The Weight On Your Shoulders

I know of your strength
It's part of my life
It's held me together
on many a night

Clothed in your courage
Cloaked by your drive
Confronting each day
Never failing to strive

But there are times when-
no matter the power you wear-
troubles surround you,
bringing despair

The weight of the world
lies heavy, oppressed
even on shoulders
so stoutly dressed

So give me your burden
to carry awhile
I'll wield it, contented
in seeing you smile

Invaluable Love

Too valuable to toss aside
too good to throw away
And so you hold it deep inside
in hopes somewhere, someday-
a soul will walk across your path
who sees the world your way.

A soul who finds the beauty
in both the rainbow and the rain
A heart that finds the threads of love
in life's tapestry of pain.

And when you find that soul
you must hold on with all your might
to keep this light within your life
in days of darkest night.

Stay Strong

For those who could use it now, an excerpt from the lyrics of Stay Strong by Newsboys.  And here's a link to a live performance of the song:  Stay Strong




We've seen the tragic flaws
The tortured souls
The saints with feet of clay
Here's where sin becomes cliche'

We've come through wilderness and watched
The cloud by day
The burning sky into dawn
Have you forgotten who you are?
Did you forget whose trip you're on?

Stay strong
You are not lost
Come on and fix your eyes ahead
There's a new dawn to light our day, our day

We've gotta stay strong
You and I run
For the prize that lies ahead
We've come too far to lose our way, our way

Our Hold On The Planet

Many days, when I'm catching up on the news and it all seems to be bad news, I remember the words of this Robert Frost poem for comfort.

Our Hold On The Planet

We asked for rain.  It didn't flash and roar.

It didn't lose its temper at our demand.

And blow a gale.  It didn't misunderstand

And give us more than our spokesman bargained for;

And just because we owned to a wish for rain,

Send us a flood and bid us be damned and drown.

It gently threw us a glittering shower down.

And when we had taken that into the roots of grain,

It threw us another and then another still

Till the spongy soil again was natal wet.

We may doubt the just proportion of good to ill.

There is much in nature against us.  But we forget:

Take nature altogether since time began,

Including human nature, in peace and war,

And it must be a little more in favor of man,

Say a fraction of one per cent at the very least,

Or our number living wouldn't be steadily more,

Our hold on the planet wouldn't have so increased. 


(Photo courtesy of Greenzer.com)

Robin Gibb, Poet

Yesterday, May 20, 2012, the world lost a great and prolific poet in Robin Hugh Gibb.  On his own, and in collaboration with brothers Maurice and Barry as the Bee Gees, Robin created some of the most beautiful and memorable songs of all time. While the music and beats are unforgettable, I always found the words even more so--as poetic as anything I've ever read by the world's greatest acknowledged poets.  In tribute to Robin, here are the words to two of my favorites.

 

Words

Smile an everlasting smile
a smile can bring you
near to me
Don't ever let me find you gone

'cause that would
bring a tear to me

This world has lost its glory
let's start a brand
new story now, my love
Right now, there'll be no other time
and I can show you how, my love

Talk in everlasting words
and dedicate them all to me
And I will give you all my life
I'm here if you should call to me
You think that I don't even
mean a single word I say

It's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

Living Eyes

Would you believe me if I told you your tomorrow is my yesterday
But be alive
I know that we will
The world keeps on moving but I'm holdin' still

In the beginning I was far away and praying for my destiny
That would arrive
The moment you're born
For we will be here when the miracle comes

Living Eyes,when under the sun don't cry
No war in my mind
The state of my heart
Living eyes, when out in the rain will fall
The day I deny the face of my love

We are of age, we are in time
We are forever
Right now when the power is mine
I leave you heaven and the earth
I leave you never
And living to love is the reason we shine

When I been over I been under
I don't own a dream to analyze
But living eyes you know that I do
believe in the soul and the magic of you

Living eyes, when under the sun don't cry
No war in my mind
The state of my heart
Living eyes, when out in the rain will fall
The day I deny the face of my love

We are of age,we are in time
We are forever
Right now when the power is mine
I leave you heaven and the earth
I leave you never
And living to love is the reason we shine

Living eyes
When under the sun don't cry
No war in my mind
The state of my heart
Living eyes...

Every Morning

Every morning I awaken,

you in my heart and mind.

Each moment of every single day,

you're in my thoughts, I find.

Throughout the busy evening hours,

you're there to keep me strong.

A presence without which I'd fail;

a soul mate when nights are long.

At midnight, when the stars shine down

you sing to me on the wind.

Each gentle, warmly blowing breeze

a promise that you send.

In deepest night, you hold me close

even though you're far away

keep me safe from darkest thoughts

until the break of day.

Night Vigil

The sun's light fades, grows weak and dim
as evening slowly falls
Radiant stars come wandering in
to peek through dusk's misty gauze


Bright full moon then marches forth
with smiling, twinkling face,
and parts the luminescent veil
to take his rightful place


As through the night, they stand their guard
these patient stars and moon
Then, at dawn, they greet the sun
as he relieves night's gloom


(Photo is 'Foggy Moon at Midnight' by James Jones)