(1937; 1996-1998, Images: Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
My work was dull, tedious, and slow,
And night would soon be nigh.
My weary soul now yearned for rest;
For night to soon come by.
I stole beside the open light,
Where I could breathe cool air;
And then I saw the golden sun
Of Autumn setting there.
Perhaps it was the sunkissed sky,
Or yet the golden sun.
It may have been the tinted blue
That told me day was done.
The sky that lured and beckoned me;
The sun that sank so low;
A dim horizon bathed in lights,
That set me all aglow.
I may not comprehend life’s game,
Nor know of all its woe.
Perhaps I’ve lived without a thought
Of knowledge I should know.
And yet all I can understand,
Is that the sun had set,
Amid the glory of the sky,
That I shall ne’er forget.
(October 1978, Brighton Beach Bugle)
with apologies to John Masefield
I must go down to the beach again,
To the lovely beach and sky.
And all I ask is a sunny day
Without clouds or rain to come by.
And the dancing is great, and the music is fine
At the stadium near the shore
Where everyone gathers to be entertained
With songs and jokes galore.
I must go down to the beach again
Where the people congregate
To swim and play a game or two,
And maybe make a date.
And all I ask is a merry time,
To have my burdens lighten.
Where else can I find all this, and more,
But down in dear old Brighton.
(1980, The Living Stone)
Nature has its ups and downs,
I try to hear the different sounds.
Some days in Spring my heart feels bright
While other times I’m full of strife.
In April when the rain is endless,
Time is heavy from the stress.
In May and June the days are grand,
A peaceful mood flows on the land.
The carefree Summer days are fine,
They keep my spirits quite sublime.
At Autumn time it’s still serene,
But tinged with sadness it would seem
And then when winter settles down,
A grim acceptance brings a frown.
I think Nature’s wisdom has a plan—
Patience and faith for all of man.
(1979, The Living Stone)
I took a breath of air the other day
And knew at once that Spring was here to stay.
It’s much too early all my friends proclaim,
And yet I have this feeling just the same.
A restless mood now seems to fill the air;
I want to shrug off all thoughts of despair.
This new feeling yearns to lift my spirits high,
And look with wonder at the earth and sky.
Beware—I want to shout to everyone,
A new beginning is under the sun.
Search out your dreams of now and then;
Renew your hope all over again.
(1989, Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
Love is all and all there is
When all else has gone astray,
The years of toil, what will it mean,
When earthly goods have gone away?
We stand alone when all is lost
And dreams of riches fade away
With you beside me life renews
And hope again shines through the day.
(1989, Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
What is my heart’s desire?
To what do I aspire?
There are places in far off lands I could see;
And jewels and trinkets I could find for me
Always searching, and what will I find?
The answer, I think, is here in my mind.
(1989, Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
I once saw a deer coming out of a wood;
It was for a brief moment that he stood,
And then he swiftly retreated again,
But the sight remained on my mind since then.
Such grace and elegance was there,
That I felt humble without fear,
A quiet strength for nature to bring;
A memory that made my heart sing.
(1990, Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
A robin flew from tree to tree;
swiftly soaring gracefully.
It chirped a tune so merrily;
A song of love for you and me.
(1990, Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
A blade of grass; a tiny flower; a shady tree
When I am sad, these little sights they comfort me.
A sunny day; a summer breeze; the song of birds.
When things go wrong, these sounds mean more to me that words.
The soft white sand; the roaring sea; the sky of blue.
If I am lost, these sights will help to see me through.
The sands of time; the setting sun; the evening light.
I know I’ll find my way tonight.
(November, 1990)
Whatever you do; give it your all
If the deed is big, or it be small; give it your all
For in God’s creation there is a plan
Beyond the comprehension of man
The smallest leaf falls from the tree
For all to see; for you and me.
(1991, Images: Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
I’ve often thought of what I’m seeking
Have I some special fantasy?
If peace of mind is what I’m after
Will this then solve the mystery?
In delving further it comes to mind
What I want to know is who I am
Then the hardest part of all;
How can I fit the plan?
(1991, Images: Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
I thought I found the asnswers,
When maturity came along;
But when I made new finds,
I saw that I was wrong.
In reflection then I noted,
It happened all the time;
I’d proclaim my new discovery,
Announce that I was fine.
Perhaps to be uncertain,
Not sure if it is so;
A puzzle for us all,
Alas! I do not know.
(1992, Images: Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
I went abroad to see the sights
The places I’ve read and heard about
Magnificent structures for all to see
Fulfillment of a dream for me.
I sailed in cruise ships on the sea
In splendid calm of ocean breeze
And walked along the deck with ease
And marveled at the foaming seas.
Then home I came to humdrum days
Of travelling on the subway trains
When crossing the bridge I viewed a scene
As amazing as I’ve ever seen
The waters below sparkled from the sun
A skyline of buildings stood in splendor
At a distance a lady holding a light
I knew then this was the finest sight.
(1992, Images: Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
There are no answers to my pain
I must not stay with this refrain
Some mysteries are best unsolved
What’s left I now must be involved
God give me faith to know this now
And make this be my silent vow
(1993, Images: Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
I like the sound of rain
It echoes from my window pane
The soothing patter fills the air
And chases all of my despair.
The rain is like a fresh new start
Flowing through the saddened heart
A new beginning on the way
Looking toward another day.
(1993, Images: Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
Life is often cruel and very sad
We wonder and we ponder as to why it is so
Quietly and suddenly a force will steal upon us
And strike a heavy blow.
We seek solutions and some reasons
Why fate reversed its scheme
But getting answers is not easy
When we try to find our dream.
We trudge along from day to day
Bewildered, lost with fear
While all around the flowers grow
From year to year, to year.
(1993, Images: Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
The sands of time go on its merry way
And doesn’t wait for me to have my say
I want to list injustices made against me
But no one stops to listen to my plea
I rant and rage and shake my head about
But no one seems to hear me cry or shout
I think grow weary of this useless try
So finally allow the days to go by
In silence and then I feel that time has passed
And knowing now it matters not at last.
(1993, Images: Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
The time had come
It was my turn
I stared upon the curtain there
Determined, uncertain and with fear.
As in a dream I pulled the switch
And there before me in a flash
Bold and cold for me to see
Names that fate had set for me.
The time was short, I must not delay
Decisions made way for me at last
I plunged and pressed and set my score
And left the place forevermore.
(1994, Images: Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
Nature is my God
I know no other one
The morning sun shrines for me
And summer breezes set me free
The flowers in Spring are enchanting
Part of Nature’s greatest blessing
But God is not always kind
For we grow old and days are grim
And we must find answers therein
Yes, Nature is my God.
(1996-1998, Images: Senior Literary Review: A Collection of Creative Writings)
I loved you because you loved me
I saw the best in you because you saw the best in me
You wanted my child and I wanted yours
You treasured the gifts of life and I opened my heart
And now I stand alone, but never apart.