There are times when we feel something about our lives but we can’t seem to put our deep feelings into words. I have struggled with this in my writings. Even in writing my blog I find myself searching for the right words that I believe others will understand what I mean, when I use them. I have solved this dilemma on occasion by changing the format of the words I use.

I find, at times, I can express myself better in a poem than I can trying to talk or write about it. I have kept a copy of some of my poems that I have created over the years to express what I was feeling at the time. I am going to share a few with you. Perhaps you will identify with the emotion that produced each one. If you do, you will know more about me than you need to. But that’s OK. We’re friends.

I am including two from my collection, here, with no introduction. If they speak to you, I don’t want to slant them away from your world by telling you about my world. If they don’t speak to you, just enjoy. If you are an English teacher, please give me some slack on the format.

The New Path

You asked if I ever think of her,

I answered of course I do.

My mind wanders back to my past,

Where memories that are buried seem to last.

But worry not, my dear sweet lady.

For when I think of the present, I think only of you.

My reflections are both happy and sad.

A wonderful life together

That ended too soon.

I held her hand for hours

Until her last breath and her soul left the room.

How could I not remember her?

She was the core of my life.

For thirty-five years

She was both my lover and my wife.

But she is gone and no longer exists.

She said to me before she left

On this one thing I must insist,

Your life must continue forward

Grief must not stop you

Don’t fall behind, you must resist.

Love is everywhere, if you look you will find.

A life alone is not meant to be.

Find someone that is not like me.

Your memory will last, but I represent the past,

You’re on a new road now,

New faces, new places, new fields to plow.

Now, sweet lady, I am with you

And all she said has come true.

Mine is a new life, we’ll call it Act III.

And we will explore it together,

Just you and me.

Giving is Living

The alarm went off, I climbed out of bed.

 Was gunna take a shower,

But made coffee instead.

 It always helps, to clear my head.

Life is good, oh yeah, life is good.

Turned on the news to find out,

What politicians were all shouting about.

The same old thing, all still fighting.

 I decided to see if the fish were biting.

Life is good, oh yeah, life is good.

Went to the lake to get my boat,

Was grateful to see it was still afloat

Picked up some bait and put it on my hook.

Caught me some bass and a big Chinook.

Life is good, oh yeah, life is good.

I laid down my rod and took a look.

I had more fish than I could cook.

It was okay that I had more than I need.

I know others that have families to feed.

Life is good. Oh yeah, life is good.

Cleaned those fish, put them on ice.

Then filleted them out real nice.

Took um to some homeless, ready for the pan,

Gave them to a person who was the lead man.

Life is good. Oh yeah, life is good.

He gave them to some folks,

That were doing without.

They were so happy

You could hear them shout.

Tonight, we don’t have to do without.

Life is good. Oh yeah, life is good,

If we just do what we know we should.

Giving is living and that is true,

It makes Life good, for both me and you.