A Soft Summer Rain

God, Where is my life?

What can I do To be free of strife?

I try to see Where I may go,

I try to find me From long ago.

 

It all should be simple

I feel in my heart

To find my path 

Or at least a start.

 

Can I be happy

Or at least content?

Why do I wonder

At what you’ve sent?

 

Too many years,

Too many tears

Make me question,

Strengthen my fears.

 

I meet someone,

A perfect match

And then I wonder

Where is the catch?

 

Do I deserve

A person like this

Who sets me afire

With a simple kiss.

 

Deep inside

I know my worth

But life has hurt me

Since my birth.

 

I forget the good

But remember the bad.

Why do I do this?,

It makes me sad.

 

God, Where is my life?

What can I do

To be free from strife?

The answer comes Into

 

My mind,

You search for things

You cannot find.

Life’s not simple,

Nor free from pain

 

But it can feel Like

A Soft Summer Rain.

If you only see mud

You miss it all,

 

Open yourself

To natures true call.

Feel the joy

Of rain on your face,

 

Spread your arms

The rainbow embrace.

Free your spirit,

Break your chains,

Enjoy the pleasure

Of Your Summer Rain!

by DONALD HORN

A Wedding Poem

The Beauty Of It

Time passing sings loudly
Measure not the Journey
Nor the choices made
Rather unions formed,
Vows spoken freely,
Promises of everlasting love,
They are the hands elevating our spirit
To touch God
Can you see the Beauty of it?

Their faces one with a higher power
As they join with the other, now
Two people peacefully united,
Delivering breaths of light
To a world seeking grace
There is such beauty in it

Holding our heads high
We donate our tears
As they vow to Have and to Hold
We cry as we too have witnessed
God's love bless our own union
Each clinging tear our gift to them
Knowing the light of the Holy Spirit
Shall be their arms on tired days
We have seen the beauty of it

Embracing on this joyous day
Blessed by God,
Witnessed by family and friends
Each one us gives to them
The singular power of Faith
Knowing Faith to be God's timeless
Sustainer of life and eternal joy
That is the Beauty of it

ANOTHER Poem:

ANGELS ON DUTY

Did you hear your alarm this morning?
Like ten thousands weights chained to our feet
We drag ourselves to the edge of our shuffled bed
White sheets reeking of sleep drape our legs,
With our body bent in half,
we devour heavy breaths of air
Hoping this will replenish our tired spirit,
the work of this day infects our mind
Rocking ourselves will comfort our soul,
Or so it seems...
The morning bell tolls the Angels to their duty
Wings wrapping souls is the first order of business
Their mission: to strengthen mankind's resolve
to make today better than yesterday
They wash our light in lullabies from the world beyond
And we are unaware of our body, as though filled with air,
being lifted to a soft cloud
where whispers in our ear
give us the secret to life each and every day
We are reminded of our calling by the love we can't see
and as we reach to erase the noise of the morning clock,
a smile of truth warms us in a freshly heated blanket
For within our being shines the gift of knowledge, that,
the world is our neighbor,
and hope is but a prayer away

ANOTHER LOVE POEM:

So Much of Me Belongs to You

My love for you fell on my heart
like the weight of ten thousand drops
For I awoke from sleep, and I did weep
Lonely is my heart for you

The tears they fill my eyes
as this pen scribbles words of love
I want you so
I want you to know
Please don't go
I love you so
The miles between us they grow
but somehow I'm able to see
that without I'd be
forever alone, forever at sea

I awoke you from sleep
to see if you weep
for my love as I do yours
I needed a gentle word
a soft voice
a tear
to compensate for the emptiness
of your not being here

I don't ask your forgiveness
for the intrusion upon your rest
for if you love me you will understand
and anger shall be the emotion furthest

So much love,
so much crying,
so much caring,
so much loneliness,
so much

Wishing you well, Barb
Find your peace and find your place in this world
Smile even when it hurts
Complete your life plan
See the beauty around you, it's plentiful
You'll find it in the smallest things
and always remember, you are loved

About the Author:
What cannot be measured in this world, is the power of words. Writing Poetry and Lyricsprovides us with a venue to make a positive contribution to the emotional good of this world. Let the words we write evoke constructive thought. Dreams Really Are Given Every Day Abundantly. Drageda. http://drageda.com/songindex/curls/

Five Easy Steps To Finding The Right Birthday Poem

So, it’s a friend or family member’s birthday and let’s face it, those corny punch lines already printed on birthday cards just are not going to cut it this year. A solid birthday poem can really push a card over the top, but only if you can find the right words to express what you’re hoping to say. No one wants their birthday poem to be too overt. Of course, no one wants to give their friend a dirty limerick for their birthday poem either.

Step #1 – Find the Right Tone

Birthday poems range in all sizes and shapes, just like people. So, it stands to reason that there should be a perfectly suited poem available for nearly anyone you know. Step one then is to find the right tone for your birthday tone. Is it for your mother, your wife, your husband, your son or daughter, or maybe just a good friend or co-worker. Now, what kind of a poem would that person appreciate?

Step #2 – Humor Goes a Long Way

Even for a spouse or family member, a funny birthday poem can be a light and distracting way to enjoy the annual reminder of how old they are. Jonathan Swift, the author Gulliver’s Travels and one of the English language’s first satirists wrote “Stella’s Birthday” for a woman with whom he frequently corresponded. With the light touch of humor that he imbued into everything he wrote, he reminded her of exactly how old she was:

Stella this day is thirty-four,
(We shan't dispute a year or more:)
However, Stella, be not troubled,
Although thy size and years are doubled,
Since first I saw thee at sixteen,
The brightest virgin on the green;
So little is thy form declin'd;
Made up so largely in thy mind.

Step #3 – Being Wary

Of course, some instances of humor are best left untouched. If someone is particularly touchy about their age, finding a poem that outlines the exact age and then makes comment on the advanced decrepit state of that age is not the best idea. Be considerate even as you seek a light and humorous way to celebrate that most important of days.

Step #4 – For that Special Someone

Birthday poems for a spouse or for a loved one can be a chance to really shine and show how much you love them. They can also be a chance to earn a few extra points with just the right lyrics. Christina Rosetti, a 19th century poet who spent a great deal of her life in and out of depressive states, wrote many beautiful lyrics, including “A Birthday”, a poem dedicated not just to a single birthday, but to the sensation and joy of a birthday as a metaphor for being in love:

Raise me a daïs of silk and down;
Hang it with vair and purple dyes;
Carve it in doves and pomegranates,
And peacocks with a hundred eyes;
Work it in gold and silver grapes,
In leaves and silver fleurs-de-lys;
Because the birthday of my life
Is come, my love is come to me.

Step #5 – Delivering the Birthday Poem

After choosing the right words, reading them over and over again and knowing that they fit the birthday boy or girl perfectly, it is time to decide how that birthday poem should be given to them. Humorous poems are best delivered in a card. They can be read over and over, shared with friends and hung upon the refrigerator for future laughs. Loving and personal poems are often better delivered in person, adding that intimate touch that can push a birthday poem over the top. However you decide to deliver it though, poetry on a loved one’s birthday is a wonderful gift.

Gray Ward loves to use poems to express his feelings for the right occasion, why not enjoy more articles and poems by visiting his website at http://www.poemanswers.com where you too will find the right poem for you.

How To Share A Child Poem

For a child, poems are very abstract. They do not have the flashy colors, vibrant energy or loud explosions of Saturday morning cartoons and display little of the exciting, adventurous tones of a particularly engaging comic book. However, to a child, poems that strike the right cord are not impossible to find. You just need to find the right child poem. A child poem is not very much unlike a normal poem. It is however, written and directed toward children, offering details that they would enjoy.

Poetry is a fickle art form with millions of examples; many of them brilliant, many of them awful, and a great deal of them quite dull or too complicated for a child. To strike the right note early on with a child, poems that are simple and interesting are vital. They also serve to create a growing interest in reading at a young age.

What to look for in a Child Poem

Children’s poetry in the 20th century has a very unique flavor to it, having been developed and institutionalized by writers like Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein. However, they were not the first to write child poems and should not be the last place a parent looks when trying to find the perfect one. With that in mind, what exactly should those parents look for?

A child poem should be lighthearted
A compelling storyline is also a great selling point for a child poem.
Abstract emotion and metaphor will bore a child.
Child Poems should not create unwanted situations with awkward, touchy subjects.
A child poem should be written to entertain, not solely teach. A good combination is always good though.

Who to turn to for a Child Poem

Many of the great writers of children’s literature also wrote poetry during their lives. Lewis Carroll is a great example. Famous for Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, Carroll’s poetry is equally as compelling. Jabberwocky is a great, funny nonsense child poem from those books:

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

Rudyard Kipling also wrote his fair share of poetry alongside his novels. Famous for his work on The Jungle Book among many other adventurous children’s stories, Kipling wrote poems like Gunga Din, long story driven pieces that were both funny and compelling for young children.

Louisa May Alcott, the famous author of Little Women and Little Men and an almost essential writer in the canon of American literature wrote her own share of goofy child poems as well. Poems such as “The Rock and the Bubble” and “A Song from the Suds” are funny, entertaining distractions for children. Her poems especially strike at the curiosity of a child, the most important target for any literary work, lest that child grows bored too quickly.Gray Ward loves to use poems to express his feelings for the right occasion, why not enjoy more articles and poems by visiting his website at http://www.poemanswers.com where you too will find the right poem for you.

Effective Tips To Succeed In Poem Publishing

As the traditional book publishing industry becomes warier of risk and more dedicated to sure-thing titles by celebrity authors, movie tie-ins, and self-help books, poets in particular can find it hard to find a foothold.

While artistic success in poetry might simply lie in the writing itself, commercial success can be trickier to achieve. For the poet, the dream of keeping pace with best-selling authors like J.K. Rowling, John Grisham, and Danielle Steel may be an aspiration that’s hard to reach. This doesn’t mean that poets cannot find success in publishing poetry, though; success can be achieved by marketing in the right way to the right people.

Nurturing an audience hungry for published poetry:

For many poets, the joy of poetry is in the expression itself. Others find that sharing their poems with an appreciative audience brings a heightened sense of fulfillment.

The poet seeking to market their writing must be willing to search out and find their audience, an audience hungry for poetry. A strong DIY ethic serves the poet well in accomplishing this task. Promoting on a “grassroots” level is often the best way for an aspiring poet to find their niche audience, which is frequently a group of other writers who share a passion for poetry.

While self-publishing is the poet's greatest tool when it comes to getting published, traditional publishing can still play a role in building an audience. If a poet is lucky enough to be accepted by a large-scale, traditional publisher, the accomplishment should be celebrated. It’s an invaluable accomplishment to build on. The downside is that in the industry, poetry books do not receive much in the way of a marketing push. In the gambler’s game of publishing, publishers stack their odds by putting all of their marketing efforts towards a few selected titles in hopes of creating bestsellers, while leaving a sea of titles neglected. Unfortunately, the bestselling titles are rarely collections of poetry.

Instead of becoming frustrated by large national publications, concentrate locally. In addition to self-publishing, small or regional literary publications are the most sensible places to submit works if you're looking to publish traditionally. Not only will you have a much greater chance of being accepted, but other networking opportunities can arrive. Through small-scale local publishing you can begin building an audience. Additionally, these publications often include classified listings for local and online writer’s groups.

Writer’s groups can provide a supportive environment and constructive criticism, both which can help refine the poet’s skills and voice. Sharing work with peers is satisfying to many poets, and will provide a diversity of opinions and advice. Poets who have trouble finding a local group can turn to technology to find a community. Search for writer's groups on Facebook or find other writer's forums and start social networking with other authors. Online writer's forums can provide valuable connections and feedback as well, but unfortunately, they lack the face-to-face contact that offers the poet the best chance to see how their words affect others.

Poem Publishing for the DIY Poet:

The rise of self-publishing technology has given writers, poets and artists with niche audiences more control over their own destiny. For the first time in history, the tools of the publishing industry are available to writers everywhere. Instead of a small number of people deciding what gets printed and what doesn’t, anyone who has the will to write has the freedom to pursue publication.

Poets in particular stand to gain greatly from the ongoing development of self-publishing and new publishers. One such publisher is Wordclay, an online publisher where authors can publish books for free. A poet can now create an attractive, professional presentation of their work, and make it available to the audience they have worked so hard to cultivate.

By combining the new technology and freedom offered through self-publishers and using a grassroots mentality to develop a niche audience, poets can enjoy the success of book publishing along with the pop-fiction novelist.

http://www.wordclay.com