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“Fair Weather Friends” copyright 2012 John J. Rigo, upcoming poetry book, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

June 26, 2014 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

 

Courtesy of lomography.com

 
Commentary for July 2nd, 2013:  I recently had what I thought was a kind of angel come into my life.  I quickly found out it was one those mid forties “facebook-kind-of-freaks” who did not believe in phone calls or personal contacts with people but enjoyed the diversion of e-mail and texts and that was about it, in terms of relationships.  Both my wife and I tried to reach out to her with the hand of friendship but it was to no avail.  We certainly have come into a strange society where folks live more in the twilight zone than the real world.
 
 
Thru Seventy years of life on this world
there has been a few lessons of life
that were difficult to learn
 
Knowing the difference
between true friendships and Fair Weather Friends
was one of the hardest lessons of all.
 
In  discovering that vast difference in friendships
I believe we live in a form of self-denial
in realizing the differences.
 
I am now painfully aware
that the best friends I ever had
are now long dead.
 
Thank you Lord
for being to me
the friend that no other is.
 
As my Father once related to me
“One could live a lifetime and be able to count
the true friends they would have had
on one hand.”
 
I have been blessed in my lifetime
to have had two of those real friends
with now my Lord
as my constant Third. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Posted in Discovering False Friends, I have had a "belly full" of e-mail and text "Friends.", Poems, What True Friends Really Are. | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

“If I Could” copyright 2014 John J. Rigo, upcoming poetry book, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

June 24, 2014 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

"If I Could" a poem by Texas' Poet John J. Rigo

“If I Could” a poem by Texas’ Poet John J. Rigo,  Picture courtesy of Google Search

If I could
I would trade this moment in time
to have another chance
to be with you.
 
If I could
I would have made better choices
to keep you at my side.
 
If I could
I would have never let you go.
True love comes only once
in a lifetime.
I know that now.
If only I could.
 

Posted in If We could Change the Past A Poem | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

“Between The Pages of My Prayer Book” copyright 2014 John J. Rigo, upcoming poetry book, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

June 23, 2014 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

 
Courtesy of jesussaves.com

Courtesy of jesussaves.com

My journey has been a long one
in the practice of my religious beliefs.
My start was born and raised as a Catholic.
I left the religion at age 22 due to a divorce
from a childhood sweetheart.
 
My journey continued
to the Baptist faith
the Methodist faith
the Presbyterian faith
to finally a little hole in wall
church in Tool Texas
called the “Olive Branch”
where the organizers claimed to be Messianic.
 
Slowly over time it was discovered
that the organizers of the church were false
to new members in their belief system.
They were actually Karaite Jews
who look upon Jesus as a fable. 
 
In their lie to new members
it was their plan to convert
those to their religion
who came into their mist.
 
Through this journey
my faith in My Lord and Savior
became even stronger.
 
I left their church
in the road trash they were
far behind me.
 
I was blessed in learning
the secret to eternal life
by these experiences.
 
Only by giving ourselves
up entirely to the Will and Plan
of Jesus Christ for us
will we be given the blessings of this life
and the eternal life before us. 
 
Insight:  It was along this journey
that I discovered a book I did not know.
It was called the Bible.
 
Each Saturday my wife and I
spent an average of two hours
reading from the new and old Testament.
A book it seems the Catholic religion
never hear of when I was a young man.
 
Following is a reading from Psalms I (1)
that we read this past Saturday.
It speaks of the Word
I meditate on each day:
 
“Happy the man who follows not
      the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
      nor sits in the company of the
      insolent,
But delights in the law of the Lord
      and meditates on his law day and
      night.”
 
 
 

Posted in A Journey in Discoverning the Falsehoods of the Karaite Jewish Religion, Karaite Jews in Tool Texas are Wolves in Sheep Clothing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

"Tears of Recall" copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Rainbows Amidst Storms"

June 23, 2014 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

"Rainbows Amidst Storms" Second Published Poetry book by John J. Rigo Picture courtesy of google image search author unknown

“Rainbows Amidst Storms” Second Published Poetry book by John J. Rigo
Picture courtesy of google image search
author unknown

Sometimes a tear comes to my eye.
At first I know not why.
Then it comes
the links of the past.
 
Moments of tenderness
of love
that seen imprinted
forever in my soul.
 
It has not been with so much as one
but many
in the links together
in a chain of life.
 
Some moments were of extreme sadness
some joy beyond belief
some with the surprise of a child
in discovering something.
 
A light ignited within me
that before, was not there.
It was just a moment
a look into the eyes of another
that said that these few seconds
were very special.
A touch unlike no other.
 
The tear is for the longing of such moments
and time spend
in just loving another
in those special ways
that will never go away.
 

Posted in "Rainbows Amidst Storms" Second Published Book | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

“Living In The Moment” copyright 2014 John J. Rigo, upcoming poetry book, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

June 22, 2014 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

Image courtesy of Google image search. Author unknown.

Image courtesy of Google image search. Author unknown.

Each moment I cling to
more precious than the last.
My eternity lies within
this very second.
 
Live not for tomorrow.
This is tomorrow.
It is all we may have.
 
See all about you.
Savor the taste.
Smell the air.
 
Recall at another
time and place
may not be ours.
 
So my Darling
in this kiss
is all that is important.

Posted in This is Tomorrow | Tagged , , | Leave a Comment »

"Yea Through the Grace of God Go I" copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Roses Amidst Thorns"

June 20, 2014 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

 
I have been where you are
a hell of loneliness and despair.
Had I created this place in my past
as you are now
where I was once?
 
I ask myself what pains cross your mind
as this day of many comes to you?
Do you hunger?
Are you without sleep?
 
The night only brings fear for your life.
Are you without anyone who cares
where you are this day?
Are you missed?
 
I too have been where you are.
From ashes of the mind did thou raise me
from a pit of worldly hell.
 
It was not my talents of mind
nor spirit that lead me from this dark world.
It was my prayers.
 
You never failed to hear me
when I cried out to you.
When I tried to end this life
you spoke gently to me
asking me to be patient
and wait one more day.
 
One day lead to another.
Finally the sun began to shine again
in your blessings and your love for me.
 
Thank you Lord
for giving hope to the hopeless
as you gave to me.
 
Thank you Lord
for loving me when I was without love.
Yea Lord without your grace
would I now be lost.  
 
 

Posted in Battling after Holidays Depression, Depression Can be Overcomed by the Grace of the Lord, Overcoming Depression, Overcoming Depression in One's Life, Poetry, Selection from "Roses Amidst Thorns" published in 2005, The Lord will lead you from Darkness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

“A Touch of Kindness” (Revised) copyright 2010 John J. Rigo, forthcoming “Passion Amidst Apathy”

June 19, 2014 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

Courtesy of film.com

 
 
There are many things I remember about my past.
Each memory
stones that built
who I am today.
 
The memories that have stayed with me the strongest
are those that recall when my life was rendered
a touch of kindness.
 
I remember the days well
in vivid detail.
The words spoken.
The smile given.
The touch of a hand upon my shoulder.
 
So in this day
if it is within your power
pass that touch of kindness
to another.
 
In so doing
you will be giving
a memory of strength to another
in their darkest times. 

Posted in A Poem regarding rendering Kindness to Others, Passing On Kindness in Our Lives, Poems, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy" | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

A Banner Day, “Over 53,000 Hits” copyright 2014 John J. Rigo, Texas’ Poet

June 17, 2014 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

Courtesy of umazzing.com

As of June 17th, 2014, the “Texas‘ Poetry Site” reached another milestone of 52,000 plus hits.  My deepest thanks and appreciation to the WordPress family, and all those who share my spiritual poetry work, as well as my Texas’ Commentary posts regarding my new communities in Henderson County, Texas, Eustace, Texas, Gun Barrel City, Texas and the Nation. 

Posted in A Banner Day of over 53000 hits on a Texas' Poetry Site | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

“Father’s Day: Not a Good Day For Me” copyright 2014 John J. Rigo, upcoming poetry book, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

June 16, 2014 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

Saying courtesy of Google Image Search. "Father's Day means Nothing to Me."

Saying courtesy of Google Image Search. “Father’s Day means Nothing to Me.”

Father’s Day was not a good day for me.
Memories of my own Father were not good.
He was an abusive drunk throughout my childhood.
 
As far as my own Fathering experience
I was a Father for fourteen years
to three step-children no one wanted.
 
I raised these three children thru
four and five years in college educations
for two of them while the other
was a total lost with his brain fried by drugs.
 
The Fathers’ of these three children
basically abandoned them as young children.
There was no child support from their two Fathers.
 
When I divorced their Mother
the three gave me the finger.
Taking on raising step-children
was a joyless job.
 
To the children of other friends
that I gave unselfishly my time and money.
Never did I hear from them
this past Father’s Day.
 
As far as I am concerned
Father’s Day is just another day
that should be struck from the books.

Posted in As Far as I am Concerned Father's Day Sucks | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment »

“Remembering Cooperstown” (Revised) copyright 2010 John J. Rigo,Upcoming poetry book, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

June 15, 2014 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

A Winter Scene from Cooperstown, N. Y.

Four years ago it was a visit to the Carrol Clinic in Dallas.
My back and hip had been hurting me for some time.
The findings were not good.
 
A Class Four hip.
A crack in my spine bone.
Two disks in my spine fused together.
 
I knew when it happened.
A fall over ten years ago while attempting to trim a tree
in our front yard.
 
The fall at that time resulted in nine staples in my head
and eventual surgery on my knee.
The other injuries laid in wait.
My future in enjoying the rest of my life was in doubt
with the activities I enjoyed so much in my past.
 
My mind went back to Cooperstown in upstate New York.
I was sixteen and working the summer on a dairy farm.
It was part of the “Fresh Air Program” of New York City for young men.
 
I remembered the rolling hay wagon.
Throwing ninety pound bales of hay
eight tiers high on the wagon.
 
I remembered the muscles in my arms
my strong thin waist
with a tan equal to a black man.
 
We worked hard that Summer.
It was the “Haying Season.”
The work went fourteen hours a day
seven days a week for two and half months.
 
Looking back now
I now realize how really happy I was
each of those summer days in Cooperstown.  

Posted in Poetry, Remembering One's Youth, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy" | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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