Harry has lived with us the entire eight years.
We did not know that agreeing to keep his shoes here was a big deal.
One day my husband said “I am throwing these oud!”
“We promised his widow!” I shrieked.
It was her one requirement when she sold us this house.
The next week was a nightmare.
I got carjacked. My husband lost his job.
One of our dogs got hit by a truck.
“It was those shoes!” I told my husband.
“Get them back!”
We tried, but they were long gone.
Every week got worse and worse.
We separated, eventually divorced.
I remarried, and we tried to buy a house.
“That was Charlie’s hat,” the seller told us.
“Leave it in the closet, or….”
I ran out screaming.
I stood at the edge of hopelessness,
Losing my son when my ex-wife left
My spirit was at its lowest ebb, I confess.
I could only imagine the loss of his smiles,
I can honestly say, I was completely bereft
Separated from him by hundreds of miles.
My ex- knew nothing of parental cooperation,
She was filled with meanness and revenge
Adam was the real victim of the separation.
Soon she was remarried, making a new life,
But I longed for a relationship with my son
Free from the vindictiveness of my ex-wife.
Twenty-three years later, I met my son,
He was no longer under his mother’s care
His relationship with her was over and done.
In her desire to shut me out of his life
Promoting a rift that ultimately failed
She became the victim of her own strife.
Adam and I are close as we can possibly be
And, we have recovered much of the past
Nothing could ever separate him from me,
For I have found in him a love that will last.
Written March 19, 2022
[tercets with a closing quatrain]
He wanted children but she could have none,
then left her in the lurch, burdened with shame.
They both remarried and she soon had twins…
He was infertile; she was not to blame.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Four-line Light Verse No. 2 Contest
Sponsored by L. Milton Hankins
© 29th August 2021
One day you dropped down dead,
Your heart stopped,
Dad says " you were the apple of his eye",
I wish I had known you,
My grandad,
Grandma never remarried,
You where her one true love,
You couldn't be replaced,
I often think of you,
Wondering what we would have done
My grandad,
Your together again these many years,
My grandma and grandad,
I love you both.
Being adopted at 6 weeks I was gone
to live in countryside brought much joy
there I was free to fill me with fresh air
pre-school was great just as a little boy
But school came to hate each day
so glad to reach 15 to get away
suffered stammer so stopped me on track
socially unable, so shy and reserve I did stay
Got wed at 28 sadly Jean passed away
then came to believe God to receive salvation
this changed me coming spiritually alive
Jesus my friend and saviour so full revelation
At 37 remarried to Christine so in love
now been wed 30 years simply amazing
in these years in myself got stronger
increase in faith for God be praising
In all the twist and turns of life
looking back God's been so true
providentially taking me on His route
I know I trust Jesus loving Him I do
I don’t remember where I was,
when the Earth became my lover
Surrendering herself to me,
enticing all endeavor
Canyon Walls and Glacial Cliffs,
whose depths and heights I wander
Memory folding in upon itself,
my heart immersed in splendor
I now find love with every breath,
and every sight that lingers
As joy is wrapped in every smell,
that sets my thoughts to ember
To walk as one within the arms
of seasons, wind, and weather
Renewed of hope where dreams elope
—remarried to forever
(Villanova Pennsylvania: April, 2020)
A man's destiny is in his name
Matters not how he plays life's game
My name is Gershon,** which means driven out
Time and again, I've been put to rout
First by my father, when I would not be an attorney
He said, 'Good-bye and good luck' -- You're on your own journey
Then by my first wife, on a frozen winter's night
Locked me out of our apartment when finances were tight
And although I've remarried, raised a new family
I'm always on guard ~ my name Gershon haunts me
**In Hebrew, 'gorush' means driven out
(My name is a Hebrew name)
October 1, 2019
Story of My Life in Ten Lines Contest
Sponsor: Silent One
There was a time for half of my life
that I knew nothing of my great love
nobody told me of this love so special
so I realised it must be from above
In the midst of deep awful sadness
when my dear wife left this old earth
God came into my life personally and fully
in person of His dear son by spiritual birth
This son Jesus Christ became my saviour
coming into my heart changing me inside
drawing so very near to abide within
such love so perfect so high so wide
This Lord Jesus gives so many promises
abide in Him and much fruit you will do
He gives real peace, not as this world gives
never will I leave you nor forsake you
The one that I do truly love
His every promise precious to me
He died to redeem me from sin
this is God His love always will be
(My first wife Jean died after less than a year of marriage but now been remarried for 29 years next month. Just to explain in case somebody wondered about this.)
A slight hint of consternation was in her voice,
“Why did you tell those people I’m deaf and dumb?”
“I never said you were deaf, my Dear.”
She laughed, but I felt like a bum.
Then, one evening, she asked, “Will you love me if I get chubby?”
I responded, “Of course I still love you.
It would take much more than pounds and cellulite
To make me fall out of love or be untrue.”
“Would you remarry if I die before you?” she asked.
I said, “No…probably not…I’ve been spoiled by you.”
“But you’ve been a great husband. I think you should.”
“Whatever happens, happens is the best I can do.”
“If you remarried, would you play golf with your new wife?
And would you let her use my clubs?” she demanded.
I calmly smiled and said, “Your clubs are safe.
You see, my Dear…she’s left handed.”
His name is Herman.
He’s in every teacher’s class.
He’s on your nerve the second half of the first day.
You wonder how slowly this year will pass.
He will not be quiet; he cannot be still.
You have tried everything you think you could.
But he’s a formidable challenge, this child who
In the fifties would have been called a “hood”.
His home life is a nightmare.
His mother long gone.
His father has remarried, so many,
But they don’t stay for long.
He’s a little boy, begging for someone to find
The good in him, that he lost when he lost his mind.
The day that his mother left, when he was two.
Has done him more damage than good you can do.
His name is Herman.
He’s in every teacher’s class.
He needs a break, this boy, so sad.
Which is why he’s acting so terribly bad.
If you have the time
To find the good,
He’ll be your boy,
As no one else could.
If you find the time to let him talk,
And find the good that is in his squawk
If you find the time, you’ll be so glad
Because you will have changed this boy away from bad.
His mother left him,
Which is why he gained such sass.
His name is Herman.
He’s in every teacher’s class.
Families, Friends, and Lovers all tangled in this mess.
Grades, Jobs, and Money all add to this stress.
I've been holding up this weight all on my own,
But I'm starting to crumble holding this all alone.
First you got mother and father who broke up years ago,
Still haven't remarried and are at an all time low.
Without each other income is drastically slow.
When will they be happy, no one knows.
My older sister's suffering from a cloud of deep regret,
I see her when she's alone and trying to just forget.
Sometimes I feel as if it's like we never met,
when she yells at me in the haze of the mood she's set.
My brother may be the worst out of them all.
No matter what we do all he does is stumble and fall.
He's hooked on taunting cigarettes' evil call.
I really hope one day he'd stop making us bawl.
Having anxiety attacks almost every week,
I always seem to want to curl up in a ball and sleep.
Every single night it seems from my eyes tears will leak.
Maybe one day happiness will stop playing hide and seek.
I know we're all broken beyond repair,
but I think we'll soon get better, I swear.
I once lived the life of a high flying, rich financier,
Walking the streets full of lights.
Everything was my oyster, I existed on loft,
Dancing the dance of great heights.
My wife was my trophy, beautiful house and hot car,
My kid a great footballing teenage.
We all appeared perfect to everyone else,
But behind walls was a family rage.
I secretly detested my wife’s shallow, her needs and wants,
And she hated my bodily yearns and desire.
And my kid would self-harm, to feel anything,
He’d burn the skin on his arm with a fire.
Then the stock market crash, my wife remarried more wealth,
My kid ran away with his gay college friend.
And I sleep here each night, with a cardboard walled house,
Homeless, in the rain, on the west end.
For the seekers contest on being homeless
She's only 9 years old and cries out in despair.
All she wants is for her mum to be there.
Her dad has remarried and doesn't give a damn,
But he puts on this façade that he's a great man.
“Dear God,” she's asked, “why me?” as tears stream down.
“What have I done to deserve this, please take me to mum!”
She doesn’t believe in fairy-tales, they never come true,
as her life is a fairy-tale in reverse, stuck with morose views.
I look up and questioned God “why is life so unfair?
This innocent child feels that no one cares.
Talking about death at this young age.
What has frightened this child to get to this stage?”
Her dad cares about money and status all the time
While his beautiful daughter just gets let behind.
Forgetting that she just needs his love and care
Instead she fends for herself with silent tears.
She’s only nine years old yet growing up so fast.
Wondering how long this dreadful life will last.
“Dear God,” She prays, “Please take me away.
I want to be with mum than live another day.”
Contest: It shouldn't hurt to be a child
Sponsor: Becca Teagan
Date: 06-04-2016
Im not your normal girl
I so ain't perfect
I can be complicated
And here let me tell you....
I might cuddle here or there
I even might just not want to be touched
Read a book while you watch TV,
May or may not want to go somewhere...
I'm a single mom
So I might forget to text you
Until I get a moment to myself
My daughter so comes first....
I can come up with sexy or sweet things
Pour my heart out or keep it still
I can give you my heart..
If my heart allowed me...
I'm very indecisive
But carefree too.
I can even be the sweetest and crazy,
I can be so evil and mean unlike any other
I am divorced and troubled family...
So like I said I ain't perfect...
I grew up army brat
And in a small town...
One day I'll get remarried...
Maybe...
Or maybe I'm the problem....
Either way I am me....its just who I am.
I never knew my daddy. But my mommy said he was a good man.
He was coming to see me in the hospital when i was born, when he
was hit by a mini van. The driver had been drinking, and didn't stop
to see, I'll always hate that driver, because he took my daddy away
from me.
My mother has since remarried, but I know she still holds a special place in her heart for my dad. when she is alone, I see her take out his picture and her eyes are so sad.
The man who raised me is a good man as well. But when i go to heaven, I know my
daddy that I never met will have stories to tell.
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