The Voice of a Tear

This is from my book, but I am posting it for my friend John today who just lost his father.

As the golden sun rises in the east,

With freshness and warmth of life,

Shining on a new page for us to read and live,

Illuminating joy to share and hope to give,

As a mosaic of song is woven through the air,

Joining beating hearts with chords of love,

Thus stirring the soul of man and beast.

The laughter of our loved ones fill the pages,

Speaking truth with the wisdom of sages,

Separating truth from illusion,

Dividing priority from worldly confusion,

Showing true treasure apart from lies,

Confirmed each time a loved one turns,

And looks into our eyes.

Yet per chance within a moment's turn,

Within a flash the pain is learned,

And we know the one is gone.

With grief the burning tears do tell,

The fortress of love no force can fell,

Each one from the spring of our heart does flow,

Each one with voices,

Each one with laughter,

Each one with strength,

Each one a testimony of the blessing,

Blessings given by the one we know.

Each tear forming a stone,

Each stone forming a hall,

Each hall lined with images,

Each image tells all.

As the testimony is delivered,

The case is won,

To the glory of God,

Even death is undone!

For how could the one exist in the heart,

Except the one is alive and whole?

For the bonds of love are eternal,

For the hearts are still joined by love,

 Between Heaven and Earth,

In the only way distance shall never part!

In our grief we find the comfort of healing,

Tied to the joy of life,

A passion that must be pursued,

If one would go on loving and feeling.

Yet how can we find comfort,

When no voice is near,

While in grief you can listen,

To the voice of a tear.

The Compassionate Voyager

I wrote this some years ago and it is in my first book.

This was written the day Pope John Paul II passed away.  I sent a copy to the Vatican in commemoration of his life and received a hand written thank you from Stanizlaw Dziewz who has served with him for decades.

    There I was as a boy in confusion,

Lost in a world of lies and illusion,

Then I saw the man in white,

Traveling through the night,

To visit the poor longing for light,

And he kissed the ground they walked on.

There I was a young man,

Watching the world erecting great towers,

Watching the blind fight for power,

Then he visited a people of conflicting belief,

Bringing their souls love and relief,

And he kissed the ground they walked on.

There I was trying to understand,

Myself in darkness yet determined to fight,

A life without understanding devoid of light,

And he walked the Earth still,

Surrounded by millions of young souls,

Seeking the joy of his love,

As he faced them from upon the hill,

For as he came to greet them,

He kissed the ground they walked on.

Then God shone His light upon my face,

I no longer felt displaced,

My family by my side,

As I learned how much God loves me,

I simply stood there and cried,

For he sent me that faithful man,

Who came to visit my land,

Though I never saw him do it,

 I felt the moment and knew it,

He kissed the ground I walked on,

And made me understand.

The Lion and the Rose

This is a poem I wrote while Patrick Swayze was still alive, and I sent this and other works to him and his wife.  This was inspired by their dance titled, "One Last Dance".  

I wrote this some years ago and it is from my first book Endless Perspective of Life which you can buy from me SIGNED by clicking on the title above.  If you will be with me in La Jolla on October 20th, I can dedicate a copy of the book to you in person.

     

For Lisa Niemi and Patrick Swayze      

 

Joined from the youth,

Yet the truth be known,

They were joined on this Earth,

They were one before birth,

In power and with grace,

In beauty and with strength,

They danced from the beginning,

The danced in their love,

A cascade of feeling,

Bathing them in joy and light,

Love from their hearts,

Making effort become effortless,

Their dance could be seen by the blind,

Their dance could be seen from the heart,

Making the beholder breathless,

For one would find his soul dancing,

In adoration of life,

One would find her soul dancing,

While adoring this husband and wife,

How could they rehearse?

As the dance appears written by the heart,

While the music plays its verse,

Choreography becomes something past,

As their dance paves a new path,

And we find ourselves coming behind them,

Allowing them to lead us,

As their dance through the years,

Has been lead by the love of God,

While they rode their horses,

And protected the land,

While apart in circumstances,

Nothing separated their hands,

Nothing separates their hearts,

Nothing separates their life,

In sickness or in health,

In love or in strife,

Their dance continues through the years,

Their dance has carried them,

Through their tears,

Proven time after time,

And proven until,

The ultimate test,

As one became ill,

While physical strength,

Flowed from his hands,

Their powerful love,

Gave him strength to stand,

Finding reason to fight,

Finding strength to try,

Each time he beheld,

His loving wife’s eyes,

They continued to dance,

When a moment gave strength,

The lion and the rose,

Tested trials in time’s length,

Month after month,

Never giving in,

Treasuring each moment,

In each other’s arms,

Treasuring each smile,

Taking in all beauty,

That life could allow,

And adding more beauty,

Renewing their vows,

Though the illness has closed,

The lion’s wonderful eyes,

We are left with a truth,

That can never be denied,

And the partners are still dancing,

For they can never be broken apart,

The Lion and the Rose,

Will always be in my heart.

Haulover Point

 I wrote this some years ago and it is from my first book Endless Perspective of Life available at Lulu.com.

We visited Portsmouth, NC which has a rich history you can look up online.  The village is no longer inhabited, but you can tour most of the area.  It was a lightship colony where deep sea vessels would be offloaded by skiffs to bring cargo to lighter vessels for crossing the sound.  As the skiffs passed the pier, they had to be dragged over a sandbar where children played, which gave rise to the name "Haulover Point".

They rise up in the distance,

As I approach them fast,

From distant shores,

Gathered for purpose,

A collection of masts,

Awaiting as the lightships,

Are hauled over the sand,

Workers soon to sing,

As rhythm they bring,

Offloading cargo in demand.

Transferring seamen’s cargo,

For the journey across the sound,

Deep ships bowing to the small,

To make the journey they can not,

For fear of running aground,

Transference made,

Had made this town,

And so I land on Portsmouth pier,

Warmly greeted,

With myrkle branch in hand,

As lively children run and play,

Upon Haulover’s sand.

The tapping grows to hammering,

As I approach the busy town,

Craftsmen making flounder boats,

Women shopping with their totes,

Meet and greet me as their own,

In this town of travelers,

I am never alone,

A strength of heart elsewhere unknown,

To face the storm in highest homes,

Building and rebuilding,

For the land which is their own,

This island land they call home.

Against nature’s strength,

And Hell’s damnation,

I see the landmark lifesaving station,

As men step out into the sun,

Within their eyes a strength,

Within their eyes a story,

Unequalled by none,

Not counting themselves hero,

Doing a job they know,

Knowing a job no other can do.

Church bell yonder begins to toll,

My interest carries me forth,

Fine men and women wearing their best,

As two lives join to face the test,

A life together as one,

Two hearts to each other won,

I join the crowd with gladness,

As the crowd dissipates in the mist,

And as I look,

The church leans closer,

The better to hear my thoughts,

The church leans to,

Made crooked by the storms of time,

As I listen to the echos,

Of the souls around mine,

Who have made their lives in Portsmouth,

In their time,

Allowing me to know their past,

That I may never loose sight of my future.

The Golden Bond

This is an older poem from my first book Endless Perspective of Life which you can buy from me SIGNED by clicking on the title above.  As this poem as touched many over the years, I felt led to bring it back out on the Internet.

 

A bond of gold on my hand marks the birth of a new man,

The beginning of a new life,

The dawn of an eternal love,

In the embrace of my loving wife.

Two souls sealed in the furnace of God's love,

Made forever one in His secure hand.

The price of love is paid for by the sharing of our souls.

My eyes, touched with her kiss, see her world.

My heart, anointed by her tears, knows her every pain.

My soul, filled with her laughter, is renewed by her joy.

The sheer force of her life within me renders all things gain.

The chill of all fear is gone, the darkness of life's doubts are washed away;

Replaced by the peace of her compassion for my soul.

And the knowing that I wake to the warmth of her tender eyes,

Each and every day.

For better or for worse I thrive facing all things.

For I face all things with my soul mate by my side.

How ever could I have lived without her?

The lonely memory of my solitary existence is gone!

So I thank God continually for His creation of marriage,

As I live forever in love, safe within the Golden Bond.

                       

Imploring Exploration

Music is the original language of the human heart.  Through music we cross language barriers to travel the charted territory of life and feeling to explore the uncharted... Together.  My thanks to Peter Gabriel for showing me this truth.

We plot a course,

Using our words,

To distant stars,

Within our minds,

To travel trips,

Never before,

Building tension,

Within the score,

A brand new day,

Within the heart,

For which we play.

New worlds before us,

Trouble far behind,

Traveling on together,

Truth we will find,

Defying expectations,

We are the human nation,

Imploring exploration.

Where the singer,

And the hearer,

Come forth together,

In through the song,

We travel forth,

Across the darkness,

Through a portal,

Into ourselves,

Drowned in silence,

From all the noise,

The music frees us,

Unto our joys.

New worlds before us,

Trouble far behind,

Traveling on together,

Truth we will find,

Defying expectations,

We are the human nation,

Imploring exploration.

There is no end,

With no beginning,

And no true sound,

Which we can hear,

Hearts must interpret,

To see the sounds,

With understanding,

Hearts are demanding,

That our souls follow,

With heightened pace,

And we will gather,

In special place.

New worlds before us,

Trouble far behind,

Traveling on together,

Truth we will find,

Defying expectations,

We are the human nation,

Imploring exploration.

Defying,

Denying,

Defining,

Delining,

Delighting,

Enlightening,

We are the human nation,

Imploring exploration.

Dear Shawn

How can I say,

So much has happened,

Since the last we spoke,

You were gone,

And I went on,

Many miles traveled,

Many miles yet to go,

We were in our room,

You had a tape of songs,

Peter Gabriel was never wrong,

I was fond of hearing Biko,

And Games Without Frontiers,

Would you have known,

From that beginning,

Of now when I am grinning?

Because I sang that song,

Within a stadium crowd,

With my family,

We saw Peter,

After giving him,

My written works,

We sang Biko together,

How could you know,

Of a little town?

A town away in Poland,

Where a girl,

Led a couple,

Who were taking,

A guided tour,

Then the couple,

Guided the tour girl,

To come with them,

Unto America,

And in America,

I fell in love with her,

Now we have family,

But if that couple,

Never met her,

Would my daughter,

I now be knowing?

These things,

I now am showing,

For so many years,

You have been gone,

Why was it you,

Instead of me?

I pass a biker,

Who did go down,

His wounds being tended,

And yet he lives,

When you did not,

And when I ask why,

I know he is a brother too,

Of someone else,

I never knew,

There is so much,

That we can see,

Through all energies,

Beneath the currents,

Yet knowing the tide,

I go on blessed,

With strength and pride,

My loving family,

Sees all with me,

For we can not answer,

All questions asked,

We cannot answer,

Through the tears,

While many are living,

Through all their fears,

And so I rise,

With every day,

To make it count,

Right from the start,

But are with me,

Inside my heart.

Digital Fire

I wrote this for Peter Gabriel inspired by his words in the San Diego concert on the night of October 8, 2012.  I never saw personal digital technology as good, until he spoke of using it in terms of uniting hearts and passions to inspire good in our world.

So what will happen?

You will read this and many will go to Witness.org to see what I am talking about.

Half of those people will read through information there.

Half of those people will decide to do something.

Half of those people will make a difference in other lives.

And you will change the world.

The flame is catching,

Around the world,

Spreading to all lives,

Seeing through all eyes,

For in every corner,

Light is captured,

Life is captive,

Upon the screen,

Images of events,

Otherwise unknown,

Racing between souls,

At the speed of touch,

From screen to screen,

From message to message,

Upon the net we live,

Accessible and accessed,

For the limit of our knowledge,

Is how much we want,

The limits of our feeling,

Are how much we need,

Can we feel the child solider,

Embracing his rifle,

Huddled in the darkness,

To protect his people,

Knowing the touch of death,

Before knowing a woman’s lips?

Can we feel the distant farmer,

Knowing his family’s land,

Generation upon generation,

Fruitful through hard work,

Bringing joy unto children,

Until forced from his home,

He is brought to homelessness?

To see his children on the streets,

Beneath the tears of his wife,

For these things go on,

As the evil within hearts,

Finds freedom unto action,

Within the darkness we provide,

Yet through linking our hearts,

Upon the digital network,

We weave the net of love,

Capturing lost souls,

Drying the tears,

Bringing light to darkness,

Through our digital fire.

One

I wrote this last night coming home from the Peter Gabriel concert in San Diego.  Besides being an experience beyond words, it was inspirational the way Peter spoke of people as one organism with many minds and hearts.  He said what happens in this world is up to us, and supports that with work such as The Voice Project, and Witness for human rights.  I have written this encompassing that thought for both of these organizations, please visit their sites and support their effort with me.  

One day,

One night,

One joy,

One fight,

One dream,

One goal,

One heart,

One whole,

One tear,

One shove,

One road,

One love,

One tribe,

One kind,

One thought,

One mind,

One stage,

One start,

One role,

One part,

One man,

One wife,

One path,

One life,

In one end,

We’ve begun,

We are real,

We are one.

The Kiss

This is a painting done by Jane Seymour called "The Kiss" and the one which inspired me the most when we met her in La Jolla.  The characters portrayed are from "Somewhere in Time" in which she starred with Christopher Reeve.  She spoke of him as a remarkable human being, and a kindred spirit.  This poem is inspired by the painting, and all the love of life that went into this inspiring moment. You can support research into helping others who suffer spinal injuries like him by visiting the  Christopher Reeve Foundation.  Visit Jane Seymour's website at http://www.janeseymour.com. 

It is in finding ourselves,

That we find each other,

Traveling across time,

Seeking through space,

Breaking probability,

For all bends to love,

She has sought meaning,

Every morning in the mirror,

Every night in her prayers,

He has sought answers,

What it all is for,

Why is he here,

If it is only alone,

Seeking each other,

Without knowing,

Following the sense,

No one can describe,

The find each other,

Beside the waters,

And side by side,

They walk together,

Learning each other,

Knowing their joys,

Understanding fears,

Finding their answers,

Becoming one,

As they stand close,

Gently holding her face,

As love lets go of fear,

Standing in pure strength,

He touches her like a rose,

His petals to her blossom,

Until their lips touch softly,

In that one blessed moment,

For no moment beginning,

Will ever have an end,

This moment is forever,

Within the kiss.

The Wine Glass

 I was doing dishes while my wife was working on the computer in the other room.  I had been thinking how many more new ideas can I write on when I have one book out there, and 3 manuscripts waiting behind it once people realize that I write.  I was putting a clean wine glass away, this came to heart, and I sent it to her from a laptop in the kitchen while I was putting dishes away and writing.

She is strong,

In her delicacy,

Smooth surface,

Reflecting light,

Transcending,

Beauty in the sun,

Translucence,

Suspended flow,

In the moonlight,

See her glow,

Curve in motion,

Turning inwards,

A circle of life,

Back upon herself,

She is a vessel,

Holding the joy,

You fill within her,

Filling her heart,

Upon slender stem,

Within your hand,

While holding her,

As she holds you,

With love of life,

Upon her lips,

As you taste of,

The living wine.