Amy's Place .. Poetry and Potpourri .. Dec. 17-18, 2003

12-17-03 | JustAmy, St.Louie1 and Mama_Bear

[JustAmy]

Welcome To....


'Amy's Place' welcomes all poets
and those who enjoy poetry. 'Amy's Place' is more than just about poetry.
Come in, relax, and share with fellow FReepers
your thoughts about any of the things on the *Menu*.

Enjoy! :)












Never Forget!



Howdy!
I'm the mouser at Amy's Place. Amy named me 'cootblanch'.... (don't ask why. hahaha)







Amy's personal guardian ~
the always charming, lovable, huggable,
LouieWolf




Many thanks for stopping by. : )

[Dubya]

This says it all.

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
my daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree, I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep
in perfect contentment, or so it would seem.
And so I slumbered, perhaps started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eye when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
and I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old
One single figure, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts,
to the window that danced with a warm fire's light
then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night"

"Its my duty to stand at the front of the line,
that separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers." My dad stood his watch in the Korean fight And now it is my turn and I'll be alright I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red white and blue... an American flag.

"I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home,
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat, I can carry the weight of killing another or lay down my life with my sisters and brothers who stand at the front against any and all, to insure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone.
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,
to know you remember we fought and we bled
is payment enough, and with that we will trust.
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody ! Happy Thursday !

Have a cup while you Freep !

[MeekOneGOP]

LOL ! Thanks for the baseball and humor! ...

[cyborg]

LOL

[cyborg]

http://www.stud.ntnu.no/home/alexann/

My lust interest sent this to me to cheer me up at work. This is almost as good as watching Hillary.

[cyborg]

A bit of humor from abroad http://robert.crouch.fm.ly/togetherness.html

[OESY]

The San Diego Zoo unveiled the name of its 4-month old male giant panda cub, December 16, 2003.
It was named Mei Sheng, which translates into 'Born in the USA.'

The cub's name, a closely held secret, was suggest by the Zoo's Giant Panda Conservation Team
and approved by the China Wildlife Conservation Association.
Mei Sheng is the second giant panda cub born at the San Diego Zoo
and the first in the Western Hemisphere since 1999. REUTERS/San Diego Zoo

Mei Sheng is held by his mother, Bai Yun, during his first day on display
at the San Diego Zoo Wednesday Dec. 17, 2003. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

Mei Sheng lays down his head for one of his frequent naps. (AP PHoto/Lenny Ignelzi)

* * *

PANDA WALKS INTO A BAR...

A panda walked into a bar and went up to the barman and said: "I want a steak and kidney pie and a Coke please." The barman took his order and the Panda went to sit down at a table. Soon, a waiter took over the meal, the Panda gobbled it up, thanked, tipped the waiter and paid his bill.

All seemed normal until the Panda pulled out a gun from the depths of his fur, pulled the trigger and BANG! shot the waiter dead.

The barman rushed over and said: "Argh!! You just shot my friend!!!" The Panda calmly replied: "Do you know what I am?" "Of course I do," the barman answered, "you're a Panda!" "Good," the Panda replied, "now go home and look me up in the dictionary." And with that, the Panda walked out of the bar.

The barman was a little unsure, but he was very eager to be enlightened on the subject of his friend's murder, so he went home to find his dictionary and after a while he found 'Panda' and quickly read the definition...

PANDA: 1. A black and white bear native to China. Eats shoots and leaves.

[Darksheare]

By Scott Kurtz at www.pvponline.com

[JustAmy]

Good Afternoon, Russ.
I'm getting here a little late today, but
I did stop in earlier to have coffee and enjoy the Daily Bread.
Thank you.

[JustAmy]

Think I will join in the Hippo dance. LOL
Looks like I can't keep time to the music. Oh well .... two left feet.
Thank you for the link ........ too cute.

[JustAmy]

Good afternoon, Darks.
Hope you are having a great day.

[JustAmy]

LOL

Thank You. That week of the diary is a really cute.

Hope you are having a great day.

[JustAmy]

Thank You!
As I looked thru my graphics for one to post to you, this one jumped out at me.
Yes, I needed the kleenex before I finished.
Thank you for the reminder that we have dear ones far from home this Christmas.
They and their families need your prayers.

[JustAmy]

Thank you for the coffee, Meekie.
I did get by for a cup before my appointment.
Now I'm ready for a refill. Looks like it will be a nice day.
Hope you are having a wonderful day.

[JustAmy]

I can't believe this ..... I started to reply then I had to stop. Am I losing my mind for sure? It looks like I meant to respond to you and responded to OESY by mistake.

My response, post #110 to OESY's post #96 should have also been to you. LOL

[JustAmy]

LOL ..... so funny.

[JustAmy]

Ahhhh .... how sweet and then LOL

It looks like it is time to schedule a trip to San Diego. We have not been to the zoo for several years. That panda cub looks to be worth the trip.

Thanks, OESY

[JustAmy]

: )

[OESY]

In case some have not seen it before, I borrowed this great poem from LaDivaLoca, who posted it next door on USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ Pancakes on Wednesday ~ December 17, 2003. Powerful!

A Soldier's Christmas

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
my daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree, I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep
in perfect contentment, or so it would seem.
So I slumbered,  perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eye when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
and I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts,
to the window that danced with a warm fire's light
then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night"

"Its my duty to stand at the front of the line,
that separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red white and blue... an American flag.

"I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home,
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat,
I can carry the weight of killing another
or lay down my life with my sisters and brothers
who stand at the front against any and all,
to insure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone.
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,
to know you remember we fought and we bled
is payment enough, and with that we will trust.
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.

©Michael Marks
December 7th, 2000

[Darksheare]

Just as soon as I get the Panda off me.