For You
Poems of Faith, Hope and Love
By
Steven Clark
Copyright 2009 by Steven Clark.
And That Guy Media, LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in review.
That Guy Media, LLC
26 Nottingham Drive
Cartersville, GA 30121
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CONTENTS
New Horizons
She Can
The Wind and the Chimes
Sunrise
Just Another Memory
The Poet
What Happened to our Love?
You are so Beautiful
Sometimes
Alma Mater
Why Did It Have to End
God’s Gift
The Sea and I
My Rainbow
You’re Everything
Georgia, My Sweet Home
Take for Granted
She’s the Light
One With God
Wish You Were Here
I Was Once Your Hero
Used to Think
Tammy’s Poem
Lady
Cornerstone
Inspiration
These Things Are You
Tonight
Life’s Tragedy
Try Again
The Way That I Love You
Deep in our Hearts
Just Friends
Roses on the Table
A Poem to the President
Rose Piano
Where Has All The Love Gone
Some Short Stuff
Farewell
Love of my Life
When I See You
I Prayed For You Today
I’ll Remember You
How Time Passes By
Afterlife
Baby’s Poem
Just One More Time
Cartersville Daydreaming
In Jesus Christ
There for Me
PREFACE
Like all art, poetry tells a story. Poetry cleanses the soul. It reaches out to another person, whether friend or stranger, with an open hand. Poetry moves the heart. It is but a tiny voice that cries out to reshape a troubled world. Poetry is faith. Poetry is hope. Poetry is love. It reaches inside of us to create emotions previous unknown. Above all, poetry matters.
As the title suggests, this simple collection of poetry was written for you. It was written for you so that you might worship better and more fully. It was written for you so that you might see your God actively promoting your life. It was written for you so you might see your world, your family, friends and loved ones differently. It was written for you so you might learn a simple truth: that faith, hope and love when shared with others are never wasted, even when not returned.
I am not a professional writer or poet. Nor am I a doctor, psychiatrist, love guru or theologian. I am just a person who has sought a way over the years to express himself and tell his experiences. Ultimately, I found that way through poetry. I hope you will share this collection with others. I hope you will find your voice as well.
Few things in life are ever accomplished alone. This collection of poetry is no different. There are so many people and places over the years who have graced my life and blessed me with inspiration. I regret that I cannot mention them all here. However, there are a few I would like to name.
Thank you to my brother, Jeff, who was invaluable in getting my manuscript formatted properly for publication.
To my brother, Mike, for always being there for me.
To my mother and father, for the wisdom and guidance.
To my children, Justin, Jason and Brooke, you give me so much joy each and every day of my life.
Finally, to my wife, Leslie, who has stood by me through the years and continues to provide the inspiration for so many poems yet to write. I look forward to sharing many more sunrises with you.
Steven Clark
2009
TO MY WIFE
“When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the area of man’s concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.”
—John F Kennedy
New Horizons
You are One beside Me
And I have called your name
No longer must you live in fear
For My love has made you whole
I have always walked beside you
Ten thousand miles we have shared
I have known your pain and wonders
And your place I have prepared
Take My hand now humble servant
For you must soar above the clouds
And I will show you new horizons
And you will dance upon the sun
Do not fear the coming darkness
Nor the vastness of the tides
For I have shown you new horizons
And together, we shall rise
Into the hurt, you were My healing
Into the violence, you were My peace
Onto city streets and hearts of stone
You have carved My love
Your ways have made the blind ones see
Your words have glowed like fire
All who saw your deeds have known
The source of all your power
When you stumbled on the journey
So many mouths there were to feed
Remember the field was rich for harvest
And you were the sower of the seeds
Take My joy now humble servant
And you will soar above the clouds
And I will show you new horizons
And you will dance upon the sun
Do not fear the coming darkness
Nor the vastness of the tides
For I have shown you new horizons
And together, we shall rise
She Can
She can make me believe in myself
When I’ve run out of cards to play
She can be serious when I’m not
When I’m silent, she knows what to say
She can trap me into saying things
That I know will always be true
She can see through my outer defenses
But says, “I like the real you”
She can comfort me when I’m down
She can look through my little lies
She knows just what I’m thinking
When she stares into my eyes
She can understand my feelings
She knows me better than I do
How many times have I wanted to say it
Nothing can replace my love for you
The Wind and the Chimes
The wind blew across the desert
Laying waste to the vast ocean of time
All that was heard in the distance
Was a faint hum of chimes
No one knew where it came from
The wind was shocked and surprised
With the mass destruction it had dealt
How could man have possibly survived
It quickly changed its direction
And grabbed a storm cloud or two
Man must be destroyed, it thought
And that’s what I planned to do
The wind arrived on the edge of a city
Or at least what was left of one
But the wind had not blown this city down
This d
eed, man himself had done
People were moving in the streets
Probably searching for lost friends
But the wind did not share their sadness
As it swept them to their ends
But the chimes continued humming
So the wind continued its search
Finding nothing, it decided to move
To another region on the earth
In the smallest caves they hid
The last remains of man
Always fearing the wind
Surviving the best they can
The chimes continue humming
Almost like a dance
But really it’s just heaven opening
To give man another chance
Sunrise
Sunrise
Over the mountains
Makes me feel reborn
Makes me feel new
Sunrise
Over the mountains
Shows me a different life
Reminds me of you
I long to see the serenity of a calm, blue creek flowing
I long to feel the gentle breeze of a cool mountain wind
To know winter’s come with the very first snow
It makes me want to begin my life again
Sunrise
Over the mountains
Makes me feel reborn
Is nature’s beauty reserved to so few
It’s simplicity I cannot understand
The creatures that live there, how can they know
Nothing can compare to God’s great hand
Sunrise
Over the mountains
Shows me a different life
Makes me feel new
Sunrise
Over the mountains
Makes me feel reborn
Reminds me of you.
Just Another Memory
We had everything but time on our side
I remember walking hand in hand
What have I left behind
I remember how growing up could be so fun
We leave the pain behind us
Because what’s done is done
I remember how we laid down underneath the maple trees
You said that everything’s alright
As long as you had me
And it hurts me just to say good-bye
Try to fight the tears
‘Cause I hate to see you cry
And I don’t want you to be
Just another someone
Who writes me letters
And I don’t need another someone
To say my life was better
When I had you here
And there’s one thing I know you’ll never be
And that’s just another memory to me
Though miles may separate us and time flashes by
Sometime think about me
When you close your eyes
Have you lost to much sleep sitting by the telephone
And though it doesn’t ring you know
You never truly are alone
When we finally see each other
Will they call us old friends
I miss the special moments
Can we share those again
And you still look so good to me
And there’s one thing I know you’ll never be
And that’s just another memory to me
The Poet
I paint a picture with words
I write a novel on truths
I am the story of an old man dying
Still searching for his youth
I can make you believe in love
I create worlds I’ll never know
And when the pen falls down and the candles dim
I’m the man at the desk who’s alone
Reality, I leave behind
My voice is spoken but unheard
I am the product of all my work
My life is but a blur
I am the man with wealth and fame
I am the man out on the street
I am everything in between
Until society tramples her feet
I can make you believe in life
I create people I’ll never know
And when the pen falls down and the lights go dim
I’m the man at the desk who’s alone
What Happened to Our Love?
What happened to our love
The things we used to share
It’s so hard to believe
That you no longer care
I know we have our differences
I know we’re not the same
But you left without a reason
And you never did explain
What happened to our love
The nights along the shore
Now you’re like a stranger
I don’t know you anymore
I thought that it was special
Being near you all the time
But inside I sensed you changing
There are others on your mind
Can’t imagine that it’s all over
That the feeling has run dry
Still, I just can’t seem to find it
When I stare into your eyes
What happened to our love
I guess I’ll never know
You Are So Beautiful
You are so beautiful
I can’t believe the way you shine
In all the ways that I look at you
How I wish that you were mine
But I’ve watched the moments pass
All the words I just can’t say
How I wish that I was strong and still
I wonder why I’m so afraid
You are so wonderful
I can’t describe the way you are
As I sail beneath this peaceful sky
I see that you’re the brightest star
And I want to hold you close
And be the fire that keeps you warm
How I wish that you could trust in me
To be your shelter from the storm
You are so magical
I can’t believe that you are real
It’s hard to hide this emotion when
You’re so amazed at how I feel
And maybe I’m the fool to think
That I could ever make you see
Do you know only half the man
When there’s so much more to me
Sometimes
Sometimes
I wish I could explain
Just how beautiful you are
Both inside and out
Sometimes
I wish I understood
So I could give appreciation
Where it is so richly deserved
Sometimes
I wish that I could stand by you
To fight my personal battles
When I’m so willing to try
I’ve found a faith and a cause in you
Though it might not always show
When I search down in my soul
There’s so much you’ve helped me find
Sometimes
When I’m all alone
I think I hear you calling
And the road I’m on doesn’t seem that long
Sometimes
When the world has turned away
I see you reaching out
And I feel all the confidence you’ve given me
Sometimes
When I see I’m growing old
You show me new horizons
That I’ve never seen
Sometimes
When my dreams have faded grey
You give me some reality
So I find my path again
When I need a friend
You are here
To share the strength of your love
To guide me through the coming storms
Toward a calm and peaceful place
Still sometimes
When
I hear forever
I think of you and me
And inside, it doesn’t feel so bad
Sometimes
When it’s cold and dark
You give me your embrace
And my body becomes whole again
Sometimes
I know how much I care
And I wish that I could tell you
Sometimes
Alma Mater
For all the dreams we treasured
And had to leave behind
For all the memories we formed
And thought we’d never find
For the spirit in our souls
That we knew was always there
For the times that changed our lives
And the secrets that we shared
For all the many who made the one
And as the years roll by
We place our faith forever here
At Spanish River High
Why Did It Have To End (James at the Cross)
Why did it all have to end
When I thought we were only beginning
Now, we can never begin again
God, why did you have to die
And horror is all that I feel
We broke bread just the other day
Somehow, this just can’t be real
So where do we go from here
The candles have burned
The streets are all dark
The world has turned
Did you leave a mark
Now things just won’t be the same
I can’t believe you’re gone
I don’t understand why
You weren’t here all that long
How could you do all that had to be done
God’s Gift
When God made the flowing waters
Their beauty He gave to you
As the mountains rise to meet the sun
I’ll rise to meet you too
If I could witness all creation
What a joy it is to share
For earth is like heaven to me
Because God placed you there
For the reasons for my happiness
There’s so much you’ve helped me through
My life was not God’s gift to me
God’s gift to me was you
So another year has escaped us
There’s still so many more to see
Time has not changed your beauty
It still amazes me
For the rainbow is never changing
The stars will never fade