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“Love Thyself” copyright 2011 John J. Rigo, Upcoming Poetry Book, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

September 25, 2013 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

 
 

Courtesy of umazzing.com

One of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves
is to learn to love ourselves.
In loving ourselves
we realize that the premise that we must love another
such as ourselves is not part of the growth
that is part of our eternity.
 
In loving ourselves
we are no longer open to the qualities of others
in their own personal failures in loving themselves.
 
In this way
in the path of eternity
that we all walk
all those we will met
will then be complete unto themselves
as we have also become.

Posted in upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy" | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

"Friends of a Lifetime" copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Rainbows Amidst Storms"

September 24, 2013 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

 
 
 
 
With the passing of time
I have come to realize that there are truly
spaces that are never filled
by the loss of friends who were very personal
to my mind and heart.
 
Through the years
do the memories of Cliff and Tom
constantly come to my mind.
Never are they dead in my heart.
 
I see each of them
special in their concern for me
as the friends they were to me
and yes the love they rendered to me.
 
Have they been replaced in the void left by their absence?
No one has accomplished that.
Cliff was the short, large man from the deep South
always with a tale of lesson and advice not wanted
but when given
seemed well placed.
 
He spoke of home and craw-fish
his Mother and his victories in life
never of his losses.
 
You knew he was special
a special person to know.
The same stories he related never got old
just deeper in meaning.
 
The straight-laced
IBM type of guy was Tom.
He seemed to have found victories too early in his life
burning, dying as a shooting star.
 
An anger was present about him that could never be explained.
Tom loved a good meal and good drinks.
Save the waiter or waitress who spoke too much while serving!
He was there to savor the moment
should it be his last.
 
As Tom’s life was coming to an end
he maintained his pride to the last minute in a VA hospital
wearing a blue blazer that no longer fit;
no one cared about his past.
 
I miss Tom’s advice to me,
his laughter at my watch
that he thought was such a great sales job
because I had to push a button
to tell time.
 
His loud laughter rang in the night
raising high his special drink
to wish me and all
the best of life.
 
I miss both of these men.
They were the special friends of a lifetime
never to be replaced.
 
They are in my heart each day
with the warmest of love to my dearest friends
Cliff and Tom.
 
Whenever you both may be
in the great wonder of it all
I am one person
who misses you both
oh……….. ever so much.
 

Posted in "Rainbows Amidst Storms" Second Published Book, To our past Friends in Colorado who were never sincere of heart | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

“Am I Now Lost to my Time?” copyright 2012 John J. Rigo, upcoming book, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

September 22, 2013 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

Courtesy of freerepublic.com
Somewhere along my journey I stepped into a time machine.
I do not remember exactly when it happened.
I stepped forward in a strange land where a language
was spoken that did not sound like any tongue I knew.
 
The beings looked like me.
The planet seemed the same
but it was not.
 
There was a new God
in this land
in this dimension.
His name was Obama.
 
I looked closer at the eyes
of those about me.
Their was a strange blankness
in their eyes
an emptiness of spirit
I could not explain. 
 
I eagerly sought a sight of a flag pole
to see what land I might be in.
My eyes sought the Red, White and Blue.
 
Instead I looked with fright upon a flag
all to familiar from a past election.
God did not save us.

Posted in Is this the Future of the US?, The New Obama flag for the US | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

"The Journey" copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Roses Amidst Thorns"

September 21, 2013 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

.....is never lost. Picture courtesy of John J. Rigo copyrighted 2013

…..is never lost. Picture courtesy of John J. Rigo copyrighted 2013

 
A ship in the sea of life
riding each wave of life
seeking the warm sun of each day.
 
The beauty of each dream as night falls
is never lost as it heads
toward the curve of each horizon.
 
Storms will blow
onward do we flow
in love and courage
by His hand.
 
Tomorrow brings the knowing in His love
the vastness of the ocean
is not so alone.
 
As long as we believe
we will never be alone.
 
For His love
surpasses all of this.
 
This and time beyond
this brief sea of life.          
                                                                                      

 

                                                                                                                                

Posted in "Rainbows Amidst Storms" Second Published Book, A christmas journey, Selection from "Roses Amidst Thorns" published in 2005 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

A Banner Day, “Over 41,000 Hits” copyright 2013 John J. Rigo, Texas’ Poet

September 20, 2013 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

Courtesy of umazzing.com

As of September 20, 2013, the “Texas‘ Poetry Site” reached another milestone of 41,000 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 41000 hits, Poetry | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

"If I Could Create The Perfect Poem" copyright 2009 (Revised) John J. Rigo, upcoming book, "Passion Amidst Apathy"

September 15, 2013 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

 
 

Courtesy of guardian.co.uk

If I could create the perfect poem
my poem would remove sorrow from the world.
It would bring smiles where there were tears.
Mend broken hearts and return love again.
 
The perfect poem 
would replace all loneliness
with the Joy of God’s Love.
Friends would never be lost again
but be eternal in their friendships with us.
 
Each day would start with the songs of birds.
Each night would end with the sighs of night.
Every soul would find God
and never again be separated from His Love.
 
Every kiss would be with true love
and never of betrayal.
The Devil would be finally destroyed by God.
We would all reign in Paradise in the mist of joy
……………………..forever.
 
 
 

Posted in "Do We Have a Loose Cannon in the White House?", Poetry, Texas' Poetry, The Perfect Poem, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy" | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

"What Can I Do This Day?" copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Roses Amidst Thorns"

September 12, 2013 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

Courtesy of livingthebalancelife.com

 
 
 
The road we travel is not the same road for all of us.
When you see someone in pain.

Reach Out

Give some part of yourself to make their day
a day filled with less pain.
Love goes beyond just words in our daily life.
We need to give beyond ourselves.

Reach Out

Give a part of yourself.
You will only become more human
in your caring and giving.

Reach Out

You too have felt the pain of loneliness
and deep blackness.
Love came to you in blessings you never thought would be.
They came to you.

Reach Out

Remember to share your fortune.
We are one
that is the soul of all of us.

Posted in Poem, What Can You Do Today? | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

“‘Red, White and Blue,” A Poem, and Personal Story, Dedicated to 9-11″ copyright 9-11-2001 John J. Rigo, poem selection from “Rainbows Amidst Storms”

September 11, 2013 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

   
 
 

courtesy of life.com

The following poem was written on the afternoon of 9-11.  It relates to the sorrow and pain of our country losing loved ones in a senseless killing of innocence in the deaths of 2,973.

“Red, White and Blue” copyright 9-11-2001 John J. Rigo

Red, White and Blue are the colors before me on this day.

It will be a day remembered by numbers used to summon help.

Nine, One and One, bring only the recall of white dust,

rock, and twisted steel in a sea of sorrow.

Can these tears wash away the pain

that this day brings?

Tears shed for those we love and are no more.

I cry out for my Brothers and Sisters in the depth of pain

that befalls their hearts.

Could there be a greater sin,

then a day so dark?

I think not.

I pray for peace, comfort, and hope,

for the souls rejoined with my Lord this day.

Red, White and Blue,

I cling to thee for hope, peace,

and healing in Thee.

For Thou are the only One,

Who can bring sense to this gruesome day of pain.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Personal Story:  I was born and raised in New York City.  My younger, and only brother, Richard Rigo of Smithtown, New York worked as a building engineer within blocks of ground zero.  He commuted every day to his building in the city from Smithtown.

On the morning of the attacks, my concern was for his safety.  Blessfully, he was on his way to work when the attacks began.  He returned home safely.

Posted in A Personal Story of 9/11, What the Anniversary of 9-11 means to me. | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

"There Was a Certain Grace" copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Roses Amidst Thorns"

September 9, 2013 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

 

“The Lord Defeats my Enemies Thru Michael who brings Death and Destruction to their doors…..Bless the Lord’s name, be in awe in the power of his angel.”

There was a certain grace to the look of him facing death.
He did not seem to have succumbed to the idea of dying.
He stood tall and proud with a direct look into your eyes.
His bearing, his eyes, said many things.
 
His eyes said he had lived a life of honor
and without shame
as to who
and what he was
as a person.
 
If he was guilty of any deep emotion
it was to have loved too much.
He had loved many in his life
giving all he had to give
to each relationship
without a reserve held.
He was always the one hurt
the deepest in the leaving.
 
If you ever knew him
you would never forget him
whether for a few minutes or several years
in the sharing part of a day with him.
 
He lived as a man
protecting the ones he loved.
He loved in the best of circumstances.
He loved in the worst of circumstances.
 
I am glad I got to know him on a personal level.
There were days of doubt in knowing this person.
“Yes” as one said about him in a dissenting way
“He always came out smelling like a rose.”
 You ask, “How did I know this man so well?”
It was easy knowing him
for you see
he was me. 
 

Posted in Curse not me for thy will become Cursed, Selection from "Roses Amidst Thorns" published in 2005 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

"Her Eyes Were Also Brown" copyright 2009 John J. Rigo, upcoming book, "Passion Amidst Apathy"

September 9, 2013 by John J. Rigo, Texas' Poet and Commentator

 
 

Courtesy of vi.sualize.us

It was an open house of a new resident in the community.
I sat on point near a corner of the room
a kind of observation post of those coming into the room.
 
There you stood looking at me from afar.
There was a blackberry in your hand texting someone.
You came and sat next to me.
 
You asked me if the room seemed warm.
You told me your hands were sweating.
I explained that I got a kind of butterflies when I met new people.
 
I learned through disciple long ago to overcome being uncomfortable.
Forty years in sales changes many things about an individual.
You could not be more than eighteen
brown hair and the deepest of brown eyes.
 
You kept looking a me strangely
like you had always knew me.
A memory came to my mind.
It was my childhood bride of eighteen.
 
You looked very much like her.
Her eyes were also Brown. 
I remembered how I felt about her.
 
I loved her in a special deep way.
There is something about a first love
that always makes it special in memories through life.
 
I saw her in you
the hair
the eyes
the way you smiled at me.
 
We talked of college and your first year.
The difficulties you were having with some of your studies.
You said goodby in a formal way and left.
 
It was like you leaving again.
I think of you often and those early days
in my life that we shared as two lost children together.
 
There always will be something special about you
and those days in my mind
many years ago.
 
Take care my love
wherever you may be this day.
Remember that I still think of you
and yes in my way
I still love you.
 
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