Poems

C H I L D R E N

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, 
Speak to us of Children. 
And he said: 

Your children are not your children. 
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing
for itself.
They come through you but not from you, 
And though they are with you, yet they belong 
not to you. 
You may give them your love but not your 
thoughts. 
For they have their own thoughts. 
You may house their bodies but not their souls, 
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, 
which you cannot visit, 
not even in your dreams. 
You may strive to be like them, but seek not 
to make them like you. 
For life goes not backward nor tarries with 
yesterday
You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth. 
The archer sees the mark upon the path of 
the infinite,
and He bends you with His might that His 
arrows may go swift and far. 
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for 
gladness; 
For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so 
He loves also the bow that is stable. 

from: THE PROPHET 
by:  Kahlil Gibran

******************************************** Golden brown children Frolic on emerald yard; Lovely summer sons. --6/23/83 ******************************************** Rabbit-cloud skies, Chocolate-brown eyes and sticky, mud-splattered kisses, May not bring high praise from a king; But, I know What a grand life this is! --6/23/83 ******************************************** If paper can be a Concorde jet and cardboard a suit of armour, There are no limits to any feats Or the worlds you could conquer. Wizards and unicorns and gnomes, it's said; are just a fantasy. But in your eyes and in your laugh, they become reality. In your heart you seem to know that life's dreams can come true. You encourage my heart to grasp the hope that the world is not so cruel. Oh, little boy, you're just a child, too soon you'll be a man, But, I'll be there if you stumble or fall, and to help you, if I can. --3/24/83 ********************************************

Poetry From The Heart


I wish there were a doctor
who could mend a broken heart.
I would have him weld mine together 
so it would never fall apart.
On second thought, I'd have it coated 
with only the strongest of steel, 
Put chains and locks around it tight
and be immuned to the sense of feel.
I could look at you coldly
and never let you know....
But, there's not a doctor 
for broken hearts.
I feel my heart explode. 
---10/15/71

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It was a space in life
we didn't plan.
It came naturally 
for us to fall in love.
--2/24/72

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I am the jester in your royal court,
I dress in colors bright,
I plan my performance all day long, 
and way into the night.
I sing and dance and do funny tricks,
as you sit there calm and cool. 
I must please my king; 
you're precious to me!
For you, I play "your fool".
--11/20/72

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I wonder how 
it feels to die;
Your thoughts, your soul
flung to the sky.
Does it hurt just an instant
or all eternity?
Well, I never died!
So, don't ask me!
--6/2/82
(written after hearing 
someone say, "I'd die if he ever left me")

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When you speak 
of love to me, 
I wonder if, secretly
in your heart
you speak to a fool.
--11/10/82

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Her photograph is neatly tucked 
outside the picture frame 
that holds you and a friend skiing 
on sloping, snowy terrain. 

She stares at me with frozen smile;
as I stare back, I see 
visions of forgotten loves, 
and ours that will never be. 
--10/25/83 

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You bare your body to anybody.
You bare your soul to none.
But after your life has lost its thrill,
Who will you say has won? 
--6/20/84 

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Affairs begin 
with users.....
In the end, 
the losers win.
--11/20/87 

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MY AWARDS