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Posts Tagged ‘A McKinney Poet’

"Blessings, A Special Gift” A Thanksgiving Poem (Revised) selection from "Roses Amidst Thorns” copyright 2005, John J. RIgo

Posted in A Thanksgiving Poem, Selection from "Roses Amidst Thorns" published in 2005, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 21, 2012| 1 Comment »

Taken Sunrise on Black Friday, November 25th 2011 in Gun Barrel City on Cedar Creek Lake in Texas at OZ our lakehome

The following poem from my first published book, has been a favorite  poem for many years.  It has been republished several times in the Dallas Morning News, The McKinney Courier Gazette, and various major web sites.  From my family to yours, our best wishes and blessings.  

Over the last year, I am especially appreciative of all the positive feedback I have received on this WordPress web site.  Thank You All!

 
Blessings, a special gift from God.
Given in prayer
given when no hope
seems apparent.
 
 
Blessings bring joys
when there is darkness
laughter where there are tears.
Could these blessings be
but tears from God?
 
 
A way that our God lets us know,
that He truly is there
and yes
He does exist?
 
 
At times these gifts are given
when never expected
to let us know
truly love and concern
is there for us all. 
 
 
If you have forgotten on this day
the many special blessings rendered to you.
In this blessed thing called Life.
Get on your knees
render thanks to our God.
 
He will only bless you
with more of His eternal Love.
 

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“Jane is Death” copyright 2012 John J. Rigo, upcoming book, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

Posted in Poetry, The Death of a First Love, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »

 
 

Jane Parrish, The Venus Apartments, Oak Cliff, 1965 Courtesy of blog.alexwaterhousehayward.com

It was about two years after we broke up that I learned Jane Parrish had died in an auto accident.  This poem is dedicated to her memory.
 
 
I awoke this morning with a start.
I had no thought of her
or dream of her for that matter
in over forty-five years.
 
We were to met again
in the dream.
I was nervous and fearful in seeing her again.
 
Within the dream I realized she truly was my first love
in discovering passion in my being with a woman.
I guess I had blocked her from my mind
all these years.
 
As I waited to see her again
I recalled all those nights of long ago
that sweating love making with her.
 
It was Summer when we met.
Even with the air conditioning at full blast
we both sweated profusely in love making. 
 
She was as tall as me at six feet
blond blue-eyed with beautiful fair skin.
During the time we were together
I could not believe that I was so blessed
in being loved by a woman like that. 
 
I do not know what I did
to lose her love for me.
I am sure
I also blocked that from my mind.
 
In the dream
we sat across from each other
moving our lips
but unable to form words
at the sight of each other.
 
We knew.
We felt the surge of our old passions
for each other.
 
There was nothing to forgive
between us.
There was
only the love to remember
between the both of us.
 
It was such a great dream.
Loved with such passion
is such a gift to us in our lives.
I awoke from the dream
with tears in my eyes.    

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“I Believe In America” copyright 2011 John J. Rigo, upcoming poetry book, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

Posted in Poetry, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 16, 2012| 1 Comment »

 
 

Courtesy of followshipofminds.wordpress.com

I believe in America.
Land where my heart lives.
It is a land of accomplished dreams.
A land of courage.
A land that accepts all comers.
A land that gives hope to us all.
 
America overcomes all those who attempt
to bring evil to her shores.
America is the beacon of freedom to the world.
 
America is my land.
America is my home.
Keep America strong.
Impeach Obama.
 
If you do not love
America
please leave her.
 

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"The Question," The Master Series, copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Rainbows Amidst Storms"

Posted in "Rainbows Amidst Storms" Second Published Book, Poetry, The "Master Series of Poetry", tagged , , , , , , , on November 3, 2012| 2 Comments »

Courtesy of Google search

 
 
A beautiful day beckoned.
The sides of the hills were golden
with fields of grain. 
 
The Cypress trees were green
among great expanses of gleaming flat rocks.
An ideal day born for the enjoyment of the sun
and the wondrous words of the Master.
 
The crowd began to thin toward the afternoon sunset.
The Master was weary.
Many were the questions of the day.
The answers required much of His strength to loudly speak
the words of wisdom to the crowd. 
 
As the Master prepared to depart
a young man in the crowd shouted a question
in His direction.
  
The Master’s followers tried to quiet the man
to preserve their Lord’s voice.
They knew He was exhausted from the
long day of preaching.
 
The young man shouted again,
“Master, what can I do in my life that would be
pleasing to my Lord and God?”
In hearing this question
the crowd stopped movement
in their departure.
 
The crowd turned as one toward
where the Master stood.
Raising up to His full height
the Master looked over the crowd
with the kindest of smiles and He said,
 
“The mirrors of your own souls are within the eyes of
your brothers and sisters.
If you see hunger in those eyes around you
break the bread and share it.
 
If you see sorrow
share your tears with your brethren.
If fear overcomes your neighbors
stand with them
for numbers overcome fear.
 
Above all of these
love your neighbor
as you love your children.
My love protects your brethren
as it protects you.
 
This sharing of your love in my Father’s name
will be pleasing to your Lord and God.
In this sharing of your love without reserve
without reward
without a counting
will you be given
the glories of eternity.”
These words were spoken this day 
by the Master of my life.

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

Posted in Selection from "Roses Amidst Thorns" published in 2005, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 17, 2012| 3 Comments »

 
 
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.          
                                                                                      

 

                                                                                                                                

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

Posted in "Rainbows Amidst Storms" Second Published Book, tagged , , , , on September 30, 2012| Leave a Comment »

 
 
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.
 

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"A Voice To Be Heard" copyright 2009 John J. Rigo, upcoming book, "Passion Amidst Apathy"

Posted in upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 12, 2012| Leave a Comment »

 

“A Voice Within”

Within me a voice calls to be heard.
Sonnets of love lost and found again
in the spirit of my sweet Jesus.
 
Raise not your halting hand in ignorance.
Let not your lips cease my songs of poetry.
My songs are my life.
 
I have faced death
with fear sucking the breath from me.
It was my prayers to God
that lead me to the light of His Love.
 
Let my stories be heard.
There are those that need to hear my story.
In so hearing will the light that I found
will also be their light of hope and joy.  

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"By This Path" Revised, copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Rainbows Amidst Storms"

Posted in "Rainbows Amidst Storms" Second Published Book, Our Path to God, tagged , , , , , , on August 28, 2012| 2 Comments »

 

Courtesy of nurpublishers.com

By this path
the Lord has brought me to the present.
By this path
I have found His love for me.
Before I found this place in His love
I was a lost sinner in the depths of sorrow and darkness.
By this path
My Lord has brought me everlasting joy and His glory.
Bless this path.
Bless this day.
Blessed are we
who are truly in the mist of His love. 

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"The Serpent Takes Many Forms" copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Rainbows Amidst Storms"

Posted in "Rainbows Amidst Storms" Second Published Book, Poetry, Texas' Poetry, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on August 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Courtesy of theo2011.blogspot.com

 
 
The meal was simple
one of bread, fruits, and vegetables from the field.
The conversation was good-natured
and spirited among the men.
 
He sat among them quietly
with a smile of love upon His gentle face.
These men had been with Him for many months.
They were closer than His brothers of birth.
 
He called to the server for a bowl of water
and a simple cloth to wash His hands.
They stopped speaking and turned to Him.
They knew the time to listen had come.
 
With courage the one closest to Him asked,
“Master, how am I to know the face of evil?”
“The Serpent takes many forms,” said the Master.
 
He placed His hands together
each fingertip touching the other
forming a circle.
 
“Within this circle appears air
and nothing to fear
but I say unto you
the Serpent can take any shape or form
seeminly without consequences of punishment or terror,”
said the Master.
 
“At the beginning of eternity
when my Father make your souls
an awareness of knowing evil.
He rendered to your souls an eternal power against evil.
 
When my inner voice speaks to you
know then
my brothers
evil is next to you.”
 
The Masters’ eyes lifted upward
and cautioned,
“Only by crying out your God’s name
will you be protected from Evil.”
 
Then He lowered His head sadly lamenting,
“To ignore this warning will place you in the hold
of the serpent
and you may become forever lost.
 
So I say to you
your heavenly Master and Father
I love you beyond the value or joys of this world.
 
Keep your faith
and ye shall be with us
in love and light in eternity.”
so He spoke to me,
the Master of my life. 
 

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Obituary For: Arby Walker | Stringer & Griffin Funeral Home

Posted in An Obituary of a Wonderful Individual, tagged , , , , , , , , on August 7, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Obituary For: Arby Walker | Stringer & Griffin Funeral Home.  It was my honor to know Arby in the early eighties for a period of several years.  She was one of the most beautiful humans I ever knew both outside and inside.  I have no doubt she is in a beautiful place in Heaven.

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