Happy Father's Day

Upon the walls of our home are pictures of our family;

The children when they were little and the adults they grew to be.

Dotted across the walls are the grandchildren

Who reminds us of our children as they were then.

We have been very blessed to have such a life filled with love

For this we should thank the Man up above.

I thank Him every day for sending you to me

For without you this family would never be.

I feel very blessed that you came into my life

And asked me to share your world and be your wife.

I want to take this time to tell you how special you are to me;

If you were not in my life, it would be so empty.

You have brought joy to my life as I see the grandchildren smile

When they get to see their Papa for a while.

You have filled my life with happiness in so many ways. 

I want to say, Happy Father’s Day, with all of my love, forever and always.

Carol Darlene Owens

Tribute to My Dad

When my dad joined the army and went off to war,

He knew exactly what he was fighting for;

To stand and protect those he was leaving behind,

And so every American could have peace of mind.

He fought so this country would remain free

And it would be a safer place for you and me.

He was fighting so we would have the right to vote,

And freedom for a newspaper to print a quote.

So you and I can choose where we live,

For this, his life he was willing to give.

A United States Army uniform with pride he wore.

An oath to his country with honor he swore.

Today, when a soldier in uniform I see,

I remember the things my dad taught me.

As long as the Stars and Stripes are in sight,

There will be brave men and women to continue the fight.

As I say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag flying high

I think of our men and women who were willing to die.

Because of them we can say “God Bless America” without fear.

For this, my heart fills with pride and to my eye brings a tear.

Let us all stand proud and tall with our hand across our heart

And remember how this great country got its start.

I say “thank you” to my dad for fighting for his country,

And returning safely to teach these things to my sister and me.

Carol Darlene Owens  

PAIN

I will not give in to you.

I will not let you control my life.

I will not give you power over me.

I will not let you destroy me.

I will defeat you.

I will overpower you.

I will keep control over you.

I will overcome your hold.

Pain, go away.

Pain, I do not want you.

Pain, you have no place in my life.

Pain, I am stronger than you.

I will not surrender to you.

I will face you head on.

Pain, you have been defeated.

I have survived another day.  

Carol Darlene Owens

Our Love

Our love has not been an easy love,

But it is a strong and enduring love.

It came upon us in the eyes of youth,

But somehow, even then, we knew the truth.

Many trials have filled our life,

But I never gave up on being your wife.

Even today, when I see your face,

My heart still begins to race.

I wouldn’t go back and change a single day,

I believe it was God’s plan for us to love this way.

Please know, forever and always, you are in my heart,

And I will proudly be your wife ‘til death do us part.

Carol Darlene Owens 

The End of the World?

They say the world is coming to an end.

Have you given this some thought, my friend?

If these things they say are really true,

How will the end come for you?

Perhaps, one can never be prepared

And, certainly, who wouldn’t be scared.

I’m sure the end will be different for everyone.

Will you be ready when the world is done?

I can only speak for me and not for you,

But I know there are things I still would like to do.

Only God knows for sure when the end will be,

So, for now, I’m going to enjoy the life He has given me.

Carol Darlene Owens

The Little Things

The passionate kiss goodnight,
The warmth of your body next to mine,
The gentle breeze of your breath on the back of my neck,
The soft groan you sigh as you drift off to sleep,
The way you reach for me in the middle of the night,
The tranquility of knowing you are beside me,
The things I take for granted when you are here,
The things I long for when you are away.

Carol Darlene Owens

Sleep

Sleep, why will you not come?

 I spend hours waiting for you?

So tired I have become,

Yet I still wait for you.

Sleep is what I need

And you have forsaken me.

Please answer my plea

And bring yourself to me.

Where are you when I need you most?

It’s as though I am being put to the test.

I feel today’s battle I have lost

And now my body needs to rest.

I await your arrival for hours on end,

I pray you will be here soon.

Although I may pretend

Without you I am out of tune.

The vicious cycle is never-ending.

Tonight and tomorrow night too,

My pleas I will be sending.

Sleep, I will be awaiting you.

 Carol Darlene Owens

I Want to Love You

I want to spend my life with you.

I want to wake up next to you.

I want to cry with you.

I want to laugh with you.

I want to grow old with you.

I want to share my dreams with you.

I want to see the world with you.

I want to conquer life’s mountains with you.

I want to take care of you.

I want to protect you.

I want to hold you.

I want to, forever and always, love you.

Carol Darlene Owens © 2011

Our Kids

When they take their first breath,

It takes our breath away.

When they take their first step,

We always remember that day.

The first day of kindergarten

We turn away to cry.

How excited they were,

They wouldn’t understand why.

Then there was their first date;

Oh, how fast they grew.

It seems like in a blink of an eye.

Wasn’t it just yesterday they were two?

Then the day we always knew would come;

They are now all grown.

Through their teen years they survived,

And now they have a family of their own.

When we look into our grandbabies’ faces,

It takes our breath away.

We see how much they look like them

And we brush our tears away.

Carol Darlene Owens (2011)

What Kind of Friend Are You?

Who have you been there for in your life?

Have you helped anyone deal with strife?

Have you been there when they needed to call?

Have you been there for a friend at all?

When someone needs you are you there

Or do you really even give a care?

When someone needs you to listen, do you hear

And show them there’s no need to fear?

Are you the one who will behind their back

Talk about them without knowing the fact?

Are you quick to make judgment on what they do

And don’t give them a chance to explain to you?

Perhaps you should see if these things

A familiar sound to you brings.

Is this how you treat the people you say

Are important to you in every way?

Perhaps someday you will need someone too

And they will be too busy for you.

Perhaps it is time to step back and see

Just what kind of friend you can really be.

Carol Darlene Owens © 2011

Internet Friendship

To share a word, a thought, a care.
To listen, comfort, a moment share.
A friend far away is always there,
As close as your desk and chair.

Carol Darlene Owens

Oh, Little Bird

Oh, little bird sitting in the tree
Steading yourself in the breeze.
With colors of yellow and gold,
Oh, what a sight to behold.
Oh, little bird flying across the sky
With grace and elegance you glide.
Without speaking a word,
We admire you, oh, little bird.
Oh, little bird, with innocent beauty
You go about your daily duty
Flying hither and yon
Until the day is all but gone.
Oh, little bird, as you fly away
Will you return another day
So we may watch with wonder
Your glorious beauty and splendor.

Carol Darlene Owens

Friend

The person who knows your darkest secrets
Someone who can read your innermost thoughts
A shoulder always there when you need to cry
Listening without breathing a sigh
Always there when you need advice
There to help without thinking twice
True to you until the very end
This is the person you call your friend.

Carol Darlene Owens

Words For You

With pen in hand,
The words start to flow,
Written on paper,
Before I even know.
With feeling in all
That is written down,
I'm never quite certain
How it will sound.
I just let the pen go
To do its job.
The words may hold
A laugh or a sob.
No matter how many
Or how few,
From the heart,
They are written for you.

Carol Darlene Owens

We Are Not Different

If I walk down the road and I look different from you,
Do you shun me?
If I smile at you and you do not know me,
Do you turn away?
If I speak to you and I am a stranger,
Do you respond?
If my skin is pale and yours is dark,
Are we so different?
If I call my God, God, and you call yours, Allah,
Does that make Him a different God?
If I speak English and you speak another language,
Does that make the words different?
If I show my face and you choose to cover yours,
Does that make me wrong?
If the Lord sees us,
Does He not see us as equals?
If the Lord truly loves us,
Does He love us differently?
If God created the world,
Did He not create us all the same?
If I go to Heaven because I believe, and you do too,
I will see you there.
If the Lord shines upon me for my Love of Him,
He will surely shine upon you too.

Carol Darlene Owens

Ol' Cowdog

Oh, that ol' cowdog,
He got lost in the fog;
Took him a day and a half
To find that darn calf.
He certainly was loyal,
But a pain he was royal.
In the back you would think he would ride,
But not this one, he preferred to drive.
Fell out of the back that first day.
After that he just said, "No way."
So I had to scoot him from behind the wheel;
My seat he was determined to steal.
There is nothing like an ol' cowdog, you see;
Never a woman so true could be.
He pines for you when you are away,
And beside you he will always stay.
So forget about your Poodles and Pekingese,
And go out and get you one of these.
Never a truer friend will there be
Than a good ol' cowdog, you'll see.

Carol Darlene Owens (c) 2007

The Bond

He is my husband, she is my wife

What you say about them will affect my life.

Perhaps you just do not understand

That our lives are linked by a little band.

Years ago we were joined with a vow.

What makes you think it will change now?

Love is what brought us together

And the bond we formed will last forever.

Perhaps you should step back and see

What you do to them, you do to me.

Carol Darlene Owens (c) 2011

Family

Family to me means those people who you go to when you need to cry.

They don't ask questions or persist to know the reason why.

Family to me means someone who looks at you with love.

They don't look to see what they can find to complain of.

Family is those people you know will be there when you need them.

They won't find an excuse why they can't but expect you to be there for them.

Family accepts the good and the bad about those they love.

They know that there may be a day when their loved one is taken above.

Family isn't the ones who sit around and try to find fault with others.

They are there to find ways to help and accept when it’s time to get together.

Family is those who love you with no conditions or exceptions.

They will love you through all the good times and misfortunes.

Family to me accept you as you are and do not sit in judgment of you.

They put their personal opinions aside and try to be there to support you.

Family to me means those who love you every day,

No matter what you have done or what you might say.

Carol Darlene Owens (c) 2011

Your Words

The words you said to me yesterday,

Do linger on my mind and in my heart today.

Those ugly hurtful words you did choose,

To the very core of my soul did bruise.

The memory forever in my mind is etched

Of how your cruel words reached

Into the depths of my heart and soul

And with spite they took their toll.

With no reason behind their force

And no inkling of any remorse

Forever changing our relationship

The words came like a battleship.

Perhaps someday I will come to mind

And you will in a moment find

The words in anger once you did use

Have caused a great deal for you to lose.

Carol Darlene Owens (c) 2011