The grass is so green
Down in the meadow
Beside the glistening stream

A cowbell rings
Tolling for lovers
Beside the sparkling water.

Our fingers touch and
A shock jolts our bodies
As we tremble with passion.

The air is hot and still.
Nature's sounds are magnified
As we reach for each other.

Fumbling with our clothes
We caress one another
With hot lips and sweet kisses.

The fragrance of crushed grass
Mingles with the scent of wild roses
As the sun heats our  naked flesh.

Lying together on our blanket,
We make love with an urgency
That takes our breath away.

Afterwards, we lay side by side,
Holding hands, touching
And whispering our love.

That romantic summer's day,
Filled with joy and delight,
And so many years ago.

My sweet daughter.
Strong, but not strong enough
To withstand his
Bullying and his beatings.

     That Monster

Made her feel worthless
And useless and weak
As he did  his best to use
And abuse her.

     That Monster

Full of drink and drugs
Cracked her ribs, blackened her eye,
Locked her in a closet,
And insidiously isolated her.

     That Monster

Did  not win in the end.
One special day,
Empowered by extraordinary courage,
She called the police and had him arrested.

     That Monster

Can't beat her any more.
The healing of her body is done,
But the healing of her soul
Will take many years.

Stay strong, my sweet girl.

A parson's wife I never thought I'd be,
Attending bazaars, pouring tea.
Not my style, woe is me.

One day Art awoke and said to me,
A minister I plan to be,
How good am I, follow me!

Oh God, I said, don't do this to me.
What did I ever do to thee?
I don't want this, why me?

God, surely you don't want me.
I'm going to fight, can't you see.
It's Art who's seen the light, not me.

Young and innocent I went.
To my fate I was sent,
On this adventure Art was bent.

Studying and learning, Art did work,
And in the background I did lurk.
Like a puppet I did ****.

Raise six kids, scrimp and save,
Go to church, feel like a slave.
Don't rock the boat, here comes a wave!

Break the mold, do your own thing,
Said my conscience, on the wing.
Be yourself, fly and sing.

Belly dancing I took, to Art's delight.
A rebel in a bra, that was my fight!
I'd go but I'd kick and scratch and bite.

Stereotyped I would never be.
A woman should be free
To be herself, like you and me.

Now I'm happy, I've found my life.
Here amongst the calm and strife,
I'm a parson's wife.

I knew a girl when I was eight
Who was my friend and classmate.
Every day we walked to school
And teased the boys and tried to act cool.

She had a sister and brother
Who stayed at home with their mother.
Each morning as we would go
They'd wave goodbye from their window.

One day while sitting in class
We heard the fire engines pass.
They stopped and we knew it was near,
But never dreamed we had anything to fear.

At noon we left the classroom
And started home with a feeling of gloom.
I'd always been afraid of fire,
And now I was trembling and starting to perspire.

In the distance we saw the smoke,
Then I heard my friend gasp and choke.
She looked stunned and in a daze.
It was her home that was ablaze.

We stopped in the road and stared,
Not saying a word, we were too scared.
The house was burned to the ground,
Everything gone, only ashes could be found.

My friend started to scream,
But I just stood there as if in a dream.
Frozen in the middle of the street,
In shock I couldn't even move my feet.

The last time I saw my friend was that day
When the neighbours came and took her away.
I often wonder just where she went
After we witnessed that terrible event.

I want to thank you for your sacrifice.
I know it was not made without a price.
You were so young, yet wise enough
To put your baby's needs before yourself.

Your baby daughter needed a place
In which to grow with love and grace,
So you listened to your inner voice
And, as hard as it was, you made a choice.

You wanted the best for your little one,
That child whose life had just begun,
So you said goodbye and gave her a kiss
And then gave up your sweet little Chris.

Each Christmas, each birthday that passed
Brought fresh sorrow from the past,
But your memories were left unsaid
As you tried to stop the tears you shed.

That precious child, right from the start,
Smiled her smile and chaptured  my heart.
Her big, brown eyes stared into my face
As I held  her close in a tight embrace.

The love that I felt on that special day
Was greater than I can ever say,
And the connection we made, she and I,
Is one that we'll share till the day we die.

She's grown up now with her future ahead,
And very soon, she and Jack will be wed.
We'll watch with pride as she walks down the aisle
And see our love reflected in her smile.

Thoughtful, loving, caring and kind
Describes that daughter of yours and mine,
So I thank you again for the choice you made,
For taking a chance and not being afraid.

Hey!  Open these pearly gates wide.
There's someone waiting outside.
Don't just stand there, I want to come in.
Don't keep me out, I committed no sin.

****** I've not done, nor cheat, nor rob,
Maybe just a little pilfering on the job.
Once in a while I did a good deed,
A little insurance in case of need!

I never beat my children or my wife.
Of course, I didn't spend that much of my life
Being a father or a husband because
I was much too busy, but I broke no laws.

I think that I can safely say
That I did little for which I must pay.
I've lived my life as I saw fit,
Getting by on my charm and wit.

On occasion, I took the Lord's name in vain,
But only when I was really in pain.
Littering was something I did not do,
Nor spit on the sidewalk, nor tobacco did I chew.

I can't understand why you're keeping me out.  
Down on earth I had a lot of clout.
To the person in charge, I want to say,
You'll be sorry if you don't let me in today.

I am sure that behind these portals I belong
Because, as you can see, I did no real wrong.
So lift the latch and open these gates,
Let this soul enter and see what awaits.

I'm scared, said the earth to the moon,
I think I'm going to die very soon.
There's a constant haze in my blue sky
And that's what happens before you die.

The air has become so stale
That it's difficult to inhale.
The pollution makes it heavy and thick
And I'm beginning to feel quite sick.

They're razing the forests, hundreds a day,
And the rivers and seas are full of decay.
How can they expect their children to endure
When they've sentenced me to a death so premature.

Suffocation is imminent, I'm afraid,
The oxygen supply is going to fade
Without the trees to replenish the air.
My demise is certain, does no one care?

How sad.  Never again to feel the breeze,
Or watch the rain, or touch the cool seas,
Or smell a flower, or welcome a new spring,
Or see a green field, or hear a human being.