Leaving Party

GOODBYE SAM
(light-hearted goodbye from her friends at the office)
Well, what can we say, Sam is leaving today
And everyone here’s gonna miss her
She’s a friend to us all, and especially John Hall
Who says she’s a fabulous kisser!
Hey, calm down dear folk, that was only a joke
I was really just kidding you on
Sam’s as good as they come, though she’s also great fun
When the wine flows a little too long
Like that time in the pub, when Sam just stood up
And walked up to the mike with a smile
We were all deathly dumb, ‘til she lit up the room
With a voice full of sweetness and style
She plays by the rules, and she won’t suffer fools
But she's the best sort of friend you can find
She won’t get in your way, but she’s there just the same
Yes, she truly is one one of a kind
Her gain is our loss, but our fingers are crossed
As we wish her a wealth of success
But whatever she does, she’ll always have us
Cos as friends go, Sam sure is the best

WHO YOU ARE (GRADUATION)

You had the whole world in your hands and, without
too much trouble, gripped it tightly and never
let go until you got your graduation certificate.
And I am so, so proud of you.
I knew you could do it.
But, now that an exciting new world is calling
out to you, I just want you to remember that it is
not what you do but who you are,
way deep down inside,
that really counts.
So, get right out there on life’s rollercoaster
and ride every dream you have
but, along the way,
please don’t lose sight of the very thing
that makes you special.
Makes you unique.
You.
And who you are.
“Congratulations on your Graduation, Son”

Friendship

They say to “Live every moment, laugh everyday, love beyond words”
But how can you live every moment when one moment haunts you forever?
How can you laugh everyday when you hurt so badly?
How can you love beyond words when you know you will be beaten down and crushed by the ones you love most?
So ripe out my heart and spare me three words
So I can die deep inside before they hurt me even worse
Spare me the years of heartache and pain
And let me cry myself to sleep tonight
I’ll make it on my own for I can’t make with them
Let the devil purchase my soul
Because the pain he will deliver can’t be worse than the pain right now
So kill me well….oh so well
R.I.P to the devil’s hell

I’ll Be Your Crying Shoulder {Your Tears Here}

Hey you, this is what I’ve been trying to tell you everyday
What I meant to tell you from the very first day….
Let the brick walls you’ve created fall, let me in let me witness it all
Let those vexatious tears begin darling,
Do not hold back your pain oh so deep-
My care and love for you is alive not dead
By me you will NEVER be misled
~
I’ll be your crying shoulder
I’ll be your shoulder to cry on
Rest your head and shed your tears here
Written in a colored marker
Watch as sodden black tears fall
I’ll be love’s suicide and grasp you as you fall
~
When raging rain is crashing down
You know someone will be waiting with an umbrella, to lift you off the ground
Even when the storm clears, I will still be here
And I’ll still be your shoulder to cry on
For I am someone who knows exactly what you need
And I am someone who understands exactly how you feel
I am that person dreaming
….hoping for that day when
you take your eyes away off the terrain
and see me gazing back at you
offering my heart and hand

Candlelight

When nights are dark
And skies are gray
The only light that shines through
Is that of candle light.
When I’m feeling down
And it feels like there’s no hope around
You are the candle light
That shines me through my unhappy fight

Listen

You listen
When I’ve got nothing to say
You laugh
Even when my jokes are lame
You tell me what I need to hear
I know you will always be honest with me
You give me space
Without me even asking
You ask how I really am
Even when I’m smiling
You put up with my moods
And let me know when I’ve got it wrong
I’ll never go out of my way to hurt you
And I’m saying sorry now
Because I can’t be perfect
We’ll say things we don’t mean
But soon make it up to each other
Guess what I’m trying to say it…
I’ll never have another friend like you

You Give Me Hope

You give me hope
when I’m alone
You give me hope
Wen all’s lost
You give me hope
when I they turn against me
You give me hope
When I need it
You give me hope
When your here
YOU give me hope

BESTEST FRIEND

Gonna love you when your world is low on love
Gonna hold you when you’re screaming out for hugs
And when your heart’s so heavy it’s all out of trust
Gonna be there, gonna be your friend
Gonna build a road when when the stepping stones run out
Gonna pick you up when your dreams come crashing down
And when you’re heading nowhere, I’ll turn you around
Gonna be there, gonna be your friend
Gonna paint you pictures when your paint won’t write
Gonna prove the here and now is paradise
And on your darkest days, I’ll shine a million lights
Gonna be there, gonna be your friend
Yes, I’ll be there whenever friendship calls
Just like you have for me
So many times before…
Thanks for being the
bestest friend ever.

A SISTER IS.... (FAMILY)

Love mixed with friendship
A perspective on the past
And a million favourite memories
That will always, always last.
A bond that can’t be broken
A closeness born of blood
Someone who’ll fight my corner
In bad times, and in good
Who’s different, yet the same as me
In oh, so many ways
Who knows the many sides of me
Yet loves me anyway!
Who lifts me with her laughter
And who’ll catch me if I fall
And who truly, truly, truly is
The bestest Little Sis of all

MY GORGEOUS GRANDCHILD (FAMILY)

Deep down inside my heart's a love
I've nurtured a long, long while
An extra-special, home-grown love
Saved for my first grandchild.
And now you're here, dear Anna
I can’t quite believe my eyes
You're the most gorgeous grand-daughter ever
Even if you’re economy size!
Dark-haired and oh, so beautiful
I just want you to know
I adore every tiny bit of you
And already love you so.
And when you're a little bit bigger
You and me will have some fun
Chasing butterflies and rainbows
Having picnics in the sun.
Making daisy chains and sand castles
Catching waves between our toes,
And playing at being princesses
In ribbons, braids and bows.
On moonlit nights, we'll count the stars
And watch the moon come out to play
Then cuddle up until morning
Brings us both a bright new day.
And even when you're older
And you set male hearts awhirl
You'll still be all I could ask for
Still be Grandma's special girl.

FRIENDS(FAMILY)

I know all friends are really special
But if you're truly, truly blessed
You'll find a friend like Nicky
Who outshines all the rest
The kind of friend you can call anytime
Even 4 in the morn if you must
Who you casually meet while trav'lling to work
But can somehow instinctively trust
And I'd have been lost without her
Oh, many a time, I'll admit
Without her warmth and generosity
Without her kindness, spirit and wit
She never asks 'Why', when things gets tough
She just 'Makes the World Go Away'
And when the 'Morning Side of your Mountain' falls in
She somehow knows just what to say
She's partial to wine, and after a few
She's up clearing space for to dance
And she’ll croon 'til the 'Twelfth of Never'
If ever you give her a chance
She's a fantastic mum, a brilliant wife
And a bighearted Scot at her core
The kind of woman who gives and gives
And then gives a little bit more
The bestest of friends, I love her so much
And that's what I want her to know
Oh yes, and ‘Happy Birthday’ Nicky
Here's to the big Five Ohhhh!

MY FRIEND, FRANKIE(FAMILY)

She's feisty, fun and fabulous
And very loyal, real and true
A jewel among life's jewels
But funny and crazy, too
She's the bestest friend I've ever had
And can always make me smile
Being oh, so European
Yet a complete Anglophile
She makes me laugh, she stands by me
And sees through my affectations
Yet still accepts me just as I am
Without huge expectations
She loves to put the world to rights
Over a Gin & Tonic … or two
And would happily strangle Tony Blair
Gordon Brown and a few others, too
She's a fan of England's olden days
When people knew warmth and respect
And the world wasn't quite so darn crazy
On being politically correct
She loves the Archers, old movies too
Miss Marple, Maigret and Poirot
And if she could choose to go anywhere
'Due South' is where she'd go
She never quite sees how great she is
So I want her to know I feel blessed
‘Cos she’s made a huge difference to my life
And as friends go, she sure is the best

CHEERING UP A FRIEND! (DIVORCE)

Hooray, Hooray, today’s the day
Your divorce comes through
No more Mrs No-one
No more “making do”
No more clouds of sorrow
No more ifs and buts
It’s hello world, bring on that fun
And goodbye Mr Klutz!

CONGRATULATIONS SHARON & GUY

Of all the ‘Guys’ in all the world
And goodness, there’s a few
Sharon’s chose the very best
With whom to say “I Do”
He’s quiet, she’s more bubbly
But between them they have grown
A love that whispers always
And a dream to call their own
And no bride will look more stunning
Than Sharon, that’s for sure
So petite and chic and pretty
With a smile so bright and pure
But it’s hard to find a wedding gift
For a couple who have it all
Except carpets for the living room
Or bedroom, stairs and hall!
So we thought we’d write a line or two
To celebrate your day
To wish you tons of happiness
And to cheer you on your way
To the Maldives, how exciting
For a heavenly honeymoon
Warm sun, white sand and palm trees
Blue seas, turquoise lagoons
The perfect start to a married life
Of fun and joy together
To a love that continues growing
To a truth that will last forever
And on 29 March, 08
As we share in your celebrations
We wish you luck and love and laughter
And huge Congratulations

CONGRATULATIONS ON 35 YEARS WORKING HERE!

There’s a jungle in her office
Yet she knows each plant by name
And when it comes to Western Canada
Seems it’s very much the same
Almost half the population
Know Maggie as their friend
‘Cause she’s just the kind of woman
On whom we all depend
There’s nothing Maggie doesn’t know
When it comes to fares and seats
And as for complimentaries
Well, Maggie can’t be beat
Nothing’s too much trouble
Nothing wears her down
Must be all that health stuff
She’s always gulping down!
She’s not big on the USA
Or twits in pinstripe suits
Nor call centres in India
But owls sure make her hoot
And we all know she loves ski-ing
Or is it the apres-ski?
Where the only ice around
Floats in her favourite G&T?
A member of the mafia
And a whizz at quotes and costs
She’s our right-arm woman
And without her we’d be lost!
So with thanks and our best wishes
And congratulations, too
Here’s to the next 35 years
From Kevin, Helen and Sue

Adoption Poems-10

There are times when happiness descends
Just like a god out of a clear blue sky.
We make hard choices, not quite knowing why,
Only hoping to pursue our ends.
And yet we cannot see beyond time's bends,
Nor ever know where our true interests lie,
Nor love, and not at times our love belie,
Unaware of what some word portends.
So now the child you once gave up returns,
A joy you never dreamed your life would hold,
And truth so near your heart, at last revealed,
Within you like a sacred fire burns.
Thus sometimes do mysteries unfold,
Restoring gifts that time has long concealed.

Adoption Poems-9

Thank you for loving us,
Having us in.
All you have given
Now we hold within.
Kids out in limbo
You made your own,
Or else we might still be
Unloved and alone.

Adoption Poems-8

Thank you for loving me,
Having me in.
All you have given
Now I hold within.
Kid in a vacuum
You made your own,
Or else I had been
Unborn and unknown.*
*Or, "Unloved and alone.

Adoption Poems-7

Love has never been about the genes,
But about beauty, and unforgiving grace.
The wolf that suckled Romulus and Remus
Had nothing in her heart but wrenching joy.
Oh, yes, of course, love also is a means,
Serving the survival of the race.
But more, it is a longing that redeems us,
An end itself no ending can destroy.
And so it is with mothers who love children
Not of their flesh, but of their nurturing.
The origin fades, the years of love remain
Vivid in the background of a life.
For Rome, the wolf will always be its kindred,
Ancestor who took fate's offering
And made it hers through sacrifice and pain,
The legacy that would her long days light

Adoption Poems-6

Happy birthday, mother of
A dream undreamed, unveiled at last,
Portion of a past unpassed,
Part I'd not partaken of,
Yet one in which my self was cast.
Before I knew of you, I knew
Inside myself your whispered word,
Remembering what I'd never heard,
The me that was exactly you.
How glad I am that we now share
Directly that long love unseen,
A gift from you that's always been,
Yet now for me is always there.

Adoption Poems-5

Happy birthday, dearest one,
Sweet child of my heart!
We've become one family,
Of which you are a part.
And so I sing out equally
To all of those who are
Mine by blood or fortune blessed,
No more, no less my star!
We are one in love and joy,
In fondness and in worth,
And so as one we celebrate
This day, your day of birth!

Adoption Poems-4

Happiness lies just this side of heartache,
As both are set aflame by one desire.
Perhaps one would best never light that fire,
Pursuing pleasure purely for its own sake.
Yet joy can be as fragile as a snowflake,
Full as oceans, brutal as barbed wire.
All your love is all that you require,
The grace that inundates the granite heartbreak.
How beautiful to take on such a burden,
Entering into contract with the void,
Responsible to some judgmental stranger,
'Ere meeting, for the seedtime of its soul!
Sing, then, of a quest that gains no guerdon,
Dearer far than pleasures now enjoyed,
A journey arduous and full of danger,
Yet sacred for the gift that is its goal.

Adoption Poems-3

Gifts come in many shapes and guises:
Apples meant to nurture seeds
Wind up in many strange disguises,
Ministering to other needs.
When a new soul comes into being,
Hope anew springs from the Earth:
No one has the gift of seeing
What new gift comes with each birth.
What brings a young girl savage pain
Can bring joy to a man and wife:
One cannot weigh the loss or gain,
But one can always treasure life.
Life's a gift beyond what we
Can know or understand or say:
There's a nonstop ecstasy
Beneath the hum of every day.
There's a love so radical
That nothing can escape its glow,
Luminous and magical,
Everywhere we are or go.
And so we take this gift of love,
A little piece of it, new-born,
And feel some lovely fortune move
Within us towards eternal dawn.















Goodbye, my darling foster child,
On to another home!
Open doors remain behind.
Do but turn, and you will find
Bestride your heart, my own.
You may the wind, unwept and wild,
Embrace, but not alone.

Adoption Poems-2

Foster children move from place to place
With memories that walk the night alone,
Nor is the love theirs that they must embrace.
Yet most survive with a peculiar grace,
Even though their hearts should turn to stone
As they move about from place to place.
Perhaps within themselves they find a space
To furnish as they would a mobile home,
Finding scraps of things they can embrace,
A memory like some much-fingered lace,
Thoughts and dreams that only they have known,
Moving as they do from place to place,
Their childhood impossible to trace
In the years of yearning after they are grown,
Filled with love they've chosen to embrace,
Yet with their losses etched upon their face,
Pain for which no penance can atone.
How can they move and move from place to place,
Surrendering the love they must embrace?

Adoption Poems-1

For all that you have given me,
I can return but love. For you
Bound up the wounds I did not see
And gave me hopes and passions new.
I can return but love for you,
Whose unmoved faith my heart did move,
And gave me hopes and passions new,
And loved me till I turned to love.
Whose unmoved faith did my heart move?
The mother of my heart, not blood,
Who loved me till I turned to love.
And I became the soul I would.
The mother of my heart, not blood,
Bound up the wounds I did not see.
And I became the soul I would
For all that you have given me.

FRIENDS

I know all friends are really special
But if you're truly, truly blessed
You'll find a friend like Nicky
Who outshines all the rest
The kind of friend you can call anytime
Even 4 in the morn if you must
Who you casually meet while trav'lling to work
But can somehow instinctively trust
And I'd have been lost without her
Oh, many a time, I'll admit
Without her warmth and generosity
Without her kindness, spirit and wit
She never asks 'Why', when things gets tough
She just 'Makes the World Go Away'
And when the 'Morning Side of your Mountain' falls in
She somehow knows just what to say
She's partial to wine, and after a few
She's up clearing space for to dance
And she’ll croon 'til the 'Twelfth of Never'
If ever you give her a chance
She's a fantastic mum, a brilliant wife
And a bighearted Scot at her core
The kind of woman who gives and gives
And then gives a little bit more
The bestest of friends, I love her so much
And that's what I want her to know
Oh yes, and ‘Happy Birthday’ Nicky
Here's to the big Five Ohhhh!

HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY

“The world’s yours for the taking, Penny”

Today’s the day, dear Penny
That you turn twenty one
So enjoy the celebrations
But, once the day is done
Remember, there’s a million places
You have never been
A million things you’ve never done
A million sights unseen
This life’s yours for the taking
So set your sights real high
Rustle up a few new dreams
Then spread your wings and fly
Fly higher than you’ve flown before
Leave any clouds behind
Reach out and grab the stars
And uncage your heart and mind
You’re beautiful and you’re lovely
But to let the truth shine through
You’ve got to believe in the power of dreams
And you’ve got to believe in you

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JILLY

The 25th of February
Is a real red-letter day
‘Cause my special friend will hit the big Five Oh
But with her ever youthful looks
And her crazy zest for life
There’s no-one in the world would ever know!
She’s a mother in a million
Who just loves to tease her kids
And play silly pranks to keep them on their toes
She’s real caring, cool and kind
And such fun to be around
‘Cause laughter lives wherever Jilly goes
At sports she is a whizz
Just give her a hockey stick
And she’ll dribble, strike and make that small ball fly
While out on that tennis court
When she slices a ball
“There goes another Jilly Owen” is the cry
As a Steel Magnolia guest
She out-dressed us all
In paint apron, swimming costume and snowboots
She sure loves to holiday
And I’m still hoping one day
We’ll both get to Oz and really have a hoot
So on your special day
I’d just like to wish you
A birthday filled with love and happiness
‘Cause as a mother, wife and friend
You give so much to others
And Jilly, you deserve the very best

My Lovely Luke(CHILDREN)

I made myself a promise
The moment you walked through my door
I'd help make your life a better one
Than the life you lived before
You were sat there on the settee
Big brown eyes filled with fear
A little sad and wounded soldier
Who never shed a single tear
Who just said 'don't remember'
To everything we asked
And I knew right then, my heart had found
It's biggest ever task
So I swore I'd show you happiness
Lots of love and tons of laughter
And make sure you had a childhood
With a 'happy ever after'
I'd read to you, play games with you
Share roller-coaster rides
Listen carefully when you whispered
And hug you tightly if you cried
I'd fill your life with sunshine
In the hope there'd come a day
You'd wear your smile like a big badge
When you went out to play
And now you do and I'm so proud
Each time I see you smile
Cos knowing YOU, my lovely Luke
Has made MY life worthwhile

GORGEOUS GEORGE (CHILDREN)

They say Monday’s child is fair of face
And now I know its true
‘Cos no child’s more fair or sweeter
Than gorgeous, georgeous you
Watching you enter this world
Was so, so magical to see
And not many Nana’s are blessed like this
So I’m as proud as proud can be
Six pounds, thirteen, of loveliness
Of pure happiness and joy
Nana’s gorgeous, georgeous grandson
Nana’s very special boy
So I want you to know I love you
And that I'll love you ‘til forever
And when you grow a bit, I know
We’re gonna have such fun together
We can spend days at the seaside
And make footprints in the sand
Build sandcastles and mudpies
Skim pebbles and hold hands
I’ll take you to the fairground
Where the rides go round and round
And I know you’ll love the circus
With it’s wild and crazy clowns
On Summer nights we’ll cuddle up
And search for magic, shooting stars
Drink lemonade, eat sweeties
And a trillion naughty, choccy bars!
In wintertime we’ll wrap up warm
Throw huge snowballs when there’s snow
Oh yes, we’ll have a fabulous time
George John and Nana Mo
I will always be there for you, George
Whatever life brings your way
And if mummy and daddy ever say 'no'
Well, 'Yes' is what Nana will say!

BEAUTIFUL OSCAR(CHILDREN)

They say Sunday’s child is bonny
And now I know they’re right
‘Cos the moment I saw your gorgeous face
It was truly love at first sight
Just six hours old and beautiful
With your shock of dark, dark hair
Eyes open wide, in Mummys’ arms
And oh, so happy snuggled there
Right now, you’re oh so tiny
And need Mummy & Daddy most
But when you’ve grown up a little bit
Hey, I don’t want to boast
But I know that we’ll have so much fun
When we spend time together
‘Cos there’s a million things that we can do
No matter what the weather
If it’s sunny, we can go paddling
Jump waves, skim stones, clown around
Or even build a huge sandcastle
Then jump on it ‘til it falls down
On colder days, in hats and scarves
Well, the park is a fabulous place
To swing, slide, climb and monkey hang
Then beat Nana in a race!
We can go on lovely picnics
Spread our blanket beneath the trees
Share popcorn at the cinema
Or cuddle up at home with DVD’s
Yes when you’re older, we can do so much
But till then, I just want you to know
You’re a joy to love, to hold and gaze at
And so very special to Nana Mo
I wish you a life jam-packed with fun
And tons and tons of happiness
And if Mummy and Daddy ever say no
Ask Nana, ‘cos she’ll say yes!