Again

I read that a successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.

The thought of falling in love with you again leaves me breathless,

But not without the foresight to know that I will fall in love with you

Again, when I see you walk down a wedding aisle toward our commitment,

Again, as we become our children,

Again, each time we stand united against tides,

Again, when you are kind to me,

Again, when I surprise you,

Again, when we do for each other all that we cannot do alone,

Again, as I look through time back to this moment 

When you said 

Yes, I will complete this journey with you only.

Maybe in a moment

You left so many months ago

That fear of love was not a show

Our monsters did their very best

We put our love through every test

We tried so hard to turn away

But our love’s as strong as that first day

Maybe in a moment

You’ll take a step toward me

Maybe in a moment

You’ll start to leave Kentucky

Until that moment

You know that I believe in you

Before you left you never lied

You need your brother by your side

He is your partner in this life

The one that scarred you was your wife

That life was full of love and trust

She ground your heart into the dust

She broke your will to live and love

But not the will of God above

Maybe in a moment

You’ll take a step toward me

Maybe in a moment

You’ll start to look for signs of me

Until that moment

Remember I believe in you

This life is hard and it is real

And it can’t change the way you feel

You are a man who’s born to love

With all the power of the sun

No matter what you say or do

I do believe I know what’s true

I saw the colors of your heart

The last time time pulled us apart

Maybe in a moment

You’ll take a step toward me

Maybe in a moment

That woman standing there is me

And in that moment

We’ll know that you and I are true

Attitude of Gratitude (12-Pack Guarantee)

There’s a few sayings that inspired this song.  “The pen is mightier than the sword.” “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”  “God, don’t grant me luck, grant me timing.” Well, those and many more like them are all true, no doubt.  Maybe there’s a slogan that sums it up best.  That’s why I call this number,

Attitude of Gratitude (or 12-pack Guarantee)

I know and love his heart and his integrity

My time with him I took the bitter with the sweet

I love his heart, his soul his life

And I pity his new wife

She’s a walkin’ talkin’ 12-pack guarantee

He’s a good man like my daddy showed could be

When he wants to be the man he wants to be

He chose Bud Light over me

That’s when I refused to be

His walkin’ talkin’ 12 pack guarantee

Now I’m not being mean, that woman surely knows

From her tipsy frosted head down to her toes

It’s her job at Dairy Queen                 |She pays the trailer rent and light

That fills his Jeep with gasoline          |Where the neighbors reb all night

Her job’s a walkin’ talkin’ 12-pack guarantee

His Gifts of Venus can make any woman gasp

But barley brews keep it lowered to half mast

On the night they’re newly wed       |She’ll need more than a broom

She’ll need the bunny in her bed     |To get the groom outta his own room

She’s just his walkin’ talkin’ 12-pack guarantee

[Slowly, with great feeling, like a hymn or gospel song…]

Now we’ve both said all there is to be said

To our waters we have both been surely led

He married beer and bread and board

Now it’s half his says the law and Lord

He’s got his walkin’ talkin’ 12-pack guarantee

I may have gone from debutante to double wide

That never hurt my love for me, just my pride

I miss the good man at my side

So strong and safe, he was my guide

But I’m no walkin’ talkin’ 12-pack guarantee

She’s his walkin’ talkin’ ice cream hawkin’ bet my talkin’s set her sister squakin’

Better her than me…She’s his walkin’ talkin’ 12 pack guarantee 

Know Love

You tell me how to end love.

Give me a potion that whitewashes time and love. 

Give it to me, and I will drink

and I will live and I will love despite your best intentions and efforts.

It seems to me, that when one heart stops beating the one left with rhythm is held harmless for loving,

allowed to hold and keep sacred that love forever

without question, judgment or repercussion

But when one heart does something less, the other life gains no allowance

Only a scale on which denial and truth present for decision

Between truth’s painful strokes and the numbing deception of denial

It is not love that ends, it is life or life’s comfort with love that ends.

Love’s comfort that we love, need, miss and above all

Fear, seek find and hold until acceptance of love exposes fear for acceptance

and with acceptance, love’s comfort

In fear we most humanly fight love or fly from it, until courage to accept and acceptance quiets fear in its corner. 

There is no true love, no false love, only love

Our only choice is accept or reject and love does not care whether we accept or reject

it simply is what it is…everything, nothing, and anything in between.

Love is no guarantee of comfort.  It is awareness and acceptance of soul comfort and a guarantee of discomfort.

It is love’s discomfort that returns us, with every breath, to our lone choice

Love’s discomfort tips one to accept fear over new comfort, to shield with lemoned razors

While one is willing and wanting to endure the trials and accept love's life,

to hold the warm velvet ropes close and around

so white water can heal and black cannot burn

Love wants to live.  Love knows it is eternal, yet fights against denial for survival in brief life

In life, love finds immortal breath and beat.

In life, love finds us.

While integrity remains you can tell me to end love

You cannot tell me how, because it cannot be done while or beyond my breath 

For your enjoyment, Noodle!

Noodle is currently a prototype book for children and adults on religion, spirituality and world peace. It has brought some to tears, and provoked anger in others. What's your response?  


As a written work, Noodle is a bit deceptive. It aims for adult hearts and minds via childrens' language. It is an answer to "Peace--How hard can it be?" and may be read as a simple tale, an introduction to cultures and religions, or as the basis for vigorous political, economic and spiritual debate. I consider The Giving Tree and Harold and the Purple Crayon to be highly relevant comparisons in that both engage toddlers, teens, parents, educators, world leaders and everyone in between. Harold was my favorite as a child, and when I re-discovered it several years ago, I was astounded to discern a thoroughly adult messages: Resourcefullness, self-sufficiency and peserverance.

If you'd like a read, it is available here for $5.  By the way, I don't consider this self-publishing.  Rather it is a way to both solicit feedback and generate a bit of support for The (emerging) Rosebush Tour.

Noodle, for your consideration

What follows is an email (intro and formal query letter) recently sent to a small number of literary agents. I share with you as a long version of what this book is all about.

-----

...As a written work, Noodle is a bit deceptive. It aims for adult hearts and minds via childrens' language. It is an answer to "Peace--How hard can it be?" and may be read as a simple tale, an introduction to cultures and religions, or as the basis for vigorous political, economic and spiritual debate. I consider The Giving Tree and Harold and the Purple Crayon to be highly relevant comparisons in that both engage toddlers, teens, parents, educators, world leaders and everyone in between. Harold was my favorite as a child, and when I re-discovered it several years ago, I was astounded to discern a thoroughly adult messages: Resourcefullness, self-sufficiency and peserverance.

My BHAGS? The Nobel Prize for Lilterature...or Peace. Both? A photograph of the President of the US reading Noodle to his daughters. Impossible things are happening every day.

I hope you'll join me on the journey that will be Noodle. Got your purple crayon? Let's go!

------

...

I have recently completed a 3200-word book on peace for children and young adults entitled Noodle, and I hope you consider me for your list. My first completed work, Noodle is a fresh and fun children’s introduction to world religions and a primer for finding the path through current events to peace. And like The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, Noodle also serves as an adult read of layered depth.

Why? Noodle is frustrated. Noodle’s favorite creation, people, can’t seem to create peace! In fact, people have even started using Noodle as an excuse for creating fights. Peace is the one thing that matters more than every other matter that Noodle knows. What’s a maker to do? Noodle decides to send a special message to a special messenger in a special way, so that all of Noodle’s people can hear what Noodle has to say. Will it work? Or will Noodle have to try, try again to help people understand over centuries of seconds and limitless lands?

Noodle is a rhythmic read that gently compels children and young adults, as well as those that influence them, to hear the central themes of world religions and peace in the context of a single spiritual entity. Noodle, our central character, also happens to have a very caring heart, a great sense of humor, and common sense to spare.

As my first complete authored work, Noodle is a bit of a surprise to me given that my creative talents have been applied to popular fiction, plays and screenplays…almost everything but children’s prose. Still, Noodle, more than anything else I have written, has a will to be my first published work, and a clear departure from my careers-to-date in marketing, IT, consulting and (of all things!) baking.

Perhaps that is due to the number of times I pored over that huge Time Life book on world religions as a child. Or because I grew up a few miles from the Baha’i Temple, and secretly wondered if they had it right. Or could it be the time I spent in my father’s Belfast, learning how to navigate religious questions and political barricades. Regardless, the outcome is clear. My informal research reveals that the multi-cultural, omnitheistic edge to Noodle can open discussions and minds and, bring some to tears, and for others raise questions on unquestioned beliefs.

The first few pages of Noodle are attached, along with my initial thoughts on marketing. While I did apply format to support structure, I have not touched illustration as I believe that to be the domain of editors and publishers.

I truly hope you are the vital link that will bring Noodle to life and to the world.

With deep gratitude for your time, expertise and reply,