The following poetry written by
Thomas Leslie Goodwin III
Rose Beneath the Willow.
In Loving Memory of Ardis V. Goodwin
Into this world you came, too early. A child,
unwanted, abused. A spirited child, loving and
caring, your smile and love always sharing.
You never had, nor ever asked for things
material, your life was empty, no love ever
given you. Neglected by most you knew, no one
could see the sweet rose was you. Poor child
of the depression, you grew to be, the sweet
rose in the shade of the willow tree. One day
he came into your life, you left your home to
become his wife. Soon in time your love was
shown, you brought this world two sons now
grown. For years you were his loving wife, who
stayed with him, through stress and strife. A
loving woman who raised two sons,and never
asked, "What have I done?" You sufferred
long, you were sad and weary, but your smile
could always make us cheery. Even though you
are gone, we still can see, the sweet rose in
the shade of the willow tree.
Hearts Devoted
I thought I was alive,
I was not.
I thought I was whole,
I was but a fraction.
I thought I had been loved,
I had not.
I thought it was love,
It was only distraction.
You came to me softly in the night,
A gentle word spoken.
You touched my cheek,
A small love token.
Now and forever,
Together we'll be.
Two hearts devoted,
You and me.
Take Time.
Humming birds and butterflies,
Roses wet with dew.
A shooting star, a Teddy Bear,
A moment shared by two.
Soft summer rain, a small child's laugh,
Dancing on a hill.
A rainbow in the distance,
Pies cooling on the sill.
A sunrise and a sunset,
Willows in the breeze.
Take time to thank The Lord thy God,
While down upon your knees.
Gracious Gratitude
Awakening from the depths of sleep,
departing the dark realm of dreams,
lifting a weary head to face a new dawn.
Arising, I exit rooms filled with memories
and whispers. Venturing forth I greet the
warmth that reaches out to embrace me.
Walking upon emerald grass, I feel the
caress of the amber sun on my face.
I pause a moment, look into the azure sky,
and thank God for you.
A Friends Wish
May the sun shine down upon you,
and the birds sing from above.
May your flowers all be roses,
and your life be filled with love.
May you always dance in starlight,
and your heart fill with delight.
May God's blessings be upon you,
even in the darkest night.
May the storms of life be short ones,
and each show the rainbows end.
May you know I'm thinking of you,
And will always be your friend.
A Friend IS A Friend.
Like spring rain, friends enter your life
no questions asked, no stress, no strife.
In times of turmoil, sorrow and woe,
a friend stands beside you wherever
you go.
Through times of joy they share your
smiles, and when you need it, hold your
hand for awhile.
In sunlight and rain by your side they
will be, and when they feel tearful they
won't let you see.
A friend is a friend even when you act
bad. A friend's there to cheer you whenever
your sad.
You may even hurt them accidentally sometime,
but a friend is a friend without reason or
rhyme.
Like the Lord's wisdom that comes from
above, A friend is a friend to be cherished
and loved.
Laugh
We enter this world with a harsh, pitiful cry.
In joy and sorrow it happens, and we don't know why.
We try to do right , not hurt Mom and Dad,
And cry for our misdeeds that make either sad.
We give our hearts freely to those whom we love,
And cry when they leave us to dwell up above.
We cry when we're lonely for the friends that we miss,
And cry when we're longing for someone to kiss.
When life is near ending and we recall the years,
We cry just for crying all of those tears.
Cry if you must but laugh a little each day,
and never forget to kneel down and pray.
Cycles.
"Whosoever believeth in me, shall not perish, but have everlasting life."
Birth, neither the beginning nor end.
Dance, when no music is playing.
Sing, when the song has no words.
Laugh, though no one will share it.
Cry, though someone might hear.
Feel the joy, the pain, the sorrow.,
Care, even when no one is near.
Live, for life is for sharing.
Rest, when your time is at hand.
Faith, a scar meant for healing.
Hope, a sunrise and sunset.
Charity, a kind word spoken.
Love, life lived for another.
Death, renewal of this cycle.
Night Whispers.
The shadows of night fall upon me, softly, swiftly.
The time has come to lay me down, close my
eyes and dream, as whispers from the
darkness bid me sleep.
In the shelter of the darkness, my
consciousness retreats into slumber, yet my
soul awakens to take flight, on the wings of
the night.
Opposites Attract.
You say "good morning" and I say
"hello." You want to stay when I want
to go.
You are too cheerful and I'm too
morose. You say "it's pretty" when I
say "it's gross."
You're optimistic, humble and true,
I'm pessimistic and grumble at you.
I say "sunshine" you say "sunlight,"
neither one wrong, but I say "I'm
right."
You say "awaken," I say "get up."
I call you "Catty," you call me "Pup."
Vastly different, you and I, for you are
the sun and I am the sky.
I am the darkness and you are the moon,
I am the trumpet but you are the tune.
You adore me, I know it's true. No
argument here, because I love you.
Reflection.
Look into the mirror that is your life.
What is reflected there?
Hopefully you see peace, hope, faith,
charity, tenderness, kindness, mercy,
forgiveness, righteousness, love and success.
A chalice with just a small hole in it
can never be full.
The mirror that is your life will not
reflect all that you should see if any
piece is missing.
Until.
I felt not, until I felt your touch.
I saw not, until the vision of you.
I heard not, until you spoke my name
There was no caring, until you cared for me.
I loved not, until I held you in my arms.
I knew nothing of this universe, until you came to share it.
I lived not, until my reflection was born
in your eyes and my life with you began.
You.
When I was down and no one cared, there was you.
When I was alone with no love to share, there was you.
When all that was up had soon toppled down,
When the love I had lost, another had found,
When I felt my heart in sorrow would drown, there was you.
Always in my heart, there was you.
My Passion.
It came upon me as if a shot. So it was, that that which was, slipped away into obscurity. What was yet to be came swiftly, casting aside sorrow, gloom and despair, I am born again in you.
A new love, first love as it happens, unlike loves in the not too distant past. Those are gone now, lost and doomed into the abyss forever. Those not true loves afterall, complacency.
This love is vibrant, alive, passionate, unselfish and caring. My love for you and yours for me, always and forever, unending, undying, eternal.
Life As I Knew It.
To Mothers.
Scantily clad, crawling in dust and ash,
through dips and bumps, as if traveling
through hills and valleys of cinder.
Gazing ever upward at beings far larger
than I. Ever questioning my place in life.
In awe over the wonders around me, not
knowing how to communicate my thoughts.
Enormous hands reach from above to pluck
me from the world to which I have become
accustomed. Shrieking in fear, struggling
to break from their grasp, I try speak but
cannot. Suddenly, as if thunder, a voice
beckons to me to cease my contortions and
outbursts. A hand, six times the size of
my own, slowly, softly, caresses my cheek,
another at my side. I find myself laughing,
content to be in this strange place.
Suddenly, I again find myself crawling and
speechless. I wondered, why did Mama put me
back on the floor?
Our Prayer
Oh Dear Lord to you we pray
keep us safe throughout the day.
Fill our hearts with joy not sorrow
and refresh our souls again tomorrow.
Grant us peace in time of strife
and guide us on our path through life.
Keep us moral, wise and pure
that through life's tests we may endure.
Oh Dear Lord to you we pray,
keep us strong throughout each day.
Remember Me for Loving You.
When the snow long melted dries,
When the clouds depart the sky,
When the flowers are renewed,
Remember me for loving you.
When the Sun shines bright above,
When your heart is filled with love,
When I'm not there holding you,
Remember me for loving you.
When the setting Sun is red,
When you lay upon your bed,
When you start each day anew,
Remember me for loving you.
The Reward.
Listen to the wind, hear it whispering low.
Stand in the moonlight and bask in its glow.
Run to a hilltop and shout to the sky,
my love for creation will live 'til I die.
Stand in the spring rain and bathe in its
showers.
Tomorrow breathe deeply, enjoy all the flowers.
Look at the willows as they bend in the
marsh. Speak kindly to others and never be harsh.
Remember the times when you were without,
try to help others when their hand reaches out.
Think good thoughts not bad ones and try
to live right, the Lord will reward you with
His mercy and might.
Timeless Spirit
I am ageless and timeless. I stood in the
shadows of both creation and destruction.
I swam the currents of life and stood upon
the sands of destiny. I witnessed the first
sunrise and last sunset. I strolled beneath
the first new and last full moons. I watched
as the first wave moved across new oceans
and stared in awe at the shifting shores.
I saw the birth of the stars and the death
of comets. I have floated as a snowflake
and risen in billows of steam. I have ridden
the winds on clouds and fallen as rain upon
the seas. I have kissed the face of the sky
and lovers lips. I sighed the first whisper
and cried the last tear. I have been on, in,
under and a part of the fertile soil. I have
lived ten thousand lifetimes and christened
each year. I have laughed, cried, lived and
died through time in memoriam.