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Posts Tagged ‘Winner of the Collin County Poetry Award’

“A Dream of a Past Friend” copyright 2010 John J. Rigo, upcoming, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

Posted in Poetry, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged , , , , , , on May 11, 2012| 2 Comments »

Courtesy of hauntedamericatours.com

I dreamed of Tom last night.

Tom has been dead over thirty years now.

Tom was my best friend for a very long time.

I think of Tom often

but never dreamed of him before.

We were in a sort of “holding place.”

Tom was happy to see me

but there was a certain sadness about him.

He missed his Daugther and his Son.

In the dream it seemed they too

had been death for quite a long time.

Tom went to a phone booth to call them.

The Living calling the Death.

I told Tom he needed to be in the place

where his children were.

One moment he  was there with me.

The next moment Tom was gone.

I know Tom is happy again.

He is in heaven

with his children.

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

Posted in Poetry, tagged , , , , , , , on May 1, 2012| Leave a Comment »

 
 

Courtesy of paintinsilove.com

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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"There Are Many Doors" copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Roses Amidst Thorns"

Posted in Poem, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 20, 2012| 4 Comments »

 
He stood quietly in the room.
His voice though low in tone
seemed to rock the air about Him.
 
The words were gentle and with love.
Pointing to the doorway,
He said, “There are many doors to eternity
any doorway can be the right doorway to enter
if entered with love and faith in God.
 
He will guide you and protect you in your travels.
First you must learn to give complete
and unselfish love to Him.
 
Second you must render complete faith in your Lord
for whatever befalls you
the Lord will stand at your side
and you shall overcome,”
so spoke
the Master of my life.   

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“I Am the Only One That Can Sing My Song” copyright 2010 John J. Rigo, upcoming book, “Passion Amidst Apathy” Revised

Posted in Poetry, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", Winner of Collin County Texas Poetry Award, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 19, 2012| 3 Comments »

Within each of us there is a song.
The song is like no other
it is ours alone.
 
It is the song of our lives upon this earth.
It sings of our victories
it remembers our defeats.
 
Would we have shown courage
by never loved at all?
Would we have shown our creator
a lack of passion
by not living totally in the gift of time
that He so generously gave us?
 
I lived as a man
a creation of my God
in the singing of my song.
 
In those I loved
I gave more than I received.
If one was to be hurt by the ending of a love
I was always hurt the most.
 
I gave all in my being to protect the ones I loved.
In the pains that I endured
I suffered in their recall
more than once.
 
My song renders no apologies
for being made in His image.
The Passions is what separates us
from the wooden fence post.
 
I have breath
I have cried
I have laughed till I cried again.
 
In so doing have I found
the humor of my creator
in making my song
one that will be heard
throughout eternity. 

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"Love Recalled" copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Rainbows Amidst Storms"

Posted in "Rainbows Amidst Storms" Second Published Book, Poetry, tagged , , , , on April 18, 2012| 3 Comments »

 
 

Courtesy of cthru.com

If you and I met at a different time in space and place
would we be more than people who passed formal greetings?
 
Would our eyes pierce the beauty of our souls
beyond the imperfections of flesh
to the heart of us?
 
In your eyes would I see more than me?
Would we know at that moment that something
wonderful was happening for you and me
at a time in starless memory?
 
Could we have been lovers
entwined in the depth of each other
warm and soft against the cold days of black nights
to rise together with joy and ecstasy?
 
Could we always have had a love
that had been one in unity for us?
 
The moment passes quickly.
My being reaches for that moment
it is already gone.

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“I Understand Your Pain” copyright 2010 John J. Rigo, upcoming book, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

Posted in Poetry, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 14, 2012| 4 Comments »

from woman2womanwebsite.wordpress.com

I understand your pain.
Your anger overcomes you in being treated so badly.
You strike out at all others in this pain.
The one you are hurting the greatest
is the soul of your being.
  
I understand your pain.
To have given so many of your good years to such a man.
A man who abused you each day of those many years.
 
He trashed your heart.
He spat on your very soul.
He now parades his new love
each day before you.
  
I understand your pain.
How blessed you are this day.
He now has exposed his evil to you.
 
You can now leave him behind you.
Thank God each day.
The one that he will abuse each day
is another and not you.
  
I understand your pain.
You are still blessed with your beauty of form.
You are still blessed with the power of your mind.
You will now have soon
a new life before you.
  
I understand your pain.
Cease to be a continuing partner in his evil.
Let go of him.
 
Let go of his created pain upon you.
Let go of his efforts to remove the beauty of your life,
In finally so doing
will you find
Peace
Love
and Joy
in your Life.

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"Lord, What Does Thou Desire for the Rest of My Life?" copyright 2008 John J. Rigo upcoming poetry book, "Passion Amidst Apathy"

Posted in Poetry, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 7, 2012| Leave a Comment »

 
 

Courtesy of handofgod.com

A fish following the stream of life.
Going with the flow was the majority of my life.
Finally twenty years ago I gave my life to His care.
 
The blessings that followed
were beyond my dreams.
I now face the last days of my life
unsure of what is pleasing to my Lord.
 
Desiring only to finish my life in a way
that will be His plan and wishes for His creation.
 
As each day passes
I become more aware of the speck of dust
I am in His creation.
 
To know that His presence is close to me
and His Love no less than any of His other creations
only humbles me further.
 
I kneel in homage and worship to my Lord.
May I be so bold as your humble servant
to ask your guidance in how I can spent the rest of my life
in bringing pride to my Father.
 
My Lord has given me life
and the blessings of this life.
Lord hear my prayer
“Lord, What does Thou Desire for the rest of my life?”    
  

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"It Was My Sweet Jesus" copyright 2009 John J. Rigo, upcoming book, "Passion Amidst Apathy"

Posted in Poetry, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 3, 2012| 2 Comments »

 
  

Courtesy of scotdodge.blogspot.com

It was my sweet Jesus
who brought me to the light
from the darkest place in my life.
 
It was my sweet Jesus
Who loved me
and kept me safe
when no one cared
whether I lived or died.
 
It was my sweet Jesus,
Who protected me against
the darkest of evils
that befell my life. 
 
It was my sweet Jesus
Who showed me the beauty of heaven
when I no longer believed in Him.
 
It was my sweet Jesus,
Who answered my prayers
when I cried out in pain and agony.
 
It was my sweet Jesus,
Who brought joy to my heart
and hope for my soul.
 
It was because of my sweet Jesus
that the eternity before me
is now filled
with the promise
of His eternal Love for me.

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“What your Best Friends Are” copyright 2010 John J. Rigo, Texas Commentator

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on March 15, 2012| Leave a Comment »

"Your Little Green Friends"

One of my dearest friends from over thirty-five years ago was a gentleman by the name of Cliff Russell.  Cliff is dead now.  At that time he was the Father in a loving spirit that my real Father never was, between his drunken whisky binges.  One day while in my thirties I related to him my disappointment with an individual that I thought was a friend. 

Cliff had an easy way about him when he was offering advice. It was that “home-grown” attitude from being born and raised in Louisiana.  He related, “Johnny, let me show you, what your best friends in life look like.”  Slowly he withdrew from his pocket a roll of hundred dollar bills.  As the saying goes, “The roll was big enough to choke a horse.”  

Cliff went on to say, “This is your Little Green Friends. They will keep you warm when you are cold, cool when you are hot, and will buy you all the company, you will ever want, when you are lonely.”  To this day I have never forgotten one of the loving lessons given to me in my life from a dear, now departed friend.

 

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“The Sandals of Jesus” copyright 2010 John J. Rigo, upcoming book, “Passion Amidst Apathy” including a Commentary on Foreclosed Churches in East Texas

Posted in Commentary on Churches, Foreclosed churches in East Texas?, Mabank Texas, Poetry, Presbyterian, Presbyterian Church in East Texas, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 12, 2012| Leave a Comment »

 
 
 
Commentary:  It recently came to my attention that a Pastor of a Presbyterian church in East Texas is finally moving on.  What is so hugely funny, is that he is going to a higher level of administration in the Presbyterian religion. What started out as a financially sound church was destroyed literally by this Pastor.  In spite of a “no confidence vote…twice” this Pastor insisted in taking this over century old church to a huge remodeling phrase.  The project added little to the church and spent close to a million dollars of church assets and loans on the property. 
 
Since the remodeling, there has been no church growth to speak of, while the members struggle to pay the huge loan on this church.  Churches should not be monuments to the ego’s of their Pastors, sadly as this church had become.  Hopefully, the stain glass window which was dedicated to his name will be quickly modified to remove all memories of his poor judgement in his prior position in this church. 
 
Simply by typing in the Google search bar under, “Foreclosures on Churches” including the following link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/09/us-usa-housing-churches-idUSBRE82803120120309   one can easily see that it will be a matter of time that this East Texas church will also be foreclosed.  Recently one came up with a great name for a foreclosed church turned into an eatery.  A great name for such a place would be the “Last Supper.” 
 
 
The Sandals of Jesus are only worn by very special Ministers.
They walk with the greatest of thoughtfulness towards others.
Any form of harm whether physical or mental
would they never bring to another.
 
True gentle souls are they
in their centering of their love of God.
Always thankful.
Always demonstrating appreciation
for every kindness that comes their way.
 
They speak not of darkness but of light.
They are light
that brings peaceful joy to others.
 
Many lay claim to wearing these sandals
but few are worthy to touch
even the straps of Jesus’ sandals.
 
So I ask you the “Godless Ministers of God”
to remove those sandals from your feet
for you are not worthy
to have the name of Jesus
pass your lips
much less
wear His sandals.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
“Many go by the title, ‘ Ministers of God,’  but few are worthy.”  Saying by John J. Rigo, Texas Poet and Commentator

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