Those Who Walk Among Us

Many centuries and generations have passed since the God of Abraham walked among his people, so the Lord asked himself “what has changed on this Earth that I once created for my children?” I left them my laws to follow, the free will to choose between right and wrong, and the opportunity to learn from their own mistakes. I gave them the courage to go on in the face of tribulation and a comforter to remain with them always. I promised to wash away their past sins, they were guaranteed a clean slate, and the chance to be like me: full of greatness, love, compassion, the chance to be immortal, to be perfect. God said “I shall walk among the human souls and see what they see, feel what they feel, experience what lessons they have learned and taught.”

Looking for a lesson in compassion and attentiveness - as a homeless Veteran God secretly came into existence. In dirty tattered clothes, he roamed the city streets. Speaking to strangers about “his father in Heaven,” he talked of miracles and of angels, but the police labeled him as mentally ill and tagged him as schizophrenic. No one wanted to hear. The wealthy passed by and ignored him. They thought he was foolish, uneducated, and nothing more than a nuisance. Later he was robbed and left bleeding in the street. No one stopped to help. God was aghast from the treatment of a man who had given so much..

For enlightenment in the act of kindness - he then tried appearing as a beautiful white dove, a symbol of peace, joy, and love, but a nearby hunter shot him in mid flight, because he was bored. He called it “sport.” The dove fell to a nearby field: it lay in the grass, heart racing, and eyes rapidly moving, pupils enlarging, and then the life force slowly drained away. A frail, limp, feathered body lying all alone and frightened. God’s spirit returned to Heaven. What he experienced, disheartened him greatly. How could such a graceful and harmless creature have such a violent death?

For an education in humility and purity God appeared to man in the image of Jesus Christ, but he used an Islamic name. Traveling through the Deep South, as a stranger, from the Middle East, his skin was not white, his language not English - the Klan, with ghostly sheets covering their faces, branded him a terrorist and hung him on a makeshift gallows. Embittered over the prejudice, Emmanuel’s  soul returned to Heaven.

He tried transforming into a child, thinking that the innocent and pure of heart would bring out only the best in man, but his earthly parents were too busy for him. He was left alone while his parents went out to party and at the hands of his pedophile neighbor he was violated, raped, and abused. The Prince of Peace was now outraged.

Seeking insight into mutual respect he appeared as an elderly woman, but because she was old and frail, with dementia, she was placed in a nursing home, and later she died from loneliness and neglect. He thought maybe this was an isolated case so he reappeared at a Native American Elder. He thought surely I will learn of traditions and rites of passage, but the Reservation youth, who had been forced into white man schools, had lost all knowledge of their ancestry and religion and had turned to alcohol as an escape. God was totally disillusioned.  

He contemplated what form to take on next and the idea of man’s best friend came to mind, so he changed himself into a dog. He thought surely I will see unconditional love, will find companionship, and loyalty. For these are what a canine heart shares in abundance. At first he was accepted, well fed, and lots of attention, but then his owner became bored with him. He was too costly to feed and to take to the vet. The man considered trading him for a new smart phone or a game console, but instead he sold him at auction to the highest bidder. With a spiked chain around his neck, his new owner threw him into a ring, and because he refused to fight, he was beaten and killed.

What kind of education in humanity did God walk away with? Were the tears of the Father one’s of pride and joy, or were they tears of sadness and disappointment? Is this what his son had died for? Jesus, with his dying breathe said “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”, but after that many centuries – mankind should have learned.

Coyote Baiting, What Lesson Taught?

Ripping flesh with their teeth
The hounds tear at the animal
Tortured and bleeding it fights for survival
The agonizing pain is so deep
Blood runs from the open wounds
There is a pitiful cry
As the coyote takes its last breathe
Yet still it finds no peace
Its limbs are ripped from their sockets
The snapping of bones is heard
And there among the onlookers
A child in his teens
Feeding on the violence
He envisions the kill
He looks at the dead carcass
The coyotes face is dim
There is a haze of recognition
In the coyotes likeness the boy sees his father
Violence begets violence
Lessons are learned
And vengeance comes swiftly

All in a Day

It’s bright, it’s bright
The stars are out tonight
And the moon sits there smiling in the sky
And the planets they revolve
Gaseous state and all
And the clouds go rumbling, rolling by

 It’s cool, it’s cool

The kids and fish are all in school
And the cat tails blow in breezes by the pond
And the carp they splash and turn
The water, ripples, as it churns
Everything in nature’s, where it belongs

It’s bright, it’s bright

The darkness turns to light
The sun comes up grinning in the east
And the birds sing their songs
Squirrels and rabbits hop along
God’s creation of man and all the beasts

It’s a miracle for sure

The world must concur
A day on this earth is a special gift…

 It’s bright, it’s bright

The stars are out tonight
And the moon sits there smiling in the sky
And the planets they revolve
Gaseous state and all
And the years go quickly rolling by!

Some things in life mean much more

I love those small town places
With all those old familiar faces
Roads that travel to and fro and back again
Railroad tracks that children walk
Corners to just stand and talk
Parks for families and groups to go…
I love those small white churches
Streets lined with silver birch
Pizza places and dairy queens…all so serene
Bicycles and roller skates, cookouts with paper plates
Those were the days of family fun.
Tent revivals in the yard, fried chicken cooked in lard
Softball games at the local school…..so cool
Clothes that were hand me downs, toys to pass around
Extra cash just wasn’t easy to find.
But happiness and friends were near, necessities you found right here
No one worried about making it alone…
So, oh, when I dream, these are the things I see
Swings made from old oak trees, with the smell of lilac in the breeze…
If time could be turned back, we’d all feel less harassed
we’d learn to appreciate what we’ve had
But it’s the future now, and this change is all so wild
It’s really all quite sad…..
but we will try and make the best, as we all age and rest
Holding on to the memories, passed loved ones brought
We’ll be richer for the times, and someday we will find
That having more didn’t really mean so much…..
Treasures really aren’t so rare, they are truly everywhere
In the hearts of those our lives have touched!

Genealogy

There is a feeling deep inside
And I can't explain it
An inquisitiveness that fills my soul
And I don't know why
Searching the past to find the future
Bits of truth, questions, buried lies
Faces that share a common likeness
Seeds of time passed through the blood
We are bits of those who have gone before us
Plants springing through the layers of the mud
A word or tradition makes us wonder
An action or feeling of dejavu
In dreams we see the images of strangers
Yet glimpses in their eyes of me and you
We are what our DNA makes us
It is a code that runs like a program or a plan
It tells which paths will someday be taken
The story behind each woman and each man
Each piece is like a piece within a puzzle
Cut in shapes to make the picture come alive
Some left blank to color our own scenery
But each a unique drone within the hive

How Much Suffering

So much suffering on OUR Earth

How can WE close OUR eyes?

In a world with so much wealth

How can WE just stand by?

And try to simply ignore

The misery felt by the scores

By the hundreds they fall

Death lingering at their door

Hearts and hands opened wide

Yet OUR world still denies

No food in their bellies

Only the sounds of their cries

Some slaughtered like animals

In genocidal wars

Butchered by evil men

Are the helpless and poor

From the Cherokee Trail of Tears

To the African Sudan

Clans wiped out for their differences

Tagged less important by man

And in the bigger world cities

Left to suffer in pain

Are lost on the streets homeless

Trapped in poverty and chains

Mentally ill on the streets

Or else rotting in jails

No hope for recovery

Their minds are impaired

Situations quite hopeless

Trying to escape

But the obstacles are unsurpassable 

Of their dignity they are raped

And AIDS and other diseases

Keep them under government control

No universal healthcare for medicines

It keeps high the toll

Times passes on

And things stay the same

The only thing different

Are the rolls with the names

So much suffering on OUR earth

In a world with so much wealth

NEVER fail to believe

That God travels in stealth

He sees all the anguishing

Hears the cries of EACH child

He watches and waits

As they are exiled

From the necessities of living

While the rest never see the need

And he hangs his head in disgust

At the arrogance and greed!

CHAPTER 1




How does one begin to summarize their life? I was born in rural Ohio. My father was an automotive mechanic. He liked building stock cars, coon hunting, and playing softball. My mom was a housewife and mother. Her favorite television shows were “As the World Turns” and “Murder She Wrote”. In her early twenties she developed paranoia schizophrenia. After a series of nervous break downs and hospitalizations she was placed on an anti psychotic medicine. She remained on this throughout her entire life.

I had one sibling, a sister, 4 years older than me.

We lived in 3 different places growing up. The first was a mobile home. Life was pretty much normal then, until we had neighbors move in beside us. The husband/ father of this family was in prison and the wife/ mother was an alcoholic. Their kids were pretty much left to fend for themselves. They would be on our front porch every morning, half dressed, carrying beer bottles, and would often times defecate on the porch or in the yard. The boys would steal our toys, throw worms in mom’s hair while gardening, and would often times punch me and my sister. That’s when dad decided to move. He rented us a house about 8 miles away. It was a huge house with lots of acres. We were told that the person who lived there before had hung himself, whether this was true we never knew. We did however find a crucifix, St. Christopher’s Medal, and a Catholic Priest Bible in the upstairs in a pile of trash. We never used the upstairs. Dad didn’t want the expense of heating a second floor so we never went up there. Downstairs we had the kitchen, a bathroom, living room/ bedroom, another bedroom, and a large spare room. The spare room was also closed off and we used it basically for storage. The landlord rented the farm buildings to people from town. They owned horses and ponies. We were able to play with these majestic animals daily and learned to consider them our own. When I was very young I used to climb the apple trees in the west field. I would pick apples from the higher branches and feed the ponies and horses. I also used to climb high in the corn cribs collecting ears of corn that had been left. The animals loved this treat. Some of the names of these wonderful animals was: Spice, Duke, Betsey, Pumpkin, Cherry Blossom, Charger, and Firefly. We had lots of cats and various hound dogs, bikes, a swing set, and lots of imagination. Looking back on those early years I suppose we would have been considered poor by most standards but we never considered ourselves such.

When I was 11 the landlord sold the property where we were living. He happened to own another very close to where we had originally lived. The horrible neighbors from our early years had done since moved away. It was a fair size farmhouse back a long country lane. It had three bedrooms upstairs, one downstairs, a kitchen and a living room. It didn’t have a bathroom though. The house had been rebuilt in the 50’s after the original dwelling had burned down. Why they didn’t put in an inside restroom is beyond me. There was an outhouse in the back yard, but we used chamber pots. Now that was an experience! These resemble cooking pots with lids. You basically use them like a toilet, but they must be dumped and cleaned periodically, a job that fell to my mother. I never realized what my mom put up with. It couldn’t have been easy what with two children and her. My dad used the outhouse, not sure why.

The Day Mom Died

on a cold January day
only a few years ago
the ground was still frozen
from a long winter's snow
my mom lay there dying
in an old mobile home by the lake
my heart was in pieces
quickly to break
and the phone rang loudly
the timing was all wrong
but I answered it bravely
and tried to be strong
the voice on the line
was short and abrupt
demanding a payment
when my tears would interrupt
"it's not a good time"
I tried to explain
"your mom is late on her bill"
They rudely complained
Well, mom was busy dying
each breath closer to death than the last
and I felt belittled and totally harassed
It's the American way
The best health care system around
but only for the wealthy,
the influential - the renown
God help the poor, the weak,
or the lame
All men are not created equal
And never treated the same
Those in America
with money and means
They worry for nothing
Their grass always green
But those who just survive
Who inherited only their name
are made to feel they deserve less
Embarrassed and ashamed
I find it hard to believe
That "one nation under God"
Was meant to be cruel
With such an arrogant façade

All for the Love of Animals

     My husband and I love animals. Our first cat together was Bagheera (from “The Jungle Book.” He was a very large tiger striped cat.  I worked beside the Dayton International Airport at the time and he roamed up to the warehouse. People were being mean to him so I brought him home. He slept all the way to the house on my car seat. He was a true “gentle giant.” Bagheera loved the outdoors. He would hunt during the morning and lay in a sunbeam in the afternoon, in the yard. His favorite activity was sharpening his claws on our split rail fence.

      We have 18 cats now. Seven were found in a trash dumpster (Frodo, Arwen, Daffy, Tigger, Algernon (named after a mouse in the story “Flowers for Algernon.”), KoKo (named after the gorilla who knew sign language), and Lady). Their eyes weren’t even open yet. We bottle fed them every 4 hrs. and they all lived. Three were from one litter and four from another – found 1 week apart). About that same time the neighbors brought a cat home and turned her loose and then went off to Florida for the winter (Sneezy). Later Miss Sneezy, as we call her, found us, she was cold and hungry and also pregnant! We took her inside and she soon had 4 babies on our brand new loveseat! (Petey, Fuzzy, Patches, and Cassie.) Cassie died from a thrombosis in her legs.

      While having a cookout at our house we had a sweet cat show up during one summer. We named her Elsa after the lion in the book “Born Free.” Elsa had such a wonderful temperament. She never hissed or fought with any of the other cats. She fit in perfect with the others. She died a couple years ago from what they said was Feline Leukemia (although all our other have tested negative). Elsa is buried near a row of Cedar trees. She rests beside our bedroom window along with her sister Cassie. Also buried there is a kitten someone dumped then ran over with their car, a yellow cat that showed up starved and injured, and a black cat we found nearby after the harsh winter snow had melted.

     A couple years after all of the above we took a trip to Missouri. In a field in the middle of nowhere, with 2 shiny black horses, we found 2 small kittens (Solomon and Sheba). They were eating horse feed and grasshoppers. We ended up bringing them back to Ohio with us. We’ve since added 2 that were found abandoned at the county park. One was a grown cat (Raven)and the other, a year later, a kitten (Stardust). In the mean time we also had another neighbor bring one home, the neighbor ended up in the hospital for a long stay, and the kitten ended up on our doorstep (Abby).

     One evening while looking at Freecycle on the internet I happened to see an ad about someone's mother having died and the daughters were trying to find homes for her cats. This is when Sparky joined our family. All white, with only three feet - Sparky was originally called "Stumpy." My husband felt that the name was just too degrading so after petting Sparky one night in the dark, a spark shot up from the static electricity - thus the name "Sparky." Now we have a new edition a small gray striped kitten who found his way onto our property and was found sitting mewing under our window. (Alfie)

     We also have Charlie (black lab mix), Teagan (chocolate lab), and Leia (white German shepherd). Charlie came from down the street. We got him from a neighbor who had a litter of pups born. We are convinced if we wouldn’t have adopted Charlie that his life would have been very short.

     Teagan was found alongside a country road in a cardboard box. She had been abandoned as a puppy.

     We did have a beautiful white shepherd called Sheba. An old gentleman was dying from cancer. He asked us to please take her and find a home for her. We drove 2.5 hours to get her. She was such gentle dog. She rode excellent all the way home in the van. Sheba was only with us though for a few months. She came to us somewhat neglected. We gave her a good bath, good, food, and even took her for vet exams right away. They said she was fine, but in a few months time she started having digestion problems. We took her back in and they discovered she had a large tumor in her spleen. Their suggestion was to remove the spleen. She came through the surgery fine and they sent her home. The following day Sheba died in our arms in our bedroom. We later were told that it had been an aggressive cancer and that she would not have lived long. We were so heartbroken. We buried her beside the raised flower bed in the backyard. It was right before Christmas and my husband with the help of my young nephew helped dig her grave. We were so impressed by Sheba that I looked for another white shepherd. This is where our girl Leia came in.

     Leia's  owner had went in to the hospital, but he ended up dying. He had left her at the dog pound with the intention of picking her back up when he returned home. Since he died she was scheduled to be euthanized. A German shepherd rescue happened to stumble upon her. She was huddled in a corner, terrified, covered in urine. The rescue saved her from destruction. Someone from the rescue group advertised Leia online and I contacted the group about her. We adopted her once we met with her and saw what a lovely dog she was. All this time no one had bothered to check for a microchip. Right after bringing Leia home we got a call asking what we were doing with someone else’s dog. Here Leia, when only a puppy, had been surrendered to a pound for destruction. Her and a sister had been bred but not had any human contact. A lady from a place that trained dogs for the handicapped happened to see them (micro chipped them). She adopted them both and worked with them for months, even nursed them when they both contracted parvo. Luckily both young dogs survived. Leia was even in the prison system working with prisoners to get her used to people. My husband and I drove many miles to meet with the person who had originally trained Leia. She saw how wonderful Leia was being treated and we were allowed to keep her.

     These are our family. All are spayed/ neutered, and shots. We have tried very hard to give these wonderful creatures the very best of homes. We love them all and they are all special and unique. If anyone would like to see any pictures please check out:

https://picasaweb.google.com/107552657808137231410/MyPets#
https://picasaweb.google.com/107552657808137231410/Dogs02#

glimmer on little star

glimmer on little star
that sits within the heavens so dark
sparkle little flame from some distant world
let these eyes see your true colors
through pictures of your gaseous states
changing, imploding, exploding, yet still ornate
smiling back from the night
glimmer on little star
show us your shining light
so fuzzy at times, yet brilliantly bright
your name is often unknown
you are a part of a dot to dot puzzle in the sky
you are born in an instant and after an eternity you die
becoming part of the whole, your rebirth in a soul
mapping the heavens and connecting
drawing many a curious face
to another time and place
a symbol for sure – of God’s wonderful grace

Cats

green eyes shining like molten glass
the Gods of Egypt protect
wrapped up in mystery, witchcraft, and lore
their lanky bodies reflect
the coy nature of their being
and the subtle rumbling of their purrs
the needle like sharpness of their claws
and the softness of their fur
their inconspicuous existence
tenacious in health
a curiosity that takes over
adding to an almost ghostlike stealth
they have been the companions to queens
great mousers in courts
in barnyards they sleep
and on ships they transport
entombed in the pyramids
made into statues with wings
worshipped and honored
even mummified with kings
green eyes shining like molten glass
cast from a deity's design
sharing our lives, our homes, and our hearts
ours souls and theirs, forever, entwined

For Charlie

you made this world a better place
by seeing beauty in the smallest things
living in a shack, your wealth was more
than that of millionaires and kings
a leaking roof and pipes that burst
walls so thin, and filled with ice
a broken furnace, no way to warm
but you were more than willing to sacrifice
to give a chance to something frail
that others considered nuisances and pests
To see value where others saw none
Giving so much of yourself to invest
to be willing to watch and to learn from
to find the importance of a warm loving touch
to not be afraid to be different
showing kindness, compassion, and such
to open your heart to wildlife
Especially raccoons with their masks
little bandits that take over your homestead
It isn't that easy of a task
it takes a person who is very special
one with the most generous soul
a person with a great understanding
and it's easy to loose the control
for a man who tires of suffering
watching friends and animals die
who turns inwards for answers and reasons
a man who silently cries
It takes a special sort of bravery
to be different, ridiculed, and more
to not worry about your surroundings
the look of your clothes or decor
so now Charlie, you rest and feel lucky
you've done your share in this life and more
the coons will remember and cherish
the man they so loved and adored!

Richard and Gladis

the day of terror had begun
Richard and Gladis would soon be faced
by a man, an acquaintance, a would be friend
they would soon find themselves kidnapped and displaced
Evil hides in the hearts of many men
deeds are done in anger and in haste
It simmers and it boils deep inside
and murder feeds the appetite with a bitter taste
Sammy was a man with a great big smile
Signs of arrogance shined within his eyes
Blood stained souls, like his, seem to know no shame
Their truth fashioned from their self made lies
what demons haunt this world so vast
that would find pleasure in such a senseless kill?
the elderly, the weak, pose not a threat
And spreading fear is an empty thrill
Much easier is it to just leave alone
then to sacrifice a life with no regret
to seal your fate with an executioners song
then surrendering, and admitting wrong
From the hills of West Virginia Sam is torn
Justice will prevail in kind
yet Richard and Gladis, disposed of like trash
to a grizzly death they are resigned
left in the cold as the reaper comes
blood soils the ground where the slain couple lay
and Sam is hunted, charged with the crime
in handcuffs he is led away
so who mourns for the innocent dead
how do we keep it from happening again
who stands in judgment over this grizzly act
what verdict of law will remain
Evil hides in the hearts of many men
deeds are done in anger and in haste
It simmers and it boils deep inside
and murder feeds the appetite with a bitter taste

My Opinion, Does Anyone Agree?

Do you ever question how this country got the way it is? There seems to be an epidemic of stupidity that is destroying the very core of our existence. Every where one looks you can see the signs. Take for example the companies of today. Upper management makes decisions all the time, but you would think that when things fail that they would learn from their mistakes and come up with an alternate plan. Instead they keep right on doing things the same way. It doesn’t matter that the whole situation has destroyed the morale of the lower ranks. Why should they be of any importance? But it does matter. Possibly because it is those people that do the actual work. They toil day to day to keep things going. Like politicians, businessmen and women quite often like to hear themselves talk. They think just because something looks good from the exterior that it is also functional. They can’t see beyond their own egos. To them everyone that works for them is of lower intellect. They believe that these people should check their brains in at the door when they walk into work in the morning. Sad thing is the only thing that separates people from one class to another is the economic status of their wallets.

What is Life

Laughter, love, pain, and blunders
What is life, but full of wonder?
Hugs and kisses, touching, holding
Hitting, fighting, constant scolding
Parents, children, all the others
Cousins, friends, sisters, brothers
Interacting, living, learning
Emotions, feelings, always churning
Laughter, love, pain, and blunders
What is life, but full of wonder?

How Poverty Hurts

I often wonder if anyone else
Feels the way I do
Always dreaming and thinking about things
Not knowing how to feel
Like an onlooker, watching
Seeing how the scene plays out
Maybe it is because I don’t know how
To be a part, to join in
Or maybe I am set apart, different
Either way and for whatever reason
There are times when I am lost
Misdirected by not understanding
Why we are on this Earth
So much suffering and anguish
So many fighting to hang on
Most do not seem to notice
How many tears are cried
How many lives seem broken
I seem to feel it all…the sadness, the loneliness, the hurting….
Everyone else’s pain becomes mine and it aches with a longing
A need to understand how this could happen
My soul becomes a conduit of emotion
It trickles through my being and with each second
The serrated edge of poverty’s knife is rubbed against my raw flesh
And I feel…more than any human ever should

God's Visit

Many centuries and generations have passed since the God of Abraham walked among his people, so the Lord wondered “what has changed on the Earth that I created for my children?” I left them my laws to follow and the free will to choose between right and wrong. I gave them the opportunity to learn from mistakes and the courage to go on. I gave them freedom from their sins, a clean slate, and the chance to be like me. Full of greatness, love, and compassion, immortal beings… “I shall walk amongst my human souls and see what they see, feel what they feel, experience what lessons they have learned and taught.”

Looking for a lesson in compassion and attentiveness - as a homeless man God secretly came into existence. In tattered clothes he roamed the city streets. He spoke to strangers about “his father in Heaven.” He talked of miracles and of angels, but the police tagged him as crazy or schizophrenic. No one wanted to hear. The wealthy passed by and spat on him. He was soon robbed and left injured in the street. What was the lesson learned?

For enlightenment in kindness - he then tried appearing as a beautiful white dove, a symbol of peace, joy, and love, but a nearby farmer-hunter shot him in mid flight, just because he was bored and he called it “sport.” The dove fell to the field -laying in the grass, heart racing, and eyes rapidly moving, as the life slowly drained away. A frail limp, feathered body lying all alone and frightened. God’s spirit returned to Heaven. What was the lesson taught?

For an education in humility and purity God appeared to man in the image of Jesus Christ, but he used an Islamic name. Traveling through the Deep South, as a stranger, from the Middle East, his skin was not white, his language not English - the Klan, with ghostly sheets covering their faces, branded him a terrorist and hung him on a makeshift gallows. What was the lesson learned?

He tried transforming into a child, thinking that the innocent and pure of heart would bring out only the best in man, but his earthly parents were too busy for him. He was left alone to be a latch key kid and he found at the hands of a pedophile he was violated, raped, and abused. What was the knowledge gained?

Seeking an insight in respect he appeared as an elderly woman, but because she was old and frail, with dementia, she was placed in a nursing home, and later died of loneliness and neglect. He thought maybe this was an isolated case so he reappeared at a Native American elder. He thought surely I will learn of traditions and rites of passage, but the Reservation youth, having been forced into white man schools, had lost all knowledge of their ancestry and religion and had turned to alcohol as an escape. God was disillusioned.

He contemplated what form to take on next. The idea of man’s best friend came to mind so he changed himself into a dog. He thought surely I will see true love, companionship, and loyalty. At first he was accepted, well fed, and lots of love, but then his owner became bored with him. He was too costly to feed and to doctor. He was pesky when he wanted love. The dog’s owner considered trading him for a new cell phone or a game console, but instead he sold him at auction to the highest bidder. With a spiked chain around his neck, his new owner threw him into a ring, and because he refused to fight, he was beaten and killed.

What kind of education in humanity did God walk away with? Were the tears of the father one’s of pride and joy, or were they tears of sadness, seeing what Christ had died for?

Grandma

She went through life quietly watching from a distance
Like viewing a play through a looking glass
A kaleidoscope of colors encased her
Hidden in the blooms within the grass
She was like a flower in the springtime
Her tears were like the rain upon the land
And she gathered her memories in belongings
Treasures, like diamonds in the sand.
Some people would say that she was crazy
A hoarder of garbage and such
Yet to her it was a collection of emotions
Recollections to reach out and touch
She was a jewel with her laughing and her smiling
As she would dig for buried treasure to find
Reminiscing for hours with her grandchildren
Nothing less than perfect, sweet, and kind
She was like a flower in the springtime
Her tears were like the rain upon the land
And she gathered her memories in belongings
Treasures, like diamonds in the sand.

For Eileen

Where has Grandma gone
She seems to have slipped away
Hidden behind smiles
And dreams of yesterday
Poised within her chair
In distant fields she roams
While quietly in the distance
God is calling her back home
Autumn leaves are falling
Just like in the past
Grandma's death is instant proof
That good things never last...

In fields of glory she was laid to rest
A wreath of flowers upon her breasts
No more to breathe this Earthly air
Yet no more pain, no more despair
A violet was she who dared to live
Pure of heart
And so much to give
A quiet soul who watched from afar
Now gone from this world
But giving birth to a star
To shine on forever in the Heavens above
She was a sparkling angel so full of love
She blessed us all with her spirit of light
And her beautiful smile now illuminates our night!

Hurting

Hurting, aching
Heart is breaking
Eyes of sadness
Tears like rain
Hurting, aching
Heart is breaking
My soul suffering
From all this pain
Seeing visions
Children crying
Poverty and dying
No hope in sight
Politicians lying
Its all a game
To those with riches
Manual labor
Digging ditches
Not so fun without the fame
Hurting, aching
Heart is breaking
Eyes of sadness
Tears like rain
Real people dying
Politicians lying
Nothing left but a bloody stain.