Tear filled eyes, misused again
Eye’s on the prize, heart on the floor
Comforting words filled with feign
Tell me now, how much more
Come clean, be sincere
Solving the puzzle, impossible feat
Hidden messages aren’t so clear
I’m open, I’m here, not discrete
Listen to the sound it makes…
The beating of my heart, as it breaks
This poem was submitted by Elizabeth Pittenturf.
Thank you for being there,
through every laugh, through every tear.
You helped me not to be scared,
About the things that I feared.
Thank you for the love that you have shown,
when you knew I would have blown.
You are an important person in my life,
You’ve helped me deal with my strife.
From time to time you always listened,
and when you did so your eyes always glistened.
You never put me down,
and you always knew how to turn my frown upsidedown.
Thank you for being there for me,
and letting me be who I want to be.
By:Stacy Marie Arruda
Thank you for the things you’ve done for me.
Happiness walks slowly, with a cane.
Although inside I’m dancing to the moon,
Nearby many obstacles remain.
Kind help like yours those thorny thickets prune.
You are my willing ear, the peaceful sea
On which I sail my thoughts, the quiet tune
Underneath my laughter and my pain.
Thank you for your letters, cards, and calls,
Heartfelt prayers, and thoughts while I was ill,
A wind that bears us on when courage stalls,
Needed to sustain a weakened will.
Kindness is a balm that works on wounds
Yet unhealed by reasoning alone.
Our suffering abated, life resumes,
Undergirt by strength more than our own.
The greatest gifts are those that cost us least,
Price varies inversely with true worth.
Life itself’s a free gift of the earth
Born of ecstatic joy in plant and beast.
What more exquisite present than a bower
Of wild roses in adolescent bloom?
Yet all that vivid color and perfume
Exist to serve the interests of the flower.
Love is such a gift. One trusts its treasure,
Free as the strange bright outbursts of a bird,
Equally uncanny and absurd,
Comes not from sweat or sacrifice, but pleasure.
I’m grateful for the gift you bought. But do
Remember that the greatest gift is you.
Thank you for your friendship and your love.
However life may turn, this gift will be
A mountain that has made my river bend,
Nor will it flow the same way to the sea.
Knowing you is something I’m made of.
Years will not this part of me remove.
One lives for just a brief eternity,
Understanding truths that never end.
Thank you for being the heart of my life,
Harboring me in the arms of your love,
Anchoring me in the rock of your faith,
Needing me, that I not be in vain,
Knowing me well, yet loving me still.
You are the island I’ve found in my sea,
Ocean I dwell in and deep where I dive,
Unfailing heaven and passionate earth.
You can’t coach heart, you can never coach desire,
they must always come from within.
Rules may be learned, and skills developed,
But you cannot be taught the will to win.
You must reach a little deeper to bring out your best,
You must be your own motivation.
Keep going, never quit, you have to have a reason,
You are your own strength, your own inspiration.
By: Melissa Underwood
A player is one who doesn’t give up at the sight of defeat,
But learns from their mistakes and puts them beneath.
A player is one who doesn’t give up at the sound of the buzzer,
Always giving what they have from one side of the court to the other.
A player is one who doesn’t whine about their playing time,
Because a player knows it’s an unacceptable crime.
A player is one who practices game-speed,
Always keeping in mind that their shots are not guaranteed.
A player is one who doesn’t settle for anything less,
Even knowing, that they’re not the best.
They will be the ones you see outside practicing,
Day or Night, Rain or shine,
They are the ones running on hurt ankles, admitting there fine.
A player is one who has a strong, sensible mind,
Never pondering about failing, only contemplating prevailing.
A player is one who doesn’t chicken out,
Who wants to be in the game when everything counts.
Now, that is a true player.
By: Jessica Taylor
You don’t always have to be in the lead…
If you have the heart to come from behind.
Don’t give up hope, don’t doubt yourself,
And a new strength is what you’ll find.
The spirit of competition, the desire to succeed
will always be important for life.
So give your all, everything you’ve got,
No matter the occasion, through pain and strife.
So step up to the plate, enter the race,
Never be afraid to take your turn.
Because winners are people who just never quit,
And this is a life lesson we all will learn.
By: Melissa Underwood