In the warmth of homes, where love and chaos blend,
No perfect family stands, but on each other, we depend.
With laughter and tears, our broken pieces we mend,
In our imperfect bonds, a message of love we send.
Amongst us walk, no perfect people, but seekers all the same,
Bearing burdens, hiding pains, playing life's relentless game.
Yet in our shared journey, there's no room for shame,
For we are loved by a Perfect God, who calls us each by name.
But we have a Perfect God, in His grace, we find our peace,
In His unwavering love, our searching souls release.
Amen, we whisper, in a prayer that does not cease,
For in His perfection, our imperfections find their ease.
So let us walk together, in our imperfect state,
Guided by His perfect light, through every twist of fate.
In every church, every home, let His love permeate,
For with our Perfect God, a perfect love we create.
February 19, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop
In skies above, on Memorial Day's light,
I served the aisles, a flight attendant's plight.
The first row held a passenger, a sight so rare,
Beside him, a dog with a valorous air.
Corporal Kiddy, her name, a Marine so bold,
Twelve years of service, her story untold.
With fur not adorned in medals or lace,
But with honor and courage, she held her place.
Retirement beckoned, her duty now done,
A life of battles, now set to the sun.
I seized the moment, a tribute to cast,
For her years of service, vast.
The cabin listened, as I spoke of her deed,
An announcement for a hero, indeed.
Applause thundered, a sound so profound,
For Corporal Kiddy, respect was bound.
At the sound, she leaped, a lap to find,
Accepting homage from those so kind.
Not just a dog, but a Marine so grand,
On her final flight, to retirement land.
A tale of loyalty, courage, and might,
Of Corporal Kiddy, on that Memorial flight.
A flight attendant's story, of a day so bright,
When honor and applause took to the night.
February 18, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop
In the jungles deep and wide,
Where mysteries and dangers hide,
A tiny soul was found inside
A foxhole, where she did abide.
Smoky, of the Yorkshire breed,
Tiny, but mighty in deed.
In World War II, a friend in need,
A soldier's companion, lead by creed.
For $6.44, a bond was sold,
Between a Corporal brave and bold,
And Smoky, whose story would unfold,
In battles fierce and nights so cold.
She lived a life of soldier's fare,
Shared meals, and slept in Wynne's care.
No official badge did she wear,
Yet her courage was beyond compare.
Twelve missions high, in backpack stowed,
Above the clouds, her spirit glowed.
150 air raids, the danger sowed,
Yet by her side, safety flowed.
She warned of shells, a guardian light,
In darkest hours, a beacon bright.
Her heart, her spirit, fierce in fight,
Guiding through the perilous night.
A performer too, with tricks to show,
Entertaining troops, a morale bow.
In hospitals, her presence would glow,
Healing hearts, with her spirited flow.
Back to the U.S., hidden away,
In an oxygen mask, she made her stay.
Her legacy, in hearts, would sway,
Entertaining, healing, every day.
For ten more years, she gave her love,
To veterans, with a grace from above.
Her life, a testament, to the power of
The smallest being, with the heart of a dove.
Smoky, the first Therapy Dog, named,
In history, her legacy framed.
A tiny warrior, fiercely acclaimed,
Her spirit, forever untamed.
So remember the dog who braved the fight,
With soldiers, through the darkest night.
Her courage, love, and shining light,
A beacon of hope, forever bright.
February 16, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop
In a quaint and lively neighborhood, under skies so wide and blue,
Janet shared a tale one morning, of a goose, and wisdom too.
"Well," she said with gentle caution, "if geese nearby you host,
Do not keep a lone one with you, for it's companions it will most."
George, who was Georgette, in truth, found a journey of her own,
To a flock that welcomed her, in fields where lush green grass had grown.
Half a mile was not too distant, for a heart that sought to roam,
Early in the dawn, she set off, to find herself a new home.
With a pink underline in the photo, amidst her kind, she stood,
A testament to nature's call, and the neighborhood's common good.
Janet smiled, content and happy, for the story that unfolded,
Was one of understanding, and of bonds that were remolded.
"We have good neighbors," Janet mused, a statement broad and true,
Reflecting on the ties that bind, and the kind acts that we do.
For in the tale of Georgette's move, a lesson lies in sight,
Of community, care, and love, and doing what is right.
So here's to Janet, and to George, now Georgette, with her new friends,
In a world where kindness matters, and on each other, we depend.
Let this poem be a reminder, of the beauty in our lives,
In our actions and our stories, where the spirit of love thrives.
February 16, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop
In a world where hearts seek companions, pure and true,
A whisper echoes, a message, a different view.
"Don't lament the absence of a Valentine's embrace,
When countless hearts in shelters seek a loving space."
Adopt the love of your life, a soul waiting for a home,
In their eyes, a universe, through which you can roam.
Each wag, each purr, a sonnet of unconditional love,
A serendipitous gift from the heavens above.
Millions of whispers, in cages and halls,
Pleading eyes, through time's endless calls.
"Take me home," they seem to say,
"Let's start our journey, this Valentine's Day."
For love is not just found in human embrace,
But in every wagging tail, in every furry face.
True love awaits in those longing stares,
In the silent hopes of those who care.
So before you mourn a Valentine not found,
Remember the love that in shelters abounds.
Adopt the love of your life, let your heart expand,
For the love of a pet is the most faithful brand.
In their gratitude, in their joy so rife,
You'll find the true meaning of love and life.
So this Valentine's, let's make a vow,
To adopt the love of our life, in the here and now.
February 14, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop
Happy Groundhog's Day, twenty-twenty-four!
With eager eyes, we all did explore,
Punxsutawney Phil, the seer of time,
Gave us a forecast, oh so prime.
He did NOT see his shadow, so it seems,
Spring is closer, in our dreams.
Gone soon, the winter's icy tether,
All thanks to a rodent's weather.
Yes, science abounds in meteorology's task,
Yet, for Phil's prediction, we eagerly ask.
Funny, isn't it, how traditions entwine,
With forecasts and futures, all align.
So celebrate the coming of spring's sweet call,
Phil's decree, a shadow's fall.
Happy Groundhog's Day, let's all cheer,
For spring's warmth is nearly here!
February 2, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop
In pastures green, where ewes give birth,
A tale unfolds of rejected worth.
Bummer lambs, heads bowed so low,
Rejected by mothers, left to woe.
The shepherd, kind, with gentle hand,
Lifts the lamb from the lonely land.
Wraps it warm, holds it tight,
Against the heart, in the silent night.
Hand-feeding love to the broken soul,
Making the wounded spirit whole.
In the shepherd's care, it finds its way,
Back to the flock, where others stray.
Rejected, yet loved, the bummer lamb,
Knows the shepherd's voice, like a sacred psalm.
Jesus, the Shepherd, so good and true,
Cares for us all, me and you.
In moments broken, rejected, and low,
He holds us close, lets His love flow.
No lamb forgotten, no soul left behind,
In His love and care, solace we find.
Bummer lambs, we may be,
But deeply loved for eternity.
By the Shepherd, gentle and kind,
In His embrace, true solace we find.
December 30, 2023
Created by
MarkWaldrop
In the moonlit night, a K-9's loyal gaze,
With handlers side by side, through duty's maze.
Beyond the shift's end, a bond profound,
Feeding, playing, love's echoes resound.
In every wag, a tale untold,
Responsibility, a story to unfold.
Days off embraced, yet devotion stays,
A canine companion in life's array.
November 9, 2023
Created by
MarkWaldrop
An Ethiopian Legend of many Centuries ago
Tells of a strange bean and where it does grow
It has been traced to the ancient Coffee Forest on the Ethiopian Plateau
Goat herder Kaldi noticed the goats, after eating, exhibited quite a show
Becoming anxious and did not sleep at night
Causing the Goat Herder Kaldi quite a fright
Kali reported his concerns to the Abbott of the Local Monastery
The Abbott made a tea that kept him from becoming quite weary
Accrediting this to the discovery of the Coffee Bean of today
Drinking many cups of a morning makes me anxious all day
October 22, 2023
MarkWaldrop
Give bees a chance and let them do their thing
Without pollination, we would not have many things
The Queen Bee has an internal desire
To carry out her work as God requires
Cut down on pollution and pesticides
That in this world bees may reside
God created Bees to continue His Creation
For that very reason, we are under a great obligation
October 22, 2023
MarkWaldrop
