Journey's on Life's Road

Why God Created Woman

2010-04-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

And God said,

When I created the heavens and the earth, I spoke
them into being. When I created man, I formed him from
the dust of the Earth and breathed life into his
nostrils. But you, woman, I fashioned after I breathed
the breath of life into man because your nostrils are
too delicate. I allowed a deep sleep to come over him
so I could patiently and perfectly fashion you. Man
was put to sleep so that he could not interfere with
the creativity. From one bone I fashioned you. I chose
the bone that protects man’s life. I chose the rib,
which protects his heart and lungs and supports him,
as you are meant to do.”

“Around this one bone I shaped you. I modeled you. I
created you perfectly and beautifully. Your
characteristics are as the rib, strong yet delicate
and fragile. You provide protection for the most
delicate organ in man, his heart. His heart is the
center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of
life. The rib cage will allow itself to be broken
before it will allow damage to the heart. Support man
as the rib cage supports the body.”

“You were not taken from his feet, to be under him,
nor were you taken from his head, to be above him. You
were taken from his side, to stand beside him and be
held close to his side. You are my perfect angel. You
are my beautiful little girl. You have grown to be a
splendid woman of excellence, and my eyes fill when I
see the virtue in your heart. Your eyes: don’t change
them. Your lips: how lovely when they part in prayer.
Your nose so perfect in form, your hands so gentle to
touch. I’ve caressed your face in your deepest sleep;
I’ve held your heart close to mine. Of all that lives
and breathes, you are the most like me.”

“Adam walked with me in the cool of the day and yet he
was lonely. He could not see me or touch me. He could
only feel me. So everything I wanted Adam to share and
experience with me, I fashioned in you: my holiness,
my strength, my purity, my love, my protection and
support. You are special because you are the extension
of me.”

“Man represents my image, woman – my emotions.
Together, you represent the totality of God. So man:
treat woman well. Love her, respect her, for she is
fragile. In hurting her, you hurt me. What you do to
her, you do to me. In crushing her, you only damage
your own heart, the heart of your Father and the heart
of her Father. Woman, support man. In humility, show
him the power of emotion I have given you. In gentle
quietness show your strength. In love, show him that
you are the rib that protects his inner self.”

I've been searching for this for a long time. I don't know who wrote it, but I think it best says what a Woman really is.

A Tribute to John O'Quinn

2009-11-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

I'm reposting a tribute to Mr. O'Quinn that I found in his guestbook. The tribute was written by Mr. Douglas A Burks, who was fortunate to know him. I reprint it here with his permission.

O'QUINN

The world has lost a treasure,
Lady Justice surely cries today;
Super Man with a super heart,
Houston's Big John has gone away....

As some people make a difference,
Others simply follow the crowd;
This one help set the standards,
He made all of Houston so proud....

His place in history is secure no doubt,
Turbulent times he handled quite well;
Being the Best can never be easy,
Being the Best can't always be swell....

John loved the law and it loved him,
Even when his heart was hard to see;
Juries were his best-est friends,
The moon was his with just a plea....

Yes, this one made a difference,
A beacon of light in a world sometimes dim;
I hope Houston takes time to remember,
Our larger-than-life John O'Quinn....

Yes, I was one of the lucky ones that worked with John and Johnny in the early 90's. I took several trips in the firm's flying suburban myself. Some people may try and place blame on driving a vehicle fast, etc., but if you were to ask John, he would tell you that Justice Shouldn't Wait for Any Man. Both John and Johnny were in crunch-time hurrying to a mediation and for those in the legal world, we all know that crunch-time is like defcon 4, the Emergency Room on a busy Saturday night, and overtime during the Superbowl all rolled into one. Sometimes, things do happen.

John was definitely one-of-a-kind. I remember sitting between him and Racehorse Haynes at one of O'Quinn's birthday parties. We used to have those upstairs at the Acapulco Bar. Those were always so much fun because we got to see John laugh, smile and act like a kid.

I remember the time that O'Quinn made us line up to get our Christmas bonus checks outside of his office. When he called my name, I went into his office and he thanked me for the previous year of service, etc. and then he handed me an envelope with my bonus. I remember telling him that I would trade him the contents of the envelope for his picture as SuperMan. After winning the money for the bull SuperMan, someone painted a picture of John as SuperMan. John usually kept the painting out-of-sight on the back of a pillar in his office. John said that I should keep my bonus, but he would see to it that I got the painting if anything should ever happen to him. That was the one topic that we always kidded about. I have a large collection of SuperMan items. I saw him at Robertson stadium years after I left his office and after we talked for thirty minutes or so, he remembered his promise to give me the SuperMan picture. He just said, that painting has your name on it.

I remember the time that we had a limitation of liability hearing in New Orleans on a major admiralty case. We worked until late at night and then John made the final call to the opposing attorney representing the shipping company. John told him that it was going to cost him 22 million to settle the case. The opposing attorney tried to get John down to 19 million or so. Without getting flustered or flinching John calmly told the guy that he was calling to settle the case -- not to negotiate the case; and then politely told the opposing attorney that he would see him in court the next day. Less than 24 hours later, they settled with John for over 32 million. Basically, the attorney's attempt to shave a few dollars off the negotiated settlement wound up costing his company a smooth 10 million dollars.

I also remember the time that I finally got my one-on-one meeting with John. I had made it through 68 hours of law school at STCL and John and I went over next door to the firm at Birraporetti's to discuss everything. John was wearing a black leather coat with the American flag on the back. He listened to my story and then agreed to help get me back into law school to finish at the University of Houston. As my luck would have it, less than a week later, he was named a Regent for the University of Houston. I remember him coming to my office and, instead of looking happy that he was now a Regent, he looked and acted sad that he could not help me get into their law school. He said that too many eyes would be on him and I totally understood. I was touched by his generosity and kindness.

There are so many ways to describe him, but John was truly unique. I'm sad that he is gone and my prayers are with Dean Treece, Carl, and all those that loved and cared for he and Johnny -- but I know that they are both finally laughing, smiling and acting like kids for eternity.

Douglas A. Burks
11/4/2009

THE LOSS OF JOHN O'QUINN

2009-11-04T16:09:00.000-08:00

JOHN MAURICE O'QUINN
1941 - 2009

Do not stand at my grave and weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there. I do not die.

Mary Frye

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

For All Who Mourn

by Arthur Guiterman

That he was near to you
so many a year
But darkens you distress.
Would you he were
less worthy and less dear
That you might grieve the less?

He was a golden font
that freely poured
What goldenly endures,
And though that font be gone,
its bounty stored
and treasured,
Still is yours.

The past is deathless.
Souls are wells too deep
To spend their purest gains.
All that he gave to you
is yours to keep
While memory remains.

Who never had and lost
forlorn are they
Far more that you and I
Who had and have
Judge not the price we pay
For love that cannot die.

Those who knew him were truly blessed. The world was better because he walked in it. I pray that his legacy of generosity will continue on. God Speed, John.

The Touch of the Master's Hand

2009-07-12T06:53:00.000-07:00

"Twas battered and scared, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar - now who"ll make it two _
Two dollars, and who"ll make it three?

"Three dollars once, three dollars twice,
Going for three". . . but no!
From the room far back a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody,pure and sweet,
As sweet as an angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: "What am I bidden for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow;
"A thousand dollars - and who'll make it two?
Two thousand - and who'll make it three?
Three thousand once, three thousand twice
And going - and gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand -
What changed its worth?" The man replied:
"The touch of the masters hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and torn with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd.
Much like the old violin.

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on,
He's going once, and going twice -
He's going - and almost gone!
But the MASTER comes, and the foolish crowd,
Never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul, and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the MASTER'S hand.

~Myra B. Welch

A Dream in Erotica

2009-04-09T15:11:00.000-07:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Lips, so full and lush, brush my ear:
As I hear you whisper
In slow, exquisite detail
What you will do to me this night.
And I whisper, so eagerly, "Yes....yes...."

I feel your tongue, wet as I am,
And I restlessly turn to find it with my mouth,
Taking it inside, to dance hungrily with mine.
Molten heat throbs deep inside
As we move to a beat of erotic bliss.

Your hands touch and tease,
Preparing each and every part of me.
I find myself hungry to touch you
Full-blown and hot, a'quiver,
But you say, "Not yet....."

Your lips blaze a trail of fire,
Sweetly searing, branding my skin;
Sliding down, slowly downward,
To the very heart of me,
Devouring me, magically special.

Till in a soul shattering burst
I lose myself and call out your name;
My body weeping at the beauty of it.
You rise to finally take me fully.
And I smile, and say, "Not yet....my love...."

You sigh and surrender as I kiss your lips,
Tasting the essence of me which remains.
My lips roam until I find you,
Throbbing with the pulse of passion,
And you moan, "Yes....yes...."

My hands and lips seek out
The secrets of your body;
Delighting in the sheen of sweat,
You moving beneath me
In restless anticipation

You struggle for control
And with a growl, low and deep,
You pull me up and claim my mouth once more.
Our eyes meet and hotly burn
And your mouth moves silently, "Now......"

And I feel you filling me,
In a dance as old as time,
Merged and one, giving and taking,
Sending and receiving,
Until time ceases to exist

And we seek out that most perfect ending.
And it comes, exploding out of nowhere and everywhere,
And we cling to each other as stars fall around us
And finally, sated and full,
We smile and begin the dance again.

The Silver One

2009-03-19T18:03:00.000-07:00

in the nighttime sky
in the darkness between two days
the silver one goes sailing
flying hand in hand with her sister stars
crying
because the life of man
is an empty dream
- anonymous -

I don't know why this poem touches me so. I found it in some obscure book when I was 13 years old. It had such an effect on me that I memorized instantly, and all these years later, it still makes me sad. And I feel the truth of it, especially in my life.

Sounds of Silence - Lyrics

Artist - Simon and Garfunkle

Hello darkness, my old friend
I've come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence

In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence

"Fools", said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows
Hear my words that I might teach you
Take my arms that I might reach you"
But my words, like silent raindrops fell
And echoed
In the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed
To the neon god they made
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And tenement halls"
And whispered in the sounds of silence

Bittersweet

2009-03-18T16:57:00.000-07:00

By Carole Nichols

The taste of joy, how bittersweet
Mingled twixt a mother's tears
That justice comes, slowly sure
Cannot erase the lonely years.

A mother's love held fast by faith,
And kindness cushions sadness deep.
Yet much preferred are children's arms
O'er justice coming, full, replete.

The years loom long and empty,
Oh, bittersweet the victory!
Tears mark the grieving lines,
Made deep by aching memory.

May God continue to bless you Virgie Arthur. I'll fight for as long as you do!

I Hear Spring

2009-03-01T06:47:00.001-08:00

By Carole Nichols

My daffodils are blooming bold,
In the ground still touched cold.
Frost and freezing gasping last;
I hear the Spring a'coming fast.

As Winter's fingers melt away;
The gentle green comes out to play.
And I laugh as the sun touches warm;
Again she's beat the frigid storm.

I love the Springtime, when everything is fresh and new. I can't wait for the last of the cold to be gone, and for the air to be scented with the fragrance of nature at it's best. And I found this:

A Spring View

Tu Fu (c. 750)

Though a country be sundered, hills and rivers endure;
And spring comes green again to trees and grasses
Where petals have been shed like tears
And lonely birds have sung their grief.
...After the war-fires of three months,
One message from home is worth a ton of gold.
...I stroke my white hair. It has grown too thin
To hold the hairpins any more.
trans. Witter Bynner

Wow, so powerful!

I Love you Mommy

2009-01-29T17:31:00.000-08:00

Why do people hurt and kill their babies? Baby Grace reportedly cried out "I love you Mommy" as she was being beaten. She was being beaten because she was two years old and her Mom's husband wanted to teach her discipline, particularly how to say "yes, sir", "thank you" and "please".

According to the mother, she stood by and watched as her husband beat this baby with 2 belts, dunked her in a tub of cold water, and finally hurled her against the wall several times after he became aggravated that the baby wasn't minding. On July 25, 2007, he stayed home from work so that he could discipline the baby all day long.

“I said we have to get her to a hospital. (Zeigler) said, ‘No we can’t. We’ll go to jail,”’ Trenor said in the videotape, crying. “There came a point where she stopped breathing. He started doing CPR on the floor. He took her ... and handed her over to me. I could just feel her going cold.”

The couple then wrapped her in plastic bags and kept her in a shed for a month or two before buying a container stuffing her inside it and dumping her body into Galveston Bay. They told friends and family that the baby had been taken away by Child Protective Services.

God Bless the Children, and may God have mercy on our souls.

When Absolute Belief is Shattered

2009-01-24T06:01:00.000-08:00

Most of us love our children unconditionally, and will stand by them, support them, and believe in them, no matter what life throws at us. But George Anthony is in mental turmoil today because the facts emerging in little Caylee Anthony's death are destroying his ablility to believe in the innocence of his beloved daughter.

Watching the drama unfold since July had many of us convinced early on that Casey Anthony knew something about Caylee's disappearance that she was keeping tightly secret. Her eyes told a story of a chilling coldness and lack of concern regarding the whereabouts of her baby. George Anthony could only see her through the eyes of love.

What do you do....what can you do when you realize you have raised a monster? Do you love them less? No...it would be easier if you could. What do you do...what can you do when you realize that this person you have loved, cherished and nurtured is very probably going to die in the electric chair or be locked away for the rest of her life? How do you come to grips with that?

The discovery of Caylee's tiny body have forced the blinders from his eyes, and he is finding it hard to accept the truth of Casey's actions....she deliberately killed her little girl because it cramped her freedom and lifestyle. He is coming to realize that not only has he lost a beautiful, innocent granddaughter, but he has lost his daughter as well. Casey must pay for her crime, and the punishment should be death.

Love Thy Enemy

2009-01-15T15:35:00.000-08:00

By Carole Nichols

I loved him. I hated him. Ricardo Montalban became known to me in 1968. I'd seen him in a few shows and thought he looked fine, but never became "aware" of him as a man until he guest starred on the classic "Star Trek" series. I will never forget what he made me feel as a very young teenager...scary stuff when you believe you can only be hot if your under 30 or a Vulcan.

As I remember it, the Good Ship Enterprise comes upon a sleeper ship (a craft designed for lenghtly space travel in the days before warping was achieved) The sleeper ship was a derilect, so the brave Captain takes his lovely A & A Officer, Helen McGivers, aboard to look around. Khan was the first of the sleepers to awaken, blah, blah blah, and Dr. McCoy has to save his life. The lovely anthropologist was mesmerized by the very sensual Khan and fails to tell Captain Kirk that Khan is one a few demigods who had disappeared at the end of earth's third world war to escape execution for war crimes. After chewing her out, Kirk says, "and of course you think men of that era were more manly than today's man." She responds yes, and Kirk thanks her for being honest.

Helen sits with Khan as he sleeps in sickbay, and when he awakens he proceeds to seduce her with words and with domination. My heart is beating 90 miles an hour and I feel a distinct pulse that I'd never felt before. God, I wanted to trade places with her! Khan revives the rest of his crew and plans to take over the Enterprise; Kirk orders Helen to trick Khan so that he can be overwhelmed and locked up. Helen in his bedroom, tries to seduce him but chickens out because he overwhelms her by just his presence. He grabs her, kisses her, and when she pushes away from him, he says very rudely, "Go! or Stay! But do it because that is what you want to do." Poor Helen gets all weak and sobby and says, "I'll stay for a while." Khan, with his back to her and his nose in the air says, "Oh no, now you must ask me if you can stay." God, I wanted to kick his butt! But Helen asks him to please let her stay. With a smile of satisfaction he turns to her and she walks into his arms....fade to black, darnit.

After many cliff hangers, Kirk and crew prevail, save the ship, and decide to abandon Khan and his followers on a very lush, but dangerous planet. Khan is delighted to have a world to conquer. McGivers, given the choice of a court martial or going with Khan, chooses Khan. As they are led to the transporter room, Khan turns to Kirk and asks him..."Are you familiar with Milton, Captian." Kirk responds yes. After Khan is gone, Commander Scott remarks that he hates to admit it but he's not up on Milton." Kirk quotes from PARADISE LOST "It is better to rule in hell than to serve in heaven." I think I cried for a week until the next time Star Trek was on.

Star Trek was my life for 3 crucial years. It was my escape from tyranny, it was my safe haven and it promised me that things would get better. "Space Seed," was so highly thought of that when, at last, Star Trek made it to the big screen, Khan's role was reprised to show what his new world had done to him and his people in the course of 20 years. Of course, after the movie, I cried for another week.

Goodbye, Ricardo, Khan, Mr. Rourk....May the Great Bird of the Galaxy find you in rare form once more.

Copy and paste to watch the original Classic Star Trek episode SPACE SEED:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDboDUfbAe8

How Old is Your Brain?

2009-01-12T16:17:00.000-08:00

Stoopid Game! If you want to play a stoopid game, copy and paste the link below or just click the title above.

The instructions are in Japanese, so I've printed them below:

1. Touch 'start'
2. Wait for 3, 2, 1. to finish then start the game.
3. Memorize the number's position on the screen, and then click the circle from
the smallest number to the biggest number. ( #'s DISAPPEAR QUICKLY....)
4. At the end of game, the computer will tell you the age of your brain.

http://flashfabrica.com/f_learning/brain/brain.html

When you get tired of cussing out the game for LYING about your brain's age, you are invited to post how old the game says your brain is versus how old YOU KNOW YOUR BRAIN REALLY IS!

World Scarecrow Record Awarded to Neighbor

2009-01-10T10:58:00.000-08:00

Hoschton, Georgia was taken over by thousands of scarecrows this past fall; although the residents of the town only number 1,455 people, there was 5,441 scarecrows scattered throughout the 30548 zip code. The people's efforts at making this a memorable fall season were not in vain either, they were awarded an official world record for the "Most Scarecrows in One Location" by the World Records Academy. I happened to drive through this area and it was quite a sight to see literally hundreds of scarecrows lining the streets, grouped in front of buildings and scattered throughout people's yards. It would have been neat to actually walk around and look at the different ones in detail, but I didn't have the time.

Anyways, at this time, the city is not being awarded a Guiness World Record title due to a technicality. The office in London is saying that a zip code is not a location. However, the World Records Academy has a different point of view; they are saying that the same zip code counts as a location. A committee will decide within the month of January whether or not to appeal Guinness' decision.
The World Records Academy is going to honor the record with a full-page in it's 2009 book, which goes on sale this month. You can also see the city recognized on the company's Website: www.WorldRecordAcademy.org

Kudos, to my neighboring Hoschton, GA....a town which set out to break the Guiness Record for the most scarecrows in one place. Thanks to the tricky wording, the ZIP CODE area DOES NOT constitute one place! Go Figure! However, the World Record Academy DID award them their record for the over fifty-four hundred scarecrows set up. Below is a link to a You Tube video which will show a small sampling of the imagination that went into making the scarecrows.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSPNMCvh18M

Why Were the Princes' Turned into Frogs?

2009-01-07T15:58:00.000-08:00

All my life I've wondered why the wicked witch or wizard would turn Prince Charming into a frog. And I wondered why it would take the kiss of a "fair maiden" to change him back into a prince once more.

And then I wondered what would happen if the the "fair maiden" failed to be one or the other and still kissed the frog. It seems, by the picture above someone else pondered the same question. I guess if you have to keep part of the frog, you need to make sure the part you kiss will make you ignore the frog face.

Warning please don't try this with just any frog!

Scorched By You

2009-01-03T15:24:00.000-08:00

By Carole Nichols

Your touch, hot as the sun,
Invades and I come undone.
You lips are a hungry fire
That send me even higher

Branded and passion burned,
Yet ever for you I yearned
To be melted to the core
Consumed and wanting more.

And you, glow a radiant glow.
As I lose my breath, I know
That I'd lay open for that heat
Sated, fulfilled, again replete.

Hummingbirds

2009-01-03T07:16:00.000-08:00

Donna Robertson

Together we sit on the concrete porch, the hot Alabama spring sun shining down on us. I can feel the sweat dribbling down my legs, and the heat reflecting up from the sun warmed concrete makes me uncomfortable. I look at her, and quickly decide I can suffer a little discomfort. She sits beside me, her body once hale and hearty, now frail and she soaks up the warmth of the sun. She is never warm enough, her blood thinned unmercifully by the monster that eats away at her. Her hair gone gray, and her face lined now, it seems to me overnight. I look at her hands, folded quietly in her lap and am amazed at how young they still appear. Her strength quickly fades now, and she no longer is the whirlwind I have known all my life. She stares intently, thru her right eye, the left eye forever blinded now. Conversation is difficult, for along with her sight, the ravages of cancer has taken most of her hearing.

As I watch her, she smiles, quickly and her head turns from side to side, and she says to me, " Look Donna, there is one, and there, another one."
My two good eyes have to look hard to catch sight of the quickly flying little birds. Hummingbirds, they flitter from feeder to feeder. We have placed the feeders with their bright red food, around the back yard in strategic locations. First I see one, and then two and then three of the little miracle birds. Their wings making a buzzing sound and moving so fast they are simply a blur. The little bodies are visible though, the heads brightly colored on two, a bright green and the third a duller brown. She claps her hands lightly, delighted in the sight of the birds. Forever, she has loved hummingbirds. Now that it is so difficult to go anywhere or do anything, this is one pleasure that is still hers.

As I watch her, I think back, years and years, to another time and another porch. It is on the front of a big white house, there are rocking chairs here. In one of those chairs she sits, and in her lap is a little girl, about 5 years old. She reads to her, and by doing so transports her to the worlds or once upon a time and happily ever after. Her bright brown eyes smile down at the little girl and she never tires of reading the stories. Occasionally, she will stop, and point out into the bushes by the steps. " Look Donna, there is one, and another one." The little girl sees the birds, tiny, fast and wants to know if they are baby birds. "No, not babies at all, just tiny birds, that feed in the flowers." The little girl laughs with her mother, enjoying the acrobats of the birds.

It's another hot, early spring day, and I sit under the tent at her graveside. I cannot cry, all I can feel is relief. I hold my baby sister's hand on one side, and my father's hand on the other. Behind me, I feel the strong loving hands of my husband on my shoulders. I listen as words are spoken, but I long for it to end. I said my good-byes two nights before. I watched in the night sky as the Hale-Bop comet was visible, a beautiful sight. I went into the house and to the bed where she lay. Eyes closed, quiet, no words had she spoken in 24 hours. I picked up her hand in mine, and held it, leaned down and said, "Mom, I have just seen the most beautiful sight, I want you to see it also. It is OK to go now. I love you." With me holding one hand, and my little sister holding the other, she took a last breath and left us. I will see her again one day.

The fall has come, and finally, after so many long years, my husband and I have a place we can call home. A beautiful house, that I fell in love with the first time I saw it. Not fancy by any means, but beautiful. My only sorrow that Mom did not live to see it. It is late in October, and I am sitting in the den, on the floor as is my habit, and out of the corner of my eyes I see movement at the French doors. I look up and feel my heart speed and tears come to my eyes. There, much too late in the year, hovering outside the door, looking in upon me is a hummingbird. There I sat feeling her presence, her love surrounds me. She knows, and I feel peace.

Now, on my deck, there hangs hummingbird feeders and I patiently fill them each spring. Each time I see a hummingbird, I whisper, "Hello Mom, I love you too."

Note from me: My sister wrote this beautiful story, all the more lovely because it is true. I post it here, now, for my sister who I admire tremendously, and love more than I can say.

What do I expect for the New Year?

2009-01-01T15:06:00.000-08:00

The big night is over; big deal. Reminds me of Tennessee Ernie Ford - "You haul 16 tons, and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt. St. Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go. I owe my soul to the company store."

Well, let's see...I'm cooking the black eyed peas, collards and hog jowls (ok, so it's bacon, but pretend). Obviously, I want good health for me and hubby, and I'd love to strike it rich! The staying healthy part is fairly easy, but every year I get stumped on how to get rich.

I can't marry some rich old coot with one foot in the grave, because I'm already married. And even if I wasn't, most old coots seem to like those 20-30 year old plastic bimbos, and I'm a few years too late to pretend to be one of those.

The hubby has been in the backyard all morning shooting holes in the ground, just in case some of that Texas Tea made it's way this far east. No luck with that, but the sheriff's been by twice to make sure we weren't having a family feud.

I'm debating going in the lottery direction again. I still think it's rigged, but what the heck; it's only money......right? Then again, I think I'll just keep on working. St Peter, are you listening?

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T17:13:00.000-08:00

I'd love to celebrate with Junior, but then again, this dude

can get the job done more effectively than any hot stud half his age. lolol...man, oh, man...how I do adore looking at them!

Here's hoping everyone is safe tonight....take my advice, stay home tonight and just screw your brains out. Not only is it good excercise, you won't get a nasty old ticket.

Fighting a Losing Battle

2008-12-31T16:34:00.000-08:00

By Carole Nichols

Daylight dims to greet the night,
Dusk begins it's haunting song.
Bed beckons rest to weary bones,
And one more day of life is gone.

The mirror cannot tell a lie;
Showing what life on you has wrought.
Vanity's tricks cannot conceal
Nips and tucks that have been bought

The young at heart sadly sigh,
At the age in hair and on skin.
Living extremes to complete dreams,
Grousing at aches, yet, do it again.

Maybe This Time the D.A. Won't be Stupid

2008-12-27T07:09:00.000-08:00

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/dec/26/jonbenet-ramsey-12-years-later/
Garnett: Cold case to get fresh look

Friday, December 26, 2008

The Ramsey investigation was moved to the DA’s Office in December 2002, following years of public criticism of the Boulder Police Department’s handling of the case.

Garnett said he’s still wading through the evidence and complex history of the case, and he plans to meet with investigators familiar with the homicide before deciding how to handle it.

Calling the murder of JonBenet “no more important than other cases” of its type, Garnett said the police department likely has more resources and is better equipped to handle the investigation at this point.

“I want to look very closely at the resources of the DA’s Office and make a careful decision about what resources to continue to expend on the case,” he said. “There is something seductive about this case that can cause every law-enforcement person who works on it to become fascinated with its twists and turns and thereby spend endless energy on it.”

Unlike his predecessor, Mary Lacy, who has made clear her view that an intruder killed JonBenet, Garnett said he doesn’t have any preconceived notions about the case or where any future investigation should lead.

Regardless of new DNA, until that DNA is identified, and third party transfer can be excluded, in my opinion, Patsy Ramsey has not be cleared of suspicion. This little girl deserves justice....it's hard to believe that, had she lived, she'd be 18.

Peace and You

2008-12-26T17:25:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

In dreams, the candle burns,
Such a sweet and simple thing;
So small, yet it brightly shines,
Lighting the joy that you bring.

The warm glow sparks a memory,
Of holding you close in my arms;
Watching you breathe in the early morn,
Remembering your treasured charms.

With you, there are no rules,
What comes must simply be;
To be candid and honest and open,
No chains or locks, for we are free.

And there's an air of innocence,
Like that of children as they play;
In cool rain puddles, happily,
On a freshly made spring day.

These feelings can only belong,
In a time and place like this;
Where my world is at peace with itself,
A place where your candle exists.

Wishes

2008-12-26T17:14:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

You can hope and hunger,
Chasing foolish dreams;
You can plot and plan,
Concoct crazy schemes.

But only if it's meant to be
Will those dreams ever come true;
No fairy dust or wishing wells
Will make them come to you

Ambrosia and Wine

2008-12-26T17:04:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Your lips are the color of roses red,
Moist and fresh as the morning dew;
Your skin golden with the sun's kiss;
I want to lose myself in you.

I drink from the fountain of your love,
The sweetest wine I'll ever taste;
Sparkling with the spell of your smile,
Not a drop shall I waste.

I shall worship you, my dearest jewel,
As we rest upon your petaled bed;
I'll fill your soul with all my love,
Ambrosia from which a god is fed.

I'll bath you in warm, scented oils,
As around us, playful cherubs sing;
Clothe you in silk and gossimer lace,
You shall not want for anything.

The sound of your voice thrills my heart,
For you give your love unselfishly;
You press my head to your tender breast,
Your goodness and kindness filling me.

The most rare and precious jewel,
I am replete within your hold;
These words I speak cannot compete.
You have given me wealth untold.

Anticipation

2008-12-26T16:33:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

With fervent longing I want to taste
The lips of one I've yet to face.
I see him well within my mind;
Inner courage I've yet to find.
Will anything ever come of this?
I would know with just one kiss.

What the World Needs Now

2008-12-26T09:59:00.000-08:00

is love, sweet love. Another year, another innocent lost forever. You have to wonder again, who would she have been to the world if she'd been allowed to grow to adulthood?

I personally don't understand how someone could look at this child with anything but the most unselfish, giving love. I don't know what could have been more important than her welfare. What has the lack of parental discipline that is being approved and enforced across our country taught these young adults who are now bearing children?

The selfishness of the "me" generation....will cost the world a future.

The Stolen Child by William B. Yeats
exerpt...

Away with us he's going,
The solemn-eyed:
He'll hear no more the lowing
Of the calves on the warm hillside
Or the kettle on the hob
Sing peace into his breast,
Or see the brown mice bob
Round and round the oatmeal-chest.
i{For be comes, the human child,
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
from a world more full of weeping than you can
understand.}

All I want for Christmas

2008-12-22T16:47:00.001-08:00

I JUST LOVE MULTIPLE CHOICE!

NOTHING GOLD CAN STAY

2008-12-22T16:13:00.000-08:00

Robert Frost

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
so dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Another of my favorites.
This particular poem came to my attention while watching a movie entitled "The Outsiders". This was a film made solely because a group of students wrote the Studio and asked why the book had never been made into a movie. The Outsiders is a timeless movie, and this poem is a timeless poem. A poem and a movie about the death of innocence.

Starring:

Patrick Swayze
Rob Lowe
Tom Cruise
Matt Dillon
C. Thomas Howell
Ralph Macchio
Diane Lane
Emilio Estevez
Leif Garrett

Why We Fight

2008-12-21T06:20:00.000-08:00

Carole Nichols

Eyes spoke of tender love,
yet full of unbearable sadness.
Did you know that you shouldn't go?
And you asked, "Please don's leave me there."

Eyes hoped for a long and fullfilled life
Did you know the money would steal it away?
Do you haunt the man with the fatal touch?
Can you see all that he's done?

Do you cry for justice in the dark night?
Rest in peace, Danny; we fight your fight.

From the Grave

2008-12-21T06:09:00.000-08:00

Carole Nichols

Mama, if you hear me crying,
Please close your eyes and pray;
That truth survives the dawning;
And that I'll have peace one day.

Mama, if you hear me crying,
I know you loved me dear;
And I know it was given free;
I'm sorry I could never hear.

Mama, if you hear me crying,
It's because I finally know,
That all I ever loved was me,
Such selfish love, so full of woe.

Mommie
I wish I could do it better
Mommie
I'm sorry.

For Virgie, with great sympathy and affection

DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT

2008-12-19T18:17:00.000-08:00

Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

One of my favorite all-time poems. I will always rage against the dying of the light

Arghhhh.....Anonymous sucks, names are better even if fake

2008-12-19T17:56:00.000-08:00

Ok, looks like I've been "discovered". By special request, I've toned the graphics down. Have fun looking around, and feel free to comment.

I hope to be adding more to this site....but I've got to get the courage up to do it, and try to find a way to keep those under 18 from getting to them. Yeah, they are that far out there!

And some of them I wrote as a teen, and they aren't here yet. Somehow those years and aches and pains, and that learning experience is so very sacred. I laugh at them now when I read them, and then I sigh, and remember.

Shaved

2008-12-08T17:21:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Wet and hot in the middle of the forest,
Haunting cries in the distance beckoning;
The heady fragrance of the flowers,
The musky cavern of hidden secrets.
Yet you seek that gentle hill of delight.

A yielding mount in the fertile valley,
Awaiting a viewing by hungry eyes;
With the foliage swept away, it appears,
Flushed and alive, sweet beauty revealed;
Greedy and giving, awaiting a visitor.

And life's fountain pours over it,
Urging a drink of the gleaming nectar;
Silky smooth and and tempting to touch,
Captivating to the senses, sweet flesh;
Inviting you to linger in passion's fold.

Wants and Needs

2008-12-08T17:15:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

There is such a restlessness inside
That I try so very hard to hide.
I know that I should just let go,
But that's difficult to do, you know?

You answer such a need in me,
That right now I cannot see
A time when I would be happy
With you as just a memory.

I have no wants when I'm with you;
You know exacly what to do.
You make my heart and body soar;
You give me all and then some more.

You take care of my every need,
In thought as well as in deed;
You are my friend and my lover,
And right now I don't want another.

Is it so wrong to feel this way?
To enjoy so much these games we play?
Our wants and needs are just the same;
Wants and needs too wild to tame.

Flickering Light

2008-12-08T17:06:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

That tiny light distant shines,
Fickering as a candle exposed,
A pulsing beat to call me forth;
Yet speaks not of what it holds.

A curious thing, growing nearer not,
Sends a finger of warmth to tease;
Perhaps some tired soul seeking a haven,
A place of safety in the stormy night;

Needing solace in morphia's arms,
A bower to bide from force of the gale.
Shall I venture forth for which to see
Does it to me silenty hail?

Perhaps it's one who holds my dreams,
Delivering now, with me to share.
Perhaps I'm the dream he sees from afar,
Struggling e'er to draw near,

That tiny light brightly flicks,
Dare I step into the cold and chance,
Perhaps to find naught but what once was,
A lying taste of lost romance?

And the light a dying ember;
The sound of the wind, a broken song,
As it sits in the distance, flickering;
Can I reach it before it is gone?

Peace Tonight

2008-12-08T16:58:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

On this most holy of nights,
I find myself longing for peace;
That at this time, all over the world,
The fighting and killing would cease.

I find myself yearning for peace of heart,
To have the deep-seeded anger swept away;
To find myself filled with joy and laughter,
When I rise in the morning to greet the day.

I find myself wanting peace of mind,
To know that I've done my very best;
I'd like to let life take care of itself,
And not worry about any of the rest.

I find myself seeking peace of soul,
To know that the future is sunny and bright;
To find that best place to linger,
To experience life, to bask in the light.

I find myself hoping for peace everywhere,
A place where there's no hate or strife;
For on this holiest night, there came only love,
Peace from the One who gave all of us life.

Future Dream

2008-12-08T16:54:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Last night, the strangest dream had I,
For on some unknown pebbled beach we walked;
Hands loosely clasped, toward a setting sun,
And in this dream, we finally talked.

There was a peace between two friends,
Who'd wandered many a stormy shore;
Yet, there was no awkward sense of distance,
In our old age, we were friends once more.

We looked nothing like we looked right now,
Time had marked out limbs and spirits well;
But as our eyes surveyed each other,
Twas as if the past had cast us in its spell.

We spoke of all that had occured,
In the silent years we were apart;
It was such a joy to talk together again,
To know you finally believed from the heart.

Oh, what we felt when all was said,
Was a vague sense of regret and sadness;
That we walked separate paths to get here,
Because of a moment of bittersweet madness.

Twas strange to dream of the future so,
But it's surety there felt truly right;
I awoke with a dawning spark of hope,
That someday, the end of the silence I'll sight.

More Than a Pet

2008-12-08T16:45:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

How can I tell you goodbye?
What words could even begin to say
How very special you were to us,
How still it is since you went away?

The house is quiet now
I didn't know how much your presence filled,
and how you helped to make a home for us,
The laughter has been stilled.

You never met a stranger,
Love was what you gave and knew;
The joy has gone now from our eyes,
Sissy, girl, we all miss you.

You couldn't have been more human
If you had passed from a human womb;
Your footsteps have been silenced
By the coldness of the tomb.

There must be a place in heaven
For creatures, great and small;
Who bring to us unconditional love,
Sissy, you were the greatest of them all.

Catching Life

2008-12-08T16:22:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

So small to be sitting there,
Eyes looking down to the dust on the floor;
Waiting, just waiting for life to arrive,
Catch her up and take her out the door.

Somebody should tell her life doesn't come,
You have to reach out as it flashes by;
Grab it all, the good and the bad,
Take your chances, learn to fly.

Somebody should raise her head so she'd see,
Life as it makes it's maddening round;
The dust she sees will no memory make,
Only by living will memories be found.

Passionate Love

2008-12-08T15:59:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

In the warmth of shifting shadows
Languid limbs, glowing in a flickering fire;
Eyes that promise dreams come true,
Beseechingly beckon, take me higher.

Fragrance sifts the heavy air
That flows and touches the softest skin;
Lips dewy, red, pursed in a moist plea,
Let me feel the rapture again.

And the trembling takes and shakes the soul,
Exquisite agony building inside;
And shattering crystals of infinite joy,
Glimmer in passion, unable to hide.

In this bed of love, captive held,
Riding the crest of a sweet, temptuous flood;
Languid limbs now entangled and still,
Passion ran wild in lover's blood.

Love Gift

2008-12-08T15:51:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

I will take a ray of sunshine,
Warm and glowing bright;
Fill it with all my love,
Send it to my heart's delight.

Wrap it up with moonbeams,
Secure it with a kiss;
Send it to him on the wind,
The one whose love I miss.

I'll deliver it by a nightingale,
Who'll proclaim it in her song;
The beauty of this love I feel,
He'll know my love for him is strong.

When he receives my gift,
And it covers him from head to toe;
He'll know that I surround him
With the warmth of my heart's glow.

Mind of Stone

2008-12-08T15:37:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Oh, Spock, self-torturer!
You live within your mind of stone.
So rigid you are, cold and aloof;
You desire only to be left alone.
Feelings, barren to you as Vulcan,
That arid distant star;
You dissect and dispose of those like me
Who worship you from afar.

Yet constantly you struggle
Within that hybrid mind
Which strives for perfect logic,
To suppress emotions it may find.
Your analytical mind is your pride
But is is also your one shame;
For underneath the feelings creep
That even you can't tame.

Oh, great and mighty Vulcan,
Poor human suppressed within;
Scorned by both your races,
You do have one constant friend.
It hurts to see a man such as you
Refuse to accept a friend's touch.
But I do accept what you must be;
So far away, you given me so much.

It's All About Love

2008-12-08T15:33:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

God didn't choose a rich woman
When He gave his Son to the world.
He found a soul with goodness deep;
He found a pure and simple girl.

And how blessed she was among women
For having carried Him close to her heart.
How lucky she was to have held Him;
To have loved Him from the start.

She never asked a thing from God,
Never doubted or questioned his reason;
She nurtured and loved his Only Son
And love is why we have this season.

So at this special time of year,
It's important to show how much you love,
The best gift of all comes from the heart,
As proved by our Father up above.

I Dreamed a Dream

2008-12-08T15:24:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

I dreamed a dream, or think I did,
It's been so long since I went there;
It seemed to be a special dream,
Made me want to feel and care.

The place where I stood was so alive,
The air thick with the scent of hope;
I breathed it deep, my heart did start,
To believe with trust it could again cope.

The glow of the golden sky shown down,
Bathing me with it's promise of laughter;
The chill in my soul began to melt,
I caught a glimmer of what I want to be after.

There was someone there, no face, no name,
He called to me sweetly, dared me to feel.
I felt myself longing to take a chance,
To forget all the sorrow, let myself heal.

In that dream, I started to dance,
Filled with joy and peace I missed so;
Was a wonderful place, I think, this dream,
Yet to find it here, I must go slow.

I dreamed a good dream, or think I did;
Whatever it was, I didn't want to leave.
But if I try, I can make that dream here;
I know in my heart, I just have to believe.

The Perfect Angel

2008-12-07T18:58:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

God doesn't always tell us
Why things happen the way they do;
But, Mom, I think I know
The reason why He took you.

You see, I think my angel
Was so tired from following me,
It seems I may not have paid attention,
I didn't see what I needed to see.

Perhaps I went through a dozen or more,
Each throwing their halos, calling it a day;
Till there were no more who wanted the job,
Then God heard you, each time you did pray.

I think He knew you were the one,
Who could make me hear and understand;
He knew you would never turn away
If things didn't go exactly as planned.

So He saw the chance to do two good things,
Make you whole, and make me heed;
He took you and gave you angel wings;
From all your pain, you were freed.

And because He knew you loved me so,
He set you down close by my heart,
To soothe, and give me your wisdom,
To set me right when my wanderings start.

They say that angels aren't human,
But God made an exception with you;
And, Mom, you're the perfect angel for me,
Your love for me comes shining through.

The Perfect Angel

2008-12-07T18:43:00.000-08:00

Whispers Across Time

2008-12-07T18:19:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

The gentle breeze comes to me,
Across time and space and distance;
A teasing breath with hints of cinnamon,
And my mind opens without resistance.

The voices come, soft, but clear,
Traveling across some unseen sea;
Echoes of words spoken long ago,
By departed souls so dear to me.

When I hear the sound of gentle music,
Whispering notes of wisdom in the air;
I'm suddenly surrounded by all their love,
I want those voices to linger there.

Then they come to me, together they speak,
And tell me with a hint of laughter;
They are always here and will forever be,
There are no doors in the here-after.

And I'm filled with such a happy thought,
The ones I miss are just a whisper away;
In the cinnamon scented breeze I can feel,
Filling me with their love each day.

Lament of a High School Hero

2008-12-07T18:16:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

The echos of cheers
Still ring in his ears,
Though the field is empty once more.
And it's been twenty years,
Yet his eyes fill with tears,
As his minds passes through the door.

He was a hero back then,
Scoring time and again,
And the love of his life cheered him on.
He didn't dream her love would end,
He lived for the very love she'd send,
Like the cheers, now the love is gone.

And the stadium is bare,
There's no one left to care,
As he walks through dreams of the past.
He remembers the cheers,
He longs for those years,
And a love that didn't last.

Goodbye

2008-12-07T18:11:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

I have no regrets
Even though you are gone.
I have my memories
And I don't feel alone.

Thank you for your kindness,
Thank you for your touch,
Thank you for your love, dear,
I will miss you, oh, so much.

You made me no promises,
I asked you for none.
But you gave me something priceless
That can never be undone.....

THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME BACK MYSELF!

Revelation

2008-12-07T17:18:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Silence, in the midst of chaos,
Sound but a muddied imprint of the past;
And the tears a ribbon etched in blue,
Holding to memories fading fast.

The view from the tower of broken dreams,
Dark and dull with the tolling bell;
A chasm of roiling angry clouds,
Hiding yet holding the keys to hell.

In silence, looking into the pain,
Wounds never healed but well concealed;
The dizzying floating that you feel,
Is deception, betrayal, now revealed.

The Souvenir

2008-12-07T13:33:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

It was so special, yet I did fear
I'd be unable to keep the memory near.
This wonderful weekend you gave to me;
Time and distance make it so hard to see.
But unpacking brought me a sweet surprise;
There was your shirt before my eyes.
And as I held it to me and smelled your scent,
It came back so sharp how our time was spent.
Once again I could see the plane land;
Feel your warm skin with my hand.
Feel the excitement at the way you could drive,
Remember feeling so very alive.
I can remember laughing from the start;
From the first you worked to ease my heart.
I gave myself into your care,
And let you take me everywhere;
To Hooters with the "racing team",
The time we spent there was like a dream.
And dancing long into the night
You pulling me close, holding me tight.
Then there was the magic of the track;
I would give anything to go back.
The drivers and cars so close to me,
I saw everything I wanted to see.
But better that anything in my mind,
Was the times we were alone, I find.
I never counted on being treated so well,
And you loved pleasing me too, I could tell.
The memories come so strong and sweet,
So finding this shirt is kind of neat.
And though I hated to see you go....
I can't wait to come there and play in the snow!

Run With Me

2008-12-07T13:27:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Take my hand and run with me,
Across the meadow, wild and free.

Taste life at it's very best,
And when we tire, we shall rest,

In a bed of flowers and rosy clover,
Come to me and be my lover.

Let the sun caress our skin,
As a warming fire burns within;

Let the breeze fan the heady heat,
As from the world we retreat.

Let nature sing it's simple song,
As our hearts join where we belong.

And when the passion fades away,
And we hold each other in the day,

Body to body, sighing, content,
In the crushed petals and sensual scent;

Let us remember that love is free,
Yet you took my hand and ran with me.

Rocking in the Cradle

2008-12-07T13:17:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Those arms form a cradle
That I step into and cling,
As he rocks me so gently,
Soothing away life's little sting.

It's a place of sweet relaxing,
That cradle rocking slow;
Cocooned and sheltered from harm,
It washes away all cares and woe.

How welcome this feeling of peace,
How precious this comforting hold;
How safe I feel, and needed,
Protected from the winter's cold.

It's a place of forgetting,
It's a place of wonder and hope;
It gives me strength to carry on,
It makes it easy for me to cope.

As he rocks me in his cradle,
I find in my mind a way to home;
For a moment in time, I'm reassured,
I know I don't stand alone.

Slowly he moves, always rocking,
His voice a whisper in my ear;
Telling me it will all come right,
Rocking in that cradle, so dear.

Letters

2008-12-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

There have been millions of letters,
Penned by lovers in the quiet of the night;
All of their passion put to pen,
By the romantic glow of candlelight.
Sonnets written and sung in whispers,
For the one who gave them this restless wake;
Line after line, spilling their dreams,
To the absent love that makes them ache.

There have been miles of shredded letters,
Which never saw the light of day;
Written by a hurt or angry hand,
Harsh words written, then thrown away.
Splattered with hot, bitter tears,
To the one who has left them alone;
Line after line, drowning their dreams,
Unable to believe their love is gone.

There must be millions of people,
Who sit here typing in the early day;
When the world outside is black and still,
To work, to talk, to record, to play.
Hoping to find something real and rare,
To connect some way, their hearts will define;
In a world of strangers, building their dreams,
Letters written and sent...love's gone online.

Unfinished Plans

2008-12-07T13:05:00.001-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Even love's good memories can hurt;
Sharply tangy and so bittersweet,
'Cause a memory is just something gone,
Of things that will never be complete.

So many things you didn't do
When you had the chance;
You still see them on that list,
A place, an act, that special dance.

And even if there's no regret
For all the times you had,
You still yearn for the should have been's
And it makes you feel so sad.

So you ache for the lost dreams
That, now, will never come true;
And you dream of just one more chance
That you know will not be given to you.

You feel the good memories creeping in,
And you try so hard to shut them away
Til you can look at them once more
Without feeling the loss and hurt of today.

Sticky Fingers

2008-12-07T13:00:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Sticky fingers, covered and sweet

With the juices of such wonderful things;

Inhale the scent of the warm, ripe fruit,

Recall the image and memory it brings.

How filling was that wet repast;

How tempting it was to the mind;

How the nectar kissed the nose and chin;

As you took from it all you could find.

A sigh escapes as now, replete,

The aromatic texture still lingers

Then the taste buds on the tongue explode

As you lick clean those sticky fingers.

Summer's End

2008-12-07T12:54:00.000-08:00

CAROLE NICHOLS

Heat still touches her golden face,
Yet sadness sings without a sound;
She watches as a lone leaf falls,
Alone and dying, spinning to the ground.

Flowers abound in fragrant profusion,
Ever more pungent in the steamy heat;
Yet the petals are turning with each day,
The cool of the night will send defeat.

In her heart she knows that seasons pass,
The warmth will leave but then return;
But she hates the journey into the cold,
For the kiss of the sun she'll always yearn.

She sits in the stillness of summer's end,
A lone tear falling to join the leaf,
Casting wishes and longings into the sun,
Delay, another day, autumn's motif.

Daydreams

2008-12-07T12:49:00.001-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Though the silence surrounds me;
In the heaviness of the silence, I hear a smile.
In the thickness of the silence, I float in the clouds.
In the deepness of the silence, I am filled with thoughts of you.

My thoughts wander on wings of gossimer dreams
Held by the quick silver essence of something elusive,
Yet still, the promise of capture beckons, enticing,
I find myself missing what I've never seen.

Criteria for Love

2008-12-07T12:45:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

To a child, things are simple;
They see life through innocent eyes.
To him, love is easily revealed;
It's simply the person on whom he relies.
To him, love is total trust,
And faith is right there, too.
It forms the basis of all love;
Stays with him his whole life through.
It is odd that we were children once;
We know these basic things.
Yet, we often confuse love and passion,
And look at the heartache it brings.
We search throughout adulthood
Trying to find that feeling;
Forgetting that faith and trust must exist,
Or love will often leave you reeling.
If we could learn to look for love
Based on the criteria of a child,
We'd find such peace within our souls,
And our hearts would never be defiled.

What Love Is

2008-12-07T12:41:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Love is being a best friend;
Someone there to hold my hand.
Love is making me feel needed and dear;
Someone on whom I can always depend.
Love will always see my faults,
And still want to be close to my side.
Love will always see my worth,
And in my accomplishments, take pride.
Love will always put me before others,
No matter what the personal cost.
Love will never betray my trust;
And will guide me home when my soul's lost.
Love will stand fast in good times, and bad,
And share it's secrets with me, too.
Love will always laugh and tease,
And enjoy the silly things I sometimes do.
Love will offer encouragement,
Love will bring me unending bliss,
Love will never turn away;
And love will start with one kiss.

Rusty

2008-12-07T12:35:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

My breath catches as you cross the meadow,
Swift as the wind and into the sun;
Glowing in the light of a newborn day,
Stretched out full as you make your run.

The chestnut sheen of your muscled chest
Throbs with the pulsing beat in your veins;
You toss that dark mane, snort with pride,
You allow me once more to take the reins.

Gone is the halter from your noble brow,
Gone is the bit that chaffed your lips;
Gone are the fences that held you in,
And gone is your feel from my fingertips.

Somewhere, I know, you lift that proud head,
Nostrils flared as they catch a scent;
You race in the wind, coat silky and warm,
Your heart grows not tired, your lungs not spent.

You neigh and the air echos your call,
You're gone, yet here, 'neath the Dogwood tree;
Prancing in dreams, in the fields of my mind,
Free, as you live in my memory.

Come To Me

2008-12-06T12:20:00.000-08:00

CAROLE NICHOLS

Come to me at the break of day,
When the dew falls fresh as your kiss;
Let me see the dawn's first light
Shine in your eyes as we find bliss.
Wake me with your love, I pray,
Filled with the warmth of the morning sun;
Hold me within your sheltering arms,
Whisper your love when we become one.

Come to me in the heat of the day,
When the air is sultry and hot;
Let me see the fire in your eyes,
As we seek out passion's spot.
Let me feel your fiery touch,
Let me taste your heated skin;
Let the world spin out of control,
As we visit heaven, once again.

Come to me when the day is spent,
When all becomes still for the night;
The glow of love in your sweet eyes,
Reflecting the flickering candlelight.
Hold me once more, chase the chill away,
Tenderly prove your love, so strong;
And as we drift off into peaceful sleep,
I will know that this is where I belong.

What Would it Cost?

2008-12-06T11:34:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

The street corner is so busy,
People hurrying as they pass by;
They close their eyes, pretend to not hear,
The ragged child's hungry cries.

She stand there, arms reaching,
All alone, dirty and care worn;
Tears of misery track her face,
Too young to look so forlorn.

What would it cost, what price,
For just one soul to show they care?
How much to hold out their hand,
To touch that dirty, tangled hair?

What would it cost to take her,
To a place that's warm and safe?
Or feed and clothe and wash her,
This poor motherless waif?

What would it cost just to give her,
A small portion of your time?
To offer for a moment, a caring hug,
To give her a hope for which she could climb?

You say it's not your problem?
You barely have time of your own?
What if it were someday your child,
Standing there, lost and alone?

Wouldn't you want someone to help?
Wouldn't you hope someone would care?
So they wouldn't have to merely exist,
Surviving on the wings of a prayer?

It wouldn't cost more than a little time,
Afterall, love and caring are free.
Look with you heart and see her eyes,
She could belong to you or to me.

Two Strong Arms

2008-12-06T11:10:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

When I am so tired at the end of the day,
I want two strong arms to take my cares away.

When I'm not quite myself, or just feeling blue,
I want those same arms to offer comfort, too.

When I awaken, so afraid in the night,
I want them to hold me and ease my fright.

When I feel alone, without a friend,
On those strong arms I want to depend.

When I feel wary and so unsure,
I want warm arms to make me feel secure.

I want those arms to take me to paradise,
And for that, alone, it's worth the price;

To open up my heart once more;
To let those arms carry me through love's door.

Yet greater than all of passion's charms,
Is just to be held by two strong arms.

Dancing in the Moonlight

2008-12-06T10:42:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

We were dancing in the moonlight,
To life's sweet and soulful song;
With every step, you showed me
This is just where I belong.

I waltzed into your arms,
Where it felt so right to be;
And though you held me close,
I have never felt so free.

The music that we danced to,
Spoke directly to my heart;
Made me want to linger there,
To see what the night would start.

What I've searched for all my life,
I may have found right here;
In the valley of the shooting stars,
Looking in your eyes, so clear.

Will you take my hand and guide me,
To the place your soul abides;
Let me see it's many layers,
Let me touch it's many sides?

Will you show me all life's magic
With every move you make?
Will what you offer be there,
When from this dream, I wake?

Will the stars fall all around us,
Surround us with their glory,
If this course we're following
Brings us to our own love story?

As we dance in the moonlight,
Each movement sure and right;
I've never felt as peaceful
As I do with you tonight.

Grandma's Rocker

2008-12-06T10:36:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

It sits there by the fireplace,
A knitting basket by it's side;
A worn shawl resting on it's back,
It's curved seat, firm and wide.

She often sits with busy hands,
They've never known an idle day;
And she sings as she sits rocking;
A soft song to lift her cares away.

That old rocker's always moving,
With a creaking rhythm of it's own;
The sound is oddly soothing,
One of the few comforts she's known.

The chair has rocked her babies,
As she brushed away their tears;
It has heard all her stories,
As she rocked there through the years.

It came to her as a young wife,
It was there when her husband died;
It has heard her laughter, felt her pain;
It's seen her sorrow, known her pride.

It greets her like an old, old friend;
It keeps her secrets and memories near.
Just an old worn out rocker to some,
But to her, it's priceless and dear.

Only a Mistake

2008-12-06T08:53:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

It's the dark thoughts that torment,
Taunting the mind, forbidding rest;
In a room as silent as a tomb,
The weight, cold and heavy in my breast.

My eyes feel a disquieting burning,
I've never before been a mistake;
The description of me will not leave,
And it's so very hard to take.

My God, it's a bitter, biting thing,
How many others have walked this path?
Falsely accused, yet even the truth,
Will not alter the cutting wrath.

I close my eyes against the pain,
Trying to find some inner peace;
I can almost smell the illlusive scent
Of that place to give the hurt release.

The breakers beckon in the foam,
As I go once more to that salty shore;
With a tempting view of the horizen,
I don't have to be a mistake anymore.

This waking dream of longing,
Urges my weary soul to follow,
Join the dolphins in their gentle play
Let the tide wash away my sorrow.

My soul is tempted to give in,
The mistake of my life wash clean;
Let the sea envelope and hold me,
Eternal rest where I've never been.

Yet the mind still twists in turmoil,
For even death won't make it right;
It's a terrible thing to long for,
But dark thoughts hold the only light.

It isn't fair, and you live in hell,
My hands have been so neatly tied;
I'll be your mistake for the rest of my life,
Even when truth is on my side.

It's Over

2008-12-06T08:05:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

There's no need to say it aloud,
For I see the truth in your eyes;
I can tell by the way you act,
There's no need for your lies.

It doesn't matter anymore;
What I felt for you died long ago.
I just wish I knew what went wrong,
That made you want to hurt me so.

I have lived with your anger,
Put up with your stubborn pride;
Endured your hatred and meanness,
Until all my love for you died.

It's over and you know it well,
My life belongs once more to me;
You can't be a part of it anymore,
So why not let things be.

Get out of my life and give me peace,
Let me try to make a new start;
Let go of me and let go of the past,
For you'll never again have my heart.

Remembrance

2008-12-06T07:44:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Remember white, cotton clouds
Playing in a summer breeze;
Remember bittersweet kisses
Stolen 'neath the cherry trees.

Remember raindrops falling,
Invading a lover's bed.
Remember soft, sweet nothings,
Whispered at a lover's head.

Remember night's enchantment,
Sleeping flowers, smelling sweet;
Remember all those nights
As lovers, you would meet.

Remember all the love
You gave to keep him here,
And remember when he left
How you wanted him so near.

See, the clouds have darkened,
And the grass is turning gray;
The rain becomes your tears
On a cold and endless day.

Loss of a Friend

2008-12-06T07:40:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

There are things so evil in this world
That can't stand to see something good.
That you were hurt because of me;
I'd erase it all if only I could.

I'd turn back time til there was no time
That we knew each other's name.
You've lost your love; I've lost a friend,
And we'll never, ever be the same.

A fog of disbelief surrounds me;
An anger burns so deep within,
That someone out to cause me grief
Would destroy what was once a friend.

And I know that the friendship is gone,
But I pray things work out for you,
That the goodness in you will shine,
And that all your dreams will come true.

There is nothing I can do or say
That will ease the pain I know you feel,
But I hope with all of my heart and soul
That time and truth will help you heal.

Growing Up

2008-12-05T18:45:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

It's hard I know to believe,
That I know what your going through;
Yet I've been there myself
When I was as young as you.

So many new emotions
Roll seething in your mind,
You're angry, but don't know why,
And your reasoning is often blind.

You don't understand why you hurt so much,
You can't understand why you cry,
And you feel like a stranger to yourself,
You don't even want to try.

You are frightened by the changes,
That happen every day,
It seems like your full of troubles
That will never go away.

But I promise you, my daughter,
Just as surely as the sun will rise
There'll come a time very soon
You'll see your life with different eyes.

All the pain will ease some,
All the awkwardness will go;
Your world will come right again,
All you have to do is grow.

And I will be here for you still,
When you want and need my arms;
A mother's love can never die,
Even growing up can't do it harm.

For my baby who is becoming a woman.
I love you, Rayna!

Night Whispers

2008-12-05T18:39:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

The night is filled with silence,
And the silence filled with sound;
As two hearts speak to each other,
Our footsteps soft on the ground.

The moon peaks through the hazy clouds,
That keeps the stars out of sight;
Yet our steps are sure as our hearts,
That illuminate the pathway bright.

The mist of the night surrounds us,
Yet the touch is that of something warm;
Laying soft on our skin like a kiss,
A shield that protects our hearts from harm.

And in the silence our hearts whisper,
Straight from that place where dreams abide;
Whispers of hopes and whispers of love,
In the night as we walk, side by side.

Just Away

2008-12-05T18:12:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

The sky is clear and bright today;
Soon the birds will fill the air,
Bringing a sweet springtime song,
But when I look, you won't be there.

It's hard to believe it's been a year,
Since your voice quietly spoke,
And you led me step by step
To the place where I awoke.

It's a place my mind goes often,
To relive that time of learning;
So real and sharp, it's hard to see
That there'll be no returning.

I see the water, cold and still,
I see the flowering countryside;
Clear and bright, just like today,
I'll thank you always for that ride.

You were someone who took the time,
And became a special friend;
You were my breath of springtime,
But we always knew one day it'd end.

Yet, I know that you and I can see,
The same sun and sky each day;
So I'll think that you aren't gone,
You are merely, just away.

Unlikely Hero

2008-12-05T18:05:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Your life's been troubled, you no stranger to pain;
Yet, you've not been afraid to start over again.
You come to me now, with the wisdom of a sage;
Helping me through the hurt and the rage.

You speak quietly, never preach or criticize;
You show me life as seen through your eyes.
No matter the loss from the hand you have played,
Your belief in tomorrow has never swayed.

You saw my soul laying, bare and needing;
You saw my heart, torn apart and bleeding.
You know where I've been, know where I'm bound,
For you've taken that ride on life's merry-go-round.

You show by your actions, you show by your deeds,
You've tasted a mountain of life's bitter seeds.
Yet your dreams stay constant, to yourself you're true,
You found inner strength to carry you through.

You take my hand, and with a kindness that doesn't lie,
You plead with your tears to not let my dreams die.
You ask nothing from me, yet you constantly give,
Filling me with laughter and hope, you make me live.

An unlikely hero, you're a friend I'll long treasure;
Your faith in me has a price beyond measure.
When I see you, I see a soul so beautiful and rare,
From the depths of my heart, I'm so glad that you care.

Angels Whisper in the Night

2008-12-05T14:39:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Deep within the velvet comfort of sleep,
In the night when angels fly,
A whisper penetrates, scattering dreams;
A touch of a hand, a brush of lips
The heart pulses with promise,
For the whisper strikes a chord.

That kind angel knocks at the door
And enters with such quiet joy;
Sending a whisper upon his wings
And sending all thoughts to the wind.
Telling with a promise of heaven
That he is yours and yours alone.

Sweet angel, speaking till all is alive
Vibrating and pulsing, passion rules.
Embraced in arms warm to touch;
Impaled with love, strong and hot;
Body listening as the angel whispers,
Riding on ribbons of rapture.

What Do You See

2008-12-05T14:15:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

What do you see when you look at clouds
As they move and change above the sky?
Is it just weather or can you see,
The dragons and angels and wonder why,
Each cloud seems to have a life of it's own,
Complete with castles and prancing deer;
Rabbits and turtle, elephants and trees,
Where do they all go when the sky is clear?

What do you see when you see thr rain,
Pouring in torrents from the base of cloudland;
Perhaps a waterfall of perfect crystal beads,
Released to fall by a gentle hand.
To offer a bridge between their world and ours,
When the rainbow kisses the fresh clean air;
A color of steps for those who can see
The life and peace that await them there.

What do you see when the clouds touch the earth,
All misty and cool, their whiteness so dense,
That it dampens the skin as it curls the hair,
And as it quietly speaks, do you get a sense,
Of the life abiding within it's vast realm?
If you can see with your heart, not your eyes,
If you let your mind soar beyond it's walls;
Your hopes and dreams may dwell in the skies.

God's Seashore

2008-12-05T14:11:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

As I close my eyes, hoping to sleep,
I send the Dream Keeper an urgent plea;
Out of all the visions at his command,
Send a very special dream to me.

Take me to a soft, sandy beach,
Let me smell the salt in the warm air;
Let my feet dig into the sun-kissed sand,
And let me feel myself be really there.

Let me see lush palms sway in the breeze,
As the sun sinks low over the sea;
In the rainbowed hues of reflected clouds,
Let me feel God's hands touching me.

Let the gentle sound of the ebbing tide,
Wash stress and anguish from my mind;
Let me feel the waves lap round my feet,
As I survey this peaceful place He designed.

And let me feel His love fill me,
Let me feel His compassion wash my soul;
Let His sea of tears cleanse my heart,
Restore my faith and make me whole.

And when my dreaming time is over,
And I awaken to live in the world once more,
Let me remember how wonderous was the feel,
Of the healing power of God's seashore.

Fire Angel

2008-12-05T14:06:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

With a bead of hope, he watches the sky;
And sees the angel coming near.
As the firm, gloved hand reaches out,
He thinks he hears the words, "Don't fear."

Above him, a helicopter hovers,
With a sound like that of angel wings;
Fighting the wind and heavy heat,
To lower the angel to where he clings.

It's a very human angel,
Dangling there at the mouth of hell;
Though he says he's only doing his job,
There'd been no saving him if he fell.

A firefighter lives in sure belief
That angels guide him on his way;
Now he's done the thing he loves to do..
Both men will live to work another day.

From the firefighter, there's no bragging
About the battle he has won;
But somewhere in heaven, God says,
"Fire Angel, that was well done."

The Burning of the Cotton Mill
Atlanta, GA.....April 12, 1999

Today Is All You Have

2008-12-05T14:00:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

"Don't live for yesterday, for it is forever gone;
It enters the realm of memory with today.
You can't touch a memory, and with each second that passes in today,
the past slips further away.

Don't live for tomorrow, for it will never come;
It is but a dream, a hope, a shadow.
And tomorrow becomes today before you ever get there,
the dreams, hopes and shadows vanish in the light of today.

Live for today, and savor each moment, each breath, each heartbeat,
lest it be your last. Taste it's many flavors,
set it in front of you, and enter into it's reality.
Today is all you will ever have...make it count."

The Conversation

2008-12-05T13:43:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Where are you taking me?
Where you want to go....
When will we get there?
When we reach it, you will know...
How long will we stay there?
Until you wish to leave....
What will we find there?
Paradise, if you will believe...

Where are you taking me?
To a place of safe retreat....
Will all my needs be filled there?
When you hunger, you shall eat....
Will you always be there with me?
I'll not be more than a thought away....
And if I need more than that?
Then by your side I will stay....

If I need to be somewhere else?
You aren't a prisoner, here, with me....
And if I need something more?
You won't, but still, you are free....
Will this place make me content?
This place serves no other role....
How do you know it's the place for me?
Gentle friend, I am your soul....

Little Things

2008-12-05T13:39:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

The way you look at me
When you think I do not see;
The way you smile just so
When you greet me with hello.
The way you gently take my hand,
And rub that golden band;
The way you tell me that you care,
By the things you always share;
No matter what the day brings,
You please me with these little things.

The way you whisper soft and low,
Reassure me, so I always know;
The way you soothe my cares away,
With those little things you do each day;
The way you hold me like a child,
Your kisses, soft and mild;
The way you know before I do,
Just what I need to see me through;
With you my heart always sings,
Because of all these little things.

Temptation

2008-12-04T17:38:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

In your Garden of Eden,
I am the snake;
Tempting, teasing, biting,
Offering myself to you to take.

A nibble on the fruit of life,
And down you will fall;
I won't hesitate to jump right in
To take advantage of it all.

I know I should be sorry
For using you this way,
But heaven is where we always go,
And where I'd like to stay.

So many things are different,
Yet it still feels the same;
The raging,temptuous fires
Burning too sweet to tame.

Bodies fitting just so right,
Lips adding to the heat,
Matching heartbeats, such bliss,
A passion hard to defeat.

Yet how uncertain is tomorrow
And how you will feel then;
So I hold onto this moment
In case it never comes again.

Please Don't Let Me Go

2008-12-04T17:29:00.000-08:00

CAROLE NICHOLS

When the day is ending,
And the sun is sinking low;
When shadows fill the room,
Please don't let me go.

When the bluebird goes to nest,
And crickets herald in the night,
When the darkness creeps around,
I need you to hold me tight.

When the moon and stars go rolling
Across the dark velvet of the skies;
Your arms must be my haven
And your lips must catch my sighs.

Take me to that pleasant valley
Where pleasure steals the pain;
Where a touch can bring a warmth
And loves leaves the sweetest stain.

Let me wander off into sleep,
With the dream of where we've been;
And the feel of you pressed close,
Your breath hot upon my skin.

And when the night is over,
And cool of dawn starts to show;
Even then, I'll need you near,
So please, don't let me go

Cherokee

2008-12-04T16:19:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

a most beautiful place of silent mourning,
a trail full of haunting tears;
a river full of lost memories,
home to the people for hundreds of years.

in this quiet place of towering trees,
the wolf is gone with a keening cry,
the bear dances now the dance of clowns,
and the best of a race made to die.

yet wrapped in the myterious time,
nature has held the truth in her heart,
it has kept the paths of the heros
who return in spirit never to depart.

gone are they now, but for the memory,
the trail filled with bitter tears,
a feather falls and lies forgotten,
because of white mans' greed and fears.

go stand high upon the mountain top;
reach out for something that is gone,
search for a truth that won't be hidden,
and find yourself all alone.

except for the echo of the wolf,
except for the flute that sings in the wind,
reminding you over and over again
there are some wrongs that time can't mend.

Starting Over

2008-12-04T16:06:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

One step at a time...baby steps,
Until I find the path to peace.
Cautious at each and every turn;
Afraid to reach for love's release.
Yet, ever patient, there you wait
With your arms spread open wide,
To welcome me back to life once more,
And hold me close at your side.
And when I trip and stumble,
You call my name, urging me on.
You remind me with your every word
That we weren't meant to be alone.
You wipe away the tears that fall;
You press my head to your chest.
I hear your heartbeat, steady, strong;
And my soul finally comes to rest.

Cyber

2008-12-04T16:02:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

In the darkness, thick with nameless shadows;
Filled with silence, yet cluttered chatter,
I am touched by an unknown hand.

So hot to touch, I am filled with a deeper heat;
Flames that do not burn, but consume,
With purest pleasure, I find.

In joy and fear I follow that heated path;
Searching for some fathomless thing,
Longing to understand.

And when I finally touch the hand that holds me
I realize that Fate has brought me here
To love you in my mind.

Oldies in Atlanta

2008-12-04T15:54:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

We traveled by the light of the moon,
Out of the jungle of glowing neon;
Trusting the angels to protect us,
On that asphalt hell we traveled on.

The innocents slept with exhaustion,
While we dodged the masses trying to flee;
All headed away in tired confusion,
We had seen what we came here to see.

We'd jumped and danced on the playground,
We'd walked the streets of fools;
We'd joined the fun, we took a chance,
We went back in time, we broke the rules.

It was time to return to reality,
To store another picture in memory's chain;
To get ready to pay for the day of excess,
Still, we can't wait to do it again.

Return of a Memory

2008-12-04T15:51:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

I didn't think it would happen again,
And I didn't think it would happen so well.
It was just like you had never been gone;
It was the same for you, I could tell.

We fit together so easily, so sweetly,
There was no awkwardness to get through.
There were only the nights, and brisk fall air;
And the warmth of our bodies for me and you.

The others weren't important then,
By silent agreement they were banished away;
The touching and loving were ours, alone,
We would deal with the rest in the light of day.

I can still close my eyes and see you sleeping,
So relaxed and at ease, just a soft gentle snore.
You allowed me to get my fill of you,
In case there could never be any more.

I never thought it would happen, but I'm so glad it did.
So glad you held me close once again,
I want only the best for you in your life,
And I hope you will aways count me a friend.

My Angel

2008-12-04T15:45:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

When life has been so cold,
Freezing the core of my weary soul,
I close my eyes and then I see
My special angel there for me.

When the loneliness gets to be too much,
He reaches out and I feel his touch.
He takes my hand and I can feel
A surging warmth as he starts to heal.

Pulling me into his gentle embrace,
Taking me to such a wonderous place.
My hands, my neck, my cheek, my hair;
I can feel my angel everywhere.

His wings surround me, keep me warm;
Enclosing, protecting me from all harm.
Filling me with his goodness and light,
His laughter full of sweet delight.

He stays with me on my reckless flight
Into uncharted dreams in the dead of night.
Rising from the ashes of my despair,
He brings me to life, makes my heart care.

My angel is there whenever I need
With a bounty of love on which I can feed.
Safe in his arms, filled with his glow;
Heaven is where we're bound, I know.

The Waterfall

2008-12-04T15:39:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

We stand here, together, as one,
Gently covered by the falling mist;
A sublime joy refreshing our hearts,
By the fall of the water, we are kissed.

We look up and up until we see,
Our hopes and dreams in the rainbow there;
Arching to heaven and sparkling bright,
A symbol of the sweet love we share.

Cool, foamy water flows over the rocks,
Is the blood in our souls merging to one;
The song that it sings is a rhapsody wild,
It forms a pool in the warmth of the sun.

There, we bathe in the heady sweet water,
Refreshing and renewing this love of ours;
What we feel grows more lovely every day,
There, in the pool, surrounded by flowers.

The waterfall showers us with paradise,
For it ever changes; it never ends.
Let us stay in this place of our waterfall,
For this is the place where forever begins.

First Prom

2008-12-04T15:31:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Look at you, standing there,
Glittering, glowing in your gown.
Excitement dances from your blue eyes;
I know you're ready to paint the town.

Never have you looked more lovely
Than now, with the curls about your face.
It seems you've grown up overnight;
And your beau has taken my place.

You're everything I dreamed you'd be
And then, you're so much more.
It's hard to watch you fly away,
But I must let you walk out that door.

The Hardest Word

2008-12-04T15:28:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Cancel, erase, delete, remove;
Such necessary words, I fear.
But regret is the one that hurts,
The hardest word for me to hear.
It slashes like a razor deep,
Cuts away at a wounded soul;
The heart bleeds tears of helplessness
And leaves a lonely, empty hole.

I should have heeded the warnings,
Spoken in anger so long ago;
Should have acted with more caution,
Too late for that, now, I know.
So I live with the final word, regret,
Repeating itself in my mind;
And sincere sorrow that it has hurt
Someone who once was good and kind.

You are so forever gone,
Hoping to recover your heart;
Hoping to save and restore a faith,
Hoping to make another start.
I find myself crossing my fingers,
Hoping your dreams do come true;
You'll never know, because of regret,
That I didn't do this to you.

The Cliff Dwellers

2008-12-04T14:28:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

They stand as silent sentinels;
Holes in the cliff watching the world.
Ghostly silence and filtered dust,
A mystery round the desert curled.

Home to a race long gone into night,
Swept away on the winds;
The lone eagle circles, pitious cries,
Where have you gone, my friends?

The doors stare out at sun-baked earth,
Watching the world of a people, history gone
Stories locked in long abandoned dust,
Only ghosts walk there, all alone.

If you stand there in the setting sun,
The doors in the stone seem to come alive;
Shadows move and the wind sighs a song
That the eagle echos with each lonely dive.

All that's left are holes in the cliff
And the coyote howls as it calls to a race,
Vanished to nowhere and leaving no clues,
Disappeared from this earth without a trace.

This Time

2008-12-04T14:23:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

This time the sun will never shine so bright,
That I can't see beyond your face.
This time the rain won't be my tears,
If someone takes my place.
This time I'll be the one to close the door,
If you should ever walk away.
This time I know dreams don't always come true,
It won't hurt if you choose not to stay.

This time I'll face the storm that comes,
When the heart is shattered with the wind.
This time I'll catch the pieces as they fall,
And hold them close til it can mend.
This time I'll not look back with a yearning ache,
Or miss the arms that hold me tight.
This time I'll know that time will ease the pain,
As I lay lonely in the night.

This time I won't give you my all,
For part of me is already gone.
This time to myself I will be true,
For what's left of my heart, I must be strong.
This time I won't believe the words you speak,
For you'll sway me if I hear what you say.
This time I won't give in to the love I feel,
For with love, there's always a price that you pay.

Heart Speak

2008-12-04T13:54:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

I was but a small thing,
In a frail bed I did rest;
But I worked so hard to live,
Snuggled in that tiny chest.

Though I worked all the time,
The demands on me were few;
I kept that small body going,
I knew just what to do.

The only time it taxed me,
That I beat for all to hear,
Was with your childish play,
Innocent excitement, foolish fear.

In that time we both took care,
To treat each other right;
And we grew strong together,
As you took your growing flight.

But long now have I struggled,
To keep you well and whole;
To work against the mark of time,
To cleanse the body and the soul.

What you do now hurts me so,
I must struggle all day long;
Will take more time than we have,
To fix all that if wrong.

You have to learn to accept
And let go of all the stress;
Lose the things that bring you pain,
For we are in such a mess.

Go back to a time when everything,
Was simple, pure and good;
We're in this life together,
Please treat me as you should.

Divorce

2008-12-04T13:48:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Through the closed door;
I hear my child softly cry.
And it tears at my heart
Because I know the reason why.

As as I knock and enter,
She quickly brushes the tears away.
I hold her and ask her what is wrong;
"Mommy, why couldn't my daddy stay?"

And how do you tell a child
That sometimes a dream can end,
That sometimes things can happen,
That no apology can mend?

How do you make her understand
That time does something to the heart,
That sometimes is it better
For the people you love to live apart?

You can't, you can only love her
And hope that in time she will see
That there's a reason for everything:
What will be will surely be.

But it breaks your heart to hear her
In the still of the night weeping so.
And you hope this is the only heartache
She will ever have to know.

Forever

2008-12-03T17:04:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

She stands, poised, arms outstretched,
Leaning over the edge of the precipice,
Held only by the buffeting wind,
Not knowing when it will release.
Only knowing that when she falls,
It will be forever.

And her heart flutters like a leaf,
Torn from the safety of it's home,
To the gossimer strings of a spider's web,
To be held trembling, warmed only by the sun,
Nurtured only by the morning dew,
Resting on a silken bed.

Yet she raises her face to the heavens,
Sending a prayer to lips of the wind,
Let me fly, let me soar, let me fall,
I want my journey to begin.
For she knows that when she falls,
It will be forever.

Falling in Love

2008-12-03T16:55:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

You quietly came into my life,
Took my face in your hands;
Softly kissed my lips,
And of me, made no demands.

You were my strongest champion,
Daring any to cast a stone;
You believed in me when I could not;
You gave my heart a home.

You stood by and watched me grow,
Picked me up when I fell;
You were proud to be my friend,
And gently drew me from my shell.

You never tried to make me be
Something only you could see;
I was never a possession or a toy,
With you, my heart was always free.

You came so quietly to me,
I look back now, in sweet surprise;
How easy it was to fall in love,
And look at life through your eyes.

And if this journey's just beginning,
How much better it will grow;
For this feeling keeps on spreading,
As your heart I get to know.

Path of Pain

2008-12-03T16:40:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Minds wander where they need not go,
Finding the paths hidden by pain;
Knowing better but not being able to stop,
And what does remembering gain?

A fresh rain of tears falling down,
Flooding the cheeks suddenly pale;
Bitter salt on burning lips,
Longing to scream in anguished hell.

The bite of the knife deep inside,
Piercing the heart so it bleeds anew;
Beating a drum of lonely lost dreams,
Remembering what it's been through.

And the soul curls up in sad defeat,
For it can't take the feelings unleashed;
Wailing so quiet only the mind can hear,
Please leave this place you've reached.

And the mind mourns the loss of love,
That once shone brightly within it's depth;
Moves slowly back to the safey of numbness,
Leaving but traces of tears the eyes wept

The Last Dance

2008-12-03T16:32:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Muted shadows struggle
Against the dying light;
Swaying in the stillness
Of poignent memories.
Holding but for a moment more
A dream shattered with the sun;
Ghostly smiles etched
Into faces lined with sorrow;
Grooved with eternal regret,
Tear dampened by the loss
Of something wonderful, yet fragile.
Heads bowed close, eyes clenched shut
Fast against the truth;
Hearts too wounded to continue;
Twas' but a dream,
Fading slowly into shadows,
Dying in the darkness
Of that last dance.

This Man Who Loves Me

2008-12-03T16:23:00.000-08:00

BY CAROLE NICHOLS

Your hand, strong and calloused,
Reaches slowly, it's purpose clear;
Fingers extend to gently touch
Weeping eyes, capturing a tear,
Your hand makes a home for my fears,
Your tenderness secures my heart;
Your wisdom touches my restless mind,
You are here even when we're apart.

Somewhere between wakefulness
And the deepness of sleep,
You abide ever by my side,
Through the night, me you safely keep.
And far into the stillness of slumber,
You light my way into the day;
I have only to turn and you are there
In this place I want to stay.

Your hand reaches out,
Callouses caressing my spirit awake;
And your love pours from fingertips,
To find me, no matter the path I take.
And that hand is steady, holding mine,
I willingly follow where you go;
Blessed am I to know this hand,
And the man who loves me so.