Anniversary gifts

All that will ever matter.

Our world, defined by our embrace,
stretches the universe to feelings’ wonders .
Our love, our brilliantly simple joy,
is all that will ever matter,
all we’ll ever need –
our embrace , our modest inner smiles,
our contentment’s lasting prize.
We’ll never search, we’ll always find,
we’ll build and grow, grounded in
the foundation of foundation’s foundation.
The steps to our home
and approach to our world,
our granite-solid love,
shall serve to welcome loved ones
and guide our flight on compassion’s path,
sharing kindness with caring and warmth.
Our love, our brilliantly simple joy
is all that ever mattered,
all we ever needed for 68 years–
all that will ever matter. Forever.

Knights

History’s halftimes happened, behind
this sealed door of many yesterdays,
this window into so many tomorrows
where bonds were formed
in the name of sport
and the spirit of friendship.

The wisdom and hopes of
coaches
rang from these inner walls
behind this indescript, tired door
where the hearts of players
sowed effort’s seeds
that blossomed as
character.

The glory days of so many
brilliantly bright Knights
began behind the musty shadows
draped behind this door
where the boys of brave ambition
became proud Knights:
Stamford High School
Black Knights.

Thousands of soles' souls
scored their noble victories here, at
Home Plate,
the righteous symbol by which we
measure our progress in
countering our opponents –
fear, doubt, adversity, anger and hate.

Home Plate defines the dimensions
of this glorious game called Baseball,
a foundation shaping so many virtues: 
effort, sacrifice, vision,
courage and teamwork
punctuated by an intense will
to reach our goal:
Home Plate.

Here, we complete our paths
'round challenge's chase,
advanced by our own effort
and the strength of caring peers,
teammates bound by one cause:
winning, and winning well.

So integral is Baseball sewn into
the fabric of American lives like
its players’ numbers intricately stitched
into their uniforms, like all the players
profoundly connected as teammates.
So inseparable are Baseball and
the American boy,
a union that begins and ends at
Home Plate.

It is where we mark our progress
with cleated soles and faithful souls,
where our hearts come alive and gather
to face adversity, celebrate our victories,
and discover discovery in our defeats
and grace in our victories,
here, at Home Plate.

Bar / BatMitzvah Gifts

Stand Proud

The gentleness in your smile
and the warmth in your eyes
tells the world before you
that you stand poised,
ready to come of age,
to accept conviction in
your commitments and
responsibility for your actions –
for all you do, and all you do not.

Coming of age as you have, Jake,
means more than merely arriving,
it means assuring you find
the right way and insist on pursuing
honor in all you do, forever:
It means embracing such
grandiose notions as piety,
and practicing such simple behaviors
as honesty, courtesy and giving
with your moral compass
fixed on ideals and grounded in values.

More than this moment
founded on the virtue of your age,
stands the character directing
your destiny,
shaped by the choices
that define your path,
the actions that determine your fate
and the integrity that bestows on you,
the gift of clarity.

Stand proud, Jake,
stand proud,
for today, you are a man
and today and all days,
we stand deeply proud of you.

Birthday Gifts

A Birthday Wish

Wishes and focused wonder
connect the youngest dreamer
with wisdom’s warmth,
centered in tradition,
sewn into a tapestry
of a family’s endearing
love,
nourished by honor’s
reflections in the
brilliant glow of simplicity where
wishes and focused wonder
connect the youngest dreamer
with wisdom’s warmth
in the gentle cocoon
of this tender memory.

Happy Birthday, Dad

The caring eyes and reassuring
big sister’s hug
brings her little sister’s smile
to their tender, loved filled hearts.
Their brilliant reflection of
Mom and Dad’s loving care
glows in memories’ beam,
lighting their lifelong paths with
love’s intense, unremitting brilliance.

The vibrancy and vigor in
Lori’s spirit
radiates self assurance and confidence
like light surrounding day,
as Stacy’s intensely content warmth
and soothing comfort
views the world in the hold of her
big sister’s affection and care.

They silently reflect
the extraordinary foundation
of love, warmth, caring, goodness,
standards, values and practices
exemplified by their magnificent Dad.
They relish the immeasurable blessing
in being his loving daughters
and his little girls. Forever.

Happy Birthday, Dad. Happy Birthday.

Certainty’s Bliss

As the dawn of dusk settles                      
in awakening’s aftermath,                     
their new day beckons quietly             
in the hush of autumn’s warmth.          
A quiet and gentle kiss                           
in the privilege of being                       
alone together                                                  
tempers the taunt of expectation  
through the will of knowing             
what they want – each other,                
as they are.                      

Blessed with certainty’s bliss                  
and the privilege                        
in knowing                                 
who they are,                                
despite the world’s vast
wonders surrounding them, 
being alone together                           
is all the world
and all the love                      
they will ever need.

Poised on the edge of a bright,
new horizon glowing
on the other side of the moment’s glass,
she collects her last(ing) impressions
of who she was, juxtaposed against
who she is about to become.

In a soulful contemplation,
   not as The Bride
   but as Eileen,
she gathers the tenacious affection of
her beginnings
and prepares to embrace the
delicate warmth
of her new tomorrows
with Ryan
as We, as Us.

Her transition
subtle, her change profound,
from individual to a partner
in a new role.

Grounded in the virtuous values
of yesterday’s affection,
lighted by the sweet intentions
of tomorrow’s warmth,
she steps forward
into love’s tender promise.

Beautifully.

Celebrations

A Birthday Wish

Wishes and focused wonder
connect the youngest dreamer
with wisdom’s warmth,
centered in tradition,
sewn into a tapestry
of a family’s endearing
love,
nourished by honor’s
reflections in the
brilliant glow of simplicity where
wishes and focused wonder
connect the youngest dreamer
with wisdom’s warmth
in the gentle cocoon
of this tender memory.

Our Moment in Provincetown

Mom and me and my favorite friend,
and moments,
measured in microscopic morsels
of immeasurable gratitude, exuberance – and an
enriching subdued fervor
for who we are as
individuals
and as we three connected
souls
arm-in-arm-in-arm
in the glory of this
moment
we so joyfully cherish,
we shall relive
this record of our love and warmth
forever
through the permanence
of our connection and
our captured image
on this glory-filled
page,
where we’ll celebrate our lives
together forever.

Communion & Confirmation Gifts

St. John’s Basilica

If the Pope
were to visit this diocese,
the Pope
will stay here, celebrate Mass here, pray here
and offer Holy Communion with God here, at
St. John’s Basilica in Stamford, Connecticut.
Her brilliant gold cross
burns in a sun-soaked fervor,
shinning in solid clarity,
juxtaposed against a clear blue
empty sky
that pronounces the presence of God Himself
reigning miraculously amidst we shapeless mortals.

Yet this brilliant gold reminder
reflects God as living among us,
not as a detached idol of the Past
but as a energetically enlightened and engaged reality
shaping the strength of our Present
and our Hope for all tomorrows.

This brilliant gold cross atop
St. John’s Basilica,
blazing its golden radiance
into the vast blue,
absorbs and reflects
for all to see and feel
the ultimate warmth, light and
Power of the Son.

Belfry

Even in the silence of rest and solace,
the bell in the belfry rings loud
as our call to attention,
celebration and the
union
of our congregation of common concern.
Our beckoning bell calls for caring –
for those in the foreground
of society’s façade,
and the voiceless victims
suffering in the shadows.

The centuries old symbol,
our tool for alarm and proclamation,
sits in its protective cocoon
in the belfry,
where its elaborately simple apparatus
awaits its call to ring its clamor
for all to hear in simple reverence,
as its echoes tumble
amidst the alleyways and avenues
of downtown,
in search of searching souls.

Dog tributes

Buster

The warmth of Buster’s heart and
kinship
melt the very ice
he sits upon and
the soul in which
I love him so dearly.

My comrade, my companion,
my friend
shares the woods of winter’s wonder
with me so willingly,
as he absorbs this moment
and I record it
forever.

The perfect fusion
in his handsome markings
distinguish
him as him,
my comrade, my companion,
my friend.

No warmer
can a moment be
than this one,
seated upon this frozen form
of summer’s stream with
Buster,
my comrade, my companion,
my friend.  

A splash in the sunset,
a sparkle in the eye
and a puppy’s smile
warms the heart more
than the sun warms the sea.

The ocean’s soft shimmer
slides from her dainty paw
like affection’s dew
clinging to love’s embrace.

The gleam in her eye
widens in wonder’s daze
at the fruits of the world
and she marvels
at the marvel
that is the beach
In Provincetown.

Father's day

The Wonder of Wonder

I don’t know what to make of all this
noise of every kind.
Something feels exciting
about all this
but I’m a little scared:
I want to venture from my dad’s hold
but the safety and security in holding
my dad’s hand
tells me, “It’s ok to be here
                but it’s better to be here
                with my dad.”
I wonder if that will always be?

The world beyond my reach
kind of frightens me;
the world beyond my dad’s reach
kind of frightens me even more,
but somehow, I sense – I know –
that this is the world we all live in
without being able to hold our
our dads’ fingers.

I guess I’m not sure
the world beyond my dad’s reach is
all it’s cracked up to be.
And I don’t know what to make of
all this noise.
Do you?

Friend tributes

Our Moment in Provincetown

Mom and me and my favorite friend,
and moments,
measured in microscopic morsels
of immeasurable gratitude, exuberance – and an
enriching subdued fervor
for who we are as
individuals
and as we three connected
souls
arm-in-arm-in-arm
in the glory of this
moment
we so joyfully cherish,
we shall relive
this record of our love and warmth
forever
through the permanence
of our connection and
our captured image
on this glory-filled
page,
where we’ll celebrate our lives
together forever.

Discussion

Two friends – more than co-workers – huddle close
to balance an elusive trust,
teetering on the shaky thread of a tightrope
spun from a secret neither friend should know or repeat.

But the raw euphoria in sharing – in tasting the secret’s juice –
spreads its magnetic allure to all things confidential,
intrigue: a quirky fascination of the human psyche.

The friends probe for trust in the seeds of their sow,
indulging in passing along secrets in exchange for secrecy
to protect each other’s weaknesses
from the clutches of discovery
and the demanding standards of expectation.

The friends lean more away from the world
than toward each other;
    they whisper, they coo, they sigh,
    they strengthen their bond
    by weakening others’ stature
    as they sweep their own
          discontent and insecurities aside
    like crumbs fallen from splintered bread sticks,
    brushed from their table, neatly out of their lives.

They evolve their discussion,
now leaning more toward each other
than away from the world
in a new found comfort called trust,
teetering on the shaky threads of a tightrope
spun from a secret

Graduation Gifts

Milestone Moments – of Joy

Milestone moments etch their impressions
deep into our memories
like ink upon a page
telling their stories,
sealing feelings in time
forever
for us to relive, recount and enjoy.

That moment in time
was but a moment in time
about to pass,
but now immortal
framed in a photograph memorializing
our joy
and marking Casey’s passage
from school to education,
from learning to knowing,
from young girl to young adult
before our pride-filled eyes.

I am so thankful to be
your mom
and so grateful and honored
to love you,
my daughters, my light,
my Casey, my Sam,
our warm, loving family,
our joy.

My purpose.

Grandparents Gifts

Journey Into Make Believe

The journey into make believe
teaches us so realistically, so poignantly,
how to approach the slippery trek
into our lives –
locked on the moment,
with passion and vigor. Forever.  

The toy fire engine
clenched between your thoughtful fingers,
under your judicious watch,
leads your pursuit of your fantastic mission –
to rescue
those in need of your kindness,
your caring, your exuberant zeal for life –
to liberate the trapped
from the clutches of indifference,
convention’s shackles and
expectation’s boundaries.

Your lively dash through this moment,
chasing the silent shriek
of your fire engine’s blaring siren,
brings the urgency of this instant
   you so masterfully created
   through the magnificence of imagination
   and thoughtful amusement
to a glorious crescendo

Your wondrous eyes of innocence
alight above the apples of your cheeks,
lift your sweet smile
into this savory moment,
of gentle contentment,
before the loving eyes
of Grandma and Grandpa,
and the adoring hearts
of your family.

The comfortable kindness
in your tender demeanor
already formed, already the foundation
of your character,
captures the heart and warms the soul
with your simple gentleness
and easy affection.

So on this day of Sweethearts,
none can be more loved
than you, Alexa,
the Sweetheart
that warms our hearts
with the deepest love
Grandma and Grandpa
can ever hope for.

We love you deeply
and we thank you dearly
for being
the Sweetheart that you are

Inspirational Ideas

Knowing’s Light

A light from within burns
like the spirit's warmth,
welcoming we wonderers
and soothing the weary
on the bright path of faith,
in a cozy swath of comfort.

How gracefully wisdom
divides the dark
into fear and uncertainty,
and separates itself from doubt with
conviction’s light,
like a song
bursting through silence,
a melody waltzing through the air,
wrapping its aura around
the attentive ear.

The lighted shadow
in this open call into
the certainty of faith,
where the light of knowing
burns from within,
maintains its radiance,
whether faith’s door remains
open to our searching eyes,
or fastened shut to our closed minds;
the light of knowing burns from within.

Split like a fragile twig,
a mighty pole
gets ripped into two shards –
destruction
at the hands of God’s storm.

Our misguided sense of security
crumbles
like meaning stripped
from a word under the swipe
of an eraser.

Our sense of solace splinters
as the light of day magnifies
our fractured calm,
underscoring our vulnerability
in an awakened fear.

Yet the strength
of the spirit
sees not the fracture in the post
but the strength and stability
enabling the spirit itself
to stand tall in triumph,
undaunted by God’s storm.

If the Pope
were to visit this diocese,
the Pope
will stay here, celebrate Mass here, pray here
and offer Holy Communion with God here, at
St. John’s Basilica in Stamford, Connecticut.
Her brilliant gold cross
burns in a sun-soaked fervor,
shinning in solid clarity,
juxtaposed against a clear blue
empty sky
that pronounces the presence of God Himself
reigning miraculously amidst we shapeless mortals.

Yet this brilliant gold reminder
reflects God as living among us,
not as a detached idol of the Past
but as a energetically enlightened and engaged reality
shaping the strength of our Present
and our Hope for all tomorrows.

This brilliant gold cross atop
St. John’s Basilica,
blazing its golden radiance
into the vast blue,
absorbs and reflects
for all to see and feel
the ultimate warmth, light and
Power of the Son.

Pretending to be mom
or your own
woman
forms the foundation
of who we become, be design
and by nature.
We imitate those we behold
in hope for approval and
in search for identity.

As we examine who we see
in our mirrors,
we discover who we hope to become
in our world.
We pretend to be mom
as our journey evolves,
we realize that Mom's shoes
belong on Mom's feet,
not ours,
and we must grow into
our own shoes,
walk our own paths
and etch our own identities,
not from what we concoct
in a mirror
but from what and who
we feel and hear
inside.

Kid's Tributes

Wisdom’s Welcome

The many wonders in these walls of
Wisdom’s welcome
charm three siblings in a cheerful amusement
of clever naivety amidst
the aftermath of diplomatic vapor,
and the silent cast of portraits’ eyes.

Their casual laughter brightens
the mood and lightens the tone in
The Blue Room of The White House
through their blissful conviction
of adherence to who they are,
so beautifully beautiful.

Undaunted by the splendor of quiet spectacle,
impervious to the rigid starch of expectation,
Brady, Keenan and Helene
delight in who they are – together –
despite the visceral, inherent stature in
this magnificent and historic room.

Yes, the wonders in and on these walls,
this regal carpet, this stately gilded furniture
and this subtly grand space
conjure a spirit of subdued majesty,
but all attempts for grandeur surrender
to the authenticity of
three young siblings heartily enjoying,
Wisdom’s warmest welcome:
the genuine joy of laughter.

The eyes of achievement
fix on a higher plane
as the wizard that is
Dylan Michael
sparkle upon mastering
not merely a circus feat,
but upon acing self command.
With an exuberant sense
of exuberance itself,
his invigorating spirit
and charismatic beam
permeate deep into the world
he confidently embraces.
In a measured vigor,
a practiced sage in training
casts out morsels of allure
onto an unsuspecting universe
in a spirit of harmless sport
and innocently wondrous fun,
fixed on a higher plane
than the shadow of t he spin.

A bow-shrouded brow
casts a playful shadow
over Jesse’s warm eyes
and comforting smile.
Somewhere between this moment
and a fanciful discovery
Jesse’s glorious imagination
resolved the tidal conflict wavering
between the curious evolution
into a woman’s world
juxtaposed against the reassuring
bliss in remaining a playful young girl.

Amidst this appealing moment,
Jesse wisely discovers
possibility in this fantasy land –
this inventive shop:
It isn’t the lavish or the glamorous
that warms the heart
but the truth and comfort
in her fit –
not in the garment or the hat
but in finding and celebrating
who she is and what she wants,
the honesty she feels
behind those sweet eyes,
beyond the shadow
within her affectionate smile’s loving heart
where she silently articulates
her comfort and warmth. Beautifully.

The sparkle in your smile
leads to a gleam in your eye
that begins in the warmth
of your heart and the beauty
in your soul.

The glow in your sweet cheeks
reflects the strength of your character
and the confidence
defining your inner being.

Your playful hat captures your
happy spirit
as you embrace your friend
in an endearing companionship
to behold and treasure.

What we don’t see in
this precious picture
is the deep, deep love
I feel for you, Emily,
the proud honor
I feel in being your Dad,
the wave of warmth
that fills my heart
with immeasurable love
and endless gratitude
when I look at you,
when I think of you,
my daughter, my Sweetheart,
my Emily.

The journey into make believe
teaches us so realistically, so poignantly,
how to approach the slippery trek
into our lives –
locked on the moment,
with passion and vigor. Forever.  

The toy fire engine
clenched between your thoughtful fingers,
under your judicious watch,
leads your pursuit of your fantastic mission –
to rescue
those in need of your kindness,
your caring, your exuberant zeal for life –
to liberate the trapped
from the clutches of indifference,
convention’s shackles and
expectation’s boundaries.

Your lively dash through this moment,
chasing the silent shriek
of your fire engine’s blaring siren,
brings the urgency of this instant
   you so masterfully created
   through the magnificence of imagination
   and thoughtful amusement
to a glorious crescendo

Your wondrous eyes of innocence
alight above the apples of your cheeks,
lift your sweet smile
into this savory moment,
of gentle contentment,
before the loving eyes
of Grandma and Grandpa,
and the adoring hearts
of your family.

The comfortable kindness
in your tender demeanor
already formed, already the foundation
of your character,
captures the heart and warms the soul
with your simple gentleness
and easy affection.

So on this day of Sweethearts,
none can be more loved
than you, Alexa,
the Sweetheart
that warms our hearts
with the deepest love
Grandma and Grandpa
can ever hope for.

We love you deeply
and we thank you dearly
for being
the Sweetheart that you are

Retirees’ Gifts

A Birthday Wish

Wishes and focused wonder
connect the youngest dreamer
with wisdom’s warmth,
centered in tradition,
sewn into a tapestry
of a family’s endearing
love,
nourished by honor’s
reflections in the
brilliant glow of simplicity where
wishes and focused wonder
connect the youngest dreamer
with wisdom’s warmth
in the gentle cocoon
of this tender memory.

Memory Tributes

Wisdom’s Welcome

The many wonders in these walls of
Wisdom’s welcome
charm three siblings in a cheerful amusement
of clever naivety amidst
the aftermath of diplomatic vapor,
and the silent cast of portraits’ eyes.

Their casual laughter brightens
the mood and lightens the tone in
The Blue Room of The White House
through their blissful conviction
of adherence to who they are,
so beautifully beautiful.

Undaunted by the splendor of quiet spectacle,
impervious to the rigid starch of expectation,
Brady, Keenan and Helene
delight in who they are – together –
despite the visceral, inherent stature in
this magnificent and historic room.

Yes, the wonders in and on these walls,
this regal carpet, this stately gilded furniture
and this subtly grand space
conjure a spirit of subdued majesty,
but all attempts for grandeur surrender
to the authenticity of
three young siblings heartily enjoying,
Wisdom’s warmest welcome:
the genuine joy of laughter.

A landmark in our lives,
our cozy covered bridge
punctuates a familiar assurance along
our path
and underscores the trusty comfort amidst
our journey.
This homey wooden cloak of yesterday
rests peacefully and dutifully
between the moment that is today,
and the history affixed to tomorrow,
filling the void in Lincoln Gap.

We pass our cozy, covered bridge
trip after trip, visit by visit, year after year,
never leaving her behind,
always embracing her moments of
ardently enchanting understatement
with our loving arms and open hearts.

It is a bridge, our cozy covered bridge,
not designed to cross the Mad River
but to deliver those who traverse
her gently lighted windowed shadows
and innocently rickety floorboards
to a Happy Valley we call
Home.

Her image lives vividly
in our hearts’ memories
and our minds’ eye
like the warm smile and support
of an old friend.
She, our cozy covered bridge at
Lincoln Gap,
has earned a warm place in our history
and a joyful welcome
in our cheerful tomorrows.

The smiles we see, matter less,
than the smiles we feel
as we hold so dearly,
arm-in-arm-in-arm,
those we love so deeply.

These happy hearts,
these shining eyes,
light and warm
our many treasured moments
so thoughtfully recorded
season-by-season, year-by-year,
these happy, happy moments
made precious by those
we hold closest to our hearts.

Though the places we visit,
the holidays we celebrate
and the events we attend
beckon the camera’s call,
it is Casey, Sam and I
that enrich our memories
making those special places and
festive days so extraordinarily ours.

Our simple photographs of
moments we yearn to remember
shape our joyous reminiscences
and the elaborately crafted love
inspiring our spirits’ reflection
beaming in the smiles we see,
founded on the smiles we feel.

Four ladies and a fish
find the deepest happiness
in the depths of a lake,
awash in the fortunes of summer:
sunshine, warmth, smiles,
leisure and wholesome fun.

Their impressive catch,
the proud token of the day
lies not in landing a prize trout
but in embracing
the fruits of friendship
like wet cuddling water.

This moment shall
return in simple glory
each time each of these
ladies on the lake
hear the words
“lake” or “trout” or “fishing”
or “summer” or “fun”
or “mom.”

These ladies on a lake
with smiles brighter than the sun
and love deeper than the lake itself
are the real allure,
the real prize
and the real catch of the day.
Every day.

Mother's Day

Dear Mom

Although we don’t see your pretty eyes
behind your sun glasses,
we do feel the warmth of your heart
in all you do for us.

You assure our well-being every day
and when we do slip under the weather,
you soothe our souls,
lift our hearts and mend what ails us.

You nourish us
with your kindness, caring,
love and affection
in ways that strengthen us
as men to be –
prepared to face our challenges
with courage and confidence
while approaching our lives
with tenderness and compassion.

Day-by-day,
your selfless caring for us
and your shining example
shows us how to live good lives,
how to be good people and, one day,
how to be good fathers.

We don’t see your pretty eyes
behind your sun glasses, Mom,
but we do see, and we do feel
all we will ever need
through the Son Glasses
we use, to see you so clearly,
so lovingly, so dearly.
We love you, Mom, very much.

Reflections in Identity's Mirror

Pretending to be mom
or your own
woman
forms the foundation
of who we become, be design
and by nature.
We imitate those we behold
in hope for approval and
in search for identity.

As we examine who we see
in our mirrors,
we discover who we hope to become
in our world.
We pretend to be mom
as our journey evolves,
we realize that Mom's shoes
belong on Mom's feet,
not ours,
and we must grow into
our own shoes,
walk our own paths
and etch our own identities,
not from what we concoct
in a mirror
but from what and who
we feel and hear
inside.

Happy Birthday, Dad

The caring eyes and reassuring
big sister’s hug
brings her little sister’s smile
to their tender, loved filled hearts.
Their brilliant reflection of
Mom and Dad’s loving care
glows in memories’ beam,
lighting their lifelong paths with
love’s intense, unremitting brilliance.

The vibrancy and vigor in
Lori’s spirit
radiates self assurance and confidence
like light surrounding day,
as Stacy’s intensely content warmth
and soothing comfort
views the world in the hold of her
big sister’s affection and care.

They silently reflect
the extraordinary foundation
of love, warmth, caring, goodness,
standards, values and practices
exemplified by their magnificent Dad.
They relish the immeasurable blessing
in being his loving daughters
and his little girls. Forever.

Happy Birthday, Dad. Happy Birthday.

Our world, defined by our embrace,
stretches the universe to feelings’ wonders .
Our love, our brilliantly simple joy,
is all that will ever matter,
all we’ll ever need –
our embrace , our modest inner smiles,
our contentment’s lasting prize.
We’ll never search, we’ll always find,
we’ll build and grow, grounded in
the foundation of foundation’s foundation.
The steps to our home
and approach to our world,
our granite-solid love,
shall serve to welcome loved ones
and guide our flight on compassion’s path,
sharing kindness with caring and warmth.
Our love, our brilliantly simple joy
is all that ever mattered,
all we ever needed for 68 years–
all that will ever matter. Forever.

Although we don’t see your pretty eyes
behind your sun glasses,
we do feel the warmth of your heart
in all you do for us.

You assure our well-being every day
and when we do slip under the weather,
you soothe our souls,
lift our hearts and mend what ails us.

You nourish us
with your kindness, caring,
love and affection
in ways that strengthen us
as men to be –
prepared to face our challenges
with courage and confidence
while approaching our lives
with tenderness and compassion.

Day-by-day,
your selfless caring for us
and your shining example
shows us how to live good lives,
how to be good people and, one day,
how to be good fathers.

We don’t see your pretty eyes
behind your sun glasses, Mom,
but we do see, and we do feel
all we will ever need
through the Son Glasses
we use, to see you so clearly,
so lovingly, so dearly.
We love you, Mom, very much.

The journey into make believe
teaches us so realistically, so poignantly,
how to approach the slippery trek
into our lives –
locked on the moment,
with passion and vigor. Forever.

The toy fire engine
clenched between your thoughtful fingers,
under your judicious watch,
leads your pursuit of your fantastic mission –
to rescue
those in need of your kindness,
your caring, your exuberant zeal for life –
to liberate the trapped
from the clutches of indifference,
convention’s shackles and
expectation’s boundaries.

Your lively dash through this moment,
chasing the silent shriek
of your fire engine’s blaring siren,
brings the urgency of this instant
you so masterfully created
through the magnificence of imagination
and thoughtful amusement
to a glorious crescendo
that will never end.

Your wondrous eyes of innocence
alight above the apples of your cheeks,
lift your sweet smile
into this savory moment,
of gentle contentment,
before the loving eyes
of Grandma and Grandpa,
and the adoring hearts
of your family.

The comfortable kindness
in your tender demeanor
already formed, already the foundation
of your character,
captures the heart and warms the soul
with your simple gentleness
and easy affection.

So on this day of Sweethearts,
none can be more loved
than you, Alexa,
the Sweetheart
that warms our hearts
with the deepest love
Grandma and Grandpa
can ever hope for.

We love you deeply
and we thank you dearly
for being
the Sweetheart that you are.

Service Men/Women

Noble Soldier

The eyes of a soldier
pierce the moment,
fixing on the frozen nowhere trapped
between fear and courage, caught
between a hopeful retreat to comfort
and bravado’s alluring dare.
the notion of certainty fades into
the shadows of thought’s command,
as the youthful heart of optimism
persuades the mind to smile
without definitive cause – only
the illusive assurance a smile implies.

But there, boldly in
the forefront of the invisible,
the strength of a soul
breathes vibrancy and honor’s audacity
into the racing heart of pride’s valor
and this noble soldier realizes:
The military makes not
the man,
The man
makes the military.
and this noble soldier
serves as a man within the whole,
a whole most incomplete without this man. This noble soldier.

Two men from vastly different pasts
philosophize on the now and tomorrow
as the outcome of erroneous yesterdays.
On the surface, they appear as different as
“yes” and “no”
but they’ve achieved “maybe” together,
growing through listening and
respecting each other’s views.

In the end, both men, both Americans,
both Veterans, both believers
contribute to our greater cause.

At the core,
where it most matters,
both men
are as similar
as New is Now.

Veterans, believers and contributors
to our greater cause,
listening and respecting each other’s views,
these two men from vastly different pasts
share one bench, on country, one belief,
like a melody and a beat becoming a song.

Sibling Tributes

Our Moment in Provincetown

Mom and me and my favorite friend,
and moments,
measured in microscopic morsels
of immeasurable gratitude, exuberance – and an
enriching subdued fervor
for who we are as
individuals
and as we three connected
souls
arm-in-arm-in-arm
in the glory of this
moment
we so joyfully cherish,
we shall relive
this record of our love and warmth
forever
through the permanence
of our connection and
our captured image
on this glory-filled
page,
where we’ll celebrate our lives
together forever.

Sibling Snow

A proud and smiley Julianna,
mothers lucky Maxwell and Lucas
in an embrace even younger brothers
find comfortable, warm and welcome.

Clothed in their own comfort,
these special siblings bask in the pleasure
of their own company
in a graceful acceptance
of their respective roles,
secure in their identity,
assured and in command
of who they are and
how deeply they are loved.

Julianna, Maxwell and Lucas
will recall and relive this
warm embrace
throughout their lives,
Their collective loving union and respective
self-assurance will strengthen them
through the challenges of adolescence
and the trials and triumphs of adulthood
so they too can show their children
how to love.

So lucky, so loving, so bright;
these three cheerful siblings
lift and brighten each other’s lives
like the brilliant white of snow
smiling from the stones,
blanketing the earth

A Family Fine

A family found in friendships fond
huddles in the deepest comfort
of their warm bond,
despite the chill of
an autumn, Florence dawn.

An artistic journey of discovery
draws one of the family’s arms
to Italy’s many blessings
then a union for all emerges
in a river of memories
of a togetherness few enjoy
and an affectionate warmth
all hope for.

Shoulder-to-shoulder-shoulder,
a family found in friendships fond
snuggled in its own warmth
greets what once was
a moment
in a sweet past that passed,
but now returns to live.
Forever.

Milestone Moments – of Joy

Milestone moments etch their impressions
deep into our memories
like ink upon a page
telling their stories,
sealing feelings in time
forever
for us to relive, recount and enjoy.

That moment in time
was but a moment in time
about to pass,
but now immortal
framed in a photograph memorializing
our joy
and marking Casey’s passage
from school to education,
from learning to knowing,
from young girl to young adult
before our pride-filled eyes.

I am so thankful to be
your mom
and so grateful and honored
to love you,
my daughters, my light,
my Casey, my Sam,
our warm, loving family,
our joy.

My purpose.

Ladies on a Lake

Four ladies and a fish
find the deepest happiness
in the depths of a lake,
awash in the fortunes of summer:
sunshine, warmth, smiles,
leisure and wholesome fun.

Their impressive catch,
the proud token of the day
lies not in landing a prize trout
but in embracing
the fruits of friendship
like wet cuddling water.

This moment shall
return in simple glory
each time each of these
ladies on the lake
hear the words
“lake” or “trout” or “fishing”
or “summer” or “fun”
or “mom.”

These ladies on a lake
with smiles brighter than the sun
and love deeper than the lake itself
are the real allure,
the real prize
and the real catch of the day.
Every day.

A Fitting Observation

A bow-shrouded brow
casts a playful shadow
over Jesse’s warm eyes
and comforting smile.
Somewhere between this moment
and a fanciful discovery
Jesse’s glorious imagination
resolved the tidal conflict wavering
between the curious evolution
into a woman’s world
juxtaposed against the reassuring
bliss in remaining a playful young girl.

Amidst this appealing moment,
Jesse wisely discovers
possibility in this fantasy land –
this inventive shop:
It isn’t the lavish or the glamorous
that warms the heart
but the truth and comfort
in her fit –
not in the garment or the hat
but in finding and celebrating
who she is and what she wants,
the honesty she feels
behind those sweet eyes,
beyond the shadow
within her affectionate smile’s loving heart
where she silently articulates
her comfort and warmth. Beautifully.

Stand Proud

The gentleness in your smile
and the warmth in your eyes
tells the world before you
that you stand poised,
ready to come of age,
to accept conviction in
your commitments and
responsibility for your actions –
for all you do, and all you do not.

Coming of age as you have, Jake,
means more than merely arriving,
it means assuring you find
the right way and insist on pursuing
honor in all you do, forever:
It means embracing such
grandiose notions as piety,
and practicing such simple behaviors
as honesty, courtesy and giving
with your moral compass
fixed on ideals and grounded in values.

More than this moment
founded on the virtue of your age,
stands the character directing
your destiny,
shaped by the choices
that define your path,
the actions that determine your fate
and the integrity that bestows on you,
the gift of clarity.

Stand proud, Jake,
stand proud,
for today, you are a man
and today and all days,
we stand deeply proud of you.

Special Moments

Dining Room for Two

A garden table awaits its diners,
clothed only in its sculpted stone;
this quaint dining room for two,
formed from open walls and endless skies,
softens the heart and frees the mind
to embrace the possibility within this little room
that sprawls as wide as the world.

Despite her humble hush,
her beauty roars in a silent song,
her frame of healthy vine tempers
her alabaster face, inviting the eyes to dine.
Her simple elegance complements nature’s nest,
in this beautifully rustic, private quarters,
hidden in this airy public jewel.

So serve the banquet, serve the wine,
slice the fruits of picnics fine,
salt this garden table’s meal
with sweetened whispers lovers’ feel,
in the cozy secrets of this room
framed in beauty’s perfect bloom,
fulfill the lovers’ searching whys
with wanton foods and alibis,
beneath the shade where lovers meet
on alabaster marble seats,
the shadows dance in summer’s breeze
with grace and flare and blissful ease
around this dining room for two,
formed from dreams and playful cues,
her timeless beauty, perfect face
presents her elegance as grace.
So serve the banquet, serve the wine,
slice the fruits of picnics fine.

Two ladies in a window
dine in the ease of public places
to discuss their private struggles and strains;
news of dire consequence
revealed in this quiet corner
of the momentary comfort –
of this airy hideaway, this retreat from
life’s weighty anxieties.

One lady’s eyes cushions the blow
to protect her heart.
Her face repels
the force of the emotional blow
like a padded vest
shielding a soldier from harm;
the other lady flails her napkin in a gesture of
synthetic strength
as the news infests their cozy corner
with its intrusive, gloomy dominance.

But the two ladies in the window
are hearty and strong; they know
that the shock of the moment
will dissipate and diffuse,
forming and shaping their new reality
like a Polaroid picture
evolving from a dull blur
into a sharply defined picture
that didn’t exist
the moment before
speaking and hearing
this news.

Remnants remain from a conversation concluded
between two lovers whose whispers and giggles
and loaded lines danced on the fringe of intimacy,
beneath the boisterous din of public clamor.

The bitter-sweet trace of lemon zest
lingers on their lips and tongues as they kiss
somewhere nearby.
The acrid liquor that is Espresso
imparts its vibrant influence, far beyond
the moment these happy demitasse cups
emptied euphoria into the lovers’ smiling lips.

Now, the sediment of flavor’s nectar
settles about the rims and bellies of
these porcelain vessels of memories
reflecting in turned down spoons and residue,
where whispers, giggles and leading lines
tumbled across this tiny table
in hushed moments amidst a loud world.

The conversation’s aftermath evaporates,
sealing this color-filled moment into history,
connecting these vibrant tiny goblets
with the lovers of the past, who also savored
companionship through the monochrome elixir
of insight and arousal that is Espresso.
For two.

Special Places

A Wooded Path

Deep in the thick of Stamford’s forest,
countless paths trail the banks of streams
where fallen trees and lush vegetation
vegetate, forming nature’s canopy
of protection to cool the woods below.

The trickle of the streams and
twirping of birds unseen
sing in sync, yet not in harmony.
Wildlife roams under cover
of this wondrous cover
as the trees stand in silence,
saluting hikers who know of these trails
as they practice their simple reverence
to this sacred, natural sanctity.

The path worn cozy and soft
meanders in an orderly random
of peaceful progress toward discovery
and escape in the same stride.
This choice tree reaching into the path
in glory, rises its branches
in an angel’s assurance
to remind us we are being cared for,
guided and protected
no matter the path of our choosing.

Euro Stamford

Artifacts from an Italian ally way
carry more mood than riders,
delivering the spirit of Italy to Stamford
in a corner of Capriccio Café
like two trophies on a shelf
awarding achievement for individual courage
and believing in one’s self.

Their courageously simple styling
underscores the priceless value of
prancing in the whim of
a spirited gate of independence,
in a shield armor tempered from
conviction and passion.

The simplicity of these dashing
Vespas lure us into their liberating persona
like the perfect tune on the perfect
summer day.
Their boldly subtle presence
rolled the Europeanization of Stamford
into town like a dazzling discovery,
leading us to a new command on
the art of living,
a new savoring of the moment,
defining our pursuit of the hour –
by embracing simplicity yet
demanding fun and expecting excellence.

Stamford stretches its sterling reach
well into the sea
where its dimensions soften in the languid lap
of Long Island Sound.
Our days begin in brilliance
and end in a palette of powdery pastels,
rich in nuance and pure in depth.

We sail in and around Stamford
in its calm roll or feisty chop,
and always, she retains her beauty,
grace and charm
in the undercurrent of strength,
and a steely power camouflaged
by the sound’s gentle veneer.

Gifted and blessed,
the mouth of Stamford
speaks to the world
in whispers of refined beauty
and the voice of prominent assurance,
reflecting the splendor of her complexion,
and the dashing of his handsome profile.

Holly Pond

The onset of dusk reflects in the eyes of
Holly Pond,
the picturesque bay where the Sound
empties its riches twice each day.
Stripped bass wander in with the tide
and often miss their ride back out to sea,
so we fish as they feed
and saturate our stresses
with the soothing renewal
of the salty ocean’s healing salve,
defining the calm with calm itself.

As the day lingers as a favor for all,
the tides continue perpetually
massaging the shore,
gently in, gently out
in an undetectable simplicity
and eternal natural precision.

When all else seems to overwhelm
and threaten our sense of peace,
the calm of Stamford’s shore
assures its serene gentleness
to heal our suffering
and inspire and energize our dreams.

Kiss the day goodbye
and tenderly hug the night hello,
as the onset of dusk
reflects in the eyes of
Holly Pond.

Arch Angel

The seekers search for light,
knowing, wisdom and certainty,
but the simplicity of God’s Word
muffles under the intrusion of
technology’s noise,
and fades into a mosaic of distraction.

To connect
requires simple silence, calm acceptance,
gentle effort, open eyes, ears, heart,
an open mind, an open soul and
an open spirit fixed on
the most mysterious technology
unknown to man:
faith.

There, in the invisible infinity of
faith,
far beyond technology’s noise,
the peek of comfort speaks
a loud, clear, powerful message
through a humble and moving,
wireless silence.

The Gift of Time

The pigment of a worn coat peels
under the force of nature and the
wear of time;
the soul beneath the skin
reveals its stark truth.

The gritty diligence and enduring
persistence of earthen matter
perseveres as the brevity of
a cosmetic façade erodes
in wrinkled chips and weathered flakes
of a yesterday weakened
under the strain of powerful now,
a compelling tomorrow.

As the veneer of this reddish charm
gives way
to the rustic values beneath the impression,
truth fuses with hopeful intention,
our façade sheds an illusive security,
strength and courage latch onto fate
and hook our ironclad conviction
deep into our veiled aspirations.

Our clearest purpose coalesces
with our vigorous will
like the past attached to history,
and the dawn affixed to tomorrow,
under the force of nature
as the gift of time.

Reawakening

The bright mind’s open eye
sees the splendor of possibility
and resurrection from the spoils of
decay, desertion and disrepair.
Her new vibrant future,
rooted in the seed of her soul,
flourishing in distinctive, rosy grace –
the smooth reddish glow
on her ripened cheeks –
awaits.

As her search for wholeness peeks
out to the dawn, one eye remains
locked shut in the atrophy of indifference,
but her I unfurls,
she seeks and summons light,
juxtaposed against her shadow,
to define her gentle radiance,
as her reawakening nears.

Time reflects its forceful toll,
but the wise find beauty,
freedom and purpose
beneath the grate of age
and the inherent disdain defining
discontent’s inescapable rot.

Her independence, strength and
deep inner courage rally
the valor in her soul
and summon the dormant
passion in her heart,
and she rises to a new dawn,
fresh, revived and eager to shine
in the glory of her own brilliance:

She converts a dysfunctional, tired barn
into a vibrant and enchanting
new cottage, her new home, her new life,
refreshed and tinted
by the sun’s gentle kiss.
Everyday. Forever.

Spirituality Tributes

Arch Angel

The seekers search for light,
knowing, wisdom and certainty,
but the simplicity of God’s Word
muffles under the intrusion of
technology’s noise,
and fades into a mosaic of distraction.

To connect
requires simple silence, calm acceptance,
gentle effort, open eyes, ears, heart,
an open mind, an open soul and
an open spirit fixed on
the most mysterious technology
unknown to man:
faith.

There, in the invisible infinity of
faith,
far beyond technology’s noise,
the peek of comfort speaks
a loud, clear, powerful message
through a humble and moving,
wireless silence.

Belfry

Even in the silence of rest and solace,
the bell in the belfry rings loud
as our call to attention,
celebration and the
union
of our congregation of common concern.
Our beckoning bell calls for caring –
for those in the foreground
of society’s façade,
and the voiceless victims
suffering in the shadows.

The centuries old symbol,
our tool for alarm and proclamation,
sits in its protective cocoon
in the belfry,
where its elaborately simple apparatus
awaits its call to ring its clamor
for all to hear in simple reverence,
as its echoes tumble
amidst the alleyways and avenues
of downtown,
in search of searching souls.

The

If the Pope
were to visit this diocese,
the Pope
will stay here, celebrate Mass here, pray here
and offer Holy Communion with God here, at
The Basilica of St. John in Stamford, Connecticut.
Her brilliant gold cross
burns in a sun-soaked fervor,
shinning in solid clarity,
juxtaposed against a clear blue
empty sky
that pronounces the presence of God Himself
reigning miraculously amidst we shapeless mortals.

Yet this brilliant gold reminder
reflects God as living among us,
not as a detached idol of the Past
but as a energetically enlightened and engaged reality
shaping the strength of our Present
and our Hope for all tomorrows.

This brilliant gold cross atop
St. John’s Basilica,
blazing its golden radiance
into the vast blue,
absorbs and reflects
for all to see and feel
the ultimate warmth, light and
Power of the Son.

Vacation Memories

Lincoln Gap, Happy Valley

A landmark in our lives,
our cozy covered bridge
punctuates a familiar assurance along
our path
and underscores the trusty comfort amidst
our journey.
This homey wooden cloak of yesterday
rests peacefully and dutifully
between the moment that is today,
and the history affixed to tomorrow,
filling the void in Lincoln Gap.

We pass our cozy, covered bridge
trip after trip, visit by visit, year after year,
never leaving her behind,
always embracing her moments of
ardently enchanting understatement
with our loving arms and open hearts.

It is a bridge, our cozy covered bridge,
not designed to cross the Mad River
but to deliver those who traverse
her gently lighted windowed shadows
and innocently rickety floorboards
to a Happy Valley we call
Home.

Her image lives vividly
in our hearts’ memories
and our minds’ eye
like the warm smile and support
of an old friend.
She, our cozy covered bridge at
Lincoln Gap,
has earned a warm place in our history
and a joyful welcome
in our cheerful tomorrows.

Ladies on a Lake

Four ladies and a fish
find the deepest happiness
in the depths of a lake,
awash in the fortunes of summer:
sunshine, warmth, smiles,
leisure and wholesome fun.

Their impressive catch,
the proud token of the day
lies not in landing a prize trout
but in embracing
the fruits of friendship
like wet cuddling water.

This moment shall
return in simple glory
each time each of these
ladies on the lake
hear the words
“lake” or “trout” or “fishing”
or “summer” or “fun”
or “mom.”

These ladies on a lake
with smiles brighter than the sun
and love deeper than the lake itself
are the real allure,
the real prize
and the real catch of the day.
Every day.

Valentine's Gifts

Side-by-Side

The comfort in the comfort
of two souls
warming and nurturing
each other
frames their gentle caring,
a kindness
founded in history’s values
and guided by tomorrow’s
loving intentions.

The innate strength
in standing side-by-side
evolves into the power and privilege
in marching forward,
assured
that I am always behind you
and you are always behind me,
be we on the most treturous of trials,
or the most blissful, peaceful paths.

What matters now, is now –
the ever-changing moment,
and what makes each moment
so warm and so endearing
is standing side-by-side with you.

I love you, Alexis, I treasure you,
I thank you so very much
for loving me.

Veterans’ Tributes

Noble Soldier

The eyes of a soldier
pierce the moment,
fixing on the frozen nowhere trapped
between fear and courage, caught
between a hopeful retreat to comfort
and bravado’s alluring dare.
the notion of certainty fades into
the shadows of thought’s command,
as the youthful heart of optimism
persuades the mind to smile
without definitive cause – only
the illusive assurance a smile implies.

But there, boldly in
the forefront of the invisible,
the strength of a soul
breathes vibrancy and honor’s audacity
into the racing heart of pride’s valor
and this noble soldier realizes:
The military makes not
the man,
The man
makes the military.
and this noble soldier
serves as a man within the whole,
a whole most incomplete without this man. This noble soldier.

Our world, defined by our embrace,
stretches the universe to feelings’ wonders .
Our love, our brilliantly simple joy,
is all that will ever matter,
all we’ll ever need –
our embrace , our modest inner smiles,
our contentment’s lasting prize.
We’ll never search, we’ll always find,
we’ll build and grow, grounded in
the foundation of foundation’s foundation.
The steps to our home
and approach to our world,
our granite-solid love,
shall serve to welcome loved ones
and guide our flight on compassion’s path,
sharing kindness with caring and warmth.
Our love, our brilliantly simple joy
is all that ever mattered,
all we ever needed for 68 years–
all that will ever matter. Forever.

Two men from vastly different pasts
philosophize on the now and tomorrow
as the outcome of erroneous yesterdays.
On the surface, they appear as different as
“yes” and “no”
but they’ve achieved “maybe” together,
growing through listening and
respecting each other’s views.

In the end, both men, both Americans,
both Veterans, both believers
contribute to our greater cause.

At the core,
where it most matters,
both men
are as similar
as New is Now.

Veterans, believers and contributors
to our greater cause,
listening and respecting each other’s views,
these two men from vastly different pasts
share one bench, on country, one belief,
like a melody and a beat becoming a song.