I lost my dear wife June in February 2001.
We had spent 42 years together, my life has
been turned upside down and I miss her so very much.
Although I have never written poetry before, it seems
to help me cope with my bereavement. 

THE MOVIES

AS WE WERE RIDING
HOME ONE NIGHT.
WHEN YOU THOUGHT
THE TIME WAS RIGHT.

SATURDAY YOU SAID
YOU WOULD GO.
TO A MOTION
PICTURE SHOW.

A MOVIE I HAD
ALREADY SEEN.
I DIDN'T CARE
FOR IT WOULD MEAN.

THAT SATURDAY NIGHT
WE WOULD HAVE A DATE.
THROUGH THE WEEK
I COULD HARDLY WAIT.

SO TO THE MOVIE
WE WENT THAT NIGHT.
AND THOUGH I TRY
WITH ALL MY MIGHT.

WHAT MOVIE WE SAW
I DO NOT KNOW.
FOR ALL I SAW WAS
YOUR BEAUTIFUL GLOW.

I KNEW THEN
THAT I WAS HOOKED.
AND THEN ONE NIGHT,
A MEAL YOU COOKED. 

AND FROM THAT MOMENT
ON I KNEW.
IT WOULD ALWAYS BE
JUST ME AND YOU.





THE BUS STATION


ONE NIGHT AS I
WAS GOING HOME.
UNDER THE
BUS STATION DOME

FROM OUT OF NOWHERE
YOU CAME TO ME.
A BEAUTIFUL SMILE
AND FULL OF GLEE.

THE BUS YOU ASKED,
"WHAT TIME IT RAN?"
OVER TO
NEW JERSEY LAND.

I TOOK ONE LOOK
AND I KNEW.
IT WAS MEANT
TO BE ME AND YOU.

YOU BOARDED FIRST
AND SAVED A SEAT.
SO THAT WE COULD
REALLY MEET.

AND ON THE WAY
HOME THAT NIGHT.
I KNEW THAT IT
WAS REALLY RIGHT.

THAT YOU AND I
WOULD SHARE OUR LIFE.
AS LOVING
MAN AND WIFE.




SHOOTING STAR


MY LOVE YOU ARE NOT WITH ME ,
BUT I KNOW YOU ARE NOT FAR.
AND NIGHTS AS I GAZE SKYWARD,
AND SEE A SHOOTING STAR.

I KNOW THAT IS YOUR WAY,
TO TELL ME YOU ARE NEAR.
AND TO TELL ME NOT TO GRIEVE,
AND NOT TO SHED A TEAR

FOR YOU ARE IN A BETTER PLACE,
AND NO LONGER ARE YOU IN PAIN.
AND ONE DAY WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT,
THAT WE WILL MEET AGAIN.

AND SO UNTIL THAT DAY HAS COME,
I WALK THIS LAND ALONE.
AND FOR THE THINGS I DID WRONG,
FOR THESE I DO ATONE.

BUT I KNOW THAT WHEN MY TIME HAS COME,
TO LEAVE THIS LONELY LAND.
YOU WILL BE THERE WAITING,
AND HOLD OUT YOUR LOVING HAND.

AND GUIDE ME TO THAT FAR OFF PLACE,
WHERE YOU AND I CAN BE,
AS WE WERE ONCE AND WILL ALWAYS BE,
ONE, THROUGH ETERNITY.




NINETEEN-FIFTY-NINE


LONG AGO 
IN FIFTY-NINE.
WHEN YOU SAID THAT
YOU'D BE MINE.


AFTER MEETING
ON THE BUS.
INSTANT LOVE
IT WAS FOR US.

WHEN THREE MONTHS LATER
I ASKED YOUR HAND.
AND YOU SAID YES
IT WAS SO GRAND.

TO KNOW THAT NOW
IT WAS TO BE.
NOT JUST I
BUT YOU AND ME.


CHILDREN YOU,
GAVE TO ME.
NOT ONE, NOT TWO,
BUT A WHOPPING THREE.

AS PARENTS 
WE BOTH MADE MISTAKES.
AND ON THE KIDS,
WE PUT ON THE BRAKES.

AND THEY ALL
TURNED OUT REAL GOOD
JUST LIKE WE
HAD HOPED THEY WOULD.

THREE BETTER KIDS
THERE'LL NEVER BE
THEY MADE US PROUD
YOU AND ME.

FROM WHERE YOU ARE
AS YOU CAN SEE.
THAT THEY ARE NOW
WATCHING OUT FOR ME.




NINETEEN SEVENTY-FIVE


THE YEAR WAS 
NINETEEN SEVENTY-FIVE.
WHEN WE WERE 
VERY MUCH ALIVE 

FROM NEW JERSEY
WE PULLED OUR STAKE.
A MOVE TO CALIFORNIA
WE WOULD TAKE.

IN A U-HAUL TRUCK
WE PACKED OUR THINGS.
CLOTHES AND FURNITURE
AND OUR BED SPRINGS.

SOME THINGS WE HAD
TO LEAVE BEHIND.
BUT WE REALLY
DIDN'T MIND.

FOR WE WERE GOING
SOMEWHERE NEW.
AND THOSE THINGS
WE OUTGREW.

SO CROSS THE COUNTRY
WE DID ROAM.
IT'S NOOKS AND CRANNIES
WE DID COMB.

AND ON A TRIP 
WE WENT ONE DAY.
TO SEE A SIGHT
SOME PEOPLE SAY.

A SIGHT SO PRETTY
IT JUST MAY.
TAKE YOUR VERY
BREATH AWAY.

AND YOU SHOUTED 
OUT WITH GLEE.
WHEN 'ROUND THE BEND
FOR US TO SEE.

FOR THERE FRAMED
IN THE TUNNELS CORE.
YOU LOOKED AND SAID,
"IT'S ROUNT MUSHMORE!"



NIGHTTIME

WHEN I GO
TO BED EACH NIGHT,
BEFORE I 
TURN OUT THE LIGHT.

WHAT DO I
EXPECT TO SEE.
IS YOU LYING THERE,
BESIDE ME.

AND I TRY
NOT TO WEEP.
AS I 
GO TO SLEEP.

FOR I KNOW
YOU'RE WITH ME.
AS I KNOW,
YOU'D ALWAYS BE.

AND AS I LOOK
AT THE BED.
WHERE YOU ONCE
LAID YOUR HEAD.

AN EMPTY SPACE
IS ALL I SEE.
WHERE YOU ONCE
USED TO BE.

BUT I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE GONE
TO A BETTER PLACE.
AND WHEN MY TIME HAS COME
TO LEAVE THIS WORLDLY PLACE.

I KNOW THAT YOU'LL BE THERE
TO HELP ME ALONG.
AND MEET ONCE AGAIN,
WITH ALL OUR FAMILIES THRONG.

AND I KNOW YOU'RE WITH THEM
AND THEY'RE CARING FOR YOU NOW.
AND YOU'LL ALL BE WAITING
WHEN I TAKE MY FINAL BOW.



MY LOVE


MY LOVE YOU MEANT SO MUCH TO ME,
HOW MUCH YOU'LL NEVER KNOW.
BECAUSE VERY SUDDENLY
IT WAS YOUR TIME TO GO.

THE HOUSE IS EMPTY NOW
BUT AS I WALK THE HALLS,
I SEE YOU EVERYWHERE
IN THE HANGINGS ON THE WALLS.

SOUTHWESTERN WAS YOUR FAVORITE,
IT CAN BE SEEN ON EVERY WALL.
AND IN EACH PIECE THAT HANGS THERE,
I SEE YOUR TOUCH IN ALL.

I SEE YOU THRU THE DAY,
IN ALL THE THINGS I DO.
AND KNOW THAT WHERE YOU ARE,
THAT YOU CAN SEE ME TOO.

I SEE YOU IN THE EVENING,
AND NIGHT AS I GO TO BED.
AND I WISH WITH ALL MY HEART,
IT HAD BEEN ME INSTEAD.

BUT I KNOW OF YOUR FEAR
OF BEING LEFT ALONE.
AND OF YOUR PAIN, AND BECAUSE OF THESE,
AWAY FROM HERE YOU'VE FLOWN.

SO THOUGH YOU ARE NOT WITH ME,
IN BODY FOR ME TO TOUCH.
I KNOW THAT WHERE YOU ARE,
YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU, SO VERY VERY MUCH.

BEAUTIFUL LADY


I MET A BEAUTIFUL LADY
MANY YEARS AGO,
AND TO MY GREAT PLEASURE
INTO THE FUTURE WE WOULD GO.

THREE WONDERFUL CHILDREN SHE GAVE ME
THE PRIDES OF MY LIFE,
THIS BEAUTIFUL WOMAN
MY LOVING WIFE.

JUST WHY SHE CHOOSE ME
I HAVE OFTEN WONDERED WHY.
WHEN SO MANY OTHER GIRLS
NEVER GAVE ME AN EYE.

SHE PUT UP WITH MY QUIRKS AND SPELLS
AND MOSTLY NEVER SAID A THING,
BUT WHEN I'D MESS UP GOOD
HER VOICE, IT SURE COULD STING.

OUR KIDS GREW UP AND LEFT THE NEST
AND AGAIN WE WERE JUST TWO,
THE WAY WE WERE SO LONG AGO
WHEN WE BOTH SAID "I DO".

THEN WITH ALL THE YEARS AHEAD
PLANS WERE MADE BY US,
TO SEE THE LAND, THE WORLD
BY TRAIN, BY PLANE, BY BUS.

BUT SUDDENLY IT ALL TURNED BAD
AND YOU WERE SNATCHED AWAY,
BUT I WILL LOVE YOU ALWAYS
UNTIL MY DYING DAY.

AND ONE DAY IN THE FUTURE
WHEN MY TIME ON EARTH IS DONE
I'LL MEET YOU IN THAT FAR OFF PLACE
AND WE'LL ONCE AGAIN BE ONE.



I LOVE YOU

I JUST READ A POEM
ABOUT A LADY IN RED,
AND A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT
CAME INTO MY HEAD.

FORE THE FIRST TIME I SAW YOU,
YOU WERE DRESSED THAT WAY.
AND I STILL SEE YOU,
AS I SAW YOU THAT DAY.

A BEAUTIFUL VISION,
ALL DRESSED IN RED.
AND I KNEW RIGHT THEN,
IT WAS YOU THAT I'D WED.

FOR FIVE MONTHS WE COURTED,
THEN BEFORE THE ALTER WE STOOD.
AND THE VOWS THAT WE TOOK,
WE BOTH UNDERSTOOD.

THEY MEANT THAT FROM THAT DAY
FORWARD WE BOTH WOULD BE ONE.
AND THE VOWS THAT WE TOOK, 
COULD NOT BE UNDONE.

THAT YOU AND I 
WOULD BE A WORK OF ART.
AND ONLY DEATH
COULD KEEP US APART.

ASKED HOW TOGETHER WE
STAYED FOR MOST OF MY LIFE.
IT'S SIMPLE I SAID, SHE'S MY
"BEST FRIEND, MY LOVER, MY WIFE."

AND THEN ONE DAY TO SOON IT CAME,
FOR YOU TO LEAVE ME ALONE.
BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE AT PEACE,
BUT STILL I MOAN.

FOR I MISS YOU OH SO MUCH,
YOUR GENTLE VOICE, YOUR SWEET SMILES.
YOUR SWEET CARESS, FOR ALL
OF THESE I'D WALK TEN MILES.

IF ONLY I HAD THE CHANCE TO SAY
HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU. 
AND SO MY LOVE FOR NOW,
JE VOUS AIME BEAU COUP.



BEING HERE


FOR THOSE WHO ARE
OUT THERE TONIGHT.
READING THESE
WORDS THAT I WRITE.

LEARN FROM ME,
FOR NOW I KNOW.
THAT WARMTH, THAT LOVE,
THAT MAKES YOU GLOW.

CAN ALL TO SOON
BE TAKEN FROM YOU.
AND LEAVE YOU ALONE,
AND OH, SO BLUE.

HOLD HER AND LOVE HER
AND TELL HER YOU CARE.
BE LOVING AND TRUTHFUL,
YOUR SOUL TO HER BARE.

FOR ALL TO SOON
SHE'LL LEAVE YOU ONE DAY.
AND YOU'LL NO LONGER
BE HAPPY AND GAY.

FORE DEATH HAS A WAY
IT'S MANNER TO KEEP.
AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH
YOU CRY AND YOU WEEP.

AND TRY TO USE
ALL YOUR MAN-ISH CHARMS
TO BRING BACK YOUR LOVE
INTO YOUR ARMS.

SHE SLEEPS, SHE SLEEPS,
AND NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO.
HOW TO WAKE HER AGAIN
YOU HAVE NO CLUE.

SO WHILE YOU HAVE HER
HOLD HER TIGHT.
KISS HER AND LOVE HER
WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT.

AND WHEN YOU COME 
HOME AT NIGHT.
SHE'S BY THE STOVE 
UNDER THE KITCHEN LIGHT.

COOKING YOUR DINNER
WITH LOVING CARE.
THE TABLE IS SET
THE FOOD IT WILL BEAR.

WALK UP BEHIND HER,
AND WHISPER IN HER EAR.
"I LOVE YOU MY SWEET,
THANKS FOR BEING HERE!"




SLEEP MY SWEET


"SLEEP MY SWEET,
'TIL ONCE AGAIN WE MEET.
WHEN MY WORK HERE IS DONE,
WE WILL AGAIN BE ONE.
AND WE WILL BE TOGETHER,
FOREVER."

THESE WORDS I WROTE
TO YOU ONE NIGHT.
AFTER YOU HAD
TAKEN FLIGHT. 

A POET I NEVER THOUGHT
I WOULD EVER BE.
BUT AN INSPIRATION
YOU HAVE BEEN TO ME.

AS YOU WERE
ALL THROUGH OUR LIVE.
AS WE LIVED
HUSBAND AND WIFE.

AND THROUGH THESE
WORDS I HEAL.
AND HOPE THAT OTHERS
KNOW THAT I FEEL.

A LONGING
IN MY HEART. 
FOR THE TIME
THAT WE'RE APART.

AND SO I SAY
SLEEP MY SWEET.
SLEEP LONG 
AND DEEP.

AND KNOW THAT SOMEDAY
YOU AND ME.
WILL ONCE AGAIN
TOGETHER, BE.

TO JUNE 

THIS IS JUNE, 
MY LOVING WIFE.
WITH WHOM I SPENT,
MOST OF MY LIFE. 

THREE MONTHS LESS,
THEN FORTY-TWO YEARS.
AND NOW I SEE,
THROUGH MY TEARS.

A LOVE THAT LASTED,
FIVE TIMES SEVEN.
A MARRIAGE SURELY,
MADE IN HEAVEN.

THOUGH THOSE WHO SAID,
IT WOULDN'T LAST.
OUR LOVE HELD,
AND IT HELD FAST.

OUR LOVE WAS TESTED,
FROM THE FIRST.
BUT WE SURVIVED,
THE BEST AND WORST.

WE WERE REALLY,
QUITE A MIX.
AND YOU THOUGHT.
THAT I COULD FIX.

JUST ABOUT ANYTHING,
THAT CAME ALONG.
BUT ON THAT POINT,
YOU WERE QUITE WRONG.

FOR AT THE END,
WHEN THE DYES WERE CAST,
I FAILED THE TEST, 
AND CAME IN LAST.

BUT MY LOVE,
MY DEAR, MY SWEET.
UNTIL ONCE
AGAIN WE MEET.

IN THAT VERY 
FAR OFF LAND.
AND I ONCE AGAIN,
CAN HOLD YOUR HAND.

AND TELL YOU HOW
I WISH I WOULD.
HAVE FIXED IT FOR YOU,
IF I COULD.

BUT MY LOVE, 
I KNOW IN MY HEART.
NOTHING WILL EVER,
KEEP US APART.

AND ONE DAY,
WHEN TIME IS RIGHT.
WE'LL WALK HAND IN HAND.
INTO THE LIGHT.

E.mail Bud with your comments 

With a little encouragement Bud has now started
displaying his poems on his own website.

Update Sept 03, Bud has come on in leaps and bounds since
we first met him.  He has done so well, not only building his own websites
but also his own graphics to, we are so proud of him.
Bud also remarried to a great lady,  Jackie  whom he met
on line and its with the greatest love in our hearts that we wish them
all the very best in the world. 

Buds Website

        Midi playing "Sleepwalker"