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“Memories of Us are Few” July 4th, 2014, copyright 2014, John J. Rigo, Texas Commentator

Posted in A Memorial to a Veteran on July 4th 2014, A Texas' Commentary, After Veterans Day 2012 on Cedar Creek Lake in Henderson County Texas, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 4, 2014| Leave a Comment »

John J. Rigo’s name on the Veterans War Memorial in Mabank, Texas

John J. Rigo’s name on Veterans War Memorial in Mabank, Texas

Commentary for July 4th, 2014:  To my fellow veterans out there, a blessed day to you and all of your loved ones this day.

As a senior, I know there is not unlimited time in my life to be in this world.  I believe we all want to leave some part of us in the world.  Something beside a tomb stone in a forgotten grave yard some place.  Perhaps the kind of grave yard where the tomb stone lays flat on the ground.  A place where machines run across huge expanses of tomb stones while mowing.

I am proud to say, there is a place marked for me.  It is a memorial of beauty in an East Texas town of Mabank, Texas.  The memorial is a salute to perhaps, some of the happinest days of my life.  It was my four years of active duty in the Air Force.  Knowing that this place exists where my name is among those who have served our country with honor, brings me a truly wonderful peace. 

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

Posted in Discovering False Friends, I have had a "belly full" of e-mail and text "Friends.", Poems, What True Friends Really Are., tagged , , , , , , , , on June 26, 2014| Leave a Comment »

 

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. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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

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 , , , , , , , , , , , on June 20, 2014| 2 Comments »

 
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.  
 
 

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

Posted in A Banner Day of over 53000 hits on a Texas' Poetry Site, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on June 17, 2014| Leave a Comment »

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. 

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

Posted in Poetry, Remembering One's Youth, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged , , , , , , , on June 15, 2014| Leave a Comment »

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.  

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"A Gift Of Treasure" copyright 2008 John J. Rigo upcoming poetry book, "Passion Amidst Apathy"

Posted in Love Surpasses Death, Poetry, There are no carts to "Hook-up" when we Die, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 14, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Courtesy photo by Pat Dollins. Taken at Treasure Hunters Roadshow in Placerville.

 
I tried to think of a gift
that would be special to you.
A gift of treasure that would endure
thru the days of our lifes.
 
Would gold and jewels
things that could rust
and turn to dust
in the sands of time
be such a gift?
 
I think not
for the earth holds many trinkets from the ages.
Trinkets buried deeply in the earth
long forgotten of their purpose.
Forgotten of the song they held so long ago.
 
I give thee my words of my heart
that are enclosed within the eternity of my soul.
Eternity with such a gift
that will go beyond the decaying trinkets of the earth.
 
If it is God’s will that death should temporary seperate us
this gift shall be my seal of love
to clothe you in the light of my love
and carry you forward to the day
we shall meet again in the eternity that is before us.
 
It will be a place without pain
hurt or further sorrow for us.
A place where we shall again open the seal of my love.
A place where we will laugh again in joy each day
in the wonder of our love.

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"I Broke Your Heart" copyright 2008 John J. Rigo future book, "Passion Amidst Apathy"

Posted in A Broken Heart, A Christmas-centered poem by John J. Rigo, A Memory of breaking a heart, A Poem by John J. RIgo dealing with a Broken Heart, A Poem in Remembering a Broken Heart by John J. Rigo, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 13, 2014| Leave a Comment »

 
 
 

Courtesy of Google Search….author unknown

I broke your heart.
I know when the deed was done.
I knew then
as I know now
I was in love with you.
 
More afraid of failure
than giving myself to you.
I still can hear in my soul
the sound of your tears
on the tape from that day.
 
Two hours of tears and screaming
my name in agony.
I was the center of your agony
in my rejection of your love.
 
It has been thirty-four years
since that day.
A week never goes by
that my thoughts turn to you.
 
In my being
I now know
that the joy I knew with you then
will come again in my death
and hopefully with it
the joy of heaven.
 
If you are reading this
at this very moment
know this is one
who will always love you.

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

Posted in "Rainbows Amidst Storms" Second Published Book, A christmas journey, A Poem in Honor of Valentine Day for My Wife, encrypted_divison_doj9640, Selection from "Roses Amidst Thorns" published in 2005, The eternal journey of our lives, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on June 12, 2014| Leave a Comment »

.....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.          
                                                                                      

 

                                                                                                                                

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"The Bradford Pear Tree of Club Lake Trail" copyright 2004, a lost poem recovered, preview poem, "Passion Amidst Apathy" This Poem is Dedicated to the Storm Victims of North Texas.

Posted in A Dying Tree in McKinney Texas, Another Tree Poem by Texas' Poet John J. Rigo, Death of a Friend Death of a Tree, Poetry, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged , , , , , , , , , , on June 11, 2014| 2 Comments »

  

“Why do you stare at me?”

A Pear Tree am I
unchanged by the lost of a part of me.
I am the same
nothing has changed
there is just less of me.
 
Why do you stare a me
as you pass?
Am I so different then before?
 
I still smell the air
feel the sky
and warm myself in the sun of day
soak the rain of day
amidst the storms that roll into my horizon.
 
I still dream of dreams
yet to come
for I am and still am
the mighty Bradford Pear Tree of Club Lake Trail.
 
I was taller
fuller and prouder
than I am now
but still the Bradford Pear.
 
The tree you looked upon each day
with such pride.
Have I changed so much from those days
when you looked so lovingly at me?
 
The change came slowly over the years.
Worms chewed in the joy of my wood
seeking the essence of me.
 
I grew
but as each leaf fell
I became closer to my death.
 
The death of cut wood and broken twigs
laid upon a ground now unknown to me.
What changed me so quickly and without warning?
 
It was shortly after midnight
the storm came.
Wind tearing at the very soul of me.
 
Wind ripping my inner part out
to lay useless
and with only partial life upon the ground.
 
I am still the same
the Bradford Pear
I live
I breathe
I sun
even with fuller leaves
than before.
 
Should you now love me less
for not being as powerful
and mighty as before?
 
I love you no less
for you see
I am
and will always be 
your Bradford Pear Tree of Club Lake Trail. 

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“Memories of Us are Few” Memorial Day copyright 2014, John J. Rigo, Texas Commentator

Posted in A Texas' Commentary, Memorial Day 2014 Its Remembering my Proud Military Service, Memorial Day 2014 on Cedar Creek Lake in East Texas, Memorial Day on Cedar Creek Lake in East Texas, tagged , , , , , , , , , on May 26, 2014| 3 Comments »

John J. Rigo’s name on the Veterans War Memorial in Mabank, Texas

John J. Rigo’s name on Veterans War Memorial in Mabank, Texas

As a senior, I know there is not unlimited time in my life to be in this world.  I believe we all want to leave some part of us in the world.  Something beside a tomb stone in a forgotten grave yard some place.  Perhaps the kind of grave yard where the tomb stone lays flat on the ground.  A place where huge grass cutting machines run across expanses of grass and weeds that sit among tomb stones. 

I am proud to say, there is a place marked for me.  It is a memorial of beauty in an East Texas town of Mabank.  The memorial is a salute to perhaps, some of the happinest days of my life.  It was my four years of active duty in the Air Force.  Knowing that this place exists where my name is among those who have served our country with honor, brings me a truly wonderful peace. 

Read Full Post »

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