A Hero’s Legacy

Good morning, echoes through the dawn's first light,
A tale of valor, sorrow, and might.
In nineteen-oh-seven, a boy was born,
To a widow whose heart was torn.

His father, taken by a brother’s hand,
Left a young widow in a desolate land.
He grew up fast, a child no more,
Dropped out in fifth grade to work, to toil, and bore.

Four brothers looked up to his guiding hand,
In the logging woods, he made his stand.
Married young, and children came,
Seven in total, three angels to name.

In forty-four, when the world was ablaze,
A month-old baby, he’d have to leave in a haze.
From Harlan County to Normandy’s shore,
This Kentucky boy faced the horrors of war.

Men fell like rain on that blood-soaked beach,
One young soldier’s sanity just out of reach.
“No need for a gun,” he cried out loud,
As chaos raged and death's shadow shrouded.

Liberation brought tears to his weary eyes,
Death camps unveiled humanity’s demise.
In a foxhole, with a testament lost,
He crawled through the night, in the cold and frost.

Hands bleeding, searching for hope,
Found a Bible, bloodied, a way to cope.
Twice wounded, he persevered,
Shook Patton’s hand, a memory revered.

Post-war missions with Lt. Schaefer’s call,
Hunting war criminals, he gave his all.
Came home broken, inside and out,
Shell shock, treatments, a mind full of doubt.

Twenty-five years, he battled unseen foes,
A hero in shadows, the pain only grows.
No bridges or highways bear his name,
But his sacrifice remains, forever aflame.

A military family, devoted and true,
To God and country, their hearts they imbue.
When flags are trampled, in anger and pain,
Remembering the fallen, tears fall like rain.

As taps play softly, a tribute to the brave,
For your dad, your husband, the memories you save.
In their honor, with pride, you stand tall,
Heroes remembered, one and all.

Created by
MarkWaldrop

Taken from a story on Facebook “Journey of a Mountain Woman”

Wait, Wait, Wait Swing

My son Mark age 9

Wait, wait, wait, swing an old baseball saying,
Waiting long enough, you'll hit that home run.
Life is much the same way, in patience we stay,
By waiting long enough, you'll go a long way.

It's really no surprise, in the passage of time,
God says, "Wait on me, and you'll truly climb."
With faith as your guide, and patience your friend,
In waiting, you'll find blessings without end.

Isa 40:31  but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

May 23, 2024
MarkWaldrop

Paw Prints on our Hearts

A pet is never truly gone,
As long as memories linger on.
In quiet moments, still and bright,
Their spirit dances in the light.

Soft purrs and wagging tails,
Echoes of their joyful trails.
Paws that left prints on the heart,
A bond that never drifts apart.

In dreams, they sometimes play,
Chasing shadows, bright as day.
In our laughter, in our tears,
Their love transcends the years.

A pet’s love, pure and deep,
In our souls, they softly seep.
Though they part, their essence stays,
Guiding us through life’s maze.

As long as memories are embraced,
Their presence can never be erased.
A pet is never truly forgotten,
For in our hearts, they're always begotten.

"A pet is never truly forgotten until it is no longer remembered." - Lacie Petitto

May 23, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop

Backroads Best

Backroads are the best, I must say,
Less traffic, a slower pace every day.

Slow down and see the scenery, more time to ponder,
It just takes a little longer to get way over yonder.

The people are friendly, they wave as you go by,
Stop at the corner grocery for ice cream, so the kids don’t cry.

Things have changed a lot these days,
Faster cars and shorter ways.

Yesterday’s gone, and forever will be,
Just sticking with the turnpike, with little to see.

But on those backroads, life moves slow,
Where smiles are warm and friendships grow.

Take the road less traveled, where memories are made,
In the quiet beauty, where time seems to fade.

May 22, 2023
Created by
MarkWaldrop

Loneliness

Loneliness mirrors happier times,
When laughter rang and hearts would play.
Yet, the sands of time took you away,
Leaving reflections of yesterday.

Memories dance in the quiet night,
Echoes of joy, a distant light.
In the stillness, your presence stays,
A silent reminder of happier days.

Though you're gone, your spirit remains,
In the whispers of the gentle rain.
Loneliness bears the sweetest pain,
Holding reflections of our shared days.

May 22, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop

In His Name

If what I do will glorify God,  
Or will it plant me under the sod,
I seek the path that shines His light,
And guides me through the darkest night.

To honor Him in all I dare,
With love and grace, and fervent prayer.
For earthly woes may test my soul,
Yet in His arms, I'm ever whole.

So let my deeds reflect His grace,
And bring a smile to His holy face.
For in His name, I’ll stand or fall,
In faith, I trust and give my all.

May 19, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop

					

Indifferenza

Indifference, a silent scourge,
Creeps through hearts where apathies merge.
Pope Francis speaks, his voice a call,
To wake the souls of one and all.

"People wash their hands of good,
Tolerate evil, as if they should.
A disease so ugly, so profound,
It spreads its chill without a sound."

Hearts hardened by the cold embrace,
Of turning away, avoiding grace.
But love, he claims, holds the flame,
To melt, to soften, to reclaim.

Let love be the fire, fierce and bright,
That turns the dark to dawning light.
Where indifference seeks to sear,
Let compassion draw us near.

To heal, to help, to hold, to lift,
To bridge the chasm, mend the rift.
For only love can truly melt
The icy shields that hearts have felt.

So heed the call, Pope Francis pleads,
To plant in indifference, love's warm seeds.
For only through such acts we see,
The change to what we're meant to be.

Created by
MarkWaldrop

His Sacrifice a Bridge

In vessels deep, where crimson rivers flow,
Through corridors of flesh, life's pulses show.
Yet deeper still, within the spirit's frame,
Courses a Love, an everlasting flame.

A Love that weaves through every soul it meets,
Invisible yet mighty, it repeats
The story of a Lamb, whose blood was shed,
On rugged cross, where deepest sorrows bled.

From every land, from every tongue and tribe,
This Love extends, no mortal can describe.
The blood and Love of Jesus, hand in hand,
Unites the hearts of those from every land.

His sacrifice, a bridge 'cross chasm wide,
Where sin once reigned, now grace abides inside.
A Love so vast, it covers every sin,
Inviting all to let its power begin.

Through earthly veins and spiritual alike,
His blood and Love our deepest fears strike.
In Him, we find our peace, our hope, our stay,
The blood and Love of Jesus, our true way.

May 19, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop

Propagation Here and Beyond

Invisible threads traverse the sky,  
Radio waves that whisper, shout, and sigh,
From earthbound stations, voices rise,
Reaching far beyond our eyes.

Through the ether, swift they soar,
Bouncing off the ionosphere, exploring more,
No barrier holds their eager quest,
In endless space, they find their rest.

Just like our prayers, both loud and meek,
In moments of despair or peace we seek,
They travel realms unseen, unheard,
To touch the heart with every word.

In silence or in fervent plea,
Our voices find divinity,
Beyond the clouds, beyond the stars,
In faith, they break through cosmic bars.

Both wave and prayer, unseen yet strong,
In their journey, they belong,
A bridge between the here and there,
Connecting hearts through space and prayer.

So when you send your message high,
In radio waves or prayerful sigh,
Know that both are heard, embraced,
In realms beyond our earthly pace.

Created by
MarkWaldrop KE4WA
Bible Fellowship Net
bfn2.com

Shine Like A Star

If you walk the path where the starlight lies,  
Where the cosmos winks and the dreamer flies,
A journey taken beneath the celestial throng,
In the galaxy's silence, you'll find your song.

Align your steps with the luminous peers,
Those ancient lights that have danced for years,
And as you tread where their glow softly falls,
In the hush of the night, to you, the universe calls.

For stars are not merely bright spots in the sky,
But guides, inspirations, reasons why
Dreams kindle and spark in the hopeful night,
Urging one more step, one more flight.

Associate with stars, let their essence imbue,
Every thought, every dream, every view,
And someday, surely as the dawn meets the dew,
Their radiant glow will shine forth in you.

In the company of stars, so bold and so bright,
You'll capture their sparkle, their magnificent light.
With each step, each leap, under their watchful eyes,
You, too, will shine, brilliant and wise.

May 17, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop