DEPARTURE dedicated to my sister Kathy

Departure

I cannot go where you go now

There among the stars

And unending night........

I cannot follow in your airy footsteps

Or fly on the gossamer wings

That have been granted

In the taking of your life

And the bestowing of the death

Of the best and brightest of all companions

I can only grieve and regret now

Wondering if by loving you more

I could have kept you fastened

More firmly on this infirm planet

And preserved physically the essence

That made you who you are.........

That will keep you who you always will be

Here in this heart now that's deprived of your joy

Here in this mind now that is filled with your memory

Here in this house now that is haunted by your face.

©by Voo

written yrs ago

but dedicated now 

to your memory

R.I.P. Kathy Sue
Happy Birthday
in Heaven

with love from your sisters

We Miss You

                                                      

and I miss sitting on the porch singing this with you when we were kids...

THE GIFT

                                                                                                                           

    

The Gift

Windswept and full of dare

She twirled in long ringlets of hair,

Her mouth, a smile, did grace me with

And gave my anxious heart a lift.

Her fingers, long and full of tease

She only softly asked me, "Please"

Her feet ran to the cantina floor

And showed me what she'd been born for.

I'd met her on the market square

A lonely maiden, standing there

Without escort, without a ring

A truly lovely, graceful thing.

And so we talked and passed the time

She put her gentle hand in mine

My plans forgotten and she had none

We walked till day was almost gone.

We strolled beside the river's shore

We laughed and laughed and laughed some more

Like children playing a grown up's game

She told me much, except her name.

When blue twilight had fallen down

We walked into the heart of town

Past cafes, full, at dinner time

I pulled her into these arms of mine.

"What would you like to do?" I asked

And she fell silent and said at last

"I want to dance, may we please go?"

But I couldn't dance but she didn't know.

I held my breath, felt my heart race

And fear ran fast across my face

"Of course we may." I said and lied

As she beamed sweetly at my side.

"I know the place!" she grabbed my hand

And I went with her, a smitten man

Up cobblestones, and alleys down

Followed her joy and music's sound.

Till then, at last, she found the place

And turned to me with youthful face

"You'll like it here." And in she flew

And called to people that she knew.

The place was small but filling up

With men and music, wine and cup

With violin and stamping feet

And Spanish guitars, loud and sweet.

At her appearance, there rose a roar

And she backed slowly towards the floor

Pulling my coat; I stumbled after

Into the light and thundering laughter.

She removed her shawl and threw it, then

Surveyed the room of shouting men

Threw back her head of coal black hair

And circled round me, standing there.

My pulse was racing, my face was wet

I hadn't told my secret yet

I couldn't dance, I never could

My feet were leaden, my legs were wood.

The music filled the heated room

And my shy flower began to bloom

Into a wild and wondrous thing

With every wanton song they'd sing.

She stomped her feet, began to dance

Till every man felt her romance

Her dark eyes flashing, her shoulders, bare

The maiden, gone, an Empress there.

I couldn't move, I couldn't leave

I stood transfixed in the air she breathed

Lost track of myself, lost track of time

Fell in her love and spell sublime.

The wine was flowing, the night was hot

And magic happened but I knew it not

Until she pulled me into her arms

And I felt the power of her sensuous charms.

My shirt unbuttoned, my sleeves rolled up

Drank deep and long from a brimming cup

My eyes on hers, hand round her waist

My anxiousness, now all erased.

I felt the music, it flowed through me

I saw the passion and it saw me

I danced the dances of ages past

The gift I'd dreamed of, given, at last.

Our bodies melded, our bodies swayed

The crowd applauded, the music played

Her face against mine, and wanting more

We danced till daylight crept round the door.

And we were alone in an emptying room

That just hours ago, had been filled with my gloom

Filled with the knowledge that there was no chance

That my once broken legs could ever learn how to dance.

But dance I did and dance I do

Dance in my dreams, while dreaming of you

The girl who was magic, the girl with the charms

Who taught me to live as I danced in her arms.

   

 © By Voo

Aug 22, 2010

2:30 a.m.

THERE WAS A SUNRISE

There Was a Sunrise

There was a sunrise

That never came

A day of darkness

And tearful rain.

There was a heart break

That tore in two

The part of me

That's part of you.

There was a sadness

That hid the joy

That lived inside

The girl and boy.

There was a knowing

That became wise

When you no longer

Looked in my eyes.

There was a silence

That louder grew

No longer hearing

The sound of you.

There was an emptiness

That filled my life

No worldly refuge

From worldly strife.

There was a coldness

That came to fill

The void of your warmth

That chills me still.

There was a a day

That changed my soul

And you laid down

Your greatest role.

For on that day

That came, I lost

My gift from Heaven

That bore no cost.

For us, but you

Paid everything

Your life, your love

That had no strings.

That day, that day

Was like no other

That endless day

I lost my mother.

You left  your body

And flew to Glory

And left us here

To tell your story.

And what is that

But endless love

Your songs and stories

A heart full of......

Such lovely laughter

Such sweet delight

The way you lit

The darkest night.

You were a mysterious

Mischievous you

A little kid

And a woman, too.

You loved your family

You loved the Lord

You worked at loving

And you worked hard.

You were always there

And you'd always be

Anticipating

A call from me.

But there were times

I didn't call
And I didn't know
How your heart would fall.

Till that day came

With no sunrise

With no glad welcome

There in your eyes.

I learned so quickly

How a heart can break

How a heart can give

What it cannot take.

I learned in sorrow

What I could not in joy

That your joy was living

For your girl and boy.

And now you're living

With the Lord above

Your glad feet running

Through His fields of love.

Our lives continue

Devoid of your cheer

And a deafening silence

Since you're not here.

The world feels different

Now that you're gone

Only a mother can make

 This world feel like home.

©by Voo

July 25, 2017

1:24 a.m.

                          

THERE STOOD A HOUSE

play music for scary effect

There Stood A House

There stood a house

And the house stood there alone

No cat with teasing mouse

No dog with tortured bone.

No squeaking floor

No belfry bat

No one to disturb

The peace of that.

No rattling branch

No howling pack

No one to leave

And then come back.

Except the child

That swings alone

In midnight moon

She sings her song.

The little girl

With pig-tailed hair

She swings and sings

To empty air.

For many moons

She's swung like that

Through storm and sleet

And days so black.

For no sun will shine

Upon that place

No breeze comes by

To touch her face.

The passers-by

Walk out of their way

To avoid the house

Where sadness stays.

For they all know

The story wild

And the hateful fate

That befell the child.

So long ago

On that terrible day

When the monster took

The sun away.

And then the family

Moved from the home

And left the girl

To swing alone.

They left so broken

Almost insane

They didn't know

That she remained.

She couldn't leave

The place she died

She watched them leave

And stood and cried.

Then to the swing

She went to play

The swing her Daddy

Made that birthday.

And there she swings

And sings her song

As the old house watches

And stands alone.

©by Voo

July 23, 2017

1:46 a.m.

FLIGHT OF THE STREET PREACHER

Flight of the Street Preacher



Crazy.....insane...is that your name?
That's what I heard today
They all threw rocks and chains and blocks
And I dodged out of their way

Stupid...moron...they screamed at me
As I did my 180 twirl
Why don't you go back where you came from?
We don't want you in this world!

I shrugged my shoulders and smiled at them
And blessed them in my heart
Just take your Jesus and get out of here
They yelled at me: Depart!

We want our fun, you mindless one
Our TV shows and trash
How dare you come here and bring us down
Why, we ought to whip your a--!

Bring it on, my brothers
I said, opening my book
Turned my cheek and started again
In the glow of their angry looks

For God so loved the world, I read
And they pelted me with hate
That He gave His only begotten Son
As they screamed at me my fate

The crowd grew near yet I felt no fear
Even when they tore my clothes
For I saw a hand reach from the clouds
And into the sky I rose

Holding the book and reading still
I heard their astonished wails
They stared at me and to a man
They shouted "What the hell?!"

You're closer to it than I am
I pointed to the sod
You're on your way to Hades's gates
And I'm on my way to God

But wait! they pleaded, Don't leave us now!
Teach us how to fly!
And I looked down at their startled faces
And said, First, you'll have to die

Die to self and die to sin
And die to Satan's grip
And to a man, the words "I'm lost!"
Poured forth from anguished lips

I preached to them for many hours
And they prayed the sinner's prayer
Then the day grew late and they went their way
And left me alone up there

And in the darkness, I descended down
Till the dew covered ground I met
Uh, Lord? I queried, What's going on?
And He said, "You're not dead yet."

©by Voo
May 7, 2006
11:00 p.m.