lived.

He knew truth in his heart,

For a purpose we live,

To see what we can give,

This is our gift to life,

And the love I hold in me.

Continuity - For the Families and Students of Oikos University in Oakland, California

Continuity

By Eric Visconti

For the families of Oikos University Victims

Once again I gaze above me,

Once again I see the stars,

Considering events in destiny,

Under heavenly lights afar,

And the light of those near me,

And of souls I hold dear,

Why some would seek to snuff their lights?

Why must I fear?

Why must they close?

Such gently smiling eyes,

The strength of a fellow’s shoulder,

The taste of a woman’s sighs,

The force of youth’s vitality,

So violently stolen away,

There can never be answers,

To such a tragic day.

Except for truth,

Never fear,

Truth can never die,

Truth proven in love’s bonds,

With every tear we cry,

For with tear we feel connection,

As we are tied in ways that never tear,

For on the other end of that tether,

Our loved ones are still there.

In peace and beauty they smile,

With smiles now perfected,

Pain never to be felt,

Heaven’s joy has interjected,

Though our wounds will carry always,

Our loved one’s joy prevails,

For their smiles cross our faces,

As their memories we hail.

What they are becomes us,

As we became a part of them,

Their words sing within us,

A God given hymn,

As their lives have touched mine,

A man they have never known,

How much more true for you?

As they have shared your lives and homes.

And so I look upon the stars,

With tears of joy in my eyes,

For I know near or far,

We look up to the same sky,

May you share in the hope I give,

As I hold what you have shared with me,

For our souls go on together,

In continuity.

The Lady

I hope the one who inspired this can find strength in it.  I hope others facing the same can find meaning.  - Eric

She was there,

At a garage sale,

Sitting with family,

Speaking with a smile,

Full of life and joy,

Sharing her feelings,

Inspiring a laugh,

Enjoying the warmth,

Of family and sunshine,

And where I met her,

Pure happenstance,

Her terminal cancer,

Pure circumstance,

She would not allow it,

To take away her focus,

From the music of life,

Surrounding us all,

And as I see sunsets,
Each of different color,

I remember the lady,

And the truth within her,

We are here for a day,

And life is a gift,

But love is forever.

Titanic: A Rose on the Water

For the poem I wrote for the Titanic passengers, and the memorial page I created, click below, or just read the poem on my blog, and enjoy a YouTube video of Celine Dion's beautiful dedication song here.

April 15, 1912 - Centennial Memorial to the Passengers of the Titanic - April 15, 2012

_____________________________________________________________

 It was the time of our lives,

Living fully and wonderfully,

We were beyond compare,

Indestructible and strong,

Surrounded by luxury,

We boarded the ship,

A palace on the waters,

Elegance of carved gold,

Tiled adornment for our feet,

The finest service of pleasures,

Yet it all became meaningless,

Taken away in moments,

As the engines stopped forever,

And we were called on deck,

With my children beside me,

The men were made separate,

As the ship began to fill,

Tilting forward into the black,

They made the preparations,

For the few boats on deck,

To load us in with care,

And lower us away,

My husband among them,

Assured me of his love,

Knowing all would be well,

He took my hand and smiled,

With our children in safety,

He tended to the others,

With other men beside him,

In valiance to behold,

For fear was within them,

As it was with us all,

With their hearts in defiance,

And their hands to the task,

For I know their hearts,

Staying focused on their goal,

They ignored their human fears,

As all things had transpired,

With tears upon my face,

I watched their work cease,

For the last boat was lowered,

Into the chill of the ocean,

They simply stood together,

With strength in each other,

And as we pulled away further,

My husband’s eyes I did see,

I then saw the impossible,

Upon that tragic night,

For with nothing left to do,

The men had passed their trial,

Knowing well their fates,

They each raised a hand,

In a farewell full of love,

They each bore a smile,

For God used their hearts,

To fill them full of strength,

So that each would find the courage,

Knowing what they must do,

For they focused on their love,

For all of us and family,

Which is the only reason,

That any made it through.