Nothing...

Life owes me nothing. Let the years

bring clouds of azure, or joy or tears;

Already a full cup I've quaffed;

Already wept and loved and laughed,

and seen, in ever-endless ways,

New beauties overwhelm the days.

Life owes me nought. No pain that waits

can steal the wealth from memory's gates;

No aftermath of anguish slow

can quench the soul fire's early glow.

I breathe, exulting, each new breath

Embracing life, ignoring death.

Life owes me nothing. One clear morn

is boon enough for being born;

and be it ninety years or ten,

no need for me to question when.

While life in mine, I'll find it good,

and greet each hour with gratitude.

author unknown

Fridge Poems...Volume Two

So...there!

Fridge Poems...Volume One

Remember...

Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you planned:
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.

Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve:
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.

Christina Rossetti

I Wish I Could Remember...

I wish I could remember that first day,
First hour, first moment of your meeting me,
If bright or dim the season, it might be
Summer or Winter for all I can say;
So unrecorded did it slip away,
So blind was I to see and to foresee,
So dull to mark the budding of my tree
That would not blossom yet for many a May.
If only I could recollect it, such
A day of days! I let it come and go
As traceless as a thaw of bygone snow;
It seemed to mean so little, meant so much;
If only now I could recall that touch,
First touch of hand in hand - Did one but know!

Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

The Dragon Of Grindly Grun...

I'm the Dragon of Grindly Grun,
I breathe fire as hot as the sun.
When a knight comes to fight
I just toast him on sight,
Like a hot crispy cinnamon bun.

When I see a fair damsel go by,
I just sigh a fiery sigh,
And she's baked like a 'tater-
I think of her later
With a romantic tear in my eye.

I'm the Dragon of Grindly Grun,
But my lunches aren't very much fun,
For I like my damsels medium rare,
And they always come out well done.

by

Shel Silverstein

This is one of my all time favorite poems.

Beyond The Profit Of Today...

Lord, give me vision that shall see
Beyond the profit of today
Into the years which are to be,
That I may take the larger, wiser way.

I seek for fortune, Lord, nor claim
To scorn the recompense I earn;
But help me, as I play the game,
To give the world its just return.

Thou mad'st the earth for all of us,
Teach me through struggle, strain and stress
To win and do my share, for thus
Can profit lead to happiness.

Guard me from thought of little men
Which blind the soul to greater things;
Save me from smug content and then
From greed and selfishness it brings.

Aid me to join that splendid clan
Of business Men who seek to trace
A calm, considered working-plan
To make the world a better place.

Teach me to hold this task above
All lesser thoughts within my ken,
That thus I may be worthy of
The name of Business Man; Amen!

Author Unknown

The Moron

See the happy moron,
He doesn't give a damn!
I wish I were a moron-
My God! Perhaps I am!

You Never Can Tell...

You never can tell when you send a word
Like an arrow shot from a bow
By an archer blind, be it cruel or kind,
Just where it may chance to go.
It may pierce the breast of your dearest friend,
Tipped with its poison or balm,
To a stranger's heart in life's great mart
It may carry its pain or its calm.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Rainy Day...

I had lived in the Pacific Northwest before. I have lived in many places that had winters. Cold and foul weather. I never imagined that coming back to the northwest, after close to ten years in places of constant summer, would be so hard. It has been 10 months now. It's not just the northwest. It's small town northwest. I am pretty sure it's the small town part of this equation that I am still having trouble with. Even though I grew up in small towns, I have clearly been away from them for too long. I don't understand many things. I have become a snob. My expectations of others are unrealistic. Do I make things better by lowering my expectations or am I giving up? Is it fair for me to expect so much?

I have been told that I need to be more realistic. That I tend to spend too much time dreaming and worse, following those dreams. Is that a bad thing? What am I if I don't follow my dreams?

I know I have written about this same thing many times. That's what these sites are for right? Working these things out. Some days I'm at a total loss.

*****

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary:
It rains, and the wind is never weary:
The vine still clings to the moldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary:
It rains, and the wind is never weary:
My thought still cling to the mouldering Past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast
And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining:
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining:
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

*****


Yes, it's been raining for the last two weeks. Do you think it's getting to me?

Miss you

I miss you in the morning, dear,
When all the world is new;
I know the day can bring no joy
because it brings not you.
I miss the well-loved voice of you,
your tender smile for me,
the charm of you, the joy of your
unfailing sympathy.

I miss you at the noontide, dear;
the crowded street
seems but a desert now, I walk
in solitude complete.
I miss your hand beside my own
the light touch of your hand,
the quick gleam in the eyes of you
so sure to understand.

I miss you in the evening, dear,
when daylight fades away;
I miss the sheltering arms of you
to rest me from the day,
I try to think I see you yet
There where the firelight gleams.
Weary at last, I sleep, and still
I miss you in my dreams.

Unknown to me...

who are you
where are you from
where have you been
tell me about yourself
your hopes your dreams your fears
what do you want out of life

we are surrounded by people
everywhere
how many of them do you know
how many catch your eye
do you hear the things they say
do you wonder who they are
or what it would be like to know them
to share a part of yourself, with a stranger
to accept a part of them

some people we see everyday
at work
on the street
out and about
often enough that they have become familiar to us
but who are they
what do they do
where do they go
where are they from

why don't we stop
say hello
take the time
no matter how long or how short
a brief exchange
a passionate encounter

how rewarding could it be
to share a drink
sit down for a meal
silently stare and hold hands awhile

a psychic connection
a pheromone rush
an attractive smile or passing scent

what does it take
to get your attention
how long do we wait
before we step into the path of another persons life
to make those lives intersect
for no matter how long

think of all the things we have missed
the people not met
lives not shared
opportunities lost

how much richer could our lives be
how much wiser could we grow

who are you I wonder
would we get along
do we have things in common

are you a good kisser
do you like to be touched
how would you feel in my arms
what does your skin taste like

I want to feel your breath on my neck as I kiss your shoulder
I want to feel your hair as I hold your head
and softly kiss your lips
I want to feel the rhythm of your breathing as we embrace

I want to know you
who you are
where you've been
where you're from
tell me about yourself

it's my fault
for wasting our time
no matter how much of it we have to share
it should be treated with the respect it deserves

only by stepping back
can we see the big picture
observation lets me see
what most people miss
so I watch

unfortunately
sometimes
I miss
something that was right in front of me
I was watching you
but I said nothing
our paths crossed so many times
but each time
I stepped back
only to watch you fade from my sight

I missed the chance to find out
who you are
where you're from
where you've been
I only know where you're going

away
and unknown
to me

Toast...

Where have I been all my life?
Mid-western, corn-fed, gypsy boy.
Public school...after school...after school...

Oh yes, bonding has become an issue!
Constantly on the move, running...running...running...
Too afraid anything,
Too afraid of anyone, everyone!
Afraid of becoming attached,
More willing to to take my own life,
To die...by my own hand...
The ultimate, I QUIT!

We all die and turn to dust.
Sooner or later, we're all toast!

A constant dreamer.
Waiting, praying, working to hit the big one.
One more long shot so go for it.
I'm do dammit!

No one can lose every time...
No one can lose every time...
NO ONE CAN LOSE EVERY TIME!

Or maybe they can.

Why even play any more?
Is the "prize" that important?
Does it drive you to go on...
And on...
And on?
Does it consume you?
Do you even know what the prize is?

It's a torment, a cancer, a never ending...
PAIN!

A pain deeper than Hell itself.
Beyond something physical...
A mental anguish,
So completely silent that it's deafening!

I'm not playing any more!
This game is no fun!
They're my balls,
I'm taking them,
And I'm going home!

Do you want a rematch?
Do you want another piece of me?

Maybe later Lou!...Lou-zer!
Can you handle my rules?

My code...it's how I stay...sane-ish.

From one moment of time and events,
To the next,
It has to change in order to stay fresh.
To keep me from feeling;
Wrong, guilty, evil, uncaring...like a loser.
I change the rules of play
To suit my needs...
And I'm sticking to it,
Or not!

Why don't you just give up,
You will most likely , never win.

A pattern forms, after a while.
By the time you have detected it,
It's too late...
It's too late.

A perfect record, still intact,
O fer Life!

Oh Boy and Who Are You?

Oh Boy!
My baby boy
Something so small
more alive than a doll
much more fragile
don't drop him
Oh baby boy

For you, I will care
I can't help but stare
or mess up your hair
I do not dare
Look away

You might do something new
A discovery or two
You grow everyday
It's amazing to say
You're my baby boy.

************

Who are you?
Have we met?
Side by side
For so many years
Play
Work
Play
What did you say?
Where did you come from?
Welcome to Earth
Let me set you straight
Make a few things clear
There are certain ways we do things here

What do you mean, you got that from me?
Where am I?

Let me go...

I tried to tell myself that I could not remember how long it has been. When you're around I lie to myself. I know exactly how long it's been down to the hour. I can see me, leaving you, in my mind so clear it could be real. Why do I let you control me?

It's not like you care, I know for a fact that you don't. You had not even given me a second thought when I walk away. We both knew it was for the best. I had thought of you once or twice with fondness. I never thought of finding you again. I was free of you.
I had moved on with my life. MY LIFE! What I had was yours before. Everything I did, I did for you. And you never thanked me once. You gave me what I needed from you, no more , no less. You asked for nothing in return.

This time I had convinced myself it was finally over. I thought about what I would do if our paths crossed again. I was going to be strong, and resist your charms, keep my distance and walk away still free. My life intact.

Out of the blue, I walked around the corner, like I had done everyday. Only today I ran face first into you........

My mind was racing and blank at the same time. An eternity passed in the next few seconds. And as if we had never been apart, we took hold of each other and you consumed me as I breathed you in. My strength was gone, I had given you my life with out so much as whimper.

When I woke the next morning, for a split second I thought it may have been a dream.
But when I saw you there, it hit me like a tidal wave. I fell to my knees and sobbed. What had I done? Where was my strength? Where was my self respect? Where was my will power?

I pulled myself together, grabbed my things and left with out a word. Hating myself for not putting up a fight. I wanted to punish myself. I wished I could drive off a cliff and put an end to it. But then you win and only Precious and Mr. Man would suffer. Not me. Not you. If I want to be free I have to leave you for good. I have to be able to resist you. I know when I return you still be there. It's who you are. I have to be the one who walks away. I have to tell you to release me and let me be. I have to tell myself to let you go for good.

It starts to rain and I feel God telling me I can wash my self clean and start over fresh. He is giving me yet another chance. But it is up to me. I have to go home and put an end to this twisted relationship because it will eventually kill me, or my family, or both. It will consume me and ruin everything I am and want to be.

I already know it will be harder to walk away this time than it was the first. Your hold on me is powerful. You have held me for so long, so very long.

You're like a weed I can't kill. An internal scratch I can't itch no matter how hard I try. A wound that won't heal.

How can I be so weak? Why can't I say NO? NO MORE! Kill me or let me go but be done with me. I can't take it any more!

I hate myself for loving you...