Forgiveness by, Barry Maltese

If you look inside of your heart,

you can find forgiveness or at least the start

And from that place where you can forgive

is where Hope, and Love, also thrive and live

And with each step that you try to take

and with that chance that your heart might break

Comes so much happiness, and so much strength

which Alone can carry you a fantastic length

For hate and anger will not get you there

and though you say that you just don't care

You can EASILY avoid the pain on which hate feeds

...the kind of pain that no one needs

Just make the move, take the first stride let go of the thing known as "Foolish Pride"

Maybe then you can start to repair the past

into something strong, that will mend, and last!

(c) Barry S. Maltese2000

Funeral Blues by W.H. Auden

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods;
For nothing now can ever come to any good