“Smoky”

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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

Big Dreams Tower

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Dreams that fit within your grasp,  
Are too small, the poets gasp.  
For dreams should stretch, should leap, should soar,  
Beyond the now, to something more.

If dreams aren't mountains tall and steep,  
That challenge heart and soul to leap,  
Then have you really dreamed at all?  
Or just stayed safe, within your wall?

Dream big, they say, and then dream bigger,  
Let not your aspirations wither.  
For dreams that tower over you,  
Are the ones that pull you through.

They’re beacons on life's vast, dark sea,  
Guiding where you're meant to be.  
So set your sights on stars above,  
Dream big, dream bold, with all your love.

For in the chase, the pursuit, the race,  
You'll find your purpose, your true place.  
And even if you fall, you'll see,  
You've soared beyond what you thought to be.

So dream a dream that's vast, immense,  
Let it leap over every fence.  
For only those who dare to dream,  
Find the streams that truly gleam.

Big dreams, they say, are the key,  
To unlock potential, to set you free.  
So dream a dream that's more than enough,  
For in its pursuit, you'll find your stuff.

February 16, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop

Love’s Echo Never Dies

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In a room of twelve square meters small,  
Lives a soul who’s seen it all.  
Eighty-two with stories tall,  
Children, grands, great ones call.

No longer does the garden grow,  
Nor cakes on countertops show.  
Yet in her room, the world seems slow,  
Memories around her flow.

Four children once beneath her wing,  
Now eleven sprouts in spring.  
Two great blooms, life’s offering,  
In a small room, she’s still a king.

No lavish home or treasures vast,  
But care and warmth that always last.  
Blood pressure checked, the meals are cast,  
In gentle hands, her days are passed.

The laughter of the young, once near,  
Now memories that she holds dear.  
Some visit close, some far, some never here,  
In silence, she sheds a tear.

Hobbies remain, in books she dives,  
But soon her eyes, they strive.  
Loneliness, like a shadow, arrives,  
Yet in her heart, hope survives.

She leads, she reads, to others, she’s a guide,  
Even when her own company subsides.  
A friend, a neighbor, by her side,  
Together sang, before she died.

Why do they say life grows long?  
When solitude feels so strong.  
Yet, in her heart, where memories belong,  
She finds the strength to carry on.

Photos, memories, her treasure chest,  
Reminding her of what she loves best.  
A plea to the future, to never rest,  
In remembering love’s eternal quest.

“Don’t forget,” she softly sighs,  
“Family’s bond, the strongest ties.  
Through every hello and goodbye,  
Love’s echo never dies.”

So, from a room, small and bright,  
A voice whispers into the night.  
In love and memories, take flight,  
And hold your loved ones tight.

February 16, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop

Finding A New Home

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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

Each Wag, Each Purr Seeking Love

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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

Learning to Lean

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In the quiet of the dawn,  
Where hope and faith are born,  
A journey deep within begins,  
To find where grace has always been.  

Learning to lean, learning to trust,  
In the One who is forever just.  
Finding strength in His embrace,  
Discovering a never-ending grace.  

With each step, a lesson learned,  
In every trial, His love discerned.  
Through valleys low and mountains steep,  
His promises, He ever keeps.  

Sad, broken-hearted, I sought His face,  
At an altar of surrender, I found His grace.  
Peace that surpasses understanding, so serene,  
In the quiet whispers, I'm learning to lean.  

Learning to lean, finding more power,  
In the weakest moments, His strength towers.  
More than I've ever dreamed, His love unveils,  
In the journey of faith, His truth prevails.  

So, learning to lean, learning to see,  
In every moment, where He leads me.  
Finding in Jesus, my everything,  
More power, more love, as I'm learning to lean.  

Learning to lean on Jesus,  
Through storms and through breezes.  
Finding more power than ever dreamed,  
In His love, forever redeemed.  

Learning to lean, finding peace in the fight,  
In the darkness, He is my light.  
With a heart learning to lean, and a spirit so keen,  
I find solace in Jesus, my King.

February 14, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop

Won’t you Be My Valentine 

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Won’t You Be My Valentine 
I’ll be yours if you’ll be Mine

Valentines are very special
They are Friends hard to find

If You Find One, Keep them Close
For they will always mean the Most

They will always Love You no matter what they hear
For between the two of you, God's Love Is So Clear

As time goes by, Our Hearts Grow Larger
We often ponder their departure

We know when Our Valentine has to leave
It’s only for a short time we shouldn’t Grieve

We will eventually be Together Forever
In Our Father’s Arms Happier than Ever

February 12, 2022
Mark Waldrop

Echoe in the Airwaves

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In the gentle hum of frequencies long past,  
Brian Evans whispers, a connection vast.  
"I used to help," with a voice both proud and clear,  
Through '68 to '70, the message dear.

With his Dad by his side, under a sky so wide,  
Phone patches they did weave, in hope they'd believe.  
For servicemen and women, across seas so grim,  
Their voices a bridge, a light, however dim.

The equipment now silent, echoes of a key,  
Holds memories of a time, of unity.  
He's now the guardian of this sacred lore,  
W7BBW, alive once more.

Feeling cool, with the call sign in his grasp,  
A legacy continued, in each breath a gasp.  
The Morse code taps out a rhythm of the heart,  
A silent key, yet his spirit never to depart.

In every call made, in every static crackle,  
Lies a story of love, across the ether it travels.  
Brian, with his license, continues the tale,  
Under the same stars, where once his Dad set sail.

So here's to the echoes, in the airwaves they swim,  
To Brian, to his Dad, and their service kin.  
W7BBW, a call sign of pride,  
A son's tribute, in the airwaves they reside.

February 13, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop KE4WA

 Jesus Take The Wheel

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In the passenger seat, I lay my head to rest,
With an experienced hand at the helm, I'm blessed.
Asleep I fall, with faith so deep and real,
In the skill of the one who grips the wheel.

The road may twist, the night may steal the light,
Yet in these hands, I find my fear takes flight.
For just as in the car, I trust and feel,
So in life's drive, I pray, "Oh Jesus, take the wheel."

No matter the path, the steepness of the hill,
With Him guiding, my heart remains still.
Through storms and sunshine, His love does reveal,
Peace and Contentment, with Him at the wheel.

Each turn, each journey, His presence I feel,
In trust, I surrender, no longer to deal.
With faith, I travel, His strength as my keel,
"Oh Jesus, take the wheel," my soul's earnest appeal.

So as I ride, in passenger's seat or life's reel,
I'm comforted by His love, which forever is real.
With Jesus navigating, no fear shall I conceal,
For in His hands, true peace and contentment I feel. 

October 8, 2024
Created by
MarkWaldrop