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Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’

"The Abuser" copyright 2009 John J. Rigo, Revised upcoming book, "Passion Amidst Apathy"

Posted in Calling Out an Abuser, Calling out an Abusive Relationship, Some Woman need to Learn to Keep their Traps Shut, Verbal Abuse: A Two-Way Street in Relationships, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »

 
"The Abuser" A Poem by John J. Rigo

“The Abuser” A Poem by John J. Rigo

 
Commentary for January 10th, 2015:  Much is said about spousal abuse, especially about husbands abusing their wives.  Rarely is addressed is a wife’s abusive behavior toward her husband, especially in the area of verbal abuse.  In my own life’s experience, nothing kills love quicker that the nasty and bitter tongue of a woman toward her man. 
 
Example of such behavior, is the wife, who just getting ready to turn over in bed at night, after the mandatory kiss, has to open her trap to make some criticism of her man before going to sleep. Sometimes, I start to actually believe that certain religions that treat woman like luggage, are truly on the right track! 
 
The words were hammered blows to my heart.
A stranger would dare not speak such words to me
crushing fists would they find
quickly pounding their bodies.
The slap of the glove upon their face
to face certain death on the field of honor.
 
The answer to your acts are simple enough
you are an abuser.
Your love of God and Jesus
but a front
a lie to all.
 
Deep within your heart lies hate
pouring on one who has loved you
beyond all others.
A faithful friend
you no longer are to me.
 
I have seen your soul.
It is dark
black 
ridden with the shit of the world
upon your lips.
 
Oh where
oh where
did my love go.
 
You are without honor
heroism
or truth
in your declared love.

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"What Can I Do This Day?" copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Roses Amidst Thorns" with Commentary on Dealing with Depression at Christmas

Posted in Giving Ourselves to Others This Christmas by John J. Rigo, Helping Others to Overcome Depression in 2015, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 7, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Courtesy of livingthebalancelife.com

Commentary for January 7th, 2015:  I wrote the below commentary and posted the below poem in 2013.  It applies more so today, than ever for 2015. 
 
 
Commentary by John J. Rigo copyright 2013 on dealing with Depression this Christmas:  It is noted by the medical profession that the Christmas holidays is the greatest time for an increase in suicides.  For most of us Christmas is another marker in our short lifespans on the earth.  It becomes a time to reflect and many times face regrets in one’s life.  There is not one of us on the planet that does not look back on their lives and have a certain amount of regret.  Christmas becomes a time to mourn those we loved and passed on.  Christmas becomes a time of facing the further tabulations of our illnesses.  It is a time in the false joy of gift giving of things and not ourselves.  Love cannot be purchased from a department store window.  The following poem relates the number of ways to overcome Christmas Depression, it is to forget ourselves and the giving of ourselves to others. 
 
 
 
 
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.

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"I Remember Fondly Christmas’ Past" copyright 2005 by John J. Rigo, selection from "Rainbows Amidst Thorns"

Posted in A Pre-Christmas Story and Poem, A Remembrance of Christmas by John J. Rigo, Selection from "Roses Amidst Thorns" published in 2005, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 24, 2014| 1 Comment »

Courtesy of dailymail.co.uk

(The little boy’s story in the poem is true and a time from my own past.) This Christmas Season of 2014, I was thinking of my Father. This poem mentions him several times. I remember how dirty he was when he came home from work when I was a little boy. My Father was an iron and steel worker.  After he came home and took a bath, my Mother would then attempt to clean the ring out of the bathtub from his bath.  Many times with close to a half hour of scrubbing, she still could not get it out.  In those days, my Father made about a hundred dollars a week.  He worked very hard for that money.

*****************************************

 
 
I remember fondly Christmas’ past
our first tree alive with lights
before it caught fire later that week.
 
I remember fondly the Christmas with toys.
Never before had my brother and I received toys.
How angry my Father became when we broke several
toys after a few hours of play.
 
It was my Father’s first Christmas bonus
as a steel worker.
He spent that bonus on toys for us that Christmas.
He thought those toys would never break.
 
I remember fondly a special Christmas as a kid
when no money was available whatsoever for toys.
We found a punch-out cardboard castle in a
department store window.
 
One dollar and ninety-eight cents was the price of that castle.
My young brother and I played with it for days.
A punch-out castle was the best toy we ever had.
 
I remember fondly Christmas past,
acting in the church Christmas pageant.
I was a little child with the beard of a prophet
shaking in a spotlight in the church play.
It snowed that night.
 
My best friend and I asked
permission to keep wearing the beards.
A most beautiful snow floated through the air
as we walked home together.
 
The dirty streets of the city were made
clean and white with heavy, swirling snow flakes.
We sang church carols walking home
our arms around each other’s shoulder.
How close to baby Jesus we were back then.
 
I remember fondly Christmas’ past
when life seemed so much simpler.
Joys more easily shared with
laughter much deeper than now.
 
Still I thank God that I had those Christmas’ past
even to this special day of a new Christmas.
Another December which will also will soon be gone
into the misty memory of another Christmas’ past.  

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"One Night" copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Rainbows Amidst Storms"

Posted in "Rainbows Amidst Storms" Second Published Book, 2014 Christmas Poetry by Texas' Poet John J. Rigo, A Christmas Poem by John J. Rigo, Winner of Collin County Texas Poetry Award, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 21, 2014| 1 Comment »

Courtesy of sion.hr

 
Steely the night shown against iced blackness
with a white diamond star blazing in the heavens.
Hints of soft voices whispered in the wind.
 
The weary shepherds pushed forward on their staffs
looking forward to the comfort of their tents.
Beyond the hills the sky glowed.
 
A choir of voices was heard with a sweet clarity
the sound of bells vibrated among the sound of horns.
The animals spooked deaf to the commands of their masters.
 
The wind increased in its volume and strength.
The shepherds were filled with fear.
Light overshadowed the darkness
during the midst of night.
 
Within the light formed
the most beautiful soft
white and gold of human-like forms
shining against the sky.
 
The shepherd’s breath stopped in their throats.
Filled with excitement and happiness beyond their capacity to describe
their skin prickled.
 
Heavenly voices brought words to their ears
words singing of kindness
understanding
peace
and anticipation to these men of the field.
 
The voices told of a special child that would
unlock the gates of fear and bring eternal love
to the future of the world.
 
This happened on a special night
a long long time ago. 
 
 

 

 

 

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“Baby Jesus Lives” copyright 2011 John J. Rigo, upcoming poetry book, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

Posted in A Series of Christmas poems by a Texas' Poet John J. Rigo, Poetry, The Actual Date of the Birth of Jesus?, tagged , , , , , , , , , on December 21, 2014| Leave a Comment »

 
 

Courtesy of sion.hr

 
 
I somehow lost Baby Jesus at Christmas.
I know they say Baby Jesus was born in September.
Still it never mattered to me.
 
Each Christmas I was filled with excitement of the news
of Baby Jesus’ birth.
That changed several years ago.
 
My family discovered a religion between Jewish
and something else.
They tend to make fun of the New Testament.
 
They say Jesus was just another man
like other famous men in the Bible.
I been a get alone in all of this.
 
Still in my heart
I know Baby Jesus came to save me.
Baby Jesus opened the gates of Heaven to all of us.
 
In my heart Baby Jesus is my Lord and Savior.
There was no Christmas tree at my home.
There were no lights upon my home.
 
No presents awaiting under a tree.
Still in my secret heart
I know Baby Jesus came for me.

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"By His Manger" copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Rainbows Amidst Storms"

Posted in "By His Manager" A Christmas Poem by John J. RIgo, "Rainbows Amidst Storms" Second Published Book, A Christmas Poem from Stewart-Rigo Winery, A Christmas Poem to Share with my WordPress Followers, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 21, 2014| Leave a Comment »

 
 
Courtesy of backwoodsmama.com

Courtesy of backwoodsmama.com

Set aside your burden at my manger.
I have come to give My Love to you.
Side aside your fears
put away your tears.
 
Have I not promised by my arrival
eternal, everlasting joy to you.
Light beyond sight
sound in tune with angels’ voices
singing in My Love for you.
 
Come closer and bathe in my light.
Look into my eyes and see the innocence
in the truth of My Love
and care for you
now and forever. 

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“As Death Comes Closer to My Door” A Christmas Thought, copyright 2005 John J. Rigo, poem from “Rainbows Amidst Storms” Revised

Posted in "Rainbows Amidst Storms" Second Published Book, A Christmas Thought by John J. Rigo, A Posted Christmas Poem in 2014 by award winning Texas' Poet, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on December 15, 2014| 1 Comment »

lightofheavenAs death comes closer to my door

my eyes, though weak, seem to become clearer

about what I see about me.

Something about the look of God’s creations

that I did not notice before now

In seeing this creation

a wonderment stops my breath.

 

Is it the sound of wind singing

that I had not noticed before now?

Is it the vastness of the night skies filled with a beauty

beyond words that I cannot describe?

 

I find myself noticing beauty in people

a beauty that before

I did not see.

I see beauty in the old, the sick

the visions that I used to turn away from seeing

but no longer do.

 I feel the pain and joy of other people

I used to not feel such things.

The laughter of a child

ringing like a heavenly bell,

pealing in a meadow

sounds in my ears.

Is this God’s way of saying

“Look at what you have missed earlier in your life?”

I am not sure

but I do know

now I have become more thankful.

More thankful each day

for the gifts God has given to me.

 

I seem to be getting closer to heaven each day.

I now know, what I see, hear and Feel

are all but a small part of what will be in God’s world.

 

I can only hope

that in this twilight of my life

I might become worthy

in the areas that I have been unworthy.

May I be worthy of the love and blessings

He has given me in this life.

Thank you God

for this day.

 

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"A Christmas Memory From Long Ago" copyright 2008 John J. Rigo, upcoming "Passion Amidst Apathy"

Posted in A Christmas Memory from the Past from a Texas' Poet, A Lesson About Love, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged , , , , , , , , on December 7, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Courtesy of free-christmas-deskstop-wallpaper.blogspot.com

 
 
 
This poem comes from a true story in my life…..I think it is timeless in its message.   The lesson is that when two people share love, as I and my childhood bride did then, it truly was all the processions we needed.  
 
 
It was our first Christmas together.
We both were eighteen
with barely more
than the clothes on our backs.
 
I was just out of basic training
in the U.S. Air Force.
She had just graduated from high school
and then wrote a bus to Savannah, Georgia,
to join me
the love of her life.
 
We had rented a several room apartment
on the second floor of an old Savannah home.
It was in a falling-down condition.
 
The gifts we shared were inexpensive
but meant the world in their value
and meaning to each of us.
 
She gave me a St. Christopher‘s medal of Silver
while I gave her a Catholic missal.
She wanted to become a Catholic like me
prior to us getting married.
 
I took a picture of her opening her present.
The smile upon her face was beautiful.
It was a Christmas in 1960.
 
It will always be a Christmas
I will always remember.
The lesson I learned
that day was
the love between us
was truly
the greatest gift
we could have shared
that Christmas. 
 

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“They Don’t Make Men Like Joe Anymore” copyright 2010 John J. Rigo, selection from upcoming poetry book, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

Posted in Poetry, Texas' Poetry, tagged , , , , , , , , , on December 6, 2014| Leave a Comment »

 
 
"Seasons" in Mabank, Texas

“Seasons” in Mabank, Texas

Commentary from December 2nd, 2013:  To me, the Christmas Season is the time of year for me to remember those who have passed on that were important to my life.  Following is another poem about another of those special individuals in my own life.

 
 
Joe passed away on February 12th, 2010.
It was after the record snow storm of February 2010.
The power went out in their home.
 
He and is wife, Christine were moving into temporary
quarters in the New Comfort Inn of Mabank, Texas
when he quietly passed on.
Joe would have been 81.
 
Joe was a sweet, loving and very kind man.
He loved McKinney, Texas.
Whenever he spoke of McKinney
his face took on a glow of peace,
his childhood, his friends, his memories
were many of those days in McKinney.
 
There was a deep longing in his voice
for some of those memories.
Some of those memories were with extreme joy,
while others seemed to carry regret.
 
As with all of us,
one could not have lived a full life
without a certain amount of regret.
 
I will miss Joe
and our talks,
when he sat down with us to visit
at the “Seasons” restaurant in Mabank, Texas.
 
Joe was proud of his wife Christine.
Joe loved Christine
with the deepest of love.
 
I myself, only have one regret
that I did not have more time
to know Joe Burton even more.
 
People like Joe are very special humans.
Sadly in this day and age
there are not enough
special people
to go around
for us all. 
 
 

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