Letters from Kenny

Tell Me A Memory

2008-06-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

Carol and I play this game. "Tell Me A Memory" (I made it up)
She tells me one of her favorites and I tell her mine. It gets a little emotional (duh) ,but it does help me realize the wonderful life I have had.(here is the poem) hugs kenny

Tell Me A Memory
by kenny merrell

Tell me a memory of times past
where we captured the moon
the stars so bright we traced our name in the sky
Rainbows in bands of color bright
showed the way to treasures of the mind,
time was but a word and
dreams always had happy endings.
Tell me a memory as we sit holding hands
and cry of news of sadness and
think of the words “In sickness and in health” and
“For better or for worse “ which were only random concepts to contemplate
Now each day becomes a memory
As sunrise and sunset become brighter, purer,
a precious gift from our Lord and Savior
we share with each other and marvel at such a life
Tell me a memory
Where “Now I lay me down to sleep”
Etched in stone ,tossed into the sea
Tells a memory

Love Of Carol

2008-04-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

Love of Carol

by kenny merrell

Soft laughter fills the air

While we sit and reminisce of happy times

Such joy of mind,

Just within the touch of a gentle breeze

Time seems to have no movement

Slowly we grow young in each other’s eyes

Remembering a time and place

We were locked

In each others heartbeat

Movement is unnecessary

When we feel once again first love

Your name on my lips

With every breath I take

Pulls you deep inside me

A Father's Face, A brother's Love

2007-11-05T12:39:00.000-08:00

I see his face reflected in their eyes
Their facial characteristics meld into one
Such recognition brings memories unbidden
I think of ancient times of past glories of youthful endeavor
Where games of King on the Mountain,
Kick the Can and Hide and Seek the only trophies won
Where thoughts were of only here and now

I see his face in his children’s features
It makes me long for golden times
Where I followed in his footsteps ever
Never keeping up, but trying to measure up within his gaze
He would say go home, go home
With hero worship in my eyes I would follow
I never measured up to my older brother’s ways

I see his face when his children speak
His daughter and sons all have
The same intelligence in their eyes
A sense of knowing
A humorous look at life’s trials
Bravery beyond compare
How else will I cope
When no longer I can see his face
Only in his children’s eyes

I see a lifetime in my brother’s picture
A pose of hero worship gently formed
Where only a moment was captured,
But must now last a lifetime of memory

I see a glimpse within the mirror
Reflections only show the sadness in my eyes
No longer will there be a brother’s welcome
Now I must wait till eternity

Sorrow's Door

2007-09-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

Sorrow's door
By Kenny merrell

I knocked upon sorrows door
And cried, “no more, no more!”
Release me from this pain I feel
Hold my hand until it’s time to go
Count the years from dusk to dawn
Seemingly one long day
Where once I tripped and fell
Into a burning maelstrom
Now all that’s lefts are recriminations felt
In desperation I cry
Oh, Lord, please hold my hand
Please hold my hand
Please hold my hand
Memories have become my salvation
Love from past reflection
I now live within my experience
Trying hard to repent
And say I’m sorry for the things I’ve done
Never realizing in the end we all pay
Never will there be
Enough time
Oh Lord, please hold my hand
Please hold my hand
Please hold my hand

DEWDROPS

2007-08-27T12:02:00.000-07:00

Dewdrops
by kenny merrell

A world is seen between the green of lacy leaves and dewdrops in morn just before the sun begins to shine
Brilliance reflects as first light illuminates
And diamond like the colors coalesce to stories of the mind
I sit and wonder, Is this God’s plan ?
Has beauty been my only guiding light?
Must I sit and live in memory way into the night
Oh how beautiful, the colors sooth my mind
In wonderment, I sink to knees of creaking sounds and groan, to remember how long it has been
I say a prayer of thankfulness and
Count my blessings on my hand
A marriage with such happiness I fear
Someone will take away the one I hold so near
Such silly thoughts are tossed away
And I begin again,
Ah, but this is the problem
Every prayer I say must begin with thankfulness in kind
I must ask for protection for the ones I love
And then:
The beauty surrounds me and is always on my mind
Dew drops sparkling on lacy leaves of green
Mornings of memories
God’s benevolence and my joy of just being here alive

You Take My Breath Away

2007-08-08T11:16:00.000-07:00

My heart beating in perfect symmetry
Speeds up whenever you’re around
I feel that same attraction
I cannot slow it down
This love is automatic
It never drifts away
Each breath I take instinctively
Is deeper when you stay
So linger for a little while
Let’s talk of feelings from above
Of when we met and what we said
and how we fell in love
Stand close, let your hand, linger on my cheek
I have such feelings for you, it’s difficult to speak
Lets remember all the moments
Making us closer with each day
Being with you darling
Takes my breath away

By Candlelight

2007-07-29T11:17:00.000-07:00

Soft glow of flaming tapir
Shadows flickering on the wall
Outlines of beauty highlighted
Projected power to enthrall
Muted music in classic melody
Words tied to soft refrain
Oh to glory in the moment
Those youthful feelings to regain
How swiftly this lifetime movement
Was this person really me
To slay the dragon and save the princess
A love to last for eternity
Now drink the wine of our contentment
Enjoy the roll of distant drum
Start the contest over
I feel that I have just begun

2007-07-04T15:07:00.000-07:00

Like Musketeers of Old
by kenny merrell

I saw a thin line appear in the worry zone of your face
I wanted to reach up and wipe it from your brow
What ever happened to that fierce love we shared
Where being apart even a second was pure agony
Over the years a new love has grown
Keeping a love of intense fire
Which flickered as it burned
Now, it has become one of steady intensity
Each year a new fuel has kept it burning
Lovers then friends then lovers again
Each crisis of life adds another piece of armor
To our love affair
One for each other our motto be
Like musketeers of old
Show me the beauty of your aura once more
Let the flickering colors continue
Look at me with the desire in your eyes
Hold me tight within your sanctuary
Calm these fears of losing you to that cruel fate of death
May we continue in the afterlife as one soul
Together ever more

At My Death

2006-11-30T11:44:00.000-08:00

At My Death
by kenny merrell

Bury me not amongst the forgotten marble stones
I desire not to molder within the tired gaze of perplexed angels
Rather take my husk of carcass decimated by life’s lessons and
Thrust it into the depths of cremations fiery furnace
Carry the ashes in the most simple of container
Empty within the depths of the oceans blustering waves
Or mix among the roots of gentle trees
No written memory do I long for,
Only thoughts from friends and family
I leave no mark of famous outcome
Just remember all my love that still remains
In dreams I will come and visit
And in tranquil setting we will be together once again

Golden Memories

2006-11-20T15:11:00.000-08:00

Golden Memories
By Kenny merrell

Light the candles
Bask in warmth of memories
Gilded tapestries of life’s sojourn
Moments pass in strikes of lightning
And fifty years in quicksilver haste
I see such beauty in my lover’s motion
Her grace still there defeating time’s mournful pull
Slow down these mortal passages
With princely, thoughtful pause
Toast only to the present
But remember love’s luxurious happenings
Our journey will be written
In terms of grace and beauty
A love story told to grand children
On nights when sleep won’t come
Into the future we will be remembered
Our life a model to them all

Carol's Poem

2006-11-13T13:03:00.000-08:00

Carol’s poem

“Sometimes
It seems
We have known
Each other forever
And
Sometimes
It is so new
It seems
As if we
Just met
Yesterday."

Till Then

2006-11-10T08:44:00.000-08:00

Till Then
by kenny merrell

Dreams wrapped in multi layered feelings
Held together by words of soft consolation
Parting, For just one moment, So difficult to bear

Till Then
When meetings once more coincide
What will we talk of when time has past
Will it still be the same or
Must we change with each passing moment

Your direction
Has made a better me
I fear my days will no longer be the same
With you no longer there
So, till then, I wait for your return

Some Mermaids Can't Swim

2006-10-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

Some Mermaids Can’t Swim
by kenny merrell

Some mermaids can’t swim
They flounder
Swept up onto the rocks
With heavy-laden hearts
Drowning in their own inaptitude
I hear their plaintive call
Rescue me
Foghorns accompany their song
Foggy nights I listen
Wishing I could rescue just one
I see her in my dreams
Forlorn
Bedraggled
Waiting for a champion
Salty, the air smells
Just the hint of the dream remains
It is the tears I taste

Picture In Red Satin

2006-09-25T16:26:00.000-07:00

Picture In Red Satin
by kenny merrell

In darkness stands a young lover
His heart is filled with longing for
His one and only true love
He is waiting at her door
The porch light suddenly illuminates
The flowers in his hand
A first impression to the parents await him
Will they understand?
She stands in a dress of red satin
As he enters through the door
The mom and dad are there beside her
Oh how beautiful, so much to adore
Do you respect the trust we give you?
She is our only child
Can’t you tell by the love light shining?
Her happiness is all I desire
The mother produces her camera
The daughter so embarrassed and shy
The father his chest expanded
Is there a tear springing from his eye?
A flashbulb freezes time forever
A scene looked at time and time again
The picture to be for always
Although the paper worn and thin
Locked now within their album
Photo muted with age
Memory serves them better
As they slowly turn the page

The Last Exhalation

2006-09-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

The Last Exhalation
by kenny merrell

What will the feeling be, the last exhalation?
Will the soul be within that last breath
Free at last to seek heavens door?
So seldom able to reflect on past events
Is it dormant within the heart
To ponder on the teachings
Is salvation still within the grasp
Or must the soul wander
Till that final day
When all are called to be judged
Upon their merit
The reflection of a mans persona
Is best described by others,
Who will be my witness?
Who will be my champion?
Or will I stand upon my own actions
Slowly I must take in each cleansing breath
Reflecting on his promise
Knowing full well I will never know
Until
The last exhalation

Summer Romance

2006-08-25T16:26:00.000-07:00

Summer Romance
by kenny merrell

I think of you in summer
White hot
Scorching my very soul
Sizzling sounds in the sunlight
Lost within the moment of a kiss
Inflamed I whimper in madness
Withering heat intense beyond belief
We met within the summer heat spell
You my only relief
I think of you as the cooling breeze at midnight
My oasis as I face a life of thirst
You my only salvation
My one and only from the first
How cool I feel when I hold you closely
My heart rhythmic in my chest
A summer romance turned into a lifetime
The flame forever at its best

When Shadows Fall

2006-08-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

When Shadows Fall
by kenny merrell

When shadows fall as sunlight pales
And evening overtakes the day
We stand in awe as nighttime sounds
Make symphonies of nature’s way
Hand in hand we marvel and wonder how
We arrived at this, our moment in time
To greet our love in memories
Oh! Such a life to live divine
In a cosmos of wild energy
Explosions filled the air
As we laugh and dance recalling,
Such a torrid love affair
How simple we thought it was to marry
And begin a life brand new
Never giving second thoughts of
The trials we traveled through
Now we stand upon this mountain high
And thank the Lord above
As shadows fall and once more
We live our life in love

Summer Treasures

2006-06-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

Summer Treasures
by kenny merrell

Oh what a glorious sound
As we reflect on natures bounty
Birds’ songs in sparkling morning sun
Who else but you and I will reflect in all his glory
A love song lived by you and I
And then the years pass
Each moment becomes more precious
As we review the choices we made in life
It was a grand passion
Living within the moment
Now reflection seems to the only path
How sweet the sounds of summer treasures
We continue on with no fear or dread
Only together will we triumph
And live in sweetness
Comforted by the memories we have shared

Sentimental Treasures

2006-06-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

Sentimental Treasures

by kenny merrell

Cleaning out the closet
I discovered a box
Tied with a ribbon of long ago
Battered and forlorn from too many moves
Forgotten, tattered and torn
Oh! but the treasures locked inside!
Many sentimental treasures I found.
There were memories I’ve forgotten
Of melodies sung
Trinkets of lovely sounds
A button, a necklace, a round river rock
Some theater tickets from a forgotten show
I was holding a lifetime of memories,
Tied with a beautiful bow.
It made me wonder
What our children would think
If discovered after we were gone
Would they realize?
They held our life
In the palm of their hand.
Could they feel the romance in our soul?
After a few tears were shed
I once more hid the box
Anticipating our next anniversary
I reflected on the joy with you I would share.
What a treasure to find unexpectedly!

i miss going to church with my Mom and Dad

2006-06-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

I miss going to church with my Mom and Dad
I remember those hot summers at the Ashley Road Baptist Church. I was 11 years old and where in my Sunday Morning Meeting tennis shoes (the same ones I wore every day) my wrangler denim pants (those cheap ones not the Levis) and my Goodwill shirt I would learn about Hell fire and Damnation. Each person gave you a friendly Christian greeting as you lined up to fill the church pews. Seating all seemed to start from the back to the front. You didn’t want to be getting to Church too late or you would be sitting right on the front row. This was a dangerous place to sit because you were right under the eye of the preacher. The preacher’s Daughter or Son usually had to sit on the front row. They wouldn’t talk to you and would continually shush you if you tried to talk to them. When the sermon started we would sing those old gospel songs. Everyone had one of those cardboard fans with a picture of Jesus on it and usually some kind of scripture that was hard to read because it was written in fancy script and usually they were in motion. They had a wooden handle, a little bigger than an ice cream stick and they only lasted a few Sundays. It would be so hot the sweat would roll off your face. The loud yelling of the preacher mentioning what sinners we all were didn’t help much either! I usually started to twist and turn about halfway through the sermon knowing I was on my way to eternal damnation. I would always have to go to the bathroom halfway through the sermon. I would twist and turn holding on to the front of my pants giving that look of extreme pain. When my Mom would whisper,” I told you to go before we got into church!” I would moan in my most dramatic voice, “I did, but I have to go again!” The Church had an old outhouse out in the back of the church and I would feel so free as I ran back, locked the door, and know that once again I had escaped retribution! Timing was very critical and I tried to make sure that I didn’t return until after the Invitational was over. I never got it right! As I would walk in the Preacher would be just starting the invitational. In the background everyone would be singing “Jesus Is Calling” The song would go on and on sometimes for an hour (at least it seemed like an hour) My stomach would be growling and I knew the fried chicken was already cooked from the night before and just waiting for us to get home.
“Come home, Come home , ye who are weary come home.” Over and over and over. I really really wanted to go homeand eat!
After the service the preacher would stand at the door and shake each persons hand and you knew as he looked you square in the eye that he was counting up your sins and reserving a place in Hell for you. Oh how I miss those days going to Church with my Mom and Dad, but NOT MUCH!

Contemplations Of Life

2006-05-09T15:03:00.000-07:00

Contemplations Of Life
by kenny merrell

In the corner of the room
Sits a chair in soft repose
On a table sits a lamp of cheerful brightness
And a vase with one red rose
I spend my time in gentle contemplation
Thinking thoughts of yesteryear
A book I glance at occasionally
Just because it’s here
More importantly I daydream
Thinking thoughts of a long ago
When life was simple
Loving and living, automatic
The path to future events not so far to go
The world spinning
Each day, living in the moment
No thoughts of retribution entertained
Reflections of past events
Now all is seen at an end
Could I have loved any stronger,
Been kinder still, struggled harder
Accomplished more with a stronger will
We all have these doubts
Never when we are young
Immortal beings ,we,
When life has just begun

The Feeling Is Still There

2006-05-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

The feeling is still there
by kenny merrell

Lately in my life
I’ve become accustom to
A forgetfulness of intention
Oh by the way, did I tell you,
Of the forgetfulness,
I forgot to mention?
It strikes when I am not aware
Or during stressful situations.
Embarrassing as it is, I make excuses
To explain this inattention
Birthdays, anniversaries,
Any holiday, creeps up without recollection
On Sunday morn I even forget to
Put money in the collection
I now must face the realization
‘Tis age related indiscretions
And when I forget our anniversary
Believe me when I say
I had all the good intention
To buy flowers or a dinner out
A gigantic celebration
My memory is gone
But I’ll never forgot the sensation
Of bright stars, moonlit nights
With you by my side
A marriage made in heaven
"Now, did I take you out for our anniversary
Or was that last year?"

springtime

2006-04-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

Springtime
by kenny merrell

Soft and silent drips the tears of winters last snow flake
And moisture tempts the seed to gently sprout
Springs breath upon the snowy hill evaporates
As gentle tendrils slowly lift their heads
‘Tis spring that covers all the landscape
Hearts asleep in winter’s cold begin to slowly stir
Their beat slowly quickening within their murmuring
Love gentle and caressing’, as gentle as flowers in first bloom
A young man’s fancy turns to courting
He spies the beauty, which only shines, within his eyes
He kneels on bended knee requesting
Oh how the light outlines her visage
As she gives the answer, yes, and then time flies
Each year makes the two a little closer
Each year through good times and the bad
Each year He asked “Oh, Please! Just a little longer”
Without your love I surely will cease to be
And now the season once again must alter the beginning
Living now only in their memory
She remembers him as gentle as the snowflake
He remembers her as soft as spring’s first rose

The Ceremony

2006-03-22T08:42:00.000-08:00

The Ceremony

A couple stands within
The circle of God' sacred altar
Repeating vows passed down from ancient time
It matters not the venue
Be it lofty church, courthouse steps
Or the strip in Las Vegas town
Delivered by a man of holy letters,
A justice of the peace, a man dressed as Elvis Presley
‘Tis the words that make the solemn pledge resound
The union will be written in God's Holy Journal
To remain forever locked in rhyme
It may only be a whispered tender voice
Saying, “I love you!”
Such renderings happen all the time
They stand poised upon a life, devoted to love
Two hearts beating as one. With future happiness to share
Love has turned their lives around
No longer living in despair

Kenny Merrell

Copyright ©2006 Kenny Merrell

Bouquet of Memory

2006-01-15T14:31:00.000-08:00

I lie in fields of memory
Picked as moments,
Savoring
Through minds eye,
A reverie, empowering
Each petal full of promise
Making bright bouquets,
Flowering
Colors surrounding, ecstasy
Love's gentle kiss
No longer denying
Only asking how long, how long
Will memory serve this longing
Soft as life from a lover’s breath
I whisper to you, softly
Only our mind will understand the answer
And live on happily through a benevolent Savior
Time we share upon this earth will blossom
Creating beauty beyond understanding
Marking this the utmost undertaking

Reflections

2005-12-30T08:16:00.000-08:00

Reflections
by kenny merrell

Music drifts through the night
We gaze into the heavens
Watching the stars send a message
In Morse code
Some dots and dashes
Spelling out time, place and incident
Reflections of the past
A kaleidoscope of memories
Together on the last day of the year
Bringing-certain absolutions
Songs of memory, joint resolutions
Promises made and kept
Love and romance
Deep mysteries of heart and soul
Our eyes lock in reverie
Each seeing a moment in time
Where love was so fresh
Each clinging to that moment
Awaiting what will be new as the old year
Is Ushered out
And we begin this romance anew

My Christmas

2005-12-27T12:57:00.000-08:00

This year I had the assignment of putting the lights on the tree. Usually my daughter-in- law ,Sandy,does it . She is an interior designer so her Christmas tree lights are always spectacular . She was very busy at home because her sister was coming to stay with them over Christmas, so I got the job. Might I say mine was a little less than spectacular. LOL I did get the lights strung but I made the mistake of reading all the safety precautions and did every thing that was just opposite of what I was supposed to do. This resulted in the fuse blowing (three times ) on the very first string of lights causing all of the lights to go out each time. I finally figured out NOT to put all the lights in one long string and FINALLY got the lights to stay on. Carol put all the other stuff on the tree, but by that time I was pretty much ready for the tree to come down. LOL We usually leave the tree up until after New Years ,but I heard rumblings from Ms Carol about maybe this one would come down early. I think next year Sandy will have to resume her duties as Christmas tree lighter. We had a wonderful Christmas (as long as you didn't look at the tree)

We Had My two sons , their wives, and children here to open gifts. We draw names among the adults and then the 4 grand kids draw names among themselves. Carol always buys numerous presents for each Grand Child. so we start from the Youngest (Sophia )to the Oldest (Me) and each opens one gift. My Daughter Shannon, who lives in Colorado sent each of us a gift. When I t was time to open my first gift my Grand Daughter, Hannah brought a present over that she had wrapped.(It was a memory book from Shannon) In it was a story written by each of my family. Titled memories of Kenny. Carol, Ken, Shannon ,Rod, Sandy Laura, Justin ,Kristyn, Hannah, Eli, Evan and Sophia each added one story. I was completely blown away. After I read it. I used sign language to get the attention of Carol (I was blubbering so hard I couldn't talk) She interpreted me correctly and asked my oldest Son to read it for me. He did great until he got to the part his wife Sandy wrote, then, He said I can't read any further and gave it to my younger son ,Rod,to finish up. We were all laughing and crying at the same time.It was quiet remarkable! (to say the least!) Hannah was given the task to contact each member of the family , get their story, then put it all together. (She is 14) She did a very professional job. It really turned out great! If you could have seen how this event pulled the family so close together , I think we would all send a memory book to each person we love. WOW just to have all those accolades makes a person feel ten feet tall. This Christmas will have a gold star put next to it and I will take the memory out all through the year to savor it again and again . Kenny

Letters from Kenny

2005-11-22T12:57:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2005

Carols from the heart
by kenny merrell

We set out to sing our Christmas Carols, on a cold wintry day
Each home we greeted warmly, when asking us to stay
Singing from the heart, we never felt the cold
Songs we sang from childhood, standards never too old
At dusk we reached the last stop, only one candle light seen
The glow so soft and flickering, at first, no one home, it seemed
From the doorway two figures huddled, shivering in the cold
A husband and his wife exclaiming,
" Oh dear, you're wonderful, a joy to behold!"
It's our Diamond Anniversary!
Her voice so old and quivering, the sentiment so sincere
We asked, "Pray tell us, what song you wish to hear?"
Whispering to each other, the old man said so soft,
"Sing the one my Mother taught me, The Old Rugged Cross"
As we sang the first note, we all felt a tear
It made our voices resonate, our vibrato loud and clear
As we all strained to finish, a song so dear to us all
We noticed the two forms receding, disappearing into the wall
"Just a trick of light", we exclaimed! As we hurried to warmth and family
In bed that night, reviewing the sight, I was sleepless in misery
I hurried out at morning light, to solve something I couldn't believe
How could such events happen and on a Christmas Eve?
When I reached the front yard, the house was empty, deserted for years
A neighbor explained the sad event, holding back her tears
The old couple had frozen to death, twenty years ago,
On their anniversary,
You remember that Christmas Eve, when we had all the snow?
I felt so dejected and unhappy, to the sadness of it all
Christmas, a time for renewal, as the snow began to fall
But through all its misty beauty, I could still faintly hear
The song that gave them joy, briefly, for another year
"On a hill far away stands an old rugged cross.........."

Remember the true meaning of Christmas
With love Kenny and Carol

Letters from Kenny: Letters from Kenny

2005-11-09T14:01:00.000-08:00

A Cowboy
by kenny merrell

Cowboys are heroes to us common folk
They seem to have the way to live
They look you in the eye
Their bond is the word they give
No more than a handshake is needed
Honor is their way
Polite by dang you betcha!
But they always have their say
They are slow and easy
But don't get em riled
They can slow walk an ornery hoss
They can make the girls go wild
Once they make up their mind
They are loyal to the end
The women folk adore them
And the men folk call them friend

Letters from Kenny

2005-10-19T09:15:00.000-07:00

Sweet Fantasy
by kenny merrell

On nights when sleep becomes impossible to reach
Where thoughts go racing in time with quickly beating heart
I pray for inner calm and connection to a loving Savior's hand
I n thankful recognition of prayer I find such joyful peace
Granting release of nighttime cares and worries of life's trials
Releasing me to a wondrous night of joy
Where sweet fantasy relives those precious days gone by.
Each person in my life reviewed with love
Times where only goodness seem to reign
I wile away the hours in grateful solitude
Remembering when youth held the future in their grasp

evening romance

2005-07-09T15:28:00.000-07:00

I have been writing poems for anniversary announcements on myfamily.com .This site is Fifties Harlandale High School members
One of the members makes up the card and I provide the poem. This poem is for a member who looks at the site ,but never comments. He is described as a very quiet individual. I was fantasizing that beneath that quiet exterior was a raging romantic! LOL Here is my poem for his anniversary of 37 years.

Evening Romance
by Kenny merrell

We sit, quietly, in light conversation
Evening romance at dinnertime
If I but had the words to tell you
Of such a love as mine
Oh wondrous face of starlight beauty
Pale luminescent tune
Faint pale light in glorious presence
Held safely to a lofty gloom
What matters beauty in softly wrinkles
How glorious in summertime swoon
In nighttime lunacy forever
Howling loudly at the moon
Barking fourth a love which
Naught else matters
Save lasting fortunes to in tale
Only tales of midnight fancy
Brought about by windy gale
Silence, silence, silence,
Calls quietly from inside
Only thoughts in mind of
Temperate lofty manner
Feelings so intense I cannot hide
Be still, be still
Soft beating heart
Heap praise upon
This wondrous personage
Of lovely mien
Sit still, sit still, pay homage
Until time ceases forever and
Oceans still their raging tide
Let not the ravages of nature
Remove you ever from my side
Just thoughts revealed
In contemplation
Sanity returning in awhile as
We sit, quietly, in light conversation
Evening romance at dinnertime

Days of Wonder

2005-07-08T10:11:00.000-07:00

Days of Wonder

Take me back in time
Where memory’s quest shows
Days of wonder shinning bright
Lying still in darkness
No thoughts of sadness in the night
Just living life with no regret
No thoughts of mortal decision met
Wrapped in serenity’s arms
Heartbeat proclaiming past memory
Where chains of circumstance
Determined life’s uncertainties
Friends, lovers, past events
Tear stained annuals revolve into history
Announcing faded dreams
Desperately holding on to sanity
At first light slowly evolving back to reality
Reviving thoughts when first we met
Beginning our life’s destiny

Kenny Merrell

R V Interlude

2005-07-04T10:35:00.000-07:00

R V interlude
By Kenny merrell

A slight breeze rocks the RV
Movement from an errant wind
Faint trails of first light
Haunts the corner of our rolling home
We wait for daylights first kiss
To be upon the road once more
Life’s pleasures awaiting our movement
Sky brightens with colors of
Pink to rosy hue
Get up sleepy head! Time to move!
Mumbles from under covers
But coffee’s calling with
Indescribable pleasures
From the sense of smell
Ah, Life!
We only celebrate one
And ours must be the movement of the highway
New territory to conquer
New sites to see
The joy only heightened
By the delight of seeing it with you!
Love comes but once to such as I
Made only more precious by a road to travel

Butterflies and Roses

2005-06-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

Butterflies & Roses
by kenny merrell

As a child my Mother told me
Of Angels in Heaven above
And how they sent the butterfly
To tell us of their love
How heaven would protect us
Locked within their arms
And someday they would direct us
To our soul mate full of charms
My angel walks the earth
I see her standing there
Beauty ingrained within
Light shining on her hair
I give her this bouquet of roses
To proclaim an undying love
And thank my guardian angel
In heaven up above

An Evening At Sunset

2005-06-03T14:46:00.000-07:00

An Evening At Sunset

An evening at sunset
Sitting in the garden
Sun slowly diminishing
Streaks of red and orange fill the sky
Shadows emerging
Quietness prevails
Time for gentle reflection
As time slows and evening falls
Where will we travel
In solitudes comforting caress
When will we be called
Returning to God's nest
Time on earth, fleeting
Praying for guidance, divine
Needing you in my arms
For comfort sublime
Years upon years
All in their place
Each day a day of love and comfort
Each day a day of grace

Kenny Merrell

Copyright ©2005 Kenny Merrell

"broke" for awhile

2005-05-29T21:49:00.000-07:00

I have been"broke" for awhile. I lost all my e-mail addresses . So e-mail me and I will get back to you.

mothers day introspective

2005-05-06T12:14:00.000-07:00

This was written by my cousin Sherry Lucantonio. I wish to share it with you.

Mother's Day - now I'm the 'main' (read-oldest) mother - as the mother of male children it is always a problem - the son's have to take care of their wives and make sure their kids do the right thing for mom too - And, then they need to try to make sure I'm 'on the list' of being honored. It gets so complicated - I just want to make it easier by leaving town. It is always a bittersweet day. And, I find as I get older, I feel more isolated - I don't like being the one "in charge" - the one that's supposed to have all the answers... I don't even know all the questions! I always feel like I'm "faking it" somehow... I wonder if my mom felt the same way...

I find myself thinking of my mom more and more often... I'm sure a psychiatrist would find that 'very interesting,' but I find it comforting somehow. I do wish, however, I could stop tearing up every time - but I think it's because I miss her. I have so many more things to tell her and so many more times to say, "you were so right!" ...

I wish I'd paid more attention to how she 'did' things, from cooking to sewing to making Christmas so glorious, mystical, and magical...

She and dad taught us - showed us - a deep abiding love of God, and though we didn't belong to any special church, we learned to worship God and do our best to keep all of His Commandants and to somehow find and develop our own personal commitment to Him...

She taught us by example how to love deeply and passionately, so deep and passionate was mom and dad's love of each other, it's no wonder it took all of us some time before we found that 'right' one for ourselves...

She taught us respect for our bodies, ourselves, our family, our nation and the land; we would sooner swallow worms than litter...

She taught us to learn from mistakes or misfortune, to find one good thing from disappointment; to hate bigotry, duplicity and hypocrisy; and to not take ourselves - or life - too seriously...

And she taught us to laugh; laughter was a tonic, a curative, a stimulant, and strengthener we were given as one is given a daily dose of vitamins...

I remember when we - at a certain age - thought we were so much smarter than either of them, and she let us believe it; and she would just quietly smile when we found out we weren't...

I remember the times she would stay up all night typing my term theme - due the next day - and she didn't yell or make a fuss that I had, once again, waited until the last moment...

I don't remember any "I told you so" 's or "if you'd only listened" - I do remember that look of disappointment of her face when I had really screwed up -and that that was the worst feeling in the world; I remember, then, her asking 'why' and "what do you intend to do to make sure this doesn't happen again..." And, later, her taking me into her arms and telling me she loved me and it wasn't the end of the world...

I wonder what kind of job I have done as "mother" - what will my kids remember about me...?

We- moms - have such a lot of responsibility - did I give them what they needed - when they needed it? Did I fail them when they needed me most? What's my job now? I thought I would have more answers now that I'm sixty. When will wisdom come...

Mothers Day

2005-05-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

It was such a difficult time standing in the viewing room looking at my mom.
I stared above her head wishing there would be her spirit waiting there for me.
I thought if I could turn my head quick enough she would be standing behind me and I could see her once again. I stayed the whole time staring hoping, but, no, there was nothing. I could feel no sense of her. She was gone forever and now could only live in my mind. I wrote this and after review I realized what a spoiled kid I still was when it concerned my Mom . This poem only emphasizes how I was only thinking of myself.

Mother Oh, Mother
By kenny merrell

Mother! Oh, Mother
Who will caress my wrinkled brow
Tell me to continue, somehow
Put me on the road to righteousness
Stop my tears with just a kiss
Mother! Oh, Mother
Where have you gone
Leaving me in such a world
How will I carry on
God in all his wisdom
Took you to a better place
Noticed your beauty of soul
And all your grace
Mother! Oh, Mother
I will miss you so
Please come in dreams and visit me
So I will know
You are still within my realm
Of consciousness
So in slumber I will not miss
Those old time gospel songs
You sang to me
Kept me in a state of harmony
And now how will I carry on
HOW WILL I CARRY ON!
Mother! Oh, Mother.

a poem written by my cousin, Kathy Morin

2005-04-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

Here's a poem written by my cousin Kathy Morin. It appeared in the
magazine "PHOENIX 2001" from Chattanooga State.

I am as Wheat

I am as wheat,
One single grain.
A body inherited by Eden.
I shall lie at the alter,
Planted by prayer
And covered with hope anew.

I am beaten by rain,
One who endures
Cold drafts of failure,
Blown by trials and open trails,
Holding on to the altar's rails,
Yet warm with vision anew.

I am as wheat
Standing in a storm,
Held by God's firm arm,
Secured in fields of grace.
I have a human's face,
Blessed with love anew.

I shall rise up,
Spirit filled by God,
Empty of imaginable good.
One single human
No less forgiven
And redeemed anew.

Wheat, a grain of hope,
Hoping still.
Holding on by God's will,
Waiting for Heaven's harvest.
From the strong to the weakest,
To gather in Heaven anew.

Katherine Morin

evening solitude

2005-04-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

Evening Solitude
By kenny merrell

Evening solitude
Sweet soundless calm
Hear my prayer, Lord
Hear my song
Precious feelings
Love of mine
How we endured
Afflictions of time
Thank you Lord
For all you’ve given
My soul is gladdened
My heart is filled
All memories of
Life fulfilled
Tender blessings
Oft surround
Our life story
Heaven bound

I love you

2005-04-01T18:05:00.000-08:00

I love You
By kenny merrell

If I said
"Say that you love me"
Would you have to take a deep breath?
Would you say it with your hand over your mouth?
Would it be a whisper or a shout?
Would you be able to get it out?
Would it stick deep in your throat?
Be difficult to emote
Or would it come free and easy
Like lines from poetry
No second thought
Straight from the heart
Would it be a rationalization?
Or said deeply in passion
Could you have no tiny reservation?
Just a slight flicker of hesitation
Would it be just a habit?
Words flying out with no thought behind it.
Would you remember past hurts?
Times I’ve let you down
Or could you revert
Back to the first time and repeat those words
I Love You
I think and feel it more than say it
It is not any less felt and I revel in it
No hesitation
No reservation
No deep intake
Not one mistake
Just full blast with all my might
Repeated in prayer through the night
In tiny reverence I think it
In large volumes of words I say it
In deeds of service I portray it
What further evidence can be given?
Through eternity driven
On my knees appealing
With no other meaning
To emit those words of feeling

I love you!

remembering

2005-04-01T13:44:00.000-08:00

Remembering
by kenny merrell

The bluebird sings his song of spring
Announcing our Love
As we sit in the garden
Remembering
Our love story and how we met
Things only you and I know
And will never forget
Remembering
When you first held my hand
Told me you loved me forever and
I responded tearfully, it was so grand
Remembering
Oh how wonderful it all seems
I see it now in my dreams
The way you look and
How you feel
And when I awake I wonder
Is the memory real?
Then I touch you to feel myself
Remembering
Somewhere in all this world
We met and wed and became as one
That is when my world begun
Remembering
The bluebird sings his song of spring
As we sit in the garden,
Remembering

routine

2005-03-01T14:24:00.000-08:00

Every weeknight we start our routine as we always do. At 0800 P.M. Carol takes her bath, opens the bedroom window, and turns on the fan. The fan is on whether it is summer or winter. There is no heat on in the bedroom the circuit breaker is pulled for the electric baseboard heaters. I usually come in and set the alarm clock for her to get up at 0545 A.M. She never needs the clock. She always wakes at 0530. I go into the living room and watch TV or as I am watching TV, read a book. At 1100 P.M. I come into the bedroom, Take my bath in the Master bathroom then open the bathroom window. I put on my stocking cap (it is cold in here) Thank goodness no one can see it! Get in bed. I then start saying my prayer. It is a very long prayer and sometimes, if I fall asleep in the middle of it I have to start over or if I remember where I am I continue. I start by asking for forgiveness of my many sins . I ask God to take care of Carol. Next are the kids, my brothers, my Aunts, Uncles cousins friends. Then the difficult part comes. Every person who asked for a prayer or I think needs a prayer is prayed for. Sometimes I try to say the " Lord’s Prayer" It usually takes me four times before I get it right. Last night something strange happened. I usually listen to make sure my heart is beating just before I go to sleep or say amen. This time as I wait for that next beat I experience a time anomaly. It seemed it was a millisecond, a space continuum between my life and death. As I stepped into this crack in space I find myself on a gigantic plain. I see all sorts of people in line. The closest to me are a brother and sister who died at their birth. . Next were my Father, Mother, Uncles, Aunts, and Grandparents. They continue all the way to the beginning of time. There is every race every religion every creed. I see certain characteristics of them in me. There is a large screen that we all turn towards and there from the beginning is my life. Every time I do something good the hoard of people applaud. Every time I do something wrong they cry. Even though I am living my life all over again it takes only a millisecond. I recognize that the hoard of people is actually each only as large as a particle in an atom and each are only a portion of the whole picture. I see the hazy outline of this magnificent hoard as only a portion of a much larger figure. As I look at this magnificent figure I hear my heart beat and I am back in my bed. I look at the clock and it is 0222 The same time I always wake up and have to go pee. I get up and go sit on the commode. I no longer trust my aim at this time of night and who will ever know? I get back in bed and go back to sleep. I remember nothing of my dream. I just know I will wake again when Carole gets out of bed.

bedroom mystery

2005-02-21T12:18:00.000-08:00

Bedroom mystery
by kenny merrell

Whispers in the dark
Soft murmuring of love
Spoken in the depth of passion
Only heard by lovers twined
Little sighs and soft inhalations
Groans soft in accentuation
Long silence underlined
In passion’s throes
Slight movement rhythmic in its nature
Soft caresses within a moan
Punctuated in sounds of silent laughter
Passion at the height of dawn

Your wife is in the front yard barking like a dog

2005-02-18T15:41:00.000-08:00

On my daughter’s 16th birthday my Mom decided she needed a dog. It was a toy poodle with the name "Cotton Candy". When Candy arrived she could fit in a coffee cup. She soon became the boss of the house and had my daughter Shannon and my wife Carol completely in her power. We lived in Base housing at the end of a one way street. Each morning the mass exodus of cars heading for work passed our house. As Candy became older and "house trained" my wife Carol would let her out the back door to "do her business". She never wanted to come back in the house and would pay absolutely no attention to Shannon or Carol. My wife noticed that whenever the larger dogs would bark it would scare Candy and she would be scratching on the back door to get in. AH HA. It was no longer "go get the dog in " It was "go Bark for the dog". I had a part time job working at the Enlisted Men’s Club, working as a bartender. On one particular morning, Carol was running late and had let Candy out in the front yard. She was still in her favorite House coat, split up to her navel, but as far as she was concerned still serviceable. She decided it was time for Candy to come in, but Candy was having none of it. Carol would hide behind the car in the drive way, holding her robe closed raise up, bark like a dog, then duck back down so the men on their way to work would not see her. It just so happened Carol was trying to get Candy in just as everyone was on his or her way to work. Carol called me to tell me what had happened and she knew our next door neighbor was going to think she was crazy.
That night as, I started my part time job, my neighbor walked in. I could tell he had something on his mind. He sat down and ordered a beer." Kenny, I don’t know how to tell you this." He said,"but this morning your wife was out in the front yard barking like a dog!" Not wanting to miss a great opportunity I said,"She didn’t get around my tires did she?" He gave me a disgusted look and walked out.
It took him awhile to get over it.

high school ring

2005-01-28T12:37:00.000-08:00

Letters from Kenny
Back in 1968 Carol the 3 kids and I lived in San
Antonio.We lived in a small ranch style house in a
community called Valley High. One day Rod who at the
time was about 4 years old came into the house with a
high School ring he had found in the back yard. The ring
came from W.W. Samuels High School ,Dallas, Tx,with
the date 1962 on it. The initials F.W.W. was engraved
inside. For the next 36 years that ring became a prop
for Carol and everyone of the girl grandchildren that
dressed up for Halloween as a fiftys cheerleader. It
was worn on a chain and for some unknown reason it
always made it back. After getting a computer and
signing up on Classmates I was determined to see that
ring go back to its rightful owner. I found the school
and put a message on their site explaining about the
ring.To me it was a very interesting example of how far
we have come in being able to locate someone. I
wasn't Able to do it by myself but with the help of two
concerned gentlemen we got the job done. I mailed the
ring today (now wouldn't it be just like tricky old fate to
lose it in the mails) LOL I enclosed the messages .
When I talked to Fred on the phone,He explained that
he had been at a BBQ at his bosses house and the
bosses 4 yr old daughter asked to see his ring. When
he let her hold it she took it into the back yard and lost
it. LOL kenny
From: Kenneth Merrell Oct 20 2003 8:30:51PM
† To: ALL
† (1) Found one 1962 graduation ring
We have a 1962 graduation ring that was found in
1968 in San Antonio Texas in the Valley High District. It
has the initials FWW inside the ring. contact: kenneth
at whidbey dot net
†
† From: Kenneth Merrell Oct 7 2004 2:37:02PM
† To: Kenneth Merrell
† (2) Found one 1962 graduation ring (in reply to 1)
I still have the ring an no one has claimed it
†
†
† From: Kenneth Merrell Nov 12 2004 2:49:04PM
† To: Kenneth Merrell
† (3) Found one 1962 graduation ring (in reply to 2)
I received the following, Thanks for the info .anyone
knowing fred w. wilson let me know
I read your message on Classmates about the 1962
ring you found with initials FWW. I graduated in 1962
from WW Samuell. We had a graduating class of 554
and quite frankly I didn't know half of them. However, I
still have my class list. The initials you have correspond
to Fred Woodrow Wilson from 1962. I frankly don't
remember the name but there are many I don't. I
couldn't post this reply on Classmates since I'm not a
Gold member but thought you might want to post
another message there in case someone recognizes
the name. I commend you for your effort.
Regards,
Jim Morris
WWS Class of 1962.
†
† From: David Harper Jan 26 2005 3:23:49AM
† To: Kenneth Merrell
† (4) Found one 1962 graduation ring (in reply to 3)
I do not know Fred Woodrow Wilson. I just like finding
missing people and solving puzzles like this.
Fred Woodrow Wilson lives in Dallas. Details sent via
private email.
- David Harper dharper @ houston . rr . com
†
† Reply to message
†
† From: Kenneth Merrell Jan 26 2005 8:24:45AM
† To: David Harper
† (5) Found one 1962 graduation ring (in reply to 4)
I talked to Fred on the phone and I am sending him his
ring.
Thank You David for your hard work! I very much
appreciate it. thanks ! Kenny
†

do you speak American?

2005-01-07T18:40:00.000-08:00

There was a great show on pbs called "Do You Speak American" I really enjoyed the segment about Texas. Just go to pbs.org to see when it is on in your area

Bringing in the New Year

2004-12-30T18:20:00.000-08:00

Bringing in the New Year
by kenny merrell

Last year
We counted our blessings
One by one
Reflected our actions
"Thy will be done"
Made resolutions
Impossible to keep
Marched ever onward
The spirit was weak
A New Year beginning
The slate wiped clean
We each seek salvation
Resolving again
Live in the moment
Make each second count
No single problem
Impossible to surmount
This year shall we all begin
Down on our knees
Asking Gods direction
In all humbleness, please!
"Oh Lord give us a time
With no pain, no strife
Peace on the earth
No loss of life"
But if you must take us
Give our families the will
To continue onward,
And begin a New Year

My Christmas poem for this year

2004-12-05T09:55:00.000-08:00

Christmas through the Eyes of a Child
By kenny merrell

On a terrible night, Christmas Eve, my six year old Granddaughter, Sophia, and I held our bundles and climbed upon an elevator filled with people tired and cranky their Christmas spirit all but extinguished.
We lost our glow staring at people muttering all enraged at too long lines and toys all gone not listening to the words in Christmas songs.
As the elevator started down a voice from the back of the elevator said in loud and angry voice, "Whoever thought of this holiday should be crucified
With the words ringing in our ears the elevator jerked, then stopped suddenly between the floors. The lights went off and an emergency light began to shine upon my granddaughter’s face next to mine.
Like an angel in the light of God, Sophia said thoroughly entranced,
in a clear sweet voice heard by all
" HE WAS CRUCIFIED!" "AND HIS NAME IS JESUS!"
It became so silent you could hear a pin fall.
She told us a story of a wonderful time
If only we would listen it would be sublime
About a baby born savior on a miraculous night
And how we could be saved if we only did right
The joy on her face was so touchingly sincere
She began to unfold a story learned from her mother
"It was a clear and cold, beautiful night
One star in the heavens was shining bright
The angels were singing
They were bringing the news
Everyone who would listen
Would be blessed and enthused"
For they came down a road traveled far
A mother to be led by a beautiful star
There was no room in the Inn
The stable would do
She began to laugh and with an excited voice continued
" There was a baby born.
There was a Star. A big shiny star, all alone, showing the way.
Angels told people. A Savior is born, on this very day.
They followed the Star and brought gifts.
Everyone was so happy.
The baby was named Jesus.
He was going to save the whole world.
When he grew up he cured the sick.
He fed the poor. He walked on water
He said believe in me.
He had to carry a cross and God was sad
And made the heavens dark,
But Jesus said, "Father forgive them,
They know not what they do."
So we are buying gifts for all my family
To celebrate Christmas and to celebrate
Jesus who was born on this day
And was crucified for our sins"
We all stood there entranced by this little girl who knew
the real story of Christmas and why we were here.
Suddenly the lights came on.
A Loud voice coming through the speaker startled us by saying
"Push the button and the elevator will start again."
As if in a daze we started down. No one spoke.
It was quiet all around.
The store manager was surprised as we exited the doors,
Not a voice expressed distress, there was nothing but joy.
For you see a miracle had happened to we shoppers that night
We saw the story of Christmas through the eyes of a child

Joy and Sadness Unbidden

2004-10-17T13:09:00.000-07:00

Joy and Sadness Unbidden
By kenny merrell

There are extreme points of joy
That comes upon me unaware
My eyes fill with tears
Unable to control these emotions
Not knowing why
Followed by a sadness unbidden
Missing something I know not what
Longing to fill passion’s grip
Small thrills escape my control
The most common events
Spark passion intensely felt
Thoughts of one’s mortality
Bring me to sadness
Beauty is seen in everyday movement
Remaining unspoken
Not able to verbalize such feelings
So eternal
They cause a searing pain
Yet thankful for God’s bountiful harvest
Within a structure of a lifetime
I remain

Fairy Rings

2004-09-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a fairy ring? Wait a minute I am not
talking "Gay Liberation", "Gay Rights ", or "Gay
Marriage". I am talking about the concentric circles that
magically appear in your yard. Right now in my back
yard it looks like a picture of Mickey Mouse drawn in
Toadstools or mushrooms. If my back yard was bigger it
could be the Olympic Games symbol. I have three large
ones about 12 ft in diameter . How do I get rid of them?

"Rescue Me"

2004-09-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the new TV show on FX called "Rescue Me" ? It concerns firemen in NYC after 911. It is pretty gritty (a lot of sex foul words etc) but really good! Each person in the firehouse has been effected by 911 and each has a different way of dealing with the tragedy of losing friends and family members in 911. The one that (to me) was the funniest concerns one of the firefighters writing poetry to cope . He is in his basement on the computer writing poetry when his wife comes down to see why he hasn't come to bed. He looks up and guiltily turns off the computer. She says what are you doing? Oh no! You are looking at porn! Are you writing to those porn sites? He says no and confesses to writing poetry .Under her breath she whispers Oh No ! I would rather it be porn! LOL
He gets all of his poetry together and has her read it , asking for an honest answer. She spends all morning reading with him peeking in to see if He can get an idea of how she likes it. Finally she says"This Is Horrible! You have to quit!" I really broke up because that is the way I see my poetry writing. People are polite and aren't as cruel as this guys wife. I am just like this fireman though, I don't have any choice, This stuff comes out and the only way I can deal with it is put it on paper. I just wrote one about the High School Harlandale Sr. High in San Antonio,Tx. I only went there one semester.They have a site with all of their classmates corresponding with each other. It concerns me not really remembering a lot of the people that were there when I was. And the fact that most of the people I remember don't remember me. None of us want to feel that we are insignificant and forgettable LOL
Here it is (you don't have to comment on it) LOL Hugs Kenny

Visiting Harlandale High
By kenny merrell

I drift down the corridors in my mind
Translucent and in a ghostly mien
Seeing fellow students as if in a dream
Some names and faces appear before me
Seemingly not part of my life
More like a book I read years ago
Forgetting the characters
Just random faces in a crowd
They see right through me
Recognizing me not
There is a small errant thought
Was I really here
Or is this the ramblings of an old man
Trying somehow to piece a life together

For some this is the place
Where life long friendships are forged
Sweetheart Balls, Home Coming Games
Marriages made in Heaven or Hell
For me it is as if I am a stranger gazing in
Trying to discover the rhythm of conversation
To fit in a niche of long ago
Patterns of Texas speech fill my ears
I long to go back and forge better relationships
But, alas, as we all know we can’t go back
So I will be forced to wander these corridors
In my mind
Translucent in a ghostly mien
And try to remember

Apparition

2004-09-19T16:12:00.000-07:00

What is it about you
That makes me not let go
You are so far in the distant past
Only a shadow of thought
But there is still a glimmer of recognition
An apparition of beauty lost
It could be someone to justify
My own existence
By memories of long ago
If I saw you today
Would I know you?
Have we drifted so far apart
To be unrecognizable
Only this image remains
Adjusted to fit within my own psyche
Love once felt never disappears
Sometimes lying untouched in the mind
But still unreconciled within the heart

Kenny Merrell

Copyright ©2004 Kenny Merrell

a sad day for one of my high school friends

2004-09-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

Tommie Bass Schoellhorn '57 - Sep 15, 2004   View | Viewers | Reply to this item
Categories: 1957 CLASS NEWS, Obituary Notices
    THANK ALL OF YOUR FOR YOUR PRAYERS FOR FRANK HE PASSED AWAY SEPT 14 2004 HE IS AT CROWDER FUNERAL HOME AT 111 E MEDICAL CENTER BLVD CLEAR LAKE TEXAS AND ON THURSDAY WILL BE BURIED AT 2PM AT VETERANS MEMORIAL CEMETARY IN HOUSTON TX ANYONE HERE THAT WANTS TO COME PLEASE DO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN TOMMIE

Kenny Merrell '57 - Sep 16, 2004   Edit | Delete | Viewers | Reply to this item
    I am so sorry Tommy. May the Lord be with you and
your family. Love Kenny

Memories Remain
by kenny merrell

On some quiet night
When all is at peace
I’ll come to you
Within your dreams
We will sit and talk
Of long ago memories
Remembering what made
Our love so real
Then one fine day
I’ll be waiting
At Heavens door
Where we will be
For eternity
Evermore

16 things it took 50yrs to learn

2004-09-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

I got this in my e-mail and thought it was funny

1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

2. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."

3. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

4. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

5. You should not confuse your career with your life.

6. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

7. Never lick a steak knife.

8. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.

9. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.

10. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

11. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.

12. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.

13. A person, who is nice to you but rude to a waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)

14. Your friends love you anyway.

15. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

16. Thought for the day: Men are like fine wine. They start out as grapes, and it's up to the women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.

winter came early

2004-08-23T06:11:00.000-07:00

Winter came early
By kenny merrell

Winter came early this year
It started with a cold shoulder
And unspoken words
I hate it when you are angry with me
Breathing is no longer automatic
I have to think about each breath I take
I count each heartbeat in an empty room
You left this morning and now I wait
I hear the ticking of the clock
How will I live without you
You won’t answer your cell
"Leave a message "a disembodied voice replies
The phone is heavy in my hand
That damn clock!
Tick tick tick
There is no one to turn to
I’ve severed all ties
Now there is only me
In a cold room
The TV blaring
With no sense
And
I wait for your return

Thankfully this was only a dream that I woke to in a cold sweat.
I don’t know why our minds try to find the worst scenario it can find and then have us experience it. It seemed so real. I was so thankful when I woke this morning and Carol was right there by me and she smiled a good morning
Love is so grand when you have the right partner

"Buying A Bra" Cowboy Poetry

2004-08-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

BUYING A BRA
by Bruce "Waddie"Douglas Mitchell

I ain't much for shopping,
Nor even goin' into town -
Except at cattle-shipping time,
I ain't easily found.

But the day came when I had to go
And I left the kids with ma.
But before I left she asked me,
"Would you pick me up a bra?"

Without thinkin' I said "Sure,"
How tough could that job be?
I bent down and kissed her
And said, "I'll be back by three"

Well, when I done the things I needed,
I started to regret
Ever offering to buy that thing,
I was working up a sweat.

I crossed the street to the ladies shop
With my hat pulled over my eyes,
I wasn't takin' any chances
On bein' recognized.

I walked up to the sales clerk -
I didn't hem or haw -
I told the lady right straight out,
"Ma'am, I'm here to buy a bra."

>From behind I heard some snickers,
So I turned around to see
At least fifteen women in the store
And they's all gawkin' at me!

"What kind would you be looking for?"
"Well," I just scratched my head.
I'd only seen one kind before
"Thought bras was bras," I said.

She gives me a disgusted look,
"Well sir, that's where you're wrong.
Come with me," I heard her say,
And like a dog, I tagged along.

She took me down this alley
Where bras was on display.
Well, I thought my jaw'd hit the floor
When I seen that lingerie.

They had all these different styles
That I'd not seen before
I thought that I'd go crazy
'fore I left that women's store.

They had bras you wear for eighteen hours
And bras that cross your heart.
There was bras that lift and separate,
And that was just the start.

They had bras that made you feel
Like you weren't wearing one at all,
And bras that you can train in
When you start off when you're small.

Well, I finally make my mind up -
Picked a black and lacy one -
I told the lady,
"Bag it up," And figured I was done

But then she asked me for the size.
I didn't hesitate.
I knew them measurements by heart,
" A six-and-seven-eighths."

"Six and seven eighths, well sir,
That really isn't right."
"Oh, yes ma'am! Yeah, I'm positive,
I just measured them last night."

I thought that she'd go into shock,
Musta took her by surprise
When I told her that my wife's bust
Was the same as my hat size.

"That's what I used to measure with,
I figured it was fair,
But if I'm wrong, I'm sorry ma'am."
This drew another stare.

By now a crowd had gathered
And they's all crackin' up
When the lady asked to see my hat,
To measure for the cup.

When she finally had it figured,
I gave the gal her pay.
Then I turned to leave the store,
Tipped my hat and said, "Good day."

My wife heard the whole story
'fore I ever made it home.
She'd talked to fifteen women
Who'd called her on the phone.

She was still a-laughin'
But by then I didn't care.
Now she don't ask and I don't shop
For no more women's underwear.

How Do You Make A Memory

2004-08-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

How Do You Make A Memory
By kenny merrell

How do you make a memory?
Was it in the fall?
When on bended knee
I asked, "Will you marry me?"
I can’t recall
I remember the wonder on your face
When you told me yes
The tears down your cheek
Making it difficult to express
This feeling deep inside

How do you make a memory?

When I stood at the altar
So many years ago
I wondered how to make a memory
I still don’t know
I counted your steps
As you walked down the aisle
I remember the flowers
Setting off your radiant smile
Were they Bluebonnets or Roses red?
I still haven’t a clue
Your face still shines before me
Is it really you?

How do you make a memory

On the birth of our first child
Was it early in the morning
Was the wind blowing wild
Or was it late at night
With weather cold and bright
I only remember your face ingrained
With such agony and pain
But in your eyes a glowing pride
Of having born our son.

How do you make a memory

The years we’ve shared as one
The times you’ve picked me up
When life has knocked me down
When I feel the care invested
The pride you have in me
Make me want to carry on

How do you make a memory?

When our souls leave this earthly plane
Will this memory remain
Or will it depart
As a thief in the dark
Leaving nothing to touch once more

What are memories for?

Mary Lou reminded me of one of my pracical jokes

2004-08-04T19:34:00.000-07:00

When Carol and I were stationed at NAS Twin Cities(Minneapolis , MN)we lived in a trailer park ,in a three bedroom mobile home. This was in 1969 and the
kids were ken 09 , shannon08, and rod 05. Across the street a lady (Janet)lived with her husband and 5 kids. they were all of school age from
teenager to grade school. Whenever she would leave home she would lock up her trailer, take her keys and put them in her shed which was right next to
the trailer. This shed had a combination lock on it and this way when the kids came home and needed in the trailer they could unlock the shed , get the keys and open the door.(that way the kids wouldn't have to carry keys)
One morning I was looking out the blinds and saw her lock her door then put the keys in the shed. I wondered to myself "what would she do if her phone
rang?" So of course I called her. I could see the action take place like a silent movie.
Her hand went to her ear, she listened, started frantically dialing the combination lock opening the shed grabbing her keys unlocking the door.......

I hung up before she answered the phone. She came out, locked her door, put her keys in the shed locked the shed door and I dialed her number again ! It was exactly the same. She listened heard the phone unlocked the shed opened the door. I hung up. I know you wont believe this but we did it 5 times! I was peeking out my window, laughing so hard my blinds were shaking! Finally on the fifth time she realized something wasn't quite right. I couldn't stop laughing and she saw me and realized it was me. She stood in the street shouting and shaking her fist at me! Then she realized the humor of it and said. I'll get even with you! LMAO Of course she didn't , Thankfully, she had a forgiving nature

I didn't say hello

2004-08-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

I DIDN'T SAY HELLO
BY KENNY MERRELL

I SAW YOU IN THE HALL
YOU HAD YOUR ARMS FULL OF BOOKS
YOU WERE HURRYING TO CLASS
YOU NEVER CHANCED TO LOOK
JUST RUSHED BY
IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN
THIS WAS MY LAST TIME TO SEE YOU
I WOULD HAVE WAVED HELLO OR SPOKEN
WE DIDN'T RIDE TO SCHOOL TOGETHER
WE NEVER SPEAK TO EACH OTHER
WHAT DID I DO THAT WAS SO BAD?
YOU CAN TELL ME NOW
IT’S FIFTY YEARS LATER

NOW SOMETIMES I SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS
HOW SAD TO REVISIT LOST LOVES
FRIENDSHIP THAT HAS DIED
WITH FEELINGS THAT REMAIN
NEVER TO BE REAWAKENED

IT'S DIFFERENT IN MY DREAMS
ALL THOSE THINGS
I WAS TOO EMBARRASSED TO SAY
ARE SPOKEN WITHIN A FRAMEWORK
OF WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN,
BUT ISN'T................

AFTER SUCH A DREAM
IN THE EARLY MORNING LIGHT
JUST BEFORE I AWAKE
I TURN OVER AND EXPECT TO JUMP UP
AND GET READY FOR SCHOOL
BUT THEN SADLY REALIZE
IT'S FIFTY YEARS LATER AND I AM TRAPPED
WITH ONLY MEMORIES OF THAT LAST TIME
I SAW YOU IN THE HALL
ARMS FULL OF BOOKS
AND I DIDN'T SAY HELLO

Dedicated to a girl I hardly know

2004-07-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

I was 16 yrs old in 1955. Our family had moved to Houston and I was once again starting in a new school. I was in the 11th grade at Reagan Sr. High. I had met one person , Ronnie Spiller , who was in the same situation. We were both new to the area. Every day I would go to school and see this same girl in the halls. She had long black hair, a slim dancers body, blue eyes, didn't wear make up but was simply breath- takingly beautiful. When she moved It was poetry in motion. Every time I saw her my knees would buckle and I would look at her with an intense longing. Yes, I really had it bad. I couldn't bring myself to say anything to her. One day there were a group of students milling around at the bottom of the stairs. I wandered up to see what was going on. It was the "girl in the hall". She was sitting on the floor rubbing her ankle and crying. She had twisted her ankle walking down the stairs. Oh Man! What an opportunity. I asked would you like to go to the Nurses office. She said yes. I reached down and picked her up. I carried her up the stairs and took her to the Nurses Office. I tried to talk to her ,but I could tell she was in a lot of pain so I left her there with the Nurse. I asked her if I could take her home after school ,but she said her Mother always picked her up. A couple of days later I saw her again.She hadn't been in school and was hobbling on crutches. When I saw her I grabbed her books and walked her to her class. I asked her for a date. She said Her parents didn't let her date ,but they would let her bring someone to church. The only catch was I had to bring a friend for her girl friend. Instantly I thought of Ronnie! I begged I pleaded! To no avail. He didn't want to go to this particular church. His Mother went there and I didn't know what I was getting myself into. He tried to warn me. He finally relented and we went to pick the two girls up. Actually we walked up to the church and met them in front and walked into the church. I was brought up as a Southern Baptist and figured I could handle anything this church threw at me plus I was getting to be with "the girl in the hall "(i still didn't know her name.) Boy! was I wrong. People were falling down, shaking, talking in tongues , being healed. then the whole congregation started running around with their hands raised shouting. And guess who the "sinner" was they were trying to save. Uh Huh it was me! Ronnie knew the drill and answered all the questions right, but I stood there not knowing the answers and discovered to my horror that I was on the road to "hell fire" and "damnation" I did the only sensible thing I could do. I ran. Out the church all the way home. Ronnie came by later laughing his head off. The church didn't believe in cutting their hair, shaving their legs, wearing makeup, listening to the radio, watching TV ,dancing,anything of a "sinful"nature. Can you see where I am going here? After that episode whenever I saw "the girl in the hall" I always went the other way. I never did find out her name. Sometimes though when it's late at night and I can't sleep I think of her and wonder. So this is why I wrote:

Dedicated to a Girl I hardly know
by kenny merrell

She was walking down the hall
As I glanced to see her there
Next on the stairs
The sunlight in her hair
From a window
Shinning through A halo
It Lights up her face
No make up Hair tousled
Youth with all its grace
She stops and turns
A statue
On a pedestal
Now marked in time
On nights When sleep evades me
I see her standing in my mind
Oh to go back and speak
Just to ask her name
Or in heaven’s glory
What else did she attain
Did she grow up in maturity
Marry, have children of her own
Become aged and wrinkled
Have dreams of love unborn
In memory I send this missive
I miss her even though
This is dedicated to a girl
A girl I hardly know

Anyone seen Grandma?

2004-07-26T14:17:00.000-07:00

I don't know who wrote this ,but it is really funny!

Grandma
by anonymous

The computer's swallowed grandma
Yes' honestly' its true
She pressed 'control' and 'enter'
And disappeared from view.

Its devoured her completely
The thought just makes me squirm
Maybe she's caught a virus
Or been eaten by a worm.

I've searched through the recycle bin
And files of every kind
I've even used the internet
But nothing did I find.

In desperation I asked Jeeves
My searches to refine
The reply from him was negative
Not a thing was found 'online'.

So, if inside your 'In Box'
My Grandma you should see
Please 'Scan', 'Copy' and 'Paste' her
In an e-mail back to me

a pause for gratitude. Thanks!

2004-07-24T15:56:00.000-07:00

Circle of friends
by kenny merrell

I am happy you have let me within

your very select circle of friends

We only meet for such a short time, sharing

never to meet again, but always caring

some of you have become part of me

my smile , my song, my moments of pleasure

Every once in awhile I remember

conversations we have shared together

they make me happy so thanks again

for allowing me to say I am your friend

somewhere exspensive

2004-07-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

Carol said she wanted to go somewhere exspensive. So I took her to the Gas Station.

a butterfly

2004-07-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

A butterfly
By kenny merrell

A butterfly is a wondrous thing
Multicolor hue on gossamer wing
Nectar sweet alighting light
Pollen for slippers beginning flight
Flitting here fluttering there
Random patterns fill the air
Such beauty is springtime
With flowers in bloom
Sun’s gentle caress dispelling gloom
Winter’s end
Spring brings the news
Beginning again within a painters muse
A butterfly is a wondrous thing
Multicolor hue on gossamer wing

Listening To The Sound Of My Heart

2004-07-14T07:37:00.000-07:00

Listening to the sound of my heart
By kenny merrell

Time is a cruel taskmaster
Using my heart to count
The moments of my life
Each beat moves me closer to the last beat
I stop and listen
Feel my chest
Touch my neck to see
Is it still there?
The beat of my heart
Does it falter?
Sometimes when I see your face
I feel an extra beat
My senses quicken
I feel young again
I remember a time when
Just the thought of you
Would make my heart race
Time has slowed me down
But still I feel that slight
Anticipation of a touch
Lying in bed
You by my side
I reach over to assure myself
That you are still there
Every day I worry
I worry about not being near you
It ruins the time I have left
I hope I can handle my death gracefully
We come into the world alone
And sometime, by the grace of God
We meet our soul mate,
I have
I pity all those that have not
They suffer the beat of their lonely heart

A Poem by United States Poet Laureate, Billy Collins

2004-07-11T12:59:00.000-07:00

On Turning Ten

The whole idea of it makes me feel
like I'm coming down with something,
something worse than any stomach ache
or the headaches I get from reading in bad light--
a kind of measles of the spirit,
a mumps of the psyche,
a disfiguring chicken pox of the soul.

You tell me it is too early to be looking back,
but that is because you have forgotten
the perfect simplicity of being one
and the beautiful complexity introduced by two.
But I can lie on my bed and remember every digit.
At four I was an Arabian wizard.
I could make myself invisible
by drinking a glass of milk a certain way.
At seven I was a soldier, at nine a prince.

But now I am mostly at the window
watching the late afternoon light.
Back then it never fell so solemnly
against the side of my tree house,
and my bicycle never leaned against the garage
as it does today,
all the dark blue speed drained out of it.

This is the beginning of sadness, I say to myself,
as I walk through the universe in my sneakers.
It is time to say good-bye to my imaginary friends,
time to turn the first big number.

It seems only yesterday I used to believe
there was nothing under my skin but light.
If you cut me I could shine.
But now when I fall upon the sidewalks of life,
I skin my knees. I bleed.

-- Billy Collins

"A Thief Of Time" premiere

2004-07-10T11:20:00.000-07:00

"A Thief Of Time" By Tony Hillerman premieres on PBS Sunday 11 July 2004 at 9pm.
Check your local listings or go to;
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/mystery/american/thief/

Louis de Bernieres

2004-07-09T13:05:00.000-07:00

I found a most extraordinary writer. Louis de Bernieres. He wrote "Corelli's
Mandolin" (now a movie), "Red Dog","The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts"
and "The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman" I wish to give you a
sample of his writing. Although it is pretty sacrilegious, it is very funny
(to me). This passage is about Cardinal Guzman and "Beethoven's Third
Symphony" from " The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman" Be sure and
read "The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts" first.
(Selection from "TTOOCG" page 174)
"His Eminence settled down to listen to the symphony, and became a prey
to suggestibility. He furrowed his brow as he began to perceive the
unchastity of the music. Dismayed, he went to the telephone to ask the
librarian of the palace to bring him a copy of the score, if it could be
found on the shelves of the long-unvisited musical section.
The librarian arrived , out of breath from the stairs, and handed him a
yellowed and stained Henry Litolff edition that no one had previously
perused in all of it's many decades of existence. His Eminence settled down
with it and flicked through the pages.
His first impression was that of amazement that anyone had ever written any
symphonies at all. There was so much of it, and the composer must have had
to hear every detail of the music as it unfolded in his imagination,
adjusting it here and there in order to achieve intellectual and emotional
effects, tinkering with sonorities , bearing in mind the ranges and
limitations of different instruments. A symphony was a staggering
achievement, enough to make one believe that the voice of God echoed in the
mind of man.
The Cardinal put the record back to the beginning and tried to follow
the score as the music unfolded. He found it difficult, even though he had
learned some piano as a child and he became lost on the third page. He
sighed, and noticed with a start that there were two parts on the bass clef
marked for "fagotti." Was that not the gringo slang for"homosexual"? Could
Beethoven really have written parts for homosexuals? He rang down to the
library again and discovered that "fagotti" were bassoons. He put the record
back to the beginning once more. and followed the music with his finger.
Yes. The opening forte chords were very like the sudden arousal that
one experiences upon catching sight of a beautiful and sensual woman, and
then, "piano," there was a period like the romantic wistfulness that one
undergoes in thinking about her and imagining what one could say to her if
only an accidental encounter might be arranged. There were violent triple
chords like pelvic thrusts---could she be seduced already?---and then there
were the tripping violins just exactly like the teasing and fractional
contact of slender fingers tickling the hairs of the perineum. Then there
were more violent chords like the pelvic thrusts, but perhaps they were
really the tight embraces that one made during the first hugs of relief at
the revelation of mutual attraction."
I don't want to ruin the book so I will stop here but I must admit I
am going out to by "Beethovens Third Symphony" LMAO let me know if you do
read these books. Even the author;s Bio in the back of the book is
interesting. I'll end here . Hugs Kenny

some reflections during my walk

2004-07-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

I walked to the library yesterday. I had my little radio and was slowly meandering home when a song came on I had never heard before. I was listening to KYCW 1090 AM. They play "oldies" country western. I tried to remember the name of the song, but by the time I got home the title had completely escaped me. I think it is "When Your Memory Catches Up With Me" (sounds country doesn't it?) LOL The lyrics are really beautiful. I wished I could write like that! I have tried to find the lyrics, but so far no luck. Somehow I have probably scewed up the title. If any of you have heard the song or know it ,HELP!
I have a poem that was a favorite of mine in high school It is called "Memory" and it was written by Thomas Bailey Aldrich

Memory

My mind lets go a thousand things
Like dates of wars and deaths of kings,
And yet recalls the very hour--
'T was noon by yonder village tower,
And on the last blue noon in May--
The wind came briskly up this way,
Crisping the brook beside the road;
Then, pausing here, set down its load
Of pine-scents, and shook listlessly
Two petals from that wild-rose tree.

Thomas Bailey Aldrich

Emotions always seems to last longer than the witten word. Hugs Kenny

where doth this soul rest

2004-07-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

Where doth this soul rest
Does it live within the heart
Keeping life’s timetable
Beating in our breast
At times deeply entwined
Among the thoughts
And memories of the mind
Or must it rest within our entrails
Trailing through the body deep
During emotional conflicts
Or just before we weep

Where doth it rest, this soul
Does it become a flower
Blooming at the grave
Tightly held within the ground
By roots enslaved
Does it drift up to Heaven
To live with angels in flight
Or must it remain earthbound
Waiting for the light

Sing the songs of devotion
Allow your soul to grow
To fill the body cavity
To give the eyes a glow
Follow God’s revelations
And when this time is o’er
Our time on earth blessed
We will have the answer
Where doth this soul rest

thanks to Mary Lou

2004-07-06T19:57:00.000-07:00

I have been reading posts of Mary Lou and was very intrigued about Blog, as always though I kept procrastinating. I didn't want to admit I didn't have a clue on how this thing worked. Thank God for women. Carol (my wife) and Mary Lou (my friend) have started me on this journey. Hopefully i will grow from it. Thanks again Mary Lou

2004-07-06T18:22:00.000-07:00

Kenny, Carol said you wanted to get started on this but did not know how, so here it is all ready for you to post into.

you can change everything even your password which I will send you in an email.

You can change the template, and you can change the colors, this is just a plain vanilla one to get you going. If you know HTML then you are way ahead of the game. If not, then all you need to do is start writting, and hit Publish Post. and Voila, It is there.

Now, a hint, Blogger is having a bit of a problem right now, so if you are going to write anything you want to keep, write it in word, or whatever word processor you have then copy and paste it into here. Ive lost several long posts.

We can add pictures to this page also, as Blogger has just added that capability.

you can add links, people you like to read, your political aspersions, your religious thoughts, ANYTHING.

This is for YOU!! do not let anybody tell you you need to write a certain way. you put your poems, or whatever on here and let 'em fly. before you know it, you will have a following too.

I will link you to my page, so people will know you are ready to go, just let me know when...

First Posting

2004-07-06T18:07:00.000-07:00