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Dedication

When I made the decision to do this project, I figured it was an easy way to improve my completion rate for resolutions, 50 something to zero was rather sad. I had no plans to do anything at all with the poems I wrote, it was just a personal challenge. Without the encouragement and support I received from three very special people, this book would have never been finished. I dedicate this book to them, with all my love and gratitude.

My #1 Fan, Sharon Lyons is such a great person. She was so supportive from the very beginning.  When I said I did not plan to post the poems, Sharon decided I would share them with her every day.  She shared her insights, offered suggestions and sent reminders that my #1 Fan was waiting when I did not send the day's poem first thing in the morning. Her love and kindness, her belief in me, kept me writing.

Shefali Banerji is my sweet daughter from another mother. An amazing poet herself, she has gone out of her way to keep me motivated. It is because of her that this book even exists.  Despite being a full-time student and writing, she lovingly brought this book to you. She created the gorgeous cover, did the final edits of the poems, laid out the works, and even uploaded them for publication! Even with her full schedule she still found time to give me hope and the desire to finish.

My #2 Fan, Shelly Cast offered her love and support as I was struggling to reach the pinnacle. Her enthusiasm added to that of her sister Sharon made the rest of the year so much easier to write. She also asked to be given the poems daily and gave me helpful insight and encouragement.

These three woman mean the world to me. Their love and unwavering belief in me and what I do almost makes me believe it too. They supported me when I was losing hope, they helped me hold on to my dream when I was so frustrated and wanted to let go.  How do you thank someone, what words could express how much their existence in my life means? Thank you is not even close.

Special Thanks

I would like to thank the many friends who are always willing to volunteer to read my poems. These dear people take the time to offer opinions and give me feedback when I am unsure.  I am so grateful and love you all.  I will probably miss a few of you, but that does not mean I don't appreciate you:  Cloyd Miller, Eva Pasco, Kaelee Rupell, Jeremy Croston, Patty Knowles, Amber Rebes, Debbie Benefield King, Catherine Lethcoe, Lorraine Carey, Jae Sullivan, Lily Lamb, Tracy Harris, Tara Dawn, Barbara Bloom, Roy Murry, Sharon Autry, Poppy Reid, and so many more.  Hugs, Love, and Great Karma!

Contents

Dedication

Special Thanks

CHANGE

RETURN

OPPORTUNITIES

VIEWPOINT

SMILE

SKELETON TREES

LIFE'S INK

POEM END

MARKING TIME

FRUSTRATED

MOOD

ETERNITY

SUPERSTITION

INSPIRATION

FROZEN

GRAVEYARD

DARK

HEAR

DREAMS

CATCH 22

FROG AND TOAD

HATRED

REAPER'S CALL

MEMORIES

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

TATTOOS

HUMAN

THE WALK

GIANTS!

TSUNDOKU

IMPASSE

FACING THE DAY

SOUL DANCE

EVOLVED

CUSS WORDS

WOULD I  STILL BE

SKY'S EMOTION

TIME HEALS

WHERE ARE MY FRIENDS?

GRIEF'S TEARS

SOON

LIVING DEAD

CHANGE THE WORLD

CAGED BIRD

LOVE'S CELEBRATION

HOPELESS

HOPE

PHOTO

LAST ARGUMENT

IMAGINE

CYBER FRIENDS

I WISH I COULD BE

HALF & HALF

ATTIC

THE DIARY OF A TRAVELLING RENEGADE

PATH

LIES

RIVER TIME

LOGGED IN

HONORED

SETTING

PILLOW

BLANK PAGE

HURT

NEW ORLEANS

MOON

QUICKSAND

DIRECTIONS

DREAMS ENDURE

THE ROOM

EMOTION

NIGHTMARES

TRUTH

MOTHER NATURE

NO

BEING IRISH

SOULMATE

ONE WORD

STONE WALL

CHANGING SEASONS

PAST

SEARCHING

HE DIED

CIRCUS

I TRIED

SHEFALI FLOWERS

NOTES

A LIE IS A LIE

MAGIC

CIVILIZED

APRIL FOOLS

WAR'S END

INSIDE YOU

INSIDE A DREAM

WRITE A POEM

BUT

SHE CALLS

COLD

SUCCESS

SAFE

NESTING

DELAY

EASTER DISASTER

PROCRASTINATE

RAYS

ARISEN

HEADACHE

THE HORROR

OLD STORY

PLEASE

(TANKA)

SO COLD

SOME DAYS

TEARS

KINDNESS

INSOMNIA

FINAL

HOMESICK

YOU ARE

FREE TO BE

YOU'RE MINE

FRUSTRATED

EVERYONE

THE VISIT

CHILD IN ME

MOTIVATION

NOTES

DANCE

DARKNESS

ACTIONS

FEAR

HAPPINESS

CIRCLE OF LIFE

FACES

DELAY

EARTH'S COLORS

BESTEST FRIENDS

WOULD YOU

NATURE'S WRATH

OLD SOULS

REBORN

SEEPING DARKNESS

OTHER YOU

RESPECT

PERSONAL DEMONS

I AM

EXPLAIN

CELL PHONE

REMEMBERING

DIFFERENT

EYES

MUTINY

ROOM WITH A VIEW

THE GIFT

TERROR

INTERVIEW

WIRING DREAMS

PEACHES AND CREAM

DREAMERS

RULED

(TANKA)

VOWS CAGE

PURPLE HUGS

KARMA

IDEAL

SHADOWS

CHOICES

THEY CHOOSE

FATHER

UNWANTED

DEJA VU

SILENCE

SIMON'S GARDEN

A FRIEND

JOY TO GRIEF  for Cloyd

HAREM for Catherine

MORE TIME

UNEASE

SUICIDE

VISIONS

DREAD

IMMIGRANT

TODAY IS

FACT OF LIFE

FREEDOM RINGS

INK

MAGIC WORDS

LISTENING

SUMMER FUN

FLAMES

GRAND ILLUSION

I SEE

DREAMMARE

UNSURE

DREAM VERSE

LIFE AND DEATH

TIME WARP

MY REALITY

HUBRIS

SUMMER DAYS

FREEDOM

CAN SEE

GOOD OLD DAYS

WORK OUT

POND SCUM

TEARS

GOOD AND BAD for Sharon and Shelly

NO RUSH

WORLDS for Lily and Michael

THRONE

MY LIFE-BOOK

FUN WITH SIS

IN CONTROL

ANTICIPATION

MANIPULATE

WE'RE FRIENDS

ABYSS for Pamela

INNOCENCE

LOVE IS

ECHOES

HEART'S MAGIC

NEW

REMINISCING for Eva

MISTAKE

SNUB

KEYS

FLOW

FAMOUS AUTHOR

CHANGE THE WORLD

I WROTE A BOOK!

ELEVATOR

SCARED

ECLIPSE

FINAL COUNTDOWN

HOME

MIND

COST

REFLECT

LAST RUN

FRUSTRATION

POETRY IN MOTION

BORED

RIGHTS

HUSH

ONE LAST LOOK  for Lou Ann and Randy

DREAM PATH

GOOD DEEDS

EMPATH

FALL CREEPS IN

MINDSET

WAITING

ENCORE

DONE

DO IT ALL

POPULAR

REACTION

MORNING FOG

CATCH

GOODBYE YESTERDAY

WHERE IS EVERYONE?

TOUCHED

UNIQUE

NATURE

DEATH

SILK AND SATIN

FANTASY

CODDIWOMPLE

WORRY

OFFER

VISITS

GHOST

STUFFY

FLOW

I SAW

SOLD

VALIDATION

DEAR DIARY

THE RAINS

HIDDEN

WINDS OF CHANGE

UNFILTERED

FRIGHT

LET ME IN

SUPERSTITION

HUNGRY

COUNTING

AUTHORS' FAIR

VOICES

PROMPT

DREAMS TO SILENCE

LOST GENERATION

ALARM

DEEPAVALI

SPOTLIGHTS

BUCKET LIST

LAST TEARDROP

I'M COLD

RESOLUTIONS

RIDE

I BELIEVE

DISGUISE

DIAMONDS

PRUNING

ALL HALLOW'S EVE

HUGGLES

BORROW

AM I A POET

INSOMNIA

ESCAPE

USUAL

IMPATIENT

THE DASH

LITTLE THINGS

MAKE IT STOP

LIFE'S GOOD

TELEVANGELISTS

CHANGE THE WORLD

POETRY IS

INDIE TROLL

MOSAIC

LISTS

HOWLING WINDS

DEPEND

DREAD

HEADACHE

SELF

GRATEFUL

ENSLAVED

NEW HUMANITY

NIGHT VISITOR

HUG

LAUNDRY

BREW

QUILTER

CARRY ME

HOLIDAY BAKING

BELIEVE

BALANCE

HOLIDAY CHEER

DIGNITY

STRUGGLE

CRUNCH

HOLIDAY ROAD

MEND

THE GIFT

WAKE UP

UNMARRED

TELL ME

REMEMBERED

HOLIDAY BELLS

GOLD

LOST AND FOUND

THE DAY

CHRISTMAS CAROL

CHASE

OPPORTUNITY

DUSTING

HOLIDAY SPIRIT

PEACE

PIED PIPER

FOLLY

LIFE IS ROUGH

RETURN OF THE EDITS

EROSION

ENDINGS ARE BEGINNINGS

About the Author

CHANGE

The New Year has arrived

With all its glitter and jive

But what change has occurred

Is past gone or just obscured?

Calendar as yet pristine

Before we make it unclean

By appointments marred

Calendar becomes our guard

All the hope for some new way

Lost by structuring our day to day

Mistakes repeated endlessly

Because we take no time to see

This world in which we live

Is caused by errors we relive

RETURN

I awake to the ringing alarm

Normalcy returns

Eyes take in the dreariness

Of a drizzle and mist filled morn

Resolutions lie broken

Forgotten for another year

Maybe next time I'll change

Now I just ready myself

Preparing for the drudgery

Work beckons, time to return

Future in financial chains,

Tethered to the past

Keeping me plodding along

Nose to the grindstone

Reaching for the golden carrot

Dangling before my eyes

OPPORTUNITIES

Fate tempts us with many

New opportunities

To give the illusion

We create our destiny

Weighing the pros and cons

Then carefully we choose

Fingers crossed and praying

That this time we won't lose

Failure is possible

It's the chance we all take

Filling us with self-doubt

With despair in its wake

Future becomes bleaker

We fear spreading our wings

Getting lost in white noise

We settle for brass rings

VIEWPOINT

I am not as impatient

As I have heard some people say

Though I may get angry and cuss

When things don't go my way

Nor am I as kindhearted

As some choose to believe

Despite all the facts shared

So they won't be deceived

My amazing talent

Doesn't quite reach the mark

I don't bite too often

But beware I do like to bark

I am the only person

Who truly knows the real me

Others opinions are based

On the me they think that they see

But their hearts and their bias

Tend to obscure the whole view

Making their description of me

A vision that's slightly askew

I will consider their praises

Without inflating my head

As for their bullying banter,

I'll pretend it wasn't said

So when I look in the mirror

I will finally see ME

Not that weird stranger

That I'm pretending to be

My flaws and my strengths

Blend in perfect harmony

To create the me before you

This whole person I wish you could see

SMILE

Any old smile

Lights up faces

Filling hearts with love

As hate it erases

Don't take much time

No cost, they're free

When I share mine with you

Please return one to me

SKELETON TREES

Harsh winds shook the tree

Branches thrashed violently

When calm was again restored

Limbs marred permanently

From seeds imbedded in the wounds

Spanish moss begins to mature

Around branches, curling stems entwine

Making the flowing beard secure

It takes nourishment from the air

The moss means the tree no harm

To give thanks for the tree's support

Delicate flowers add some charm

As it grows the moss gets thicker

Soon blocking out the sun

The weight of it increases

Young tree's death has begun

Unable to create sustenance

Dark color of bark is lost

Limbs become frail and break

Growth of moss exacts its cost

All that remains is a pale skeleton

Branches broken and askew

Bony arms covered in eerie rags

Floating on a soft breeze that blew

LIFE'S INK

Dawn's vibrant rays light the sky

First marks in record of today

In life's book, new page turned

As freewill and destiny

Blend together to fill the void

Truth, emotion and perception

Creating both memory and past

POEM END

Stories come to an end

The characters' finale

Returning reader's home

Back to face reality

Though poets finish poems

They never really end

Poems begin a journey

For you to take my friend

Come and dance to the music

Set your heart and soul free

You will create an ending

More perfect than one by me

MARKING TIME

Does anyone

Understand time

It passes with no

Reason or rhyme

Having some fun?

It goes by fast

But if waiting

It lasts and lasts

Whether we languish

In utter despair

Or eagerly rush

From here to there

How it goes by

Changes nothing

Lines in lifebook

Just mark its passing

FRUSTRATED

Feeling so tired

'Cause you couldn't sleep

Hoping what you sowed

Will be what you reap

See others succeed