My Mom, Etta Marie Rizzuto, asked me to post these two  poetic pieces on my blog.

‘Cardboard Boxes’

Snow slowly drifts down onto

Leafless trees, dirty streets with

Shuttered homes and

Cardboard boxes covering homeless people

Fragrant flowers, poking through weed-filled

Yards and broken glass, their aroma flowing into

Cardboard boxes covering  homeless people

Dazzling days filled with light and sunshine,

Surrounding deserted parks and garbage-

Laden fountains and warming

Cardboard boxes covering homeless people

Leaves of autumn colors – red, orange, gold

Drift against broken fences and junked cars

Bright and bold landing on

Cardboard boxes covering homeless people

Lord, open our eyes so we may see

The arms of all those who plead

Lord, open our ears so we may hear

The cries of children filled with  fear

Lord, open our minds to the poverty, sickness

And loneliness suffered by

Homeless people living under cardboard boxes

Lord, open our hearts to the love you gave us

While dying on the cross

Glory and hope will give meaning and

Faith to the homeless people who no

Longer live under cardboard boxes

Because we care.

(published in local newspaper, The Orange Transcript [NJ], 6/12/2014)

‘Viewpoints’

Look for amazing rainbows

instead of terrible hurricanes

Find fluttering butterflies

instead of noisy beetles

Stay with happy children

instead of pesty pains.

Travel the soaring mountains, the

verdant valleys, the country lanes

instead of dismal swamps,

devastated neighborhoods,

barren plains.

Fly the drifting clouds, the

brilliant ray of sunshine, if

only in your dreams

instead of drowning yourself

in sorrow, harsh criticism

and worthless schemes.

Gather those about you who plant

fruitful seeds

instead of walking through

fields of endless weeds.

Live today and be glad, forgive

those who may be sad,

We do not know the problems

others face,

While we live happily in the

Almighty’s grace

instead through it all if

we rid ourselves of stress

we may find the next moment

will be the best!

(8/1/2016)