Light of Love

 

 

Light a candle for me, darling

From a flame that never died

One my tears could not extinguish 

It seemed matter how I cried

See the star outside your window

See the memories in your heart

And the love that burns forever

That was magic from the start

Feel the lips that softly touched your mouth

And my fingers on your skin

Hear the sighs and gentle whispers

You breathe out and I breathe in

Like the words of some old love song

That never seem to go away

Though the candle sometimes flickers

Know the flame will always stay

Take a look into your mirror

Somewhere deep behind your eyes

Find the flame that is eternal

And a love that never dies

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Gratitude

 

 

I'm grateful for the road thus far

The detours and wrong turns 

The missteps on the journey

Are how a pilgrim learns

I'm thankful for the love I've known

Including those I've lost

The price for all they gave to me

Was worth the painful cost

I'm blessed by kindred spirits

Who keep my spirits high

When weathering the darkest days

And helping me get by

I'm grateful I'm still learning

From the travelers before

And thankful for the path they walked

For this and so much more

It's not the destination

But the sacred company

That makes the journey all worthwhile

And sets my spirit free

 

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Bulletproof

 

I remember it like yesterday

The flames that fueled our youth

We felt like were ten feet tall

And always bulletproof

We always had each other's backs

We stood and faced our fears

And shared a wealth of laughter

Some sweat, some blood and tears

Saving lives and fighting dragons

Sisters, brothers, family

Each one of you I served beside

Brought out the best in me

These days I'm not invincible

But know this is the truth

That young man lives inside me 

Ten feet tall and bulletproof

 

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Timeless Love

 

 

 

There's nothing new about it

Although there's been great change

Something so familiar

Can never feel that strange

It's the sound of sweet, shared laughter

And comfort that I miss

Knowing what we're thinking

A soft, sweet, tender kiss

Once we were two lovers

Forever we are friends

Two souls joined at the heart

True love never ends

We can't forget what's happened

We can't erase the past

But feelings can resurface

I know this love will last

I'm here if you should need me

I know you feel the same

And if you need to feel the fire

You can always call my name

 

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Love By The Numbers (For Norma Lynn)

 

Forty-six years ago I met her

And I first saw that smile

Two years on a campus

When I was young and wild

Out of there by twenty-one

Struggling to cope

With no sense of direction

Losing faith and losing hope

At twenty-two I saw her

A crowded football game

She smiled and said they missed me

Surprised she knew my name

She hugged me, smiled and walked away

Sweet Angel, one so kind

And I returned to darkness

Walking lonely, feeling blind

Thirty-four years slipped away

I tripped and stumbled on

With no thought of this Angel

My heart became like stone

Nine years ago I found her

When my heart needed a friend

Someone to simply care

 As all I knew came to an end

Her friendship and compassion

Helped heal my broken heart

She helped me learn to smile again

New life began to start

I tried to hide my feelings

For two years deep inside

Until she fell six years ago

No longer would I hide

Five years ago we married

And ending, oh so sweet

But our story has more chapters

Before it is complete

I cannot know how many years

We'll share here in this life

But I'll cherish every day with her

My best friend, love and wife

 

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Things You Tried To Hide (For Philip and Lee)

 

 

We all believed we knew you 

The things you tried to hide

The legacy of sadness

That ate you up inside

The laughter covering the tears

The pain went up in smoke

The hesitation in your thoughts

The cryptic words you spoke

Sometimes I saw behind your eyes

The struggles you went through

I saw a thousand warning signs

Not knowing what to do

Daddy said God understands 

The souls lost in despair

And finally takes them in his arms

And keeps them in his care

Thinking of your suffering

Just tears me up inside

Wishing I had somehow seen

The things you tried to hide

 

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Gratitude: Hours Before Daybreak

 

 

In the hours before daybreak

My mind too full to sleep

Of little obligations

And promises to keep

The smell and taste of coffee

The words of some good song

Start me counting all my blessings

While waiting for the dawn

Where once I was a prisioner

Condemned by my self doubt

In time those doors were opened

And I chased those demons out

Replaced by love so tender

A life with my best friend

I finally found comfort

Inside my well worn skin

 

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