Mom

Today is Mom's Birthday, she is 85.  She was not the one who bore me, but she is the one the Lord sent to watch over me, raise me up and keep me decent.  To her tenacity belongs the credit.  The Lord God knew that it would be a hard job, so he sent a strong woman to do the near impossible task.  It would have been impossible for anyone of less strength to pick up and carry on.  "Your Love has lifted me up, higher than I ever was lifted before."

Good Gone Days

Good gone days

now remembered

are not crumbs

of a cake

long ago eaten.

A meal of seven sweets

and seven sours –

today’s memories are but

of past moment’s

joys, delights, friendships,

hopes and dreams,

laughters and ardors.

Yet pains, sorrows, regrets,

losses, tears,

mistakes and fears –

all are accoutrement

of the nostalgic banquet,

which is laid before us

on the table called remembrance.

The salad of mistakes

is sweetened with a

dressing of ardor.

The soup of sorrows

is seasoned with the salt of joy.

The relish of losses is

pickled with friendships.

The meat and potatoes

of fears and tears

are seasoned with

the sauce of

hopes and dreams.

The wine of our pains

is chilled by laughter.

The desert of regret

is topped with

the cream of delight.

Like a well aged Madeira

the cask of the past

is filled with dreams,

aged and sweetened by hope.

An after dinner drink

fit for the most genteel –

a mint of sorrow

softened by ardor.

Let not anyone say

the good gone days are past.

They are remembered

better and clearer still

with each passing meal,

prepared by loving hands,

each new day

we them remember.