blood sweat and tears leave
no stone unturned move heaven
and earth pull your weight
go to great lengths make
a supreme effort bust a
gut and go all out
give it everything
you’ve got burning desire
step up to the plate
fire in the belly
spur on drive someone get the
ball rolling take pains
take the bull by the
horns jump on the bandwagon
and pull your socks up
eager beaver stay
the course give it your all throw
yourself into it
keep your eye on the
prize light a fire underneath and
pull out all the stops
roll up your sleeves bite
the bullet and pushing the
envelope spur on
A single note
Just starting with a single note.
Drawn to the vibration
Then another, ally, companion.
These two becoming firm friends
As others come to join the fray.
Repeating and finding new meaning,
Never quite knowing their course
Yet their purpose so sure.
Allowing the sound to penetrate
Lighting the fire in the belly
As another note is plucked
From obscurity
In another’s train of thought.
Together yet apart.
Volume and intent mutate
Organically growing to finally,
Eventually and climatically
The air thick filled with fever.
Harmony between the entities
As a hive mind yet each as one.
From single note to final melody grown,
Raw, unrehearsed crescendo
Capturing a moment in time never duplicated.
Have you met my Merry,
My lover with the big blue eyes,
With beauty and personality
As sunny as God’s open skies?
My Merry girl is one of a kind
For God won’t make another.
It’s just too easy to fall for her;
All the world wants to be her lover.
Year after year she stayed with me
In spite of reasons to run for cover.
She stood by me and shared her love;
God alone knows how much I love her.
Through 30 years in the Marine Corps
And five children to whom she is mother
Merry shared of herself and loved us all.
For all time we’ll stand and say, “I love her.”
With snow on the roof and less fire in the belly,
Whether feet in the dirt or at high angelic hover,
She was my partner throughout this life
And for all eternity I will always love her.
But time moves on and we must follow,
For God has His own plan, straight and true.
Yet down through the hallways of all time
Will yet come this whisper, “Merry, I love you.”
by E. Marshall Evans