Empress Pekingese

My Poetry Page

A Woman

This is written in the Hebrew Talmud, the book
where all of the sayings and preaching of
Rabbis are conserved over time.

It says: "Be very careful if you make a woman
cry, because God counts her tears. The woman
came out of a man's rib. Not from his feet to be
walked on. Not from his head to be superior, but
from the side to be equal. Under the arm to be
protected, and next to the heart to be loved."

A Christmas Dream

All during the holiday season, I prayed,
Lord please make my Christmas day,
A happy time with family and friends,
A joyous day from beginning to end.
My days are long and loneliness dwells
In my heart when I hear Christmas bells.
And each time I hear a Christmas song,
I’ve bowed my head and sang along.
As pain has filled my heart each day,
Though I’ve been alone, each day I’ve prayed.

Then on Christmas Eve as I turned out the light,
I prayed again this holy night.
When awakened by fluttering of angel wings,
I opened my eyes and heard them sing.
They lifted me up and carried me away,
And told me I’d spend Christmas day,
With loved ones who’d long since gone,
To have Christmas in their heavenly home.
They told me the Lord had heard my prayer,
And ordered them to take me there.

I stepped upon soft clouds of white,
And gazed at twinkling Christmas lights.
It was Christmas in Heaven
And I was amazed,
As I looked around in the misty haze.
And then I shuddered as I heard him say,
“Merry Christmas, sweetheart, Happy Christmas Day”.
My husband who I’d missed so much,
Now held me with the softest touch.
And then again I heard a sound,
And still amazed, I looked around.
There stood my Daddy who’d gone on too,
I cried as he spoke “I love you”.
And then I felt a gentle touch,
And saw my Grandma, I’d loved so much.
And as I stood there filled with love,
I saw my Mother and she held a dove.
And then I saw my aunt so dear,
Who faced her death without a fear.

Then they all gathered around by me,
And as I looked up I could see,
An angel holding my baby boy,
Who’d passed before knowing Christmas joy.
The angel placed him at my side,
And I held him close as still I cried.
My prayers were answered this Christmas day,
For I’d spent it with loved ones who’d passed away.

---Anita Riley

When I Am Old

When I am Old...
I will wear soft gray sweatshirts...
and a bandana over my silver hair...
and I will spend my social security check on my dogs.

I will sit in my house on my well-worn chair...
and listen to my dogs breathing.
I will go out on warm summer nights
and take my dogs for slow walks...
when my old bones will allow.

When people come to call, I will
smile and nod as Ishow them my dogs...
...and talk of them and about them...
the ones so beloved of the past ...
and the ones so beloved of today.

I will still work hard cleaning after them...
mopping and feeding and whispering
their names in a soft loving way.
I will wear the gleaming sweat on my throat
like a jewel, and I will be an
embarassment to my family...
who have not yet found the peace in being free
to have dogs as your best friends.

These friends who always wait, at any hour, for your footfall...
and eagerly jump to their feet out of a sound sleep,
to great you as if you were a god,
with warm eyes full of adoring love...
and hope that you will always stay.

I'll hug their little necks...
I'll kiss their dear sweet heads...
and whisper in their very special company...
I look in the mirror and see I am getting old...
this is the kind of person I am
and have always been.

Loving dogs is easy, they are a part of me.
My dogs appreciate my presence in their lives...
and I love their presence in mine.
When I am old this will be important to me...
you will understand when you are old,
if you have dogs to love too.

---Author Unknown

The Rose Beyond the Wall

Near a shady wall a rose once grew,
budded and blossomed in God's free light.
Watered and fed by the morning dew,
shedding it's sweetness day and night.

As it grew and blossomed fair and tall,
slowly rising to loftier height,
It came to a crevice in the wall,
through which there shone a beam of light.

Onward it crept with added strength
with never a thought of fear or pride.
It followed the light through the crevice's length
and unfolded itself on the other side.

The light, the dew, the broadening view,
were found the same as they were before,
and it lost itself in beauties new,
breathing it's fragrance more and more

Shall claim of death cause us to grieve
and make our courage faint and fall?
Nay! Let us faith and hope receive --
The rose still grows beyond the wall,

Scattering frangrance far and wide
just as it did in days of yore,
Just as it did on the other side,
Just as it will forevermore.

- A.L. Frink -

God Love Him Please

As he slipped away my heart felt cold,
And the gripping pain at once took hold,
My tears fell warm upon his head,
As I laid him softly in his bed.

God love him please, my heart cried,
My darling, Temper, my love, my pride.
The words rang out in my heart alone,
God love him please as You take him home.

I've lost my heart, the rest of it,
It's left a void, an empty pit.
I watched the stars and saw him there
With all the ones who left my care.

And now I'll sleep and dream of him,
As I saw him run and play with them.
God love him please, he's in Your care,
And tell him someday I will be there.

Anita Riley, March 2006

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