“Successful families – successful nations.” – MCM
- “The Magic Continues”
There you are,
You and your boy.
Eyes filled with yes,
Smiles filled with joy.
Fly away time,
It’s life never ending.
Your gift to the world,
It's him you are sending…
Your fingers are raised,
Most see it as fun,
But those fingers are joined,
Just as you two are one.
Copyright (c) 2003
- “A Glimpse of You”
I liked your face instantly,
The softness of your smile.
Your independent spirit,
Your words were without guile.
Your directness was refreshing,
Your humility was real.
Your dedication to motherhood,
Was something one could feel.
In only half a life-time,
You’ve experienced it all.
The rising hopes, the plans all made,
The loss in one great fall.
Now all you want is “once again”,
All you want is more.
One family that’s well and whole,
That reminds of what love’s for.
That’s my wish for Kathryn Kate,
My wish to Good Night Moon.
That the life you want is yours again,
And very, very soon.
God bless you and Mary Grace.
Copyright (c) 2008
- “My Dog Lucy”
My dog Lucy
Is the same every day.
She rises and runs -
Always wants us to play.
My dog Lucy
Is sweet, good and pure,
She reminds us the little things
Are the bounty for sure.
My dog Lucy
Lives in the here and the now.
She makes me forget
About the next coming row.
My dog Lucy
Your dog's just as true,
They make us now smile
And change us through and through.
Copyright (c) 2015
- “Black Families Matter”
If black families don’t matter,
If black fathers aren't there,
Then boys' lives may shatter,
News stories may flair.
At night we see young men
Some out of control,
We see anger and brickbats,
Not schoolbooks unfold.
We all see the marchers,
Who claim that they care.
We see policemen as fathers,
Try curbing despair.
When we all come together,
Histrionics aside,
The family's the answer,
Father-son, side-by-side.
For black lives to matter,
And we all pray they do,
Then all families must matter,
Husband -wife pledge "I do".
Copyright (c) 2016
- “My Little Girl” 2016
We were so excited
When she was born,
Into our lives
Came this little storm.
Her tiny feet,
Hands so soft,
She giggled when
We held aloft.
Her blue, blue eyes,
Her soft sweet voice,
To her mother and I,
She was our choice.
Her questions came
As she grew up,
We answered them,
We filled her cup.
When winds would blow,
And skies grew dark,
We held her hand -
Our little lark.
Off to school -
She socialized,
I told the boys
She was my prize.
Then came college
We missed her so,
She learned so much -
As we let go...
She met a boy,
She made a man,
Gave her away -
Our Peter Pan.
They visit us,
They keep in touch.
Her mom and I
Miss her so much.
If you have a girl
And things go well,
One day when right
These words she'll tell.
She'll tell her son
About her dad,
"Just be like him
You'll make me glad."
Copyright (c) 2016
- “Why So Late?” 2016
Our only son
We loved so much,
Gone so long -
So out of touch.
It was so good
The life we gave,
But Adventure was
The thing you craved.
You left home
Without a word,
All we knew -
Gone with your sword.
Rumors flew -
Where had you gone?
A life of good,
Or one of wrong?
Your father wept -
So unlike him,
Each week in church
You were our hymn.
The years rolled on,
Your father died.
I was then alone,
Save tears I cried.
Age has left me
Frail and weak,
Yet faith holds firm -
His grace I seek.
Now here you are
When I'm near death.
To pay respect?
Watch my last breath?
Why so late,
So nearly vain?
To touch my cheek?
To ease my pain?
Had better salved
The wounds of life,
When I was still
Your father's wife.
Had better touched
My heart's own beat,
When I was strong
And on my feet.
Perhaps redemption
Is your path -
To seek forgiveness
From God's wrath?
I don't know why
You've come so late,
As I surrender
To hands of fate.
The words I have
Are brief and true,
You broke our hearts -
Who now loves you?
Copyright (c) 2016
- “Your Father Forever” 2016
I stood as your father
For all of these years.
When troubled winds blew
I vanquished your fears.
It was I who did teach you
How to ride your first bike.
What clothes you should wear,
What a real man was like.
I strove every day
To keep your chin up,
To praise and amend you,
To fill your life's cup.
I spoke of you often
To all of my friends.
I encouraged you daily,
In life's turns and bends.
To school you then went
At just age eighteen,
Gone away was my boy
Once so small and so lean.
When college was done,
You made a good life.
A fine new career
And a lovely young wife.
As I die today,
My end no surprise,
I look back on life -
And see you as my prize.
My task now ahead
With faith I do say,
To listen intently
Whenever you pray.
So say your prayers daily,
As we nightly rehearsed.
Pray first for all others,
Then read God's good verse.
If you follow His Creed
In all that you do,
He will hear your prayers -
And I'll hear them, too.
Copyright (c) 2016
- “When Families Flourish” 2016
When families they do flourish,
When family dinners are for real,
Police protect their safety,
Church bells priests do peel!
When families they do prosper,
When couples stay and lead,
Their children see commitment,
And adopt this family creed.
When families fail us fully,
And family dinners are all gone -
Police must deal with children,
Priests chant the funeral song.
When America is ailing,
With angry mobs in city streets,
The beginning of dysfunction,
Is family in retreat.
It's where we learn our habits,
Our self-restraint and peace.
Let's build our families up,
More weddings, less police.
Copyright (c) 2016
- “Our Saturday Nights” 2016
The inventors of this night,
The Saturdays each week -
Designed it for we two,
To rekindle what we seek.
Weekdays are so hurried,
The calendar does then rule.
We peek above the hub-bub,
We look beyond life's school.
The larger journey for us,
I speak of Heaven sure -
Until that shore is reached,
Pray Saturdays endure.
Once the sun goes down,
And we are all alone -
I look at only you,
We are what we call 'home'.
The next day in our church,
As in our pews we pray -
We touch each other's hand,
"We're ready" - thanks Saturday.
Copyright (c) 2016