I'm Free

Don’t mourn me here ‘cause now I am Free

I’m following the path God has made for me

He took my hand and I heard His call

I tell you now it is worth it all

I know my parting has left a void

Please remember to fill it with joy

Of all the good times and friendship shared

Don’t be burdened with sorrow and care

My life here was short but I savored much

Friends, family, and God’s gentle touch

Lift your heart and share with me

The joy in knowing, God has set me Free!

Wedding Day

It’s my Wedding Day such a happy occasion

Family and friends gather to reminisce the day when

I met my true love and my life changed for good

Garnered blessings from most though some misunderstood

The love that we share is genuine and true

Today is the day when we say I do

In front of these witnesses we pledge our love

Perfect and complete as from heaven above

We stand before the preacher to bless the union

He is perplexed and filled with confusion

Two men before me to bless this day

No blessings for you because you are gay

You were created in the image of God

To say you were born this way is really a fraud

His plan for you doesn’t include living in sin

You can’t marry a man it’s not in His plan

Condemned by government and all the church folks

Our love is ridiculed and the butt of their jokes

The sanctity of marriage weighed on the scale

Of justice and equality determined to fail

Sanctity is a strong word but I am sure it is true

Put you own marriage to the test and when you do

Be honest with yourself and really listen

To the words you use to condemn in an instant

While love is the answer and all we hold dear

Your words attack innocence and perpetuate fear

I will not be bound by your insolent words

I stand for equality and will not be deterred

I anticipate the day when civilization redeems

The travesty of justice and hope is gleaned

From the chaos contrived by religion and men

My heart will be ready and my invitation will stand

It’s my Wedding Day such a happy occasion

Family and friends gather to reminisce the day when

I met my true love and my life changed for good

Garnered blessings from most and no one misunderstood

We Need Another Drag Queen

There’s always a bit of truth in honored legends and fables

Sometimes more of one than the other from both sides of the table

I hear the story told about a drag queen and a shoe

And resisting arrest for something that, well wasn’t new

Being gay back then was really a horrific crime

You could be beaten or even killed - you weren’t worth a breath in time

But there were these drag queens who just wouldn’t give up

And settle for a life of bondage in the back of the bus

A little Inn called Stonewall is where it all took place

All because of ignorance and prejudice and hate

The cops pressed the queens and they had really had enough

Make no mistake about it a drag queen can tough

He has to be for all he’s been through

Maybe that’s why he decided to throw that shoe

The shoe that started a riot that’s how the legend goes

Truth or not – irrelevant I suppose

The truth is in the story or what can be gleaned

Remember Stonewall – we need another drag queen

Someone to stand up when “real men” are scared

Someone to face the bullets when no one else would dare

I didn’t know this young man the one who threw the shoe

But I’d like to hug his neck and tip him a dollar or two

Memories

Mama used to rock me in the whacky-bang chair

While words of Bye Oh Baby sweetly filled the air

She would rock me and pat me until asleep for the night

Then lay me down and tuck me in tight

The very thought brings joy and a smile to my face

Fond memories of childhood can never be replaced

Helen Hunt Jackson’s poem, September

She would quote and boast I still remember

She would speak of Zane Gray and the books that he wrote

 “Rider’s of the Purple Sage” was her favorite to note

She loved to cook, sew and grow in the garden

She was slow to anger and quick to pardon

Uneducated but intelligent beyond measure

Her every word without a doubt a treasure

Simple to most but those who knew her well

Knew of a story simple words could never tell

The meals she cooked would rival any chef’s

Using only the ingredients she had on the shelf

Flowers so beautiful one of every kind

That’s where she spent a lot of her time

Memories of childhood a complete delight

Great to brighten my day or night

Take a look back and I’m sure you will find

Those treasured memories way back in your mind

Home Alone Again

Home alone again

Respite for a while

Rest is but a moment

Whole world in denial

The pain the hand inflicts

May heal with time

Mild in contrast

To the anguished mind

Cover of darkness

Angels cry

Sing the baby’s lullaby

Sleep sweet baby on the breast

Motherly instinct know

Sleep to wake again

As angel with a bow

Fierce and mighty protector

For the children without a voice

The victory resounds in beautiful chorus

Where never a hand is raised

To brandish power or cause pain

To a little one who should be praised

Sleep sweet baby once again

Now the day is here

For you to wake again

And live without fear

Mom's 1-2-3-4 Cake

Mom’s 1-2-3-4 Cake

Prep Time:     10 min

Cook Time:    25 min

Yields:            3 layer cakes

Ingredients

·         1 cup (2 sticks) butter; room temperature

·         1 cup milk

·         1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·         2 cups sugar

·         3 cups sifted self-rising flour

·         4 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans. Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture. Add vanilla and continue to beat until mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4 inches above counter, then drop it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure a more level cake. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done (Insert toothpick into center of layer. If it comes out clean, cake is done). Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling racks. Cool completely and spread cake layers with your favorite frosting to make a 3-layer cake.

Snow White Icing

Prep time:      10 min

Ingredients

·         1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature

·         1 cup plain Crisco shortening, room temperature

·         6 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (more if needed)

·         3/4 cup (or less) heavy whipping cream

·         2 1/2 teaspoons clear vanilla

Directions

In a large bowl cream the butter and Crisco until light and fluffy. Add in the confectioners’ sugar until well combined. Add in vanilla then whipping cream ¼ cup at a time. Continue adding whipping cream until desired consistency is reached. Store in refrigerator.

Marshmallow Cream Icing

Prep time:      10 min

Ingredients

·         2 cups butter, room temperature

·         4 cups marshmallow cream (7 oz tub)

·         2 tsp vanilla extract

·         2 – 3 tsp milk

·         5 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions

Blend butter and marshmallow cream together until smooth. Add in vanilla extract and 2 tsp milk then blend in confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth. Continue adding milk until desired consistency is reached. Store in refrigerator.

Void

Questions

Worry

Fears

No one can see my tears

Confused

Hurt

Infuriated

My will destroyed

Obliterated

Palpable anguish

Pain realized

You act surprised

Scared little boy

Full of pain

Whole world lost

Nothing to gain

So messed up

Had to survive

Still alive

This is me

Or was

When life

Or the semblance of

Abandoned

A little boy

Alone

Forgotten

Void

Rattle Trap Car

Riding around in this rattle trap car

Borrowed from my brother it won’t get far

With a cardboard widow and screwdriver for the shift

And it smells really bad just give it a whiff

I park way in the back so they can’t see me pull in

But they see me anyway much to my chagrin

I get out of the car with a loud creak and a pop

Slam the door shut and the cardboard falls off

When it is time to leave I go get back in

But the key doesn’t fit you gotta jimmy it in

So here I am among the proper and prim

Trying to get the key back into the ignition

No one even bothered to ask if I needed a hand

I open the passenger side door and out fall the beer cans

At this point I could die or at least run away and hide

Why is this happening to me I cried

The car finally starts and I leave in a hurry

Have to be back at home by twelve-thirty

The car is returned no worse for the wear

I’ll never do that again because I just can’t bear

To be seen in this rattle trap Car

Borrowed from my brother it won’t get far

Hiding

Hiding; hiding for fear they will identify

Who I really am; they can see all the signs

I can’t be me because of hate and discrimination

Hard to believe that in the free nation

People have to hide for fear of being found out

Truly a sad state of affairs without a doubt

Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness

Only apply to a few good people I guess

For me, those words can’t ring true

When they are merely words

When societies perceived norms are disturbed

People become hostile, arrogant and rude

Not stopping to think that we are people too

They ask questions that no one should ask

So I try to fit in – put on a mask

But that doesn’t work it’s too hard a task

So I am just me; yes it is true

I will not conform or obey your rules

I will stand with my head held high

And I will be me until the day I die

Church

Church for me is a place of rest

A refueling station with all the best

Tools to get the job done right

To withstand all the pressures either day or night

Some say we’re too rigid – strict with rules

But that is not what is being offered to you

It’s all about love and peace within

And sharing that love in a world of sin

Yes we are all sinners that much is true

But the difference is we’ve accepted Christ’s love

It is offered to you too

There may be some changes that need to take place

But let God do the changing by his amazing grace

Don’t leave it up to a man of the cloth

To redeem your soul from sin and loss

Let Christ through the Holy Spirit claim your new birth

And he will give you peace on Earth

There is no denying this much is true

Christ died for the lost like me and you

Accept his love and be renewed

Follow in the ways the He has set forth

Claim your new birth and rely on His word

Love your neighbor as yourself

And call on Him when you need His help

No one is expected to make it alone

Let’s work together until time is gone

Making this world a better place until the day

When He calls us home to be with Him to stay

Awake

Awakened now I must face the day

Full of tasks and deadlines along the way

I hear the train just around the bend

I must be ready to jump on in

To take that ride as far as it goes

Not looking back, not holding on

Letting it take me wherever it will

Until it is time to jump off again

Each day is a journey for what it is worth

To treat each day as if it is my first

I try to start with a great attitude and smile

But that seldom lasts all the while

I am traveling along the rails of life

Without a choice of left or right

Or so it seems in the middle of the night

When I lay awake pondering the day

That has passed too quickly for me to say

Tomorrow is a new day to start again

May I find destination true; part of the plan

Full of purpose and hope and renewed energy – the end