Happily married for over 50 years —that's Golden, Baby!—having raised two sons, both married to girls named Carla. Go figure. :)

"Glass is Empty" is my avatar.      
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"The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been." — Madeleine L'Engle

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies...The man who never reads lives only one." —George R. R. Martin

"... there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people." — Vincent van Gogh

"And that's the whole poem," he said. "Do you like it, Piglet?"
"All except the shillings," said Piglet. "I don't think they ought to be there."
"They wanted to come in after the pounds," explained Pooh, "so I let them. It's the best way to write poetry, letting things come in." 
— The House at Pooh Corner, A. A. Milne

"When my muse ignites verse that excites then you have me dead to rights – I'm a poet!" – Mark Toney

Twenty Poems I've Written That Define Me:

Abundant Blessings Continue – A spiritual ode written in ABC form in which every word begins with a successive letter of the alphabet starting with A. https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/abundant_blessings_continue_1023244

Yvonne’s Swan Song – Narrative poem dedicated to all victims of bullying, including girls and boys of all ages, sizes, and backgrounds, including me! https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/yvonnes_swan_song_1016718

Close Encounters of the Bully Kind – Couplet describing my actual encounter with a bully and subsequent conflicting counsel given to me by Mom and Dad. https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/close_encounters_of_the_bully_kind_1185718

My Amazing Week on the Farm – Pastoral poem that describes life lessons learned during an amazing week when I was 15-years old. https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/my_amazing_week_on_the_farm_1190059

Paralyzed – Dedicated to my father, who had 3 strokes, leaving him totally paralyzed for 7 years before he died.
https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/paralyzed_1022565

Take Care of Yourself First - My family’s experience in providing loving caregiving to our elderly and infirm family members.
https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/take_care_of_yourself_first_1045939   

Caregiver – My family’s experience with elder abuse that can develop when a caregiver becomes a selfish care-TAKER.  Elder abuse—See it.  Stop it.  Prevent it. https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/caregiver_1020961

Vanessa’s Song – This poem was written for our dear friends after their 16-year-old daughter, Vanessa, committed suicide in 1998. https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/vanessas_song_1018588

Please Sir – Beautiful downtown Atlanta is the scene for this true encounter for which I am still ashamed after 30-years.  
https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/please_sir_1020704

Castles in the Sand – Narrative poem with a moral lesson that keeps me focused on making sure of the more important things in life.
https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/castles_in_the_sand_1025437

What of Our Children? – Lyric poem highlighting the challenges to our children’s future.
https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/what_of_our_children_1136461

Real Eyes See – A commentary on today’s society using wordplay and rhyme.  
https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/real_eyes_see_1208575

Cycle of Seasons: Haiku Series – I love Japanese poetry forms.  My series of 12 Haiku (3 per season) describing the beginning and end of each season as they transition.  
https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/cycle_of_seasons_haiku_series_1028183

Nasty Panda – A flight of fancy to show my lighter side, and I am not talking about weight!  
https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/nasty_panda_1140229

Green Eggs, Spam and Grits – My Southern-style tribute to Theodor Seuss Geisel, a.k.a. Doctor Seuss. 
https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/green_eggs_spam_and_grits_1122763

Love Immutable – The culmination of what I have learned as a husband after fifty years of marriage.
https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/love_immutable_1109739

Honorable Mention – A mother gives her son sage advice on living a modest life in humility.
https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/honorable_mention_1199431

My Memories – This poem expresses our concern over age-related memory loss, and my prayer that our memories stay fixed and true. https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/my_memories_1191701

Faraway Moon – My ode to the faithful, fascinating, faraway moon. https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/faraway_moon_1189504

Psalm of Praise – A fitting way to conclude the 20 poems that define me.
https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/psalm_of_praise_1217624