TOM ZART’S 300 POEMS
You can hear all of Tom Zart’s 300 poems of love, war, faith and more 24-7 on web radio at=
http://internetvoicesradio.com/Arch-TomZart.htm
Tom Zart ARCHIVES:
FREE TO DOWNLOAD
BASEBALL
A game called prison ball was enjoyed in France,
while English boys played rounder in short pants.
Town ball was the game that Americans played,
While friends and family watched from the shade.
American baseball became alive,
With Cartwright's rules of 1845.
Civil War soldiers played be behind the lines,
To help pass time and soothe troubled minds.
Professional baseball got its start,
When the National League performed its part.
Soon after fans would pay to see the games
As the players traveled by boats and trains.
From April to October, players play.
Half the time at home and half away.
By thirty, it's time for most to retire,
Before they're consumed by game time desire.
FOOTBALL
The stands are full of eager fans
Who say, we're paid too much money!
But if they would put our suits on,
They'd find football isn't funny.
Twenty-two men and five referees
Chasing a pigskin, air filled ball.
Mashing and bashing all the way,
Till the striped shirts whistle their call.
All the generals on the sideline
Are waging their athletic war.
And the letters in the words they use,
Never amount to more than four.
There's no substitute for winning
And no excuse for losing.
Though after games; when we can't sleep,
It's because of all the bruising.
BOXERS, PAST & PRESENT
The Greek and Roman athletes
Wore studs of iron on each hand;
Beating and clawing each other,
Like two tigers on the sand.
The English called it boxing first,
To pound someone with your fist.
Mostly it was done for money
But sometimes by those just pissed.
Matches of the bare-knuckle days
Lasted fifty rounds or more,
'Till one man's towel would be thrown in
As he lay upon the floor.
Boxers now use soft leather gloves,
With their hands wrapped in cotton,
Wearing a mouthpiece for teeth and lips;
They fight like those forgotten.
BESIDES LOVE MEN NEED FISHING
Besides love men need fishing,
And for both, most are wishing,
Catching trophies chosen best,
To be envied by the rest.
Fishing is a game of sport
Loved by all, both tall and short.
We must fool the fish’s eye,
If we plan to stir and fry,
Some use boats while others wade,
As they fish the sun or shade.
Ice-cold drinks help pass the day,
While life’s troubles fade away.
Most men feel they've everything,
With their rod, hook, cork and string.
Be it river, pond or lake,
We all pray our line won't break.
GOLF
Many games were played with a stick and ball
As far back as the early days of man,
Till the 14th century, golfers teed off
At St. Andrews, Scotland with clubs in hand.
Today men and women both play golf,
As a group or just one or two.
Players, rich, poor, pro, or in between
Practice their swing with clubs, old and new.
They don't go thirsty cause they bring their own,
Whatever it takes to enjoy the day.
Sometimes they play several games at once
As they win money or give it away.
There's nothing better than a green golf course
With the sweet scent of spring in the air.
To escape the drudgery of the workplace,
Where you can laugh, joke, brag, gamble and swear
RODEO RIDER
From dawn to dusk my horse breathes flames,
I'm a rodeo rider with no time for games.
I ride and I fly as I hang on to hair,
Ramming my spurs in the sides of a mare.
Every bone in my body feels some sort of pain,
No wonder the normal call me insane.
I’ll drink cold beer and smoke a skinny,
And in between paydays, I'll spend every penny.
So give me my horse and get out of the way,
As I ride off to glory, till my dieing day.
Waving my Stetson, as the crowd cheers me on,
How soon they’ll forget after I'm gone.
PUMPING IRON
Except for love, there's nothing beats a good workout,
Pumping iron with dumbbells or a bench press bar.
You're muscles grow tight as you begin to swell,
And those who like firmness want to know who you are.
From 16 to 60 you can still look good,
Though they'll be some who will point, laugh, and make fun.
Pay no attention to whatever they say,
For jokes on them, when they're naked in the sun.
History's Sampson, the biblical strong man,
Was blessed with the strength of no other.
A modern man who pumps iron and gives it his all,
Before he knows it, could pass for his brother.
So put aside the pop, beer, hotdogs and chips,
And pump earth's iron for the rest of your life,
Soon you’ll discover the best of yourself
And always have someone for a girlfriend or wife.
WHEREVER THE BIG FISH BITE
When I was young and before girls
I loved to go fish the river.
Creeks and ponds where alright to
Anywhere that would deliver.
Fingerlings four to five inches long
Are what trophies love to feast on.
Trout line or pole made no difference
Bate up and the fight was on.
Sometimes I would strike a fire
To help keep warm in the night.
Spring, summer, fall, I was eager to go
Wherever the big ones bite.
RIVER FISHING
After school my friend and I would walk through town to the river
Soon to bait our trout lines with cotton cake, crawdads and liver.
Sometimes we used baby bullheads, perch or great big frogs
Tossing out into the current next to a snag of logs.
At times we would disrobe and wade out in the stream
Attaching lines to anything hoping to hook our dream.
One day I made some doe bait and stuffed it in my sock
Attached five hooks, hundred pound line and tied it to a rock.
When I bragged to my classmates they snickered and called me fool
Till the next day they followed me to the river after school.
I made my way to the water my path was a fallen tree
Something big was on my line it was easy for us to see.
I tried to pull it in but the current was too strong
Three boys ran to assist me as we began to sing a song.
Going fishing instead of wishing for the granddaddy of them all
If we land this monster will give the sport shows a call.
It seemed like forever before our beast was ashore
Eighty-five pounds of flathead cat as big as a closet door.
We shared his steaks at a fish fry, food for heart and soul
Took his head and nailed it high for all to see on a pole.
For a time we ceased our casting instead we chased the girls
After marriage with our kids we again fished the swirls.
Too many of my friends have past and the years have raced by
Though here I sit with rod in hand a fisherman till I die.
All Poems By
Tom Zart
Most Published Poet
On The Web
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Nature and Animals Poems By Tom Zart
TOM ZART’S 300 POEMS
You can hear all of Tom Zart’s 300 poems of love, war, faith and more 24-7 on web radio at=
http://internetvoicesradio.com/Arch-TomZart.htm
Tom Zart ARCHIVES:
FREE TO DOWNLOAD
BIRDS
The keeping of birds is part of history,
How far back no one can know.
Once luxury pets of kings and queens,
Or on the shoulders of pirates long ago.
Birds have remained on man's menu,
Though all can be tamed as a pet.
Chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys
Are served on the tables we set.
Noah sent a dove to find dry land,
And it returned with an olive leaf from a branch.
God gave birds feathers for clothes,
So in the elements they would have a chance.
The best way to enjoy wild birds,
Is to attract them close to you.
Providing feed, water, bushes and trees,
Is all a bird lover needs to do.
Birds are really quite remarkable,
When left alone to do their thing.
We have robbed their eggs and plucked their plumage,
And yet they continue to sing.
MAN'S BEST FRIEND
A man’s best friend is still his faithful dog,
Who anxiously awaits his return home.
Where would man be without his canine love,
When his human mates have left him alone.
If a man was as good as his dog thinks,
He'd be more famous than a football star.
It's too bad our wives don't feel the same way,
I guess its because they know how we are.
Man has no fear of his dog's love for life,
Though it’s usually man who buries his pet.
It matters not be they large or small,
What animal has loved man more, as yet?
TREES
It's hard to imagine our world without trees,
Shadowed only by concrete and steel.
Thousands of products would soon disappear,
Changing everything we see and feel.
No more baseball played with wooden bats,
No more plums, pears, cherries or apple pie.
No more campfires to circle at night,
And to pencils and books say goodbye.
Trees like people come from seed,
Both drink breathe and consume.
They feed, house, and protect us,
As they sweeten the air with their bloom.
Larger and older than any living thing,
Far bigger then the ocean's blue whale.
Some grow 350 feet tall,
Before falling victim to the nail.
BUTTERFLIES
Butterflies pass through four stages of life,
During the last, they are able to fly.
Eggs then larva, change to caterpillars,
Transforming to flying rainbows of the sky.
Blue, black green, yellow, brown, red, white and orange,
Armed with a keen since of smell, taste and sight.
With predators like birds, bats, wasps and man,
They are never safe even in the night.
Butterflies are the artwork of nature
Chased by collectors with their net and jar.
Labeled and pinned for their storage and display,
As new specimens are sought near and far.
The next time you see some kept behind glass,
Remember, they once glorified the air.
Their colors and grace generate beauty,
As in harmony, their radiance they share.
HUMMING BIRD
The scent of roses, carnations and daises,
Draw to our gardens the humming bird so fair.
Evoking the essence of nature's living jewels
As the splendor of their plumage rides the air.
So graceful they fly with speed and direction,
Products of creation that dazzle the eye.
A luminous vision of worldly wonder,
Our most elusive visitor from the sky.
They're the smallest of the small on feathered wing,
Collecting with their tongues the sweetness of earth.
Enhancing our lives by their mere existence,
A temple of beauty, endurance, and worth.
FLOWERS
My job is in the open air
And, Lord, I love the work I do
For flowers are my joy of life
Though their beauty belongs to you.
Your flowers are so lovely;
Yet, I'm ugly, wrinkled and old.
I've lived beyond my mortal span
As the days I have left unfold.
Your lilies are my pride of life
And many of them there be.
They're worth a fortune, people say,
Though money has little worth to me.
Their glory is my just reward
As their radiant heads they raise.
I dedicate them to you, oh Lord,
With all my love and praise.
RAINY DAYS
Rainy days are a gift of life
As they water the thirsty of earth;
When nature sometimes weeps with joy,
Like a father who watches a birth.
Rainbows of color arch the sky
As storms prepare to part,
The sound of thunder shakes the ground,
As heaven speaks to my heart.
When storm filled skies are dark and gray.
That's when I yearn to strive.
Rainy days make some feel sad,
But for me, I feel so alive.
GOD'S RAIN
Nature like man sometimes weeps with joy,
As rain drops plummet and the living grow.
Soon there after its fair weather once more,
With spectrums of color arching that glow.
Some day’s can't help but be dark and dreary,
A common fate which has been shared by all.
The earth needs rain to water it’s thirsty
And into each life some moisture must fall.
Behind storm clouds the sun is still shinning
So never give up when your sad of heart.
What mad sailors curse, poor farmers pray for;
Cause without God's rain all life would depart.
DAWN
The songbirds sing as skies turn pink,
While the brightest stars fade away
One by one I watch them vanish,
As the sun gives birth to the day.
The scent of dawn is so fresh,
As flowers make ready to bloom.
The dew sparkles upon the grass,
While the morning dissolves my gloom.
A flock of geese circle above,
In search of some rest and a meal.
I watch them land upon a lake,
As inside, how lucky I feel.
The moon's still high upon its throne,
As it orbits across the sky.
I know that I shall love earth's dawns
Till the day in my grave, I lie.
TWILIGHT
Twilight skies turn orange, pink and gray
As the stars watch the dying day.
The winds of night now stir the breeze,
While most birds roost the in trees.
The fireflies glide above the grass
As bullfrogs sing to torment bass.
Soon the moon will circle high
Beneath its cape of star-filled sky.
The twilight is first evening's bell
A time of peace when all is well.
Another day has come and gone
Not to return until the dawn.
WINTER SNOW
Over the heads of all I meet,
Falls winter's life giving snow.
Upon the rooftops and the streets,
Filling the sky and earth below.
Dancing, swirling, skimming along,
Like the snows of yesteryears.
There's lots of ice on the windows,
As my lashes freeze over with tears.
It's so cold; it's too cold to snow,
Yet the snow continues to fall.
The land is covered blanket white
As the winter winds wail their call.
There's a red-hot fire awaiting me
That will thaw out my every part.
It's not the glow of a fireplace,
But the love that dwells in my heart.
FRUITS
In most all places where people live
Various kinds of fruits grow wild.
Which early man gathered from near by plants,
Long before Noah was a child.
The remains of apples, pears, plumbs and cherries
Have been found in Stone Age caves.
Grapes, olives, dates and figs,
Were placed within tombs and graves.
Fruit was consumed fresh or preserved,
Dried by the rays of the sun.
To be eaten during the long cold winter months,
Till the snow would melt and the rivers run.
Columbus took seeds along on his second voyage,
To plant and cultivate wherever they would grow.
To be plucked and devoured by hungry humans,
Instead of obtaining them from the forest of foe.
Today’s fruits are native of many different lands
Though most will grow where the climate is right.
They are picked and shipped by plain, train, truck or boat,
To be enjoyed with delight.
ROSES
Three hundred years after Christ's birth
Just south of Rome on fertile land,
Grew the sweetest queen of all flowers,
Roses cultivated by man.
The poet Horace once expressed
That roses were worth more than grain,
Seed fills a hungry man's stomach
Where roses feed his heart and brain.
Flourishing in ancient China,
Grown by monks for two thousand years.
Roses symbolized man's passion
For envy, sadness, love and tears.
Nero spent fortunes on roses
Whose petals showered down on his guests,
He wished to teach his subjects
That roses were an emperor's best.
So take down your shovels and plant,
Placing roses around your home.
For their sweet scent and great beauty
Are from heaven to us on loan.
THE SKIES OF NIGHT
The skies of night have a thousand eyes
Where the skies of day have but one.
Night's black mantle covers us all
With the setting of the sun.
He who shares stars with a woman
Will have happiness at night.
Mixed with hugs and words of love,
Their future together is bright.
Late at night, when most are asleep
And dream of another day,
Those who stare at God's moon
May say 'thank you ' as they pray.
So, let us drink the wine of night
And feast on the silence of stars,
While earth is bathed in holy light
And seen without its scars.
THE GARDENER
As flowers pop forth from the soil,
And the birds begin to sing.
The cold north wind sleeps once more,
And a gardener knows it's spring.
Daffodils are always first,
Sometimes before the snow shrinks.
Tulips are the next to bloom,
With their reds, yellows and pinks.
Then come the purple iris,
Whose scent makes men think of love.
Along with the sweet lilac
They give life's romance a shove.
When I was young and foolish,
I sowed my oats all around.
Now that I'm old and married,
I plant seeds and bulbs in the ground.
FLOWERS AROUND A HUMBLE HOUSE
The planting of flowers around a humble house,
Does as much as a big smile on a common face.
Like those heavenly bodies aloft in the night
Which adorn with their brightness the darkness of space.
King Solomon spoke of earth’s flowers in the Bible,
And that where they appear the birds begin to sing.
The voices of love can be heard across the land,
And that lilies and roses are a sacred thing.
So till up some soil and be fruitful with seed,
And behold as flowers rise from earth again.
For the sweet scent of blossoms invading the air,
Fans the fires of passion in both women and men.
WHERE THE BIG ONES BITE
When I was young and before girls
I loved to go fish the river.
Creeks and ponds where alright to
Anywhere that would deliver.
Fingerlings four to five inches long
Are what trophies love to feast on.
Trout line or pole made no difference
Bate up and the fight was on.
Sometimes I would strike a fire
To help keep warm in the night.
Spring, summer, fall, I was eager to go
Wherever the big ones bite.
WINTER
The cold winds of winter play tunes with the trees
Though now they sound different when striped of their leaves.
Our warm days have gone and for spring we must wait,
And all who are in love pray it won't be too late.
The snow has piled high on the rooftops of town,
As small birds huddle in the bushes they’ve found.
Everywhere are snowmen standing as guards,
While children throw snowballs from forts in their yards.
Winter’s cold days are dreary and often cruel,
But their hardships are used by God as a tool.
His reasons for seasons fit his grand plan,
To strengthen the souls of both woman and man.
THE SIGNS OF SPRING
The signs of spring are for all to see,
Letting the world know that nature sleeps no more.
As she awakens from her long winter nap,
Living shoots of life sprout forth from before.
The robin can be seen hunting for a meal,
As the gentle breezes urge the budding trees.
Soon fragrant blossoms will burst open with bloom
Attracting the eyes of creatures and bees.
Gone till next year, are winters cold days of chill,
While the fever of love hits the ground on the run.
There's heavenly splendor wherever we look,
As earth is warmed by the rays of the sun.
SPRING TIME
Easter lilies are in full bloom
As young men think of love.
Women can feel passion within
As they view the nesting dove.
Spring hangs her blossoms on the trees
Though winter's moss is dry and dead,
As their sweet scent invades the air,
Blades of grass raise their head.
Spring will soon vanish with the rose
And summer shall scorch earth again.
Daughter of heaven, mother of all,
Spring's loved by both women and men.
AUTUMN
As cold autumn winds strip the trees,
Melancholy days have arrived.
Most flowers, already are frosted brown,
Though mums are the last to survive.
There's lots of fog on the windows,
As the shorter days lose their light.
The year has changed into its wine,
When our days are shadowed by night.
Flowers, butterflies, trees and bees
Have all gone dormant 'till the spring.
Dead leaves rustle as children play,
In the absence of birds that sing.
Winter to spring, spring to summer,
It's time for those fall symphonies.
The leaves all plummet to the ground,
As the wind plays tunes with the trees.
KATRINA
Katrina hit like an atom bomb
Consuming the helpless in her path.
The waters of the deep surged forth
Flooding everything with their wrath.
The evil took advantage of absence of law
While the brave risked their lives for others.
The best and the worst was seen by man
Though many became like brothers.
May heaven show mercy upon the lost
Never to love, laugh, hate or sin.
God bless every man, woman and child
Whom we may never hold again.
STARS
Heaven's stars are the works of God,
The scriptures of his night sky.
After sunsets golden-red glow,
They 're there to captivate the eye.
No one can see beneath their feet,
As heaven's pearls ignite their souls.
To be as one with their maker,
Is the highest of human goals.
Blessed be the candies of night,
Which guide the sailors at sea.
Bathing earth with their soft glow,
For all who love them, as we!
THE MOON
For thousands of years man has wondered,
How the moon came into being.
As we look up at its ghostly glow,
We can't help but feel what we're seeing.
King David watched his beloved, Bath Sheba,
While she bathed in the moonlight so bright.
He fell in love and had to possess her,
Then sent her husband to die in a fight.
The moon itself has shown to be lifeless,
Though it enhances the beauty of the dark
The daily rise and fall of the oceans waters
Have followed the moon since before Noah’s Ark.
From the very first time man took refused,
And peered out at the moon in the night.
Acts of love, lust, hate and human sorrow,
Have been committed in the presence of its light.
I don't care if man has walked the moon,
For most, it retains its mystic power,
So turn off the TV and go forth in the night,
And partake its beauty regardless of hour.
BESIDE LOVE MEN NEED FISHING
Besides love men need fishing,
And for both, most are wishing,
Catching trophies chosen best,
To be envied by the rest.
Fishing is a game of sport
Loved by all, both tall and short.
We must fool the fish’s eye,
If we plan to stir and fry,
Some use boats while others wade,
As they fish the sun or shade.
Ice-cold drinks help pass the day,
While life’s troubles fade away.
Most men feel they've everything,
With their rod, hook, cork and string.
Be it river, pond or lake,
We all pray our line won't break.
All Poems By
Tom Zart
Most Published Poet on The Web
You can hear all of Tom Zart’s 300 poems of love, war, faith and more 24-7 on web radio at=
http://internetvoicesradio.com/Arch-TomZart.htm
Tom Zart ARCHIVES:
FREE TO DOWNLOAD
BIRDS
The keeping of birds is part of history,
How far back no one can know.
Once luxury pets of kings and queens,
Or on the shoulders of pirates long ago.
Birds have remained on man's menu,
Though all can be tamed as a pet.
Chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys
Are served on the tables we set.
Noah sent a dove to find dry land,
And it returned with an olive leaf from a branch.
God gave birds feathers for clothes,
So in the elements they would have a chance.
The best way to enjoy wild birds,
Is to attract them close to you.
Providing feed, water, bushes and trees,
Is all a bird lover needs to do.
Birds are really quite remarkable,
When left alone to do their thing.
We have robbed their eggs and plucked their plumage,
And yet they continue to sing.
MAN'S BEST FRIEND
A man’s best friend is still his faithful dog,
Who anxiously awaits his return home.
Where would man be without his canine love,
When his human mates have left him alone.
If a man was as good as his dog thinks,
He'd be more famous than a football star.
It's too bad our wives don't feel the same way,
I guess its because they know how we are.
Man has no fear of his dog's love for life,
Though it’s usually man who buries his pet.
It matters not be they large or small,
What animal has loved man more, as yet?
TREES
It's hard to imagine our world without trees,
Shadowed only by concrete and steel.
Thousands of products would soon disappear,
Changing everything we see and feel.
No more baseball played with wooden bats,
No more plums, pears, cherries or apple pie.
No more campfires to circle at night,
And to pencils and books say goodbye.
Trees like people come from seed,
Both drink breathe and consume.
They feed, house, and protect us,
As they sweeten the air with their bloom.
Larger and older than any living thing,
Far bigger then the ocean's blue whale.
Some grow 350 feet tall,
Before falling victim to the nail.
BUTTERFLIES
Butterflies pass through four stages of life,
During the last, they are able to fly.
Eggs then larva, change to caterpillars,
Transforming to flying rainbows of the sky.
Blue, black green, yellow, brown, red, white and orange,
Armed with a keen since of smell, taste and sight.
With predators like birds, bats, wasps and man,
They are never safe even in the night.
Butterflies are the artwork of nature
Chased by collectors with their net and jar.
Labeled and pinned for their storage and display,
As new specimens are sought near and far.
The next time you see some kept behind glass,
Remember, they once glorified the air.
Their colors and grace generate beauty,
As in harmony, their radiance they share.
HUMMING BIRD
The scent of roses, carnations and daises,
Draw to our gardens the humming bird so fair.
Evoking the essence of nature's living jewels
As the splendor of their plumage rides the air.
So graceful they fly with speed and direction,
Products of creation that dazzle the eye.
A luminous vision of worldly wonder,
Our most elusive visitor from the sky.
They're the smallest of the small on feathered wing,
Collecting with their tongues the sweetness of earth.
Enhancing our lives by their mere existence,
A temple of beauty, endurance, and worth.
FLOWERS
My job is in the open air
And, Lord, I love the work I do
For flowers are my joy of life
Though their beauty belongs to you.
Your flowers are so lovely;
Yet, I'm ugly, wrinkled and old.
I've lived beyond my mortal span
As the days I have left unfold.
Your lilies are my pride of life
And many of them there be.
They're worth a fortune, people say,
Though money has little worth to me.
Their glory is my just reward
As their radiant heads they raise.
I dedicate them to you, oh Lord,
With all my love and praise.
RAINY DAYS
Rainy days are a gift of life
As they water the thirsty of earth;
When nature sometimes weeps with joy,
Like a father who watches a birth.
Rainbows of color arch the sky
As storms prepare to part,
The sound of thunder shakes the ground,
As heaven speaks to my heart.
When storm filled skies are dark and gray.
That's when I yearn to strive.
Rainy days make some feel sad,
But for me, I feel so alive.
GOD'S RAIN
Nature like man sometimes weeps with joy,
As rain drops plummet and the living grow.
Soon there after its fair weather once more,
With spectrums of color arching that glow.
Some day’s can't help but be dark and dreary,
A common fate which has been shared by all.
The earth needs rain to water it’s thirsty
And into each life some moisture must fall.
Behind storm clouds the sun is still shinning
So never give up when your sad of heart.
What mad sailors curse, poor farmers pray for;
Cause without God's rain all life would depart.
DAWN
The songbirds sing as skies turn pink,
While the brightest stars fade away
One by one I watch them vanish,
As the sun gives birth to the day.
The scent of dawn is so fresh,
As flowers make ready to bloom.
The dew sparkles upon the grass,
While the morning dissolves my gloom.
A flock of geese circle above,
In search of some rest and a meal.
I watch them land upon a lake,
As inside, how lucky I feel.
The moon's still high upon its throne,
As it orbits across the sky.
I know that I shall love earth's dawns
Till the day in my grave, I lie.
TWILIGHT
Twilight skies turn orange, pink and gray
As the stars watch the dying day.
The winds of night now stir the breeze,
While most birds roost the in trees.
The fireflies glide above the grass
As bullfrogs sing to torment bass.
Soon the moon will circle high
Beneath its cape of star-filled sky.
The twilight is first evening's bell
A time of peace when all is well.
Another day has come and gone
Not to return until the dawn.
WINTER SNOW
Over the heads of all I meet,
Falls winter's life giving snow.
Upon the rooftops and the streets,
Filling the sky and earth below.
Dancing, swirling, skimming along,
Like the snows of yesteryears.
There's lots of ice on the windows,
As my lashes freeze over with tears.
It's so cold; it's too cold to snow,
Yet the snow continues to fall.
The land is covered blanket white
As the winter winds wail their call.
There's a red-hot fire awaiting me
That will thaw out my every part.
It's not the glow of a fireplace,
But the love that dwells in my heart.
FRUITS
In most all places where people live
Various kinds of fruits grow wild.
Which early man gathered from near by plants,
Long before Noah was a child.
The remains of apples, pears, plumbs and cherries
Have been found in Stone Age caves.
Grapes, olives, dates and figs,
Were placed within tombs and graves.
Fruit was consumed fresh or preserved,
Dried by the rays of the sun.
To be eaten during the long cold winter months,
Till the snow would melt and the rivers run.
Columbus took seeds along on his second voyage,
To plant and cultivate wherever they would grow.
To be plucked and devoured by hungry humans,
Instead of obtaining them from the forest of foe.
Today’s fruits are native of many different lands
Though most will grow where the climate is right.
They are picked and shipped by plain, train, truck or boat,
To be enjoyed with delight.
ROSES
Three hundred years after Christ's birth
Just south of Rome on fertile land,
Grew the sweetest queen of all flowers,
Roses cultivated by man.
The poet Horace once expressed
That roses were worth more than grain,
Seed fills a hungry man's stomach
Where roses feed his heart and brain.
Flourishing in ancient China,
Grown by monks for two thousand years.
Roses symbolized man's passion
For envy, sadness, love and tears.
Nero spent fortunes on roses
Whose petals showered down on his guests,
He wished to teach his subjects
That roses were an emperor's best.
So take down your shovels and plant,
Placing roses around your home.
For their sweet scent and great beauty
Are from heaven to us on loan.
THE SKIES OF NIGHT
The skies of night have a thousand eyes
Where the skies of day have but one.
Night's black mantle covers us all
With the setting of the sun.
He who shares stars with a woman
Will have happiness at night.
Mixed with hugs and words of love,
Their future together is bright.
Late at night, when most are asleep
And dream of another day,
Those who stare at God's moon
May say 'thank you ' as they pray.
So, let us drink the wine of night
And feast on the silence of stars,
While earth is bathed in holy light
And seen without its scars.
THE GARDENER
As flowers pop forth from the soil,
And the birds begin to sing.
The cold north wind sleeps once more,
And a gardener knows it's spring.
Daffodils are always first,
Sometimes before the snow shrinks.
Tulips are the next to bloom,
With their reds, yellows and pinks.
Then come the purple iris,
Whose scent makes men think of love.
Along with the sweet lilac
They give life's romance a shove.
When I was young and foolish,
I sowed my oats all around.
Now that I'm old and married,
I plant seeds and bulbs in the ground.
FLOWERS AROUND A HUMBLE HOUSE
The planting of flowers around a humble house,
Does as much as a big smile on a common face.
Like those heavenly bodies aloft in the night
Which adorn with their brightness the darkness of space.
King Solomon spoke of earth’s flowers in the Bible,
And that where they appear the birds begin to sing.
The voices of love can be heard across the land,
And that lilies and roses are a sacred thing.
So till up some soil and be fruitful with seed,
And behold as flowers rise from earth again.
For the sweet scent of blossoms invading the air,
Fans the fires of passion in both women and men.
WHERE THE BIG ONES BITE
When I was young and before girls
I loved to go fish the river.
Creeks and ponds where alright to
Anywhere that would deliver.
Fingerlings four to five inches long
Are what trophies love to feast on.
Trout line or pole made no difference
Bate up and the fight was on.
Sometimes I would strike a fire
To help keep warm in the night.
Spring, summer, fall, I was eager to go
Wherever the big ones bite.
WINTER
The cold winds of winter play tunes with the trees
Though now they sound different when striped of their leaves.
Our warm days have gone and for spring we must wait,
And all who are in love pray it won't be too late.
The snow has piled high on the rooftops of town,
As small birds huddle in the bushes they’ve found.
Everywhere are snowmen standing as guards,
While children throw snowballs from forts in their yards.
Winter’s cold days are dreary and often cruel,
But their hardships are used by God as a tool.
His reasons for seasons fit his grand plan,
To strengthen the souls of both woman and man.
THE SIGNS OF SPRING
The signs of spring are for all to see,
Letting the world know that nature sleeps no more.
As she awakens from her long winter nap,
Living shoots of life sprout forth from before.
The robin can be seen hunting for a meal,
As the gentle breezes urge the budding trees.
Soon fragrant blossoms will burst open with bloom
Attracting the eyes of creatures and bees.
Gone till next year, are winters cold days of chill,
While the fever of love hits the ground on the run.
There's heavenly splendor wherever we look,
As earth is warmed by the rays of the sun.
SPRING TIME
Easter lilies are in full bloom
As young men think of love.
Women can feel passion within
As they view the nesting dove.
Spring hangs her blossoms on the trees
Though winter's moss is dry and dead,
As their sweet scent invades the air,
Blades of grass raise their head.
Spring will soon vanish with the rose
And summer shall scorch earth again.
Daughter of heaven, mother of all,
Spring's loved by both women and men.
AUTUMN
As cold autumn winds strip the trees,
Melancholy days have arrived.
Most flowers, already are frosted brown,
Though mums are the last to survive.
There's lots of fog on the windows,
As the shorter days lose their light.
The year has changed into its wine,
When our days are shadowed by night.
Flowers, butterflies, trees and bees
Have all gone dormant 'till the spring.
Dead leaves rustle as children play,
In the absence of birds that sing.
Winter to spring, spring to summer,
It's time for those fall symphonies.
The leaves all plummet to the ground,
As the wind plays tunes with the trees.
KATRINA
Katrina hit like an atom bomb
Consuming the helpless in her path.
The waters of the deep surged forth
Flooding everything with their wrath.
The evil took advantage of absence of law
While the brave risked their lives for others.
The best and the worst was seen by man
Though many became like brothers.
May heaven show mercy upon the lost
Never to love, laugh, hate or sin.
God bless every man, woman and child
Whom we may never hold again.
STARS
Heaven's stars are the works of God,
The scriptures of his night sky.
After sunsets golden-red glow,
They 're there to captivate the eye.
No one can see beneath their feet,
As heaven's pearls ignite their souls.
To be as one with their maker,
Is the highest of human goals.
Blessed be the candies of night,
Which guide the sailors at sea.
Bathing earth with their soft glow,
For all who love them, as we!
THE MOON
For thousands of years man has wondered,
How the moon came into being.
As we look up at its ghostly glow,
We can't help but feel what we're seeing.
King David watched his beloved, Bath Sheba,
While she bathed in the moonlight so bright.
He fell in love and had to possess her,
Then sent her husband to die in a fight.
The moon itself has shown to be lifeless,
Though it enhances the beauty of the dark
The daily rise and fall of the oceans waters
Have followed the moon since before Noah’s Ark.
From the very first time man took refused,
And peered out at the moon in the night.
Acts of love, lust, hate and human sorrow,
Have been committed in the presence of its light.
I don't care if man has walked the moon,
For most, it retains its mystic power,
So turn off the TV and go forth in the night,
And partake its beauty regardless of hour.
BESIDE LOVE MEN NEED FISHING
Besides love men need fishing,
And for both, most are wishing,
Catching trophies chosen best,
To be envied by the rest.
Fishing is a game of sport
Loved by all, both tall and short.
We must fool the fish’s eye,
If we plan to stir and fry,
Some use boats while others wade,
As they fish the sun or shade.
Ice-cold drinks help pass the day,
While life’s troubles fade away.
Most men feel they've everything,
With their rod, hook, cork and string.
Be it river, pond or lake,
We all pray our line won't break.
All Poems By
Tom Zart
Most Published Poet on The Web
Tom Zart's = LOVE AND CONTENTMENT POEMS
The White House
Washington
March 16, 2007
Ms. Lillian Cauldwell
President and Chief Executive Officer
Passionate Internet Voices Radio
Ann Arbor Michigan
Dear Lillian:
Number 41 passed on the CDs from Tom Zart. Thank you for thinking of me.
I am thankful for your efforts to honor our brave military personnel and their families. America owes these courageous men and women a debt of gratitude, and I am honored to be the commander in chief of the greatest force for freedom in the history of the world.
Best Wishes.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush
TOM ZART’S 300 POEMS
You can hear all of Tom Zart’s 300 poems of love, war, faith and more 24-7 on web radio at=
http://internetvoicesradio.com/Arch-TomZart.htm
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CONTENTMENT
No one is immune to the pitfalls of stress
Though some seem to avoid its toll.
The three qualities that set hardy people apart
Are love of challenge, commitment and control.
People who are happy tend to see challenge, or change
As an opportunity for growth not a threat.
Their commitment means involvement and engaging life
In marriage, children, the work place, the battle field or debt.
Those who rate higher in their duties of commitment
Feel more meaning and purpose in what they achieve.
The third trait control, is essentially determination
To have triumphs in life by how we respond and believe.
There are skills, habits, and traits to adopt and cultivate
Which help make the smart decisions we depend on for life.
It also helps to take time for prayer and self evaluation
To make sure we haven’t changed from the dilemmas of strife.
Optimism along with positive thinking come naturally
When our need to serve others we refuse to deny or ration.
Contentment takes hard work, grit, faith and spirituality
Lots of love, understanding, forgiveness, and compassion.
WHISPERS
The one thing I’ve learned about happiness
It will never last pretending you’re not you.
Somehow, someway the truth will arise
And all that you hide will show through.
Sooner or later, one way or another
Something in your life seems wrong.
You go to bed unhappy and awake the same
Repeating life’s mistakes too long.
One day, to yourself, you begin to question
"Is this who I am and wish to be"?
How will I choose to live the rest of my life
Till the angel of death comes for me?
Most people wish to be at peace with God,
Oneself, and those we love.
Frequently taking a look at our past
Praying for guidance from above.
Thank heaven for the whispers from the heart
Which remind us that evil has it’s voice too.
It’s always a battle amid right and wrong
As we ponder and perform what we do.
LIFE
Life's a book written through,
Where the pages are the years.
There's good, evil, false, and true,
With laughter, sweat, and tears.
Our days are songs composed by God,
As we set them to music with pleasure.
His cup of life is for us to drink,
Though, He, decides the measure.
Hurried and worried, dawn till dusk,
There's no time for a curtain call.
We burn our candles from both ends,
And we're lucky to be alive at all.
Cards are shuffled and hands are dealt,
For all to place their bets.
Youthful blunders, adulthood struggles,
And old age, with its regrets.
It matters not, how long we live,
But more, how well we play our part.
For the road to heaven is always near,
As long as there's truth in our heart.
AFTER DEATH
The joy of life is like a fading flower
And the wrath of death is to shrivel and decay.
Committing our spirits to either right or wrong,
Simply by how we choose to live our night or day.
After death the wicked cease to be troublesome
And all who are weary have forever to rest.
People who apply their heart to seek out wisdom,
Are lovingly remembered by all they have blessed.
Let there be no sad farewell after we have gone
Hopefully to heaven, where worthy souls live on,
Searching for reunion with others we once knew
Be they Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu or Jew.
EYES OF LOVE
A mind may see a thousand eyes
Though the heart yearns for two;
When the eyes we love have up and gone,
To the arms of someone new.
Eyes that twinkle, I distrust,
For they are the distant stars.
Eyes in love have a steady glow
Like Venus, the Moon or Mars.
Eyes of love, like planets at night,
Use borrowed light to shine.
Eyes are the living lenses
To the camera of our mind.
Eyes tend to believe themselves
Like the blind love of mothers.
Eyes speak without words
To the hearts and souls of others.
LOVE
No rope or cable can hold so tight
What love can do with twine.
No kiss can taste so bittersweet,
As the one which captures our mind.
The first sign of love is the last of wisdom
As eager hearts fulfill desire.
Love is just a staple of life,
Though heaven sparks the fire.
Heaven knows no rage like love,
Once to hatred it has turned.
How wise are we who are such fools,
Who forget the lessons we've learned.
Love, indeed, descends from heaven,
Like a shooting star across the sky.
Love sometimes stirs the dust,
Till tears fall free from the eye.
God must love people in love
Or he wouldn't make so many.
Those who claim it's a mental disease
Have never been loved by any.
Love is stronger than life itself,
And jealousy more cruel than the grave.
Men and women have loved one another,
Since they spent their nights in a cave.
When the hands of love,
Touch the strings of souls,
There’ll be babies on the way.
That's the basic rules of life;
No matter what games we play
Like the flowers in the fields,
We shed our shields,
To be warmed by the sun.
We live our lives the best we can
Till death catches us on the run.
MY WILD ROSE
You 're the full moon of my nights
And the sunshine of my day.
Like a queen upon her throne,
You rule what I do and say.
It's God who makes us beautiful
And the Devil who makes us mean.
It all depends on whom we follow
Which way our lives shall lean.
With one foot in the future
And one foot in the past,
Let us try to live our days
As though each was our last.
You're the wild rose of my life,
My flower of desire.
Made by God for me alone
Out of earth, stars and fire.
MY WIFE
You're the bone of my bones
Who I love for my wife.
The flesh of my flesh
And my partner in life.
For me to have and to hold
For better or for worse.
To love and to cherish
Though we might fight and curse.
Be I richer or poorer,
'Till death makes us part,
I will give you great portions
Of my soul and my heart.
Heaven won't be heaven
If I don 't see you there,
May the first to go
Be me, is my prayer.
FAMILIES
The first stage of a family group
Begins with husband and wife.
Shelters are rented, bought or built
As they yearn for more from life.
Families are found throughout the world
In bone clusters buried in caves,
Where ancient people lived and loved
'Till death placed them in their graves.
Humans still have that need to group
As a family to survive,
They love and care for each other
In the world in which they strive.
Families are a nation's crown jewels,
Far more than a golden coin.
Members find love and sympathy
From the groups they've chosen to join.
TEARS
Tears are the raindrops of the soul
And there's one for all who die.
They are the silent words of grief
As they fall free from the eye.
The shortest verse in the Bible
Is the one where Jesus wept;
So, if you hold back tears, "shed them"
When your pains too harsh to accept.
Tears are lovelier than a smile
When they come from those you love.
As they seek relief from sadness,
When you're summoned from above.
Tears are a love-mates humble gift
When it's time to say goodbye,
Though the eyes are wet and swollen,
With time and patience they dry.
LOVE & ELECTRICITY
Love and electricity are a lot alike
For we never seem to miss them till their gone.
We need both, every day of our life,
And even more so between twilight and dawn.
Love resembles a self-consuming amber,
A static current of both pain and pleasure.
It can warm our bed and lighten the darkness
And for most who don 't have it, it's a treasure.
We can turn it on or we can turned it off
Depending on whatever we're forced to do.
It may shock us, please us, thrill us, or hurt us,
Though once without it, we can't wait to renew.
THE SEED OF LOVE
A kindly woman can make a sad man sing,
With her love and affection winter seems like spring.
Of all the pleasures in life given to a man,
There's nothing beats the touch of a woman's soft hand.
God saw Adam alone on Eden's floor,
Then decided to give him Eve’s love and much more.
So take what you need from she chosen for you,
Then rid thyself of others and to her be true.
The Lord planted love within mankind's heart,
Though things can grow sour when from "Him" we depart.
Love and hate are but two sides of life's golden coin,
So be ready for both no matter whom you join.
CHRISTMAS
Husbands with ladders hang lights on their home,
As all who have no one feel sad and alone.
The churches are full of the faithful that sing,
For the birth of our Lord, is a spiritual thing.
The sound of Christmas sweetly fills the air,
While frantic shoppers hustle from here to there.
The windows of storefronts at this time of year,
Reflect all their wonders as Christmas draws near.
Little ones stand looking with their nose pressed to glass,
As model trains on display come speeding past.
The path to Santa is lined with girls and boys,
With a list in their heart of their favorite toys.
The stores shelves are crammed with dolls that crawl or walk,
Games, cars, trucks, planes and stuffed toys that sing or talk.
The miracle of Christmas comes once a year,
When all that we love seems more precious and dear.
FORGIVE ME
Forgive me, forgive me
And I’ll kiss your tears away.
You're the first thing and the last,
I think of every day
Let bygones be bygones,
And be willing to forgive.
And I will love you only
Every moment I live.
I love you and I need you,
It's a fact and not a lie,
So if you plan to punish me,
Say anything, but good bye.
PARTING
The truest words, which portray my love,
I speak to you from within my heart.
May we always recall how we feel,
Though through conflict we're forced to part.
No one can say how long they will last,
For life is not everlasting.
Yet most hope to be blessed by love,
By he who does our casting.
As the fear of battle bites my flesh,
My thoughts of home help keep me sane.
There’s no guarantee that I’ll survive
But either way, I'll serve without shame.
Should the cold hands of death reach for me,
I pray my soul will awake from sleep.
To the voice of God assuring me,
That my spirit, he's chosen to keep.
So try to remember while I'm gone,
That the person I need most is you.
I’ll fight like hell to stay alive
To return home to the love I knew.
SEX
Where would we be without sex
Like coffee minus the sugar and cream.
As Adam was before he knew Eve,
With no purpose to dream and scheme.
No reason for fathers and mothers,
No reason to buy flowers and candy.
No reason for diamonds and jewels;
Viagra, wine, liquor or brandy.
No reason to purchase a sports car,
A fine house, muscle shirts or a new dress.
Basically, a cake without icing,
So thank God and pray for more not less.
PRETTY WOMAN
Whenever I'm lonely, sad and blue,
There’s nothing better than a night with you
You're the best I've known, present and before,
I don't dare tell or they’ll pound on your door.
It’s neither a secret nor a surprise,
That others are waiting for my demise.
God blessed you when he made you so pretty,
That's why so many continue being flirty.
God blessed me when he gave me your heart,
For I’m not wealthy, famous or smart.
But I'm strong, healthy, and hard working too,
And what ever it takes, you know I'll do.
MY HERO
There aren't many heroes for me in this world;
Yet, day and night you're my hero and more.
I know our marriage is important to you,
Though you may speak loudly and slam the door.
Like a flower from heaven we're blessed by love,
And what hardships await us, we’ll weather.
Dealing with difficulties that we may face,
You choose to work them out together.
You're endlessly curious about how I feel,
And you listen to everything I say.
You're my hero, my life mate, and my lover,
Who honors me with concern everyday.
THE STONES OF LOVE
Emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds,
Are the keys to a woman's heart.
He who shops for the stones of love,
Has hunger for both beauty and art.
She’ll display her jewelry proudly,
Around her neck or on her hand.
Showing to all that she is loved,
With no need for another man.
So spend your money or use your card,
And head for the nearest mall.
Purchase something you know she’ll love,
And for you and your faults, she’ll fall.
They say that money can't buy love,
Though, it sure can help things along.
And the stones of love help set the mood,
For a woman's forgiveness when you're wrong
WHO?
Who wrote the tune the songbird sings?
Who made the diamonds we wear on rings?
Who caused the snow and rain to fall?
Who made spring, winter, summer and fall?
Who gave man a woman to love?
Who made the clouds and sky above?
Who lights the stars and moon in the night?
Who makes heaven and beyond so bright?
Who gives us babies we follow till death?
Who made us able to speak with our breath?
Who gives us heroes willing to die?
Who made the tears we shed as we cry.
Who shows us hope and guides our way?
The same one who loves us night and day.
SOMEONE TO LOVE
You're great to gaze upon,
And ever better to touch.
Though sometimes your moods
Are a bit too much.
Your body is warm,
And your skin is fair.
All that I acquire,
With you, I'll share.
When you come home,
Tired from working hard.
I help with the house,
And manicure the yard.
You always respond
No matter how you feel,
To a great back rub,
Wine, and a good meal.
I've said thank you a thousand times
To heaven and God above.
That some how, some way,
I have someone to love.
TOGETHER
Where would I be without you?
And where would you be without me?
Trapped in the arms of a second choice,
Forever envious of all, as we.
My need for you makes life special,
Because I live it for you.
Everything seems more possible,
And easier to get through.
Each hour is a new adventure,
Where, what awaits, no one knows.
Through friendship, tears and laughter,
We ensure our romance grows.
Even ordinary moments
Aren't the same any more.
Together we have so much
To plan, accomplish and explore.
FAITH
So perfect is nature, though not by man;
It's the brush of our master that paints the land.
The sun comes up and sun goes down,
As in every direction God's wonders are found.
The tide comes in and the tide goes out,
Our faith in eternalness is what life is about.
Contentment depends on which path we walk,
By daylight or darkness; our faith is our rock.
Our confidence and trust in a higher power,
Helps guide us through every moment and hour.
Fidelity to ones promise and observance of law,
Lets our Lord know we heed his call.
DIVINE INTERVENTION
I never write a poem
That doesn’t write itself.
I catch a buzz and come alive
Like a puppet off it’s shelf.
Hearing many voices,
Whose words are never mine.
My pen becomes a painter’s brush
Forming visions on a line.
I seem to be a better person,
When it’s time to sit down and write.
A higher power guides my hand,
Sharing wisdom by day and night.
People born to create,
Have no choice but to perform.
It’s the rush of sharing their gift,
That elevates them from the norm.
What would our world become,
Without intervention from above?
Angry beings in a revolving cage,
With no sense of passion or love.
FOREVER MORE
I love to be loved in the morning
I love to be loved at night.
I love to be loved anytime
For love in the darkness is light.
I pray every day to say thank you
For all I have others do not.
I pray every day cause I’m guilty
For I don’t deserve what I’ve got.
Your love is the best of the rest
For your mission in life is me.
Once I was selfish and cruel
But fearing your loss made me see.
God gave Eve to Adam
To smile and suffer no more.
God gave you to me
I will love you forever more.
I THINK OF YOU
I think of you as I smell a rose
I think of you when I see your clothes.
I think of you if I weren’t here
Who would love you and call you dear.
I think of you when I’m asleep
I think of you and will me you keep?
I think of you when I kneel to pray
Recalling all which you might say.
I think of you and what you mean to me
I think of you and all you can be.
I think of you when you’re not home
I feel your presence whenever I’m alone.
LOVELESS WEEKEND
Another loveless weekend
And It’s my fault I’m alone.
I toss and turn in the dark
Feeling pain I’ve never known.
Just outside my window
There’s a full moon in the sky.
Every leaf is dancing
As the winds of night pass by.
There’s sorrow in my heart
And a tear in my eye.
First one, then another
Till my pillow is no longer dry.
I took your love for granted
Putting your needs on the shelf.
Feasting on all you gave
Only thinking of myself.
Then God sent you another
To reward the person you are.
Someone who would love you
At home and afar.
Seeking your approval
By how they use their mind.
Always speaking words of truth
Preferring to be kind.
To your memory I confess
For I no longer have your ear.
I pray for God’s forgiveness
And for love beyond my tear.
IF I TOLD YOU "I LOVE YOU"
If I told you "I love you"
No less than once a day
For all the wonderful years
We have shared at work and play.
If I thanked you each and every moment
As your smile touched my heart and soul
Always showing that you need me
I still could not complete my goal.
If I gave you affection in a thousand ways
I would fail to fully convey
How much you are my world of joy,
My friend, and my lover, who doesn’t stray.
Our memories of the years past
Give us happiness night and day
Our dreams of tomorrow’s burdens
Are why we choose to pray.
Someday in heaven we will reside
While earth will forget who we are
Side by side as we change to dust
We will live and love behind a star.
So let me say it one more time
I love you more than life itself
Your presence is my joy of joys
For without you I loose myself.
MYSTICAL JOURNEY
Children identify with our fears
Where adults share our dreams.
Life is a mystical journey
With laughter, sadness and schemes.
A never-ending quest of struggle
Where everyone has their role.
Sometimes wrong, sometimes right,
Facing problems, which take their toll.
Even the beautiful someday shall fade
As year after year they grow old.
With aches, pains, wrinkles and grief
The answers of a lifetime unfold.
How long will we be remembered
For better or for worse?
For being tender and understanding
Or just another person’s curse.
Truthful and honest with family or friends
Staying clear of any who lie or sneak?
Guarding against actions selfish, and cruel
Free to be generous and unique?
After death who will miss us
When to heaven we have gone?
Will family cry our name in tears
As in their hearts we live on?
SHARING
I can’t believe how we did
What we did last night
Kissing, squeezing
And holding on tight.
Far from our problems
We had a great time
Sharing in ways
That to us felt fine.
No tossing and turning from inward burning
Only moments of passion’s desire
So what if the moments can’t last forever
While they pass, they fuel our fire.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Red, gold, yellow, green and blue
Are the colors of Christmas, which glow.
They help us feel their value within
As we travel our way through the snow.
Red stands for passion, anger or desire
Gold is the steadiness of love.
Yellow is fear of the unforeseen
Green and blue are the stars above.
The luster of Christmas can be yours
Most anywhere at a nearby store.
To purchase and adorn your tree and home .
Celebrating life, Jesus and more.
IT BREAKS MY HEART TO CATCH YOU
Where there is smoke there’s fire
Of that you can be sure.
I can’t believe I trusted you
And believed in who you were.
You told me it was me you loved
With no need for someone new.
All you wanted was my heart and soul
And my promise to be true.
For whatever reason you blew it
And from me you must stay away.
You called me by another’s name
When it was our time to play.
It breaks my heart to catch you;
Here’s your cloths in a sack
You choose to cheat and lie to me
So get out and never come back.
SO DEAR TO MY HEART
So dear to my heart are my loved ones at home
As I toss and I turn in my bunk all alone.
Everyday I see death, hate, and corruption
Combat is God’s proof of man’s malfunction
For family, comrades, and myself I pray
To my love with this poem I wish to convey.
I knew I loved you though never how much
Till by war, I’m forced beyond your touch.
Where violence thrives, there’s the stench of death
With the taste of fear on every breath.
Who shall prevail, who shall die?
As the sadistic kill beneath God’s sky.
Baghdad has become man’s highway to hell
Where the hearts of darkness are alive and well,
I count each day till it’s time to come home
And be with my love and never alone.
Love You
Your Marine
THE FORTRESS OF LOVE
Every marriage has its bumps in the road
And they can pop up at any time.
We must learn to navigate them safely
With fairness, faith and open mind.
No matter how far in your marriage you’ve gone
The highway of love has its rules.
The excitement of sex, trust and affection
Never tolerates self-serving fools.
They say marriages are made in heaven,
But so are tornadoes, lighting and thunder.
Cold hearts and hot heads never solve anything
They just destroy what we love by blunder.
Boredom, frustration, irritations and anger
Douse the spark between you and your mate.
More of the same fails to feed love’s flame
Till you wake up to find it’s too late
Human touch sustains the release of endorphins
For both the giver and receiver.
Never be afraid to hug your partner.
For the language of touch is a reliever.
Always remember to support your spouse
When times of dilemma arise.
The fortress of love will sustain your marriage
If you speak less and listen more, you’re wise.
WHISPERS
The one thing I’ve learned about happiness
It will never last pretending you’re not you.
Somehow, someway the truth will arise
And all that you hide will show through.
Sooner or later, one way or another
Something in your life seems wrong.
You go to bed unhappy and awake the same
Repeating life’s mistakes too long.
One day, to yourself, you begin to question
"Is this who I am and wish to be"?
How will I choose to live the rest of my life
Till the angel of death comes for me?
Most people wish to be at peace with God,
Oneself, and those we love.
Frequently taking a look at our past
Praying for guidance from above.
Thank heaven for the whispers from the heart
Which remind us that evil has it’s voice too.
It’s always a battle amid right and wrong
As we ponder and perform what we do.
MARRIAGE SEX AND ROMANCE
"Some other time, I’m not in the mood
Why cant we just cuddle and watch TV"?
When couples drift into the celibate zone
It’s not long till someone will flee.
Sexual fulfillment helps preserve love,
Parenthood, marriage and self-esteem.
Those who maintain it avoid saying no
To be blessed by its pleasure and gleam.
While dating we tend to be more romantic
Putting forth the best of our charms.
Sharing dinners, long walks, and lustful weekends
As we spend more time in each others arms.
How many times have you said "not tonight"?
Exposing your happy home to harm.
Today’s crushing deadlines leave little time for love
Leaving partners with sorrow, sadness and alarm.
So share one another with red wine and time
Dial your own number and leave the phone off the hook.
Enjoy some romance, sex and laughter
Improving your mood and the way you look.
All poems by
Tom Zart
Most Published Poet
On Th Web
Washington
March 16, 2007
Ms. Lillian Cauldwell
President and Chief Executive Officer
Passionate Internet Voices Radio
Ann Arbor Michigan
Dear Lillian:
Number 41 passed on the CDs from Tom Zart. Thank you for thinking of me.
I am thankful for your efforts to honor our brave military personnel and their families. America owes these courageous men and women a debt of gratitude, and I am honored to be the commander in chief of the greatest force for freedom in the history of the world.
Best Wishes.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush
TOM ZART’S 300 POEMS
You can hear all of Tom Zart’s 300 poems of love, war, faith and more 24-7 on web radio at=
http://internetvoicesradio.com/Arch-TomZart.htm
Tom Zart ARCHIVES:
FREE TO DOWNLOAD
CONTENTMENT
No one is immune to the pitfalls of stress
Though some seem to avoid its toll.
The three qualities that set hardy people apart
Are love of challenge, commitment and control.
People who are happy tend to see challenge, or change
As an opportunity for growth not a threat.
Their commitment means involvement and engaging life
In marriage, children, the work place, the battle field or debt.
Those who rate higher in their duties of commitment
Feel more meaning and purpose in what they achieve.
The third trait control, is essentially determination
To have triumphs in life by how we respond and believe.
There are skills, habits, and traits to adopt and cultivate
Which help make the smart decisions we depend on for life.
It also helps to take time for prayer and self evaluation
To make sure we haven’t changed from the dilemmas of strife.
Optimism along with positive thinking come naturally
When our need to serve others we refuse to deny or ration.
Contentment takes hard work, grit, faith and spirituality
Lots of love, understanding, forgiveness, and compassion.
WHISPERS
The one thing I’ve learned about happiness
It will never last pretending you’re not you.
Somehow, someway the truth will arise
And all that you hide will show through.
Sooner or later, one way or another
Something in your life seems wrong.
You go to bed unhappy and awake the same
Repeating life’s mistakes too long.
One day, to yourself, you begin to question
"Is this who I am and wish to be"?
How will I choose to live the rest of my life
Till the angel of death comes for me?
Most people wish to be at peace with God,
Oneself, and those we love.
Frequently taking a look at our past
Praying for guidance from above.
Thank heaven for the whispers from the heart
Which remind us that evil has it’s voice too.
It’s always a battle amid right and wrong
As we ponder and perform what we do.
LIFE
Life's a book written through,
Where the pages are the years.
There's good, evil, false, and true,
With laughter, sweat, and tears.
Our days are songs composed by God,
As we set them to music with pleasure.
His cup of life is for us to drink,
Though, He, decides the measure.
Hurried and worried, dawn till dusk,
There's no time for a curtain call.
We burn our candles from both ends,
And we're lucky to be alive at all.
Cards are shuffled and hands are dealt,
For all to place their bets.
Youthful blunders, adulthood struggles,
And old age, with its regrets.
It matters not, how long we live,
But more, how well we play our part.
For the road to heaven is always near,
As long as there's truth in our heart.
AFTER DEATH
The joy of life is like a fading flower
And the wrath of death is to shrivel and decay.
Committing our spirits to either right or wrong,
Simply by how we choose to live our night or day.
After death the wicked cease to be troublesome
And all who are weary have forever to rest.
People who apply their heart to seek out wisdom,
Are lovingly remembered by all they have blessed.
Let there be no sad farewell after we have gone
Hopefully to heaven, where worthy souls live on,
Searching for reunion with others we once knew
Be they Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu or Jew.
EYES OF LOVE
A mind may see a thousand eyes
Though the heart yearns for two;
When the eyes we love have up and gone,
To the arms of someone new.
Eyes that twinkle, I distrust,
For they are the distant stars.
Eyes in love have a steady glow
Like Venus, the Moon or Mars.
Eyes of love, like planets at night,
Use borrowed light to shine.
Eyes are the living lenses
To the camera of our mind.
Eyes tend to believe themselves
Like the blind love of mothers.
Eyes speak without words
To the hearts and souls of others.
LOVE
No rope or cable can hold so tight
What love can do with twine.
No kiss can taste so bittersweet,
As the one which captures our mind.
The first sign of love is the last of wisdom
As eager hearts fulfill desire.
Love is just a staple of life,
Though heaven sparks the fire.
Heaven knows no rage like love,
Once to hatred it has turned.
How wise are we who are such fools,
Who forget the lessons we've learned.
Love, indeed, descends from heaven,
Like a shooting star across the sky.
Love sometimes stirs the dust,
Till tears fall free from the eye.
God must love people in love
Or he wouldn't make so many.
Those who claim it's a mental disease
Have never been loved by any.
Love is stronger than life itself,
And jealousy more cruel than the grave.
Men and women have loved one another,
Since they spent their nights in a cave.
When the hands of love,
Touch the strings of souls,
There’ll be babies on the way.
That's the basic rules of life;
No matter what games we play
Like the flowers in the fields,
We shed our shields,
To be warmed by the sun.
We live our lives the best we can
Till death catches us on the run.
MY WILD ROSE
You 're the full moon of my nights
And the sunshine of my day.
Like a queen upon her throne,
You rule what I do and say.
It's God who makes us beautiful
And the Devil who makes us mean.
It all depends on whom we follow
Which way our lives shall lean.
With one foot in the future
And one foot in the past,
Let us try to live our days
As though each was our last.
You're the wild rose of my life,
My flower of desire.
Made by God for me alone
Out of earth, stars and fire.
MY WIFE
You're the bone of my bones
Who I love for my wife.
The flesh of my flesh
And my partner in life.
For me to have and to hold
For better or for worse.
To love and to cherish
Though we might fight and curse.
Be I richer or poorer,
'Till death makes us part,
I will give you great portions
Of my soul and my heart.
Heaven won't be heaven
If I don 't see you there,
May the first to go
Be me, is my prayer.
FAMILIES
The first stage of a family group
Begins with husband and wife.
Shelters are rented, bought or built
As they yearn for more from life.
Families are found throughout the world
In bone clusters buried in caves,
Where ancient people lived and loved
'Till death placed them in their graves.
Humans still have that need to group
As a family to survive,
They love and care for each other
In the world in which they strive.
Families are a nation's crown jewels,
Far more than a golden coin.
Members find love and sympathy
From the groups they've chosen to join.
TEARS
Tears are the raindrops of the soul
And there's one for all who die.
They are the silent words of grief
As they fall free from the eye.
The shortest verse in the Bible
Is the one where Jesus wept;
So, if you hold back tears, "shed them"
When your pains too harsh to accept.
Tears are lovelier than a smile
When they come from those you love.
As they seek relief from sadness,
When you're summoned from above.
Tears are a love-mates humble gift
When it's time to say goodbye,
Though the eyes are wet and swollen,
With time and patience they dry.
LOVE & ELECTRICITY
Love and electricity are a lot alike
For we never seem to miss them till their gone.
We need both, every day of our life,
And even more so between twilight and dawn.
Love resembles a self-consuming amber,
A static current of both pain and pleasure.
It can warm our bed and lighten the darkness
And for most who don 't have it, it's a treasure.
We can turn it on or we can turned it off
Depending on whatever we're forced to do.
It may shock us, please us, thrill us, or hurt us,
Though once without it, we can't wait to renew.
THE SEED OF LOVE
A kindly woman can make a sad man sing,
With her love and affection winter seems like spring.
Of all the pleasures in life given to a man,
There's nothing beats the touch of a woman's soft hand.
God saw Adam alone on Eden's floor,
Then decided to give him Eve’s love and much more.
So take what you need from she chosen for you,
Then rid thyself of others and to her be true.
The Lord planted love within mankind's heart,
Though things can grow sour when from "Him" we depart.
Love and hate are but two sides of life's golden coin,
So be ready for both no matter whom you join.
CHRISTMAS
Husbands with ladders hang lights on their home,
As all who have no one feel sad and alone.
The churches are full of the faithful that sing,
For the birth of our Lord, is a spiritual thing.
The sound of Christmas sweetly fills the air,
While frantic shoppers hustle from here to there.
The windows of storefronts at this time of year,
Reflect all their wonders as Christmas draws near.
Little ones stand looking with their nose pressed to glass,
As model trains on display come speeding past.
The path to Santa is lined with girls and boys,
With a list in their heart of their favorite toys.
The stores shelves are crammed with dolls that crawl or walk,
Games, cars, trucks, planes and stuffed toys that sing or talk.
The miracle of Christmas comes once a year,
When all that we love seems more precious and dear.
FORGIVE ME
Forgive me, forgive me
And I’ll kiss your tears away.
You're the first thing and the last,
I think of every day
Let bygones be bygones,
And be willing to forgive.
And I will love you only
Every moment I live.
I love you and I need you,
It's a fact and not a lie,
So if you plan to punish me,
Say anything, but good bye.
PARTING
The truest words, which portray my love,
I speak to you from within my heart.
May we always recall how we feel,
Though through conflict we're forced to part.
No one can say how long they will last,
For life is not everlasting.
Yet most hope to be blessed by love,
By he who does our casting.
As the fear of battle bites my flesh,
My thoughts of home help keep me sane.
There’s no guarantee that I’ll survive
But either way, I'll serve without shame.
Should the cold hands of death reach for me,
I pray my soul will awake from sleep.
To the voice of God assuring me,
That my spirit, he's chosen to keep.
So try to remember while I'm gone,
That the person I need most is you.
I’ll fight like hell to stay alive
To return home to the love I knew.
SEX
Where would we be without sex
Like coffee minus the sugar and cream.
As Adam was before he knew Eve,
With no purpose to dream and scheme.
No reason for fathers and mothers,
No reason to buy flowers and candy.
No reason for diamonds and jewels;
Viagra, wine, liquor or brandy.
No reason to purchase a sports car,
A fine house, muscle shirts or a new dress.
Basically, a cake without icing,
So thank God and pray for more not less.
PRETTY WOMAN
Whenever I'm lonely, sad and blue,
There’s nothing better than a night with you
You're the best I've known, present and before,
I don't dare tell or they’ll pound on your door.
It’s neither a secret nor a surprise,
That others are waiting for my demise.
God blessed you when he made you so pretty,
That's why so many continue being flirty.
God blessed me when he gave me your heart,
For I’m not wealthy, famous or smart.
But I'm strong, healthy, and hard working too,
And what ever it takes, you know I'll do.
MY HERO
There aren't many heroes for me in this world;
Yet, day and night you're my hero and more.
I know our marriage is important to you,
Though you may speak loudly and slam the door.
Like a flower from heaven we're blessed by love,
And what hardships await us, we’ll weather.
Dealing with difficulties that we may face,
You choose to work them out together.
You're endlessly curious about how I feel,
And you listen to everything I say.
You're my hero, my life mate, and my lover,
Who honors me with concern everyday.
THE STONES OF LOVE
Emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds,
Are the keys to a woman's heart.
He who shops for the stones of love,
Has hunger for both beauty and art.
She’ll display her jewelry proudly,
Around her neck or on her hand.
Showing to all that she is loved,
With no need for another man.
So spend your money or use your card,
And head for the nearest mall.
Purchase something you know she’ll love,
And for you and your faults, she’ll fall.
They say that money can't buy love,
Though, it sure can help things along.
And the stones of love help set the mood,
For a woman's forgiveness when you're wrong
WHO?
Who wrote the tune the songbird sings?
Who made the diamonds we wear on rings?
Who caused the snow and rain to fall?
Who made spring, winter, summer and fall?
Who gave man a woman to love?
Who made the clouds and sky above?
Who lights the stars and moon in the night?
Who makes heaven and beyond so bright?
Who gives us babies we follow till death?
Who made us able to speak with our breath?
Who gives us heroes willing to die?
Who made the tears we shed as we cry.
Who shows us hope and guides our way?
The same one who loves us night and day.
SOMEONE TO LOVE
You're great to gaze upon,
And ever better to touch.
Though sometimes your moods
Are a bit too much.
Your body is warm,
And your skin is fair.
All that I acquire,
With you, I'll share.
When you come home,
Tired from working hard.
I help with the house,
And manicure the yard.
You always respond
No matter how you feel,
To a great back rub,
Wine, and a good meal.
I've said thank you a thousand times
To heaven and God above.
That some how, some way,
I have someone to love.
TOGETHER
Where would I be without you?
And where would you be without me?
Trapped in the arms of a second choice,
Forever envious of all, as we.
My need for you makes life special,
Because I live it for you.
Everything seems more possible,
And easier to get through.
Each hour is a new adventure,
Where, what awaits, no one knows.
Through friendship, tears and laughter,
We ensure our romance grows.
Even ordinary moments
Aren't the same any more.
Together we have so much
To plan, accomplish and explore.
FAITH
So perfect is nature, though not by man;
It's the brush of our master that paints the land.
The sun comes up and sun goes down,
As in every direction God's wonders are found.
The tide comes in and the tide goes out,
Our faith in eternalness is what life is about.
Contentment depends on which path we walk,
By daylight or darkness; our faith is our rock.
Our confidence and trust in a higher power,
Helps guide us through every moment and hour.
Fidelity to ones promise and observance of law,
Lets our Lord know we heed his call.
DIVINE INTERVENTION
I never write a poem
That doesn’t write itself.
I catch a buzz and come alive
Like a puppet off it’s shelf.
Hearing many voices,
Whose words are never mine.
My pen becomes a painter’s brush
Forming visions on a line.
I seem to be a better person,
When it’s time to sit down and write.
A higher power guides my hand,
Sharing wisdom by day and night.
People born to create,
Have no choice but to perform.
It’s the rush of sharing their gift,
That elevates them from the norm.
What would our world become,
Without intervention from above?
Angry beings in a revolving cage,
With no sense of passion or love.
FOREVER MORE
I love to be loved in the morning
I love to be loved at night.
I love to be loved anytime
For love in the darkness is light.
I pray every day to say thank you
For all I have others do not.
I pray every day cause I’m guilty
For I don’t deserve what I’ve got.
Your love is the best of the rest
For your mission in life is me.
Once I was selfish and cruel
But fearing your loss made me see.
God gave Eve to Adam
To smile and suffer no more.
God gave you to me
I will love you forever more.
I THINK OF YOU
I think of you as I smell a rose
I think of you when I see your clothes.
I think of you if I weren’t here
Who would love you and call you dear.
I think of you when I’m asleep
I think of you and will me you keep?
I think of you when I kneel to pray
Recalling all which you might say.
I think of you and what you mean to me
I think of you and all you can be.
I think of you when you’re not home
I feel your presence whenever I’m alone.
LOVELESS WEEKEND
Another loveless weekend
And It’s my fault I’m alone.
I toss and turn in the dark
Feeling pain I’ve never known.
Just outside my window
There’s a full moon in the sky.
Every leaf is dancing
As the winds of night pass by.
There’s sorrow in my heart
And a tear in my eye.
First one, then another
Till my pillow is no longer dry.
I took your love for granted
Putting your needs on the shelf.
Feasting on all you gave
Only thinking of myself.
Then God sent you another
To reward the person you are.
Someone who would love you
At home and afar.
Seeking your approval
By how they use their mind.
Always speaking words of truth
Preferring to be kind.
To your memory I confess
For I no longer have your ear.
I pray for God’s forgiveness
And for love beyond my tear.
IF I TOLD YOU "I LOVE YOU"
If I told you "I love you"
No less than once a day
For all the wonderful years
We have shared at work and play.
If I thanked you each and every moment
As your smile touched my heart and soul
Always showing that you need me
I still could not complete my goal.
If I gave you affection in a thousand ways
I would fail to fully convey
How much you are my world of joy,
My friend, and my lover, who doesn’t stray.
Our memories of the years past
Give us happiness night and day
Our dreams of tomorrow’s burdens
Are why we choose to pray.
Someday in heaven we will reside
While earth will forget who we are
Side by side as we change to dust
We will live and love behind a star.
So let me say it one more time
I love you more than life itself
Your presence is my joy of joys
For without you I loose myself.
MYSTICAL JOURNEY
Children identify with our fears
Where adults share our dreams.
Life is a mystical journey
With laughter, sadness and schemes.
A never-ending quest of struggle
Where everyone has their role.
Sometimes wrong, sometimes right,
Facing problems, which take their toll.
Even the beautiful someday shall fade
As year after year they grow old.
With aches, pains, wrinkles and grief
The answers of a lifetime unfold.
How long will we be remembered
For better or for worse?
For being tender and understanding
Or just another person’s curse.
Truthful and honest with family or friends
Staying clear of any who lie or sneak?
Guarding against actions selfish, and cruel
Free to be generous and unique?
After death who will miss us
When to heaven we have gone?
Will family cry our name in tears
As in their hearts we live on?
SHARING
I can’t believe how we did
What we did last night
Kissing, squeezing
And holding on tight.
Far from our problems
We had a great time
Sharing in ways
That to us felt fine.
No tossing and turning from inward burning
Only moments of passion’s desire
So what if the moments can’t last forever
While they pass, they fuel our fire.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Red, gold, yellow, green and blue
Are the colors of Christmas, which glow.
They help us feel their value within
As we travel our way through the snow.
Red stands for passion, anger or desire
Gold is the steadiness of love.
Yellow is fear of the unforeseen
Green and blue are the stars above.
The luster of Christmas can be yours
Most anywhere at a nearby store.
To purchase and adorn your tree and home .
Celebrating life, Jesus and more.
IT BREAKS MY HEART TO CATCH YOU
Where there is smoke there’s fire
Of that you can be sure.
I can’t believe I trusted you
And believed in who you were.
You told me it was me you loved
With no need for someone new.
All you wanted was my heart and soul
And my promise to be true.
For whatever reason you blew it
And from me you must stay away.
You called me by another’s name
When it was our time to play.
It breaks my heart to catch you;
Here’s your cloths in a sack
You choose to cheat and lie to me
So get out and never come back.
SO DEAR TO MY HEART
So dear to my heart are my loved ones at home
As I toss and I turn in my bunk all alone.
Everyday I see death, hate, and corruption
Combat is God’s proof of man’s malfunction
For family, comrades, and myself I pray
To my love with this poem I wish to convey.
I knew I loved you though never how much
Till by war, I’m forced beyond your touch.
Where violence thrives, there’s the stench of death
With the taste of fear on every breath.
Who shall prevail, who shall die?
As the sadistic kill beneath God’s sky.
Baghdad has become man’s highway to hell
Where the hearts of darkness are alive and well,
I count each day till it’s time to come home
And be with my love and never alone.
Love You
Your Marine
THE FORTRESS OF LOVE
Every marriage has its bumps in the road
And they can pop up at any time.
We must learn to navigate them safely
With fairness, faith and open mind.
No matter how far in your marriage you’ve gone
The highway of love has its rules.
The excitement of sex, trust and affection
Never tolerates self-serving fools.
They say marriages are made in heaven,
But so are tornadoes, lighting and thunder.
Cold hearts and hot heads never solve anything
They just destroy what we love by blunder.
Boredom, frustration, irritations and anger
Douse the spark between you and your mate.
More of the same fails to feed love’s flame
Till you wake up to find it’s too late
Human touch sustains the release of endorphins
For both the giver and receiver.
Never be afraid to hug your partner.
For the language of touch is a reliever.
Always remember to support your spouse
When times of dilemma arise.
The fortress of love will sustain your marriage
If you speak less and listen more, you’re wise.
WHISPERS
The one thing I’ve learned about happiness
It will never last pretending you’re not you.
Somehow, someway the truth will arise
And all that you hide will show through.
Sooner or later, one way or another
Something in your life seems wrong.
You go to bed unhappy and awake the same
Repeating life’s mistakes too long.
One day, to yourself, you begin to question
"Is this who I am and wish to be"?
How will I choose to live the rest of my life
Till the angel of death comes for me?
Most people wish to be at peace with God,
Oneself, and those we love.
Frequently taking a look at our past
Praying for guidance from above.
Thank heaven for the whispers from the heart
Which remind us that evil has it’s voice too.
It’s always a battle amid right and wrong
As we ponder and perform what we do.
MARRIAGE SEX AND ROMANCE
"Some other time, I’m not in the mood
Why cant we just cuddle and watch TV"?
When couples drift into the celibate zone
It’s not long till someone will flee.
Sexual fulfillment helps preserve love,
Parenthood, marriage and self-esteem.
Those who maintain it avoid saying no
To be blessed by its pleasure and gleam.
While dating we tend to be more romantic
Putting forth the best of our charms.
Sharing dinners, long walks, and lustful weekends
As we spend more time in each others arms.
How many times have you said "not tonight"?
Exposing your happy home to harm.
Today’s crushing deadlines leave little time for love
Leaving partners with sorrow, sadness and alarm.
So share one another with red wine and time
Dial your own number and leave the phone off the hook.
Enjoy some romance, sex and laughter
Improving your mood and the way you look.
All poems by
Tom Zart
Most Published Poet
On Th Web
Tom Zart's = Poems of Christianity
The White House
Washington
March 16, 2007
Ms. Lillian Cauldwell
President and Chief Executive Officer
Passionate Internet Voices Radio
Ann Arbor Michigan
Dear Lillian:
Number 41 passed on the CDs from Tom Zart. Thank you for thinking of me.
I am thankful for your efforts to honor our brave military personnel and their families. America owes these courageous men and women a debt of gratitude, and I am honored to be the commander in chief of the greatest force for freedom in the history of the world.
Best Wishes.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush
TOM ZART’S 300 POEMS
You can hear all of Tom Zart’s 300 poems of love, war, faith and more 24-7 on web radio at=
http://internetvoicesradio.com/Arch-TomZart.htm
Tom Zart ARCHIVES:
FREE TO DOWNLOAD
MY FAVORITE POET
My favorite poet is God above
Who gives Earth its rhythm and rhyme.
Not pied pipers of misguided souls
Who promote distrust, hatred and crime.
Poetry is nature serenading in song
The peaceful roar of the oceans waves.
The wind through the trees and over the hills
And the flowers in the fields by the graves.
The sound of rain as it waters the thirsty
The songs of children at play in the park.
The far off rumble of trains or thunder
As they pass through the night in the dark.
The joy of our babies first words and steps
The passion of life with its heroes and clowns.
The on going struggle to survive our sins
As we proliferate in hamlets and towns.
My favorite poet is our father of love
Who was first to know us before birth.
His poetry prolongs every thing we love
As his deliverance gives life its worth.
By Tom Zart
THE FIRST ONE TO LOVE ME
The first one to love me was you; Lord
And nothing can take that away.
My soul is refreshed by living water
While my heart flows with love each day.
I thank you for the love of my family
And I thank you for the love of my life.
I thank you for all of the blessings
You give to each husband and wife.
Your glory rides high on the sunsets;
Your voice is the thunder of rain.
I thank you for all of the heavens
And Jesus who came to be slain.
I feel when your eyes are upon me
As you listen to my humble cry,
You've redeemed the soul of your servant
To dwell in your mansion on high.
I’ll claim each and every promise
From the Lord of the earth and sky.
I'm so glad I’m free from my bondage
Of the grave where my body shall lie.
I thank you for parting the darkness
And guiding my footsteps each day.
I thank you for being my shepherd;
You've walked with me all the way.
I know your armor protects me
From the devil in search of his feast.
And all who are lost without you
Shall dwell in hell with the beast!
DAVID AND GOLIATH
David, the shepherd, a tender of sheep,
Would pray to his God before he would sleep.
One day he awoke to the roar of beasts;
A bear and a lion in search of a feast.
David slew both with his knife and his hand,
Though still just a boy and not yet a man.
The Lord's love for David was proven once again,
When he challenged the champion of the Philistine men.
Goliath’s beastly fingers and hideous toes,
Made David more selective with the stones that he chose.
One for the giant, he knew he would slay,
Four more for his brothers who were laughing that day.
The giant told David, "I'll tear you apart;
The birds and the animals shall feast on your heart."
David yelled back, "I’ll soon see you dead,
And when I’m through I’ll cut off your head!"
The worst of all men, drew high with his arm,
Came forth to David to do him great harm.
The youth jumped ahead just as quick as a lynx;
A stone from his sling popped the giant where he thinks.
Blood and bone spewed forth as that devil fell down;
A thousand pound soldier lie dead on the ground.
With Goliath’s own sword, David chopped off his head,
Then took it to Jerusalem, to prove that he was dead.
JESUS
There once was a traveler who was driven out of town;
On his shoulders was a burden that pushed him to the ground.
On his head was a crown made of thorns from a bush,
And the street was so crowded the guards had to push.
They stopped at some sandstone at the top of a hill;
There was a round hole the cross would soon fill.
They made him lie down upon that wood cross;
There they nailed him to prove who was boss.
The beam was up-ended by the muscles of men,
As it plunged down the hole it was carved to fit in.
Then Jesus looked up at the lightning that flew,
And cried, "God, My Father, they know not what they do."
They crucified our Lord as his blood flowed to earth
If inside you believe, you feel what love is worth.
They wrapped him in loincloth when he was taken down,
Then carefully removed his scarlet stained crown.
They placed him in a cave with a large, round, stone door;
Before sealing forever, they lay lilies on the floor.
Though it wasn't very long, and the stone was rolled away;
For Jesus resurrected, to rise on Easter Day!
DARTS OF THE DEVIL
The darts of the devil fly free on the winds;
And sometimes they pierce both family and friends.
Remember young Adam and his wife, Eve?
When they gave into Satan, the Lord said, "leave".
Ever since then, right up to today,
The devil makes sure we’ll sin in some way.
Wear all of God's armor, whatever you do;
Should the darts of the devil seek out you.
Thank God for Jesus who died on the cross.
Our passage to heaven was paid by his loss.
Every knee shall bow and tongues confess all,
That Jesus is our Lord at his final call.
Angels will descend with Jesus in the sky;
He’ll greet us with open arms when it's our time to fly.
For our Lord awaits all who believe,
And those who do not, shall be told to leave.
NIGHT OF NIGHTS
In the tiny town of Bethlehem,
Born in a stable, an infant lie.
While he slept his first dreamless night,
A whole universe of stars passed by.
When Jesus Christ our savior was born
Most of the angels began to sing,
Of peace, and good will to all mankind,
And alleluia to earth's new king.
There were those angels, who did not sing,
For they had passed through the devil's gate.
They knew this young lad belonged to God,
And for them salvation was too late.
So let's rejoice, and sing with great cheer,
That night when Jesus slept without fear.
For our Lord's birthday comes once a year,
On that night of nights we hold so dear.
GRACE
The Son of God came to save that which was lost,
To redeem our soul from the power of the grave.
Where the prisoners of death must rest together
Except for the spirits of the kind and brave.
The preaching of the cross is ignored by fools,
And sinners who are unable to conform.
By grace we are saved as a gift from our Lord,
Who wipes tears from the faces that mourn.
By learning, loving, working, teaching, and prayer,
We submit our years as a tale to be told.
The survival of life is our pilgrimage,
As we tackle each challenge both young and old.
No one can be sure of how long they will last,
Though all have a choice of whom they choose to be.
Warmongers, adulterers, thieves or saints,
Everyone must some day bow down before thee.
From dust we were made and shall return,
After life has brought us to our earthly end.
Though all must walk in the shadow of death
The righteous are promised they will rise again.
NOAH'S ARK
God saw that wickedness had fouled his earth,
To a state it could no longer be ignored.
While grieving sadly he chose to destroy it,
Though Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
The Lord told Noah to fashion a great ark
Made of gopher wood and pitch, outside and in.
Three hundred cubits long and fifty in width,
Before the world he knew, would come to its end.
Bring your food, your sons, your wife and your son’s wives
And two of every living sort, be with thee.
For with you I’ll establish my covenant,
And all who are with thee shall survive the sea.
They all marched forth, two by two, into the ark
And waited for God's waters to flood the land.
For forty days and for forty nights,
The fountains of the deep consumed beast and man.
Inside the ark nostrils kept their breath of life,
As the high waters prevailed upon the earth.
Every mountain and every hilltop vanished,
As all within felt the power of God's worth.
The waters from heaven were finally restrained,
And after ten months the tops of mountains were seen.
God had blessed Noah and all who had joined him,
To multiply, plant and fulfill his dream.
WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE
The wise listen to increase their learning,
Where the scorners of wisdom close their mind.
The hearts of the prudent gather knowledge,
For a soul without grace becomes confined.
Our knowledge can help us fulfill our dreams,
Though most of the time with wisdom comes grief.
For knowledge removes our veil of ignorance,
Exposing within the liar or thief.
A wise mind is a fountain of life;
To teach others it's knowledge before death.
Wisdom is too hard for fools to retain,
Who curse their fellows with spiteful breath.
Fill yourself with love and understanding,
For wisdom makes the human face shine.
Knowledge is stronger than weapons of war,
While on ignorance, fools continue to dine.
The words of the wise are heard in quiet,
More than the loud shouts of screaming fools.
Wisdom and knowledge cause stability,
In the lives of those who use them as tools.
We should shun with wisdom what is evil,
And glorify with knowledge what is good.
Better is the gift of learning than gold
For by virtue we become what we should.
MIRACLES
Miracles are the extraordinary acts of God,
If you don't believe it, why pray?
Some say, they're just happenings brought about by luck,
Thus, superstition has led the rest of us, astray.
Woe to what the misinformed might think,
Who claim their excellence is their own.
A wise man knows his gifts are from heaven,
And by repentance, his gratitude is shown.
I believe in miracles for I'm alive and well,
I'm loved by God, family, and a few good friends.
I've lived long enough to see miracles transpire;
As one must end, another descends.
WHO
Who wrote the tune the songbird sings?
Who made the diamonds we wear on rings?
Who caused the snow and rain to fall?
Who made spring, winter, summer and fall?
Who gave man a woman to love?
Who made the clouds and sky above?
Who lights the stars and moon in the night?
Who makes heaven and beyond so bright?
Who gives us babies we follow till death?
Who made us able to speak with our breath?
Who gives us heroes willing to die?
Who made the tears we shed as we cry.
Who shows us hope and guides our way?
The same one who loves us night and day.
THE ARMOR OF GOD
Put on the whole armor of God,
And soldiers we shall be.
Fighting the powers of darkness,
Who thirst for the souls of the free.
Through lust, they try to enslave us,
And silence God's voice in man.
With focus of faith we shun them,
Avoiding the grasp of their hand.
Satan whispers his sadistic thoughts
In every language and every ear.
Tempting all with the sins of hell,
Victims of misery, hopelessness and fear.
Eagerly plotting to disrupt God's works,
Evil swallows up souls like the shifting sand.
The armor of God is our divine protection,
Shielding every child, woman, and man.
THE MYSTERY OF PRAYER
Never be afraid to pray boldly to God,
For no matter the crisis our Lord is aware.
Sometimes it's hard to recognize God's answers,
But that 's just part of the mystery of prayer.
Some of the greatest heroes in history,
Wore holes in the knees of their pants.
For without God's grace and human prayer,
Man's survival on earth is by chance.
Surrender your soul and make time for prayer
Sharing moments with your Savior alone.
He’ll shoulder your burden and give you rest,
As the seeds of his praise are sown.
JESUS IS MY MASTER
Jesus is my master,
I'm not afraid to admit.
All I had to do,
Was be willing and submit.
He loves me when I'm bad;
He loves me when I'm good.
He loves me even more,
When I behave as I should.
He knows that I'm not perfect;
He knows I'm guilty of sin.
He leadeth me to righteousness,
And allows me to rise again.
FAITH
So perfect is nature, though not by man;
It's the brush of our master that paints the land.
The sun comes up and sun goes down,
As in every direction God's wonders are found.
The tide comes in and the tide goes out,
Our faith in eternalness is what life is about.
Contentment depends on which path we walk,
By daylight or darkness; our faith is our rock.
Our confidence and trust in a higher power,
Helps guide us through every moment and hour.
Fidelity to ones promise and observance of law,
Lets our Lord know we heed his call.
DIVINE INTERVENTION
I never write a poem
That doesn’t write itself.
I catch a buzz and come alive
Like a puppet off it’s shelf.
Hearing many voices,
Whose words are never mine.
My pen becomes a painter’s brush
Forming visions on a line.
I seem to be a better person,
When it’s time to sit down and write.
A higher power guides my hand,
Sharing wisdom by day and night.
People born to create,
Have no choice but to perform.
It’s the rush of sharing their gift,
That elevates them from the norm.
What would our world become,
Without intervention from above?
Angry beings in a revolving cage,
With no sense of passion or love.
Lucifer Loves To Bait His Hook?
Jesus is our savior who whips the Devil’s hide
After death heaven awaits for all with him who ride.
Disobedience by believers was forgiven by his loss
The future of man was changed by his death on the cross.
We ‘re free to believe whatever till its time to say farewell
All who turn their back to Christ shall suffer the blaze of hell.
Lucifer loves to bait his hook and fish the pond of man
Once he has you in his net you’re the victim of his hand.
Some say not to worry for man was once an ape
It’s okay to hate, plunder, murder, lie and rape.
I choose to follow the Bible and observe God’s laws
Praying for the mislaid in the clutch of Satan’s claws.
JONAH
God’s words to Jonah were to preach at Nineveh
A great city from which armies against Israel often came.
Instead he went to Joppa a city by the sea
Where he paid his passage and sailed without shame.
The ship had not gone far before a tremendous storm arose
And the crew became frightened and began to pray.
They threw the cargo overboard to help stay afloat
As they pondered who among them should be cast away?
They chose to draw lots to expose God’s offender.
And the lot fell upon Jonah who ran from his call
The sailors tried their best to bring the ship to shore,
When they failed they pitched Jonah to suffer God’s law.
Jonah’s body hardly touched the waters of the deep
When up came a huge fish, and swallowed him whole.
From within it’s belly he had time to think of his sins
Make peace with God, and purify his soul.
After three days, the fish swam close to shore
Casting up Jonah on dry land unharmed.
Again Jonah heard God’s voice from his heart
Saying save Nineveh from Lucifer’s charm.
Soon after he preached, that Nineveh along with its people
God would destroy unless they turned from their wicked ways.
To his surprise, they listened and repented their sins
And were told by their king to pray for God’s praise.
Washington
March 16, 2007
Ms. Lillian Cauldwell
President and Chief Executive Officer
Passionate Internet Voices Radio
Ann Arbor Michigan
Dear Lillian:
Number 41 passed on the CDs from Tom Zart. Thank you for thinking of me.
I am thankful for your efforts to honor our brave military personnel and their families. America owes these courageous men and women a debt of gratitude, and I am honored to be the commander in chief of the greatest force for freedom in the history of the world.
Best Wishes.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush
TOM ZART’S 300 POEMS
You can hear all of Tom Zart’s 300 poems of love, war, faith and more 24-7 on web radio at=
http://internetvoicesradio.com/Arch-TomZart.htm
Tom Zart ARCHIVES:
FREE TO DOWNLOAD
MY FAVORITE POET
My favorite poet is God above
Who gives Earth its rhythm and rhyme.
Not pied pipers of misguided souls
Who promote distrust, hatred and crime.
Poetry is nature serenading in song
The peaceful roar of the oceans waves.
The wind through the trees and over the hills
And the flowers in the fields by the graves.
The sound of rain as it waters the thirsty
The songs of children at play in the park.
The far off rumble of trains or thunder
As they pass through the night in the dark.
The joy of our babies first words and steps
The passion of life with its heroes and clowns.
The on going struggle to survive our sins
As we proliferate in hamlets and towns.
My favorite poet is our father of love
Who was first to know us before birth.
His poetry prolongs every thing we love
As his deliverance gives life its worth.
By Tom Zart
THE FIRST ONE TO LOVE ME
The first one to love me was you; Lord
And nothing can take that away.
My soul is refreshed by living water
While my heart flows with love each day.
I thank you for the love of my family
And I thank you for the love of my life.
I thank you for all of the blessings
You give to each husband and wife.
Your glory rides high on the sunsets;
Your voice is the thunder of rain.
I thank you for all of the heavens
And Jesus who came to be slain.
I feel when your eyes are upon me
As you listen to my humble cry,
You've redeemed the soul of your servant
To dwell in your mansion on high.
I’ll claim each and every promise
From the Lord of the earth and sky.
I'm so glad I’m free from my bondage
Of the grave where my body shall lie.
I thank you for parting the darkness
And guiding my footsteps each day.
I thank you for being my shepherd;
You've walked with me all the way.
I know your armor protects me
From the devil in search of his feast.
And all who are lost without you
Shall dwell in hell with the beast!
DAVID AND GOLIATH
David, the shepherd, a tender of sheep,
Would pray to his God before he would sleep.
One day he awoke to the roar of beasts;
A bear and a lion in search of a feast.
David slew both with his knife and his hand,
Though still just a boy and not yet a man.
The Lord's love for David was proven once again,
When he challenged the champion of the Philistine men.
Goliath’s beastly fingers and hideous toes,
Made David more selective with the stones that he chose.
One for the giant, he knew he would slay,
Four more for his brothers who were laughing that day.
The giant told David, "I'll tear you apart;
The birds and the animals shall feast on your heart."
David yelled back, "I’ll soon see you dead,
And when I’m through I’ll cut off your head!"
The worst of all men, drew high with his arm,
Came forth to David to do him great harm.
The youth jumped ahead just as quick as a lynx;
A stone from his sling popped the giant where he thinks.
Blood and bone spewed forth as that devil fell down;
A thousand pound soldier lie dead on the ground.
With Goliath’s own sword, David chopped off his head,
Then took it to Jerusalem, to prove that he was dead.
JESUS
There once was a traveler who was driven out of town;
On his shoulders was a burden that pushed him to the ground.
On his head was a crown made of thorns from a bush,
And the street was so crowded the guards had to push.
They stopped at some sandstone at the top of a hill;
There was a round hole the cross would soon fill.
They made him lie down upon that wood cross;
There they nailed him to prove who was boss.
The beam was up-ended by the muscles of men,
As it plunged down the hole it was carved to fit in.
Then Jesus looked up at the lightning that flew,
And cried, "God, My Father, they know not what they do."
They crucified our Lord as his blood flowed to earth
If inside you believe, you feel what love is worth.
They wrapped him in loincloth when he was taken down,
Then carefully removed his scarlet stained crown.
They placed him in a cave with a large, round, stone door;
Before sealing forever, they lay lilies on the floor.
Though it wasn't very long, and the stone was rolled away;
For Jesus resurrected, to rise on Easter Day!
DARTS OF THE DEVIL
The darts of the devil fly free on the winds;
And sometimes they pierce both family and friends.
Remember young Adam and his wife, Eve?
When they gave into Satan, the Lord said, "leave".
Ever since then, right up to today,
The devil makes sure we’ll sin in some way.
Wear all of God's armor, whatever you do;
Should the darts of the devil seek out you.
Thank God for Jesus who died on the cross.
Our passage to heaven was paid by his loss.
Every knee shall bow and tongues confess all,
That Jesus is our Lord at his final call.
Angels will descend with Jesus in the sky;
He’ll greet us with open arms when it's our time to fly.
For our Lord awaits all who believe,
And those who do not, shall be told to leave.
NIGHT OF NIGHTS
In the tiny town of Bethlehem,
Born in a stable, an infant lie.
While he slept his first dreamless night,
A whole universe of stars passed by.
When Jesus Christ our savior was born
Most of the angels began to sing,
Of peace, and good will to all mankind,
And alleluia to earth's new king.
There were those angels, who did not sing,
For they had passed through the devil's gate.
They knew this young lad belonged to God,
And for them salvation was too late.
So let's rejoice, and sing with great cheer,
That night when Jesus slept without fear.
For our Lord's birthday comes once a year,
On that night of nights we hold so dear.
GRACE
The Son of God came to save that which was lost,
To redeem our soul from the power of the grave.
Where the prisoners of death must rest together
Except for the spirits of the kind and brave.
The preaching of the cross is ignored by fools,
And sinners who are unable to conform.
By grace we are saved as a gift from our Lord,
Who wipes tears from the faces that mourn.
By learning, loving, working, teaching, and prayer,
We submit our years as a tale to be told.
The survival of life is our pilgrimage,
As we tackle each challenge both young and old.
No one can be sure of how long they will last,
Though all have a choice of whom they choose to be.
Warmongers, adulterers, thieves or saints,
Everyone must some day bow down before thee.
From dust we were made and shall return,
After life has brought us to our earthly end.
Though all must walk in the shadow of death
The righteous are promised they will rise again.
NOAH'S ARK
God saw that wickedness had fouled his earth,
To a state it could no longer be ignored.
While grieving sadly he chose to destroy it,
Though Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
The Lord told Noah to fashion a great ark
Made of gopher wood and pitch, outside and in.
Three hundred cubits long and fifty in width,
Before the world he knew, would come to its end.
Bring your food, your sons, your wife and your son’s wives
And two of every living sort, be with thee.
For with you I’ll establish my covenant,
And all who are with thee shall survive the sea.
They all marched forth, two by two, into the ark
And waited for God's waters to flood the land.
For forty days and for forty nights,
The fountains of the deep consumed beast and man.
Inside the ark nostrils kept their breath of life,
As the high waters prevailed upon the earth.
Every mountain and every hilltop vanished,
As all within felt the power of God's worth.
The waters from heaven were finally restrained,
And after ten months the tops of mountains were seen.
God had blessed Noah and all who had joined him,
To multiply, plant and fulfill his dream.
WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE
The wise listen to increase their learning,
Where the scorners of wisdom close their mind.
The hearts of the prudent gather knowledge,
For a soul without grace becomes confined.
Our knowledge can help us fulfill our dreams,
Though most of the time with wisdom comes grief.
For knowledge removes our veil of ignorance,
Exposing within the liar or thief.
A wise mind is a fountain of life;
To teach others it's knowledge before death.
Wisdom is too hard for fools to retain,
Who curse their fellows with spiteful breath.
Fill yourself with love and understanding,
For wisdom makes the human face shine.
Knowledge is stronger than weapons of war,
While on ignorance, fools continue to dine.
The words of the wise are heard in quiet,
More than the loud shouts of screaming fools.
Wisdom and knowledge cause stability,
In the lives of those who use them as tools.
We should shun with wisdom what is evil,
And glorify with knowledge what is good.
Better is the gift of learning than gold
For by virtue we become what we should.
MIRACLES
Miracles are the extraordinary acts of God,
If you don't believe it, why pray?
Some say, they're just happenings brought about by luck,
Thus, superstition has led the rest of us, astray.
Woe to what the misinformed might think,
Who claim their excellence is their own.
A wise man knows his gifts are from heaven,
And by repentance, his gratitude is shown.
I believe in miracles for I'm alive and well,
I'm loved by God, family, and a few good friends.
I've lived long enough to see miracles transpire;
As one must end, another descends.
WHO
Who wrote the tune the songbird sings?
Who made the diamonds we wear on rings?
Who caused the snow and rain to fall?
Who made spring, winter, summer and fall?
Who gave man a woman to love?
Who made the clouds and sky above?
Who lights the stars and moon in the night?
Who makes heaven and beyond so bright?
Who gives us babies we follow till death?
Who made us able to speak with our breath?
Who gives us heroes willing to die?
Who made the tears we shed as we cry.
Who shows us hope and guides our way?
The same one who loves us night and day.
THE ARMOR OF GOD
Put on the whole armor of God,
And soldiers we shall be.
Fighting the powers of darkness,
Who thirst for the souls of the free.
Through lust, they try to enslave us,
And silence God's voice in man.
With focus of faith we shun them,
Avoiding the grasp of their hand.
Satan whispers his sadistic thoughts
In every language and every ear.
Tempting all with the sins of hell,
Victims of misery, hopelessness and fear.
Eagerly plotting to disrupt God's works,
Evil swallows up souls like the shifting sand.
The armor of God is our divine protection,
Shielding every child, woman, and man.
THE MYSTERY OF PRAYER
Never be afraid to pray boldly to God,
For no matter the crisis our Lord is aware.
Sometimes it's hard to recognize God's answers,
But that 's just part of the mystery of prayer.
Some of the greatest heroes in history,
Wore holes in the knees of their pants.
For without God's grace and human prayer,
Man's survival on earth is by chance.
Surrender your soul and make time for prayer
Sharing moments with your Savior alone.
He’ll shoulder your burden and give you rest,
As the seeds of his praise are sown.
JESUS IS MY MASTER
Jesus is my master,
I'm not afraid to admit.
All I had to do,
Was be willing and submit.
He loves me when I'm bad;
He loves me when I'm good.
He loves me even more,
When I behave as I should.
He knows that I'm not perfect;
He knows I'm guilty of sin.
He leadeth me to righteousness,
And allows me to rise again.
FAITH
So perfect is nature, though not by man;
It's the brush of our master that paints the land.
The sun comes up and sun goes down,
As in every direction God's wonders are found.
The tide comes in and the tide goes out,
Our faith in eternalness is what life is about.
Contentment depends on which path we walk,
By daylight or darkness; our faith is our rock.
Our confidence and trust in a higher power,
Helps guide us through every moment and hour.
Fidelity to ones promise and observance of law,
Lets our Lord know we heed his call.
DIVINE INTERVENTION
I never write a poem
That doesn’t write itself.
I catch a buzz and come alive
Like a puppet off it’s shelf.
Hearing many voices,
Whose words are never mine.
My pen becomes a painter’s brush
Forming visions on a line.
I seem to be a better person,
When it’s time to sit down and write.
A higher power guides my hand,
Sharing wisdom by day and night.
People born to create,
Have no choice but to perform.
It’s the rush of sharing their gift,
That elevates them from the norm.
What would our world become,
Without intervention from above?
Angry beings in a revolving cage,
With no sense of passion or love.
Lucifer Loves To Bait His Hook?
Jesus is our savior who whips the Devil’s hide
After death heaven awaits for all with him who ride.
Disobedience by believers was forgiven by his loss
The future of man was changed by his death on the cross.
We ‘re free to believe whatever till its time to say farewell
All who turn their back to Christ shall suffer the blaze of hell.
Lucifer loves to bait his hook and fish the pond of man
Once he has you in his net you’re the victim of his hand.
Some say not to worry for man was once an ape
It’s okay to hate, plunder, murder, lie and rape.
I choose to follow the Bible and observe God’s laws
Praying for the mislaid in the clutch of Satan’s claws.
JONAH
God’s words to Jonah were to preach at Nineveh
A great city from which armies against Israel often came.
Instead he went to Joppa a city by the sea
Where he paid his passage and sailed without shame.
The ship had not gone far before a tremendous storm arose
And the crew became frightened and began to pray.
They threw the cargo overboard to help stay afloat
As they pondered who among them should be cast away?
They chose to draw lots to expose God’s offender.
And the lot fell upon Jonah who ran from his call
The sailors tried their best to bring the ship to shore,
When they failed they pitched Jonah to suffer God’s law.
Jonah’s body hardly touched the waters of the deep
When up came a huge fish, and swallowed him whole.
From within it’s belly he had time to think of his sins
Make peace with God, and purify his soul.
After three days, the fish swam close to shore
Casting up Jonah on dry land unharmed.
Again Jonah heard God’s voice from his heart
Saying save Nineveh from Lucifer’s charm.
Soon after he preached, that Nineveh along with its people
God would destroy unless they turned from their wicked ways.
To his surprise, they listened and repented their sins
And were told by their king to pray for God’s praise.
Tom Zart's = THE HINGE OF HISTORY
The White House
Washington
March 16, 2007
Ms. Lillian Cauldwell
President and Chief Executive Officer
Passionate Internet Voices Radio
Ann Arbor Michigan
Dear Lillian:
Number 41 passed on the CDs from Tom Zart. Thank you for thinking of me.
I am thankful for your efforts to honor our brave military personnel and their families. America owes these courageous men and women a debt of gratitude, and I am honored to be the commander in chief of the greatest force for freedom in the history of the world.
Best Wishes.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush
TOM ZART’S 300 POEMS
You can hear all of Tom Zart’s 300 poems of love, war, faith and more 24-7 on web radio at=
http://internetvoicesradio.com/Arch-TomZart.htm
Tom Zart ARCHIVES:
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SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF WORLD WAR III
Our sons and daughters serve in harms way
To defend our way of life.
Some are students, some grandparents,
Many a husband or wife.
They face great odds without complaint
Gambling life and limb for little pay.
So far away from all they love
Fight our soldiers for whom we pray.
The plotters and planners of America’s doom
pledge to murder and maim all they can.
From early childhood they are taught
To kill is to become a man.
They exploit their young as weapons of choice
Teaching in heaven, virgins will await.
Destroying lives along with their own
To learn of their falsehoods too late.
The fearful cry we must submit.
And find a way to soothe them.
Where defenders worry if we stand down
The future for America is grim.
Now’s not the time to fight one another
Or kiss our enemy’s cheek
All through history it remains the same
The strong enslave the weak.
May God continue to bless America
Refusing evil, the upper hand.
It’s up to us to stay resolute
Defending the liberty of Man.
By Tom, Zart
DAVID AND GOLIATH
David, the shepherd, a tender of sheep,
Would pray to his God before he would sleep.
One day he awoke to the roar of beasts;
A bear and a lion in search of a feast.
David slew both with his knife and his hand,
Though still just a boy and not yet a man.
The Lord's love for David was proven once again,
When he challenged the champion of the Philistine men.
Goliath’s beastly fingers and hideous toes,
Made David more selective with the stones that he chose.
One for the giant, he knew he would slay,
Four more for his brothers who were laughing that day.
The giant told David, "I'll tear you apart;
The birds and the animals shall feast on your heart."
David yelled back, "I’ll soon see you dead,
And when I’m through I’ll cut off your head!"
The worst of all men, drew high with his arm,
Came forth to David to do him great harm.
The youth jumped ahead just as quick as a lynx;
A stone from his sling popped the giant where he thinks.
Blood and bone spewed forth as that devil fell down;
A thousand pound soldier lie dead on the ground.
With Goliath’s own sword, David chopped off his head,
Then took it to Jerusalem, to prove that he was dead.
By Tom Zart
GENERAL WASHINGTON
Once in command, he boxed in the British
At Boston where he captured Dorchester Heights,
Overlooking the Brits at his mercy
As his men took aim with their cannon sites.
The British commander had but one choice,
To sail to New York to renew the fight.
Where the English had much greater forces,
Who soon chased Washington's men in full flight.
They continued on to Pennsylvania
After crossing the Hudson in retreat,
With the British forces in hot pursuit
It looked as though George was doomed to defeat.
When winter seemed to have stopped the fighting
That's when Washington crossed the Delaware.
On that Christmas night he captured Trenton
Where Hessians were surprised and unaware.
He whipped the British at Princeton,
Where in victory his men began to sing.
Washington then wintered at Morristown,
Training his troops for the combat of spring.
Washington fought bravely at Brandywine
And again at a place called Germantown,
But the British were the victorious ones
As the dead of both sides covered the ground.
Americans were blessed early that spring,
When the French entered the war on their side.
Though most suffered frostbite at Valley Forge,
With the help of the French they marched in stride.
The battles raged on, in the North and South
As the King’s soldiers laid waste to the land.
Washington himself was in great despair,
Pleading for aid for his weakened command.
His prayers were answered by 5000 troops,
And a French fleet who took Chesapeake Bay.
They bottled up Cornwallis at Yorktown,
Who surrendered to victory drums at play.
Yorktown was really the end of the war
Though not many quite realized that fact yet.
But the British soon grew tired of the fight
And the terms for its end were signed and set.
Washington yearned to retire at home,
But his country chose him first president.
Cheering crowds waved flags of love and support,
For they believed that "he," by God, was sent.
By Tom Zart
THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
In 1860 life was good,
Till its simpleness ceased one day.
The North wished to save the Union
While the South chose to break away.
America was torn apart
As six hundred thousand died.
Throughout four years of total war,
Women without husbands cried.
The sad fact of the Civil War
Is what was left at its end.
Too many times, men’s evil acts
Destroyed both foe and friend.
The problem was, once it began,
There was no peace or compromise.
Total victory must be proclaimed
Before rage would leave men’s eyes.
Destroy all that helps the enemy,
Was the cry of either side.
Anything to obtain victory,
As death on horseback did ride.
Black men dressed in old uniforms
Became the Union’s reserve.
They fought and died for their freedom
And their rights they earned and deserve.
Lifestyles would forever change
For all who survived the war.
It had ended as it began,
With sadness, misery and more.
Both sides prayed to the same God,
And spoke words from the Bible.
The prayers of both were not answered,
For all involved were liable.
By Tom Zart
THE KANSAS FRONTIER
Coronado, in his search to find gold for Spain,
Was the first European on the green Kansas plane.
Explorers and traders were arriving from France.
They saw the buffalo and the Indians who danced.
At the mouth of the Kaw were campfires in the dark;
Two men by the river named Lewis and Clark.
Large numbers of Indians, forced out from the East,
Resettled to Kansas where the buffalo feast.
So, many a cowboy decided to stay,
It wasn’t very long and most Indians were forced away.
When Missouri joined the Union; the slave states equaled the free.
Which way would Kansas vote, congress was anxious to see?
The Heart-Landers were bleeding; their towns were on fire;
As raiders from the slave states tried to force their desire.
The settlement of Lawrence was sacked by a mob,
In revenge came John Brown, who would murder and rob.
Kansas joined the Union as the Civil War began.
After four long years of tragedy, many women lost their man.
Cattle trails met the railroads as they pushed across the state.
Farmers planted corn and wheat as the buffalo awaited their fate.
Those frontier days have long since gone, though the sunflower is still here;
My childhood home of Kansas where the buffalo roam with the deer.
By Tom Zart
BLACK POWDER BRIDGE
A courier rider hands his papers to me;
They are instructions from Robert E. Lee.
I am advised now is the time,
To stop the troop movement on the Rock Island line.
I muster my men and they load up the boats,
We powder our pistols and darken our coats.
Traveling the currents, the sun slips from sight,
As brave men with a purpose have gathered to fight.
We capture a bridge before the moonrise,
The Yankees who are here shall soon feed the flies.
The evil of war feeds on my brain
As I light the fuse to destroy a train.
Above us a trestle of timber and tar
As we pull our oars for a willowed sandbar.
From the banks of the river; we watch it approach;
There’s shadows of soldiers, in the windows of a coach.
With a burst of bright yellow and a roar in my ear,
I hear them scream as they ’re falling in fear.
The river is boiling in steam, steel and stems,
Back home their families shall soon sing funeral hymns.
The one lone survivor was a red stallion stud,
I lassoed his neck, and freed him from the mud.
As I ride in his saddle beneath the stars that shine,
I pray for forgiveness and some peace of mind.
War is a lesson we ‘re eager to learn
When man has that fever to murder and burn.
Lord, please forgive me for what I have done,
For all those I’ve silenced were some mother’s son.
By Tom Zart
THE FEVER OF FEAR
Cannons are bursting hot metal from the ground.
Soldiers are looting and burning our town.
The fever of fear rushes through my veins,
As too many Bluecoats jump from troop trains.
Smoke from hot barrels is swirling around,
As four thousand muskets volley their sound.
All of my comrades have stopped a lead ball;
Most cry out, then stumble and fall.
Even the young lad who carried our flag,
Now he lies dead as he clings to that rag.
Wagons with the wounded trail blood on the ground,
Death and destruction are easily found.
The Generals are crying ’cause they can’t stand defeat;
But it’s always the soldier who dies on his feet.
Horse hooves are pounding on a bridge made of boards,
As the sunlight reflects from the blades of their swords.
Quickly I hide out in the roots of a tree,
Where the dirt has eroded and there’s just room for me.
After dark I sneak out with the cover of fog,
Then float down the river, as I cling to a log.
Songs of their victory, ring out through the night,
While from the cold, muddy water, I see their firelight.
It makes me remember my old country church,
Where the preacher spoke God’s word from his holy perch.
That the seed of all conflict began in a cave;
When man, like the wild wolf had to prove he was brave.
By Tom Zart
THUNDER IN THE GROUND
Cannons are bellowing from a ridge far away.
The battle lines are forming and there’s little time to pray.
Musket balls are pelting like hailstones from the sky;
I’m so full of fear cause I don ’t want to die.
From beyond yonder hill comes a terrifying sound,
It’s the music of the buglers and there’s thunder in the ground.
The fast-riding troopers have all drawn out their swords.
They ’re shouting and screaming as they charge up the gorge.
It’s hard to believe how many make it through;
As they’re hacking and shooting at the boys dressed in blue.
Then come the soldier men who run upon their feet,
Every time I drop one, my heart skips a beat.
There’s a storm on the ground made of death, dust and smoke.
My throat is so dry, I can ’t help but choke.
The fury of the battle is bound to settle down,
When most of the fighters lie dead on the ground.
After dark, the stretcher-bearers are afraid to search around.
The wild hogs eat the wounded and I can ’t stand the sound.
Come dawn, we dig ditches for all the brave, lifeless men.
Then quote words from our Bible praying heaven lets them in.
By Tom Zart
SLAVERY
When you chain the neck of a slave,
The other end fastens to you.
Your heart and soul become corrupt,
And all which is evil you’ll do.
No government shall exist for long,
Who’s people are not really free.
Though around the world there are those,
Who stay blind to how life should be.
Any who must enslave others,
Will dwell in their own living hell
After death, they’ll join their master,
In that place from heaven he fell.
But till then we’ll fight and resist
Making them put their chains away.
And those of us who may die first,
From heaven shall watch and pray
By Tom Zart
BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER
In the course of becoming officers
The young men of West Point bonded like brothers.
Till roomers of Civil War transformed friend to foe,
As many cadets chose to serve others.
Fifty-five of sixty major battles fought,
Were lead by graduates of the long gray line.
Yankees and Rebels ravaged one another,
For to kill and plunder were virtues of the time.
Over six hundred thousand soldiers were consumed,
Not counting multitudes of population.
Cities, farms and the countryside were laid to waste,
Before our Union was restored to a nation.
By Tom Zart
THE LITTLEST SOLDIER
Nine year old Johnny Clem who stood just four feet tall,
Ran away from Ohio to answer his country’s call.
He joined up with the Union and became a drummer boy,
Soon to prove the gun he wore was far more than a toy.
Armed with a sawed-off musket, cut down to just fit him,
He shot a Rebel horseman who tried to do him in.
Awarded his sergeant’s stripes and the silver medal,
His comrades offered him hot coffee from their kettle.
The newspapers of the North, gladly published his story,
Telling of the nine year old who earned his country’s glory.
By Tom Zart
THE BATTLE
The moon is sky high
And perfectly round
As it highlights the beauty
Of disputed ground.
Life is a journey
Where the passage is free.
After, there’s judgment,
By the living and Thee.
Tomorrow’s carnage,
We’ll survive if we can.
Death and dismemberment
By the hand of man.
Some will stumble
With absence of breath.
While others charge
Into the face of death.
We’ll race toward the battle
And pray for the best,
Hoping somehow
We pass God’s test.
By Tom Zart
BUGLES
Their red and blue, ragtag flag stood out,
Against their dust covered uniforms of gray.
Savagely we fought to kill our enemy,
As the battle raged on in the heat of the day
Volley after volley we put forth our blaze,
With thousands of led balls snapping flesh and bone.
Blistering sweat rolled down every face,
As the tunes of war by bugles were blown.
There was a clanking sound of ramrods in barrels,
As each new minieball was loaded and fired.
Some shot aimlessly into the smoke,
While others took aim at the worn and tired.
Bullets were popping like the fourth of July,
Yet our enemy kept surging ahead.
All at once they broke and ran off in groups,
Scattering as for the forest they fled.
From behind the protection of a stacked-stone wall,
The victorious cheered or just sat starring,
At all the bodies of friend and foe
While for the wounded the surgeons were caring.
Soon the war was over and I survived,
Despite it’s brutality on trampled ground.
From boy to man I was transformed,
Though, still in the night I hear its sound.
By Tom Zart
THE HINGE OF HISTORY
The hinge of history swings in all directions
As the happenings of the past are written down.
Out of all that has occurred since man’s beginnings,
Less has been recorded than waits to be found.
Babylonians kept chronicles of history,
Hebrews wrote the past as a dramatic story.
Greeks had no faith in the future at all,
Believing mans repeated errors doom his glory.
Christians added a new dimension to history,
Looking forward to Christ’s return to earth.
An on going drama involving man and God,
Believing all are created of equal worth.
Some have asked why must we study history;
It just encourages us to live in the past.
When we forget history we repeat its mistakes,
As the outcome of humanity is cast.
By Tom Zart
Sacrifice, Transformation, And Unrestricted Warfare
The Japanese hadn't lost a war since 1598
Each man carried 400 rounds of ammunition
(twice as many as an American infantryman)
With five days’ rations and fearless determination.
The men in the badly wrapped brown uniforms
Since their early childhood had been taught
That to die for the emperor and one’s country
Was the greatest of all glories to be sought.
Moreover, the hardware backing them was awesome
As sharpshooters they were accurate up to a thousand yards and more.
Their ships were faster, their guns bigger, Their torpedoes better,
And their planes matchless in quality, aerobatics and score.
Only by sacrifice, transformation, and unrestricted warfare
Was America able to overcome and prevail.
Again America must stand firm to survive
As we face a new monster from Hell
By Tom Zart
KOREA 1950
UN soldiers fought and were forced to retreat
Behind sandbags protected by barbwire hoops.
Many GI's died as they held off attacks,
By 810,000 Communist troops.
Our guys used phosphorus, flame-throwers and napalm,
For without these weapons they could not survive.
The Communist charges led by buglers,
Till the UN could start it's offensive drive.
On the battlefield of death and misery
Many froze with their hands still stuck to their guns.
While others hobbled with their boots wrapped in rags,
City boys, farmers, students, fathers and sons.
With a million and a half dead or wounded,
Both sides singed a truce before generals involved.
July 27th, 1953,
And though thousands were orphaned, nothing was solved.
By Tom Zart
BULLETS AND BARBWIRE
We awoke to the crack of rifle fire,
With mortar rounds hitting the ground near by.
The flying shrapnel was absorbed by sand bags,
Which saved lots of us who wished not to die.
The hot spent shell casings fell to the ground
As the VC charged our fortified hill.
We killed so many the stench made us sick,
While we fought to live and not for a thrill.
Barbwire, bullets and clay-mores took their toll
As red and green tracers lit up the sky.
Before long I was the last GI left,
When napalm caused my enemy to fry.
Fleeing the sound of our choppers gunfire
The enemy retreated to the caves and trees.
Then I cried, "thank you " to heaven above,
As I checked out my buddies on my knees.
Somehow I managed to survive the day
Though many I've served with names I have read
Carved in the shinny black stone of The Wall
Are my comrades of war, among the dead.
By Tom Zart
SOLDIER IN THE RAIN
I’m just a soldier who stands in the rain;
My memories of home are what keep me sane.
Back home is a land of milk and honey,
Ruled by lust and love of money.
But, what can I say, when I serve her true,
For I volunteered to see this war through.
Now, that I’m here, it's hard to believe,
We're just the victims of those who deceive.
As darkness falls on the rice fields of Nam
Scared men with rifles walk the shadows of the calm.
It's thousands of miles to the steps of my church,
With its stained glass, steeples and lost souls who search.
Off in the distance I see an arc light,
Bombs being dropped on children at night.
I've seen that evil they call the "yellow rain,"
And how life withers when it's sprayed by a plane.
All of my buddies have been taken away,
No more touch football will they ever play.
Zipped in their body bags for the long trip home,
Are some of the bravest, I've ever known.
War is a hell, devised by man,
There's death in the sea, the sky and the land.
Lord, I can’t help but wish I were home,
Back with my love, whom I hope is alone?
By Tom Zart
AMERICA
America, the beautiful, the place I was born,
I'll cherish till the day I die.
Where the bones of past heroes
Lie buried in the ground,
Who loved her the same as I.
Her mountains are so tall
They reach for the sky;
With prairies where the green grasses grow.
There's billions of trees where wild birds nest,
With creatures that flourish below.
That blue gold called water
With which we are blessed,
As raindrops or crystallized snow;
Changes to rivers and fresh water lakes
While the winds of our seasons blow.
There's the haunt of a whistle
From a lonely freight train
Racing on ribbons of steel,
With the harvest of farms and from the factories
Balanced in a box on a wheel.
Some cities have buildings
A hundred stories tall,
Concrete, glass and steel.
A statue in a harbor, a present from France,
Describes how, inside, we feel.
That flag on the moon
With red and white stripes
Proves our dreams come true!
America has the freedom of choice
To strive for those things we must do!
By Tom Zart
THE PRESIDENCY
Those who wish to be President
Must practice what they preach.
For their people need inspiring
To believe what they teach.
Take heed therefore, unto yourselves,
You overseers of the flock
Or the voters shall cast you out,
For your futures are not of rock.
Life may place you in deep waters,
Though it doesn't wish you to drown.
It's your past record that lets us know,
Who you are as you smile or frown.
If you wish to be remembered,
From the truth you must never part.
Power corrupts the best of us,
When we stop listening to our heart.
By Tom Zart
POLITICIANS
Most of the time as a politician stands up,
Along with the truth, their brain sits down.
Promising anything and everything to anyone,
While posing to the public, to be on common ground.
The higher the office the greater the corruption,
As candidates compete for those dead presidents of green.
While we're taxed to death to fund their pork
Our cost for everything has become obscene.
Thank God there are some better than most,
Not squeaky clean, but more honest than others.
Regardless of party, they deserve our vote,
For they share our thoughts like sisters and brothers.
Politicians who wish to be revered by history,
Must earn their fame by living the truth.
Any who continue to mislead and deceive,
Must be shunned by the voter at the booth.
By Tom Zart
THE ALAMO
The leaves of the cottonwoods hung motionless
As outside the walls Santa Anna’s horde closed in.
A small band of Texans watched and waited
Preoccupied by combat and how life would end.
The battle raged from building to building
Till the old mission’s chapel was the last to fall.
Over 180 Texans died fighting to the man
Never to yield, surrender or crawl.
Six weeks later Sam Houston rallied his forces
With "Remember the Alamo as their battle cry.
Attacking and defeating Santa Anna’s army
To win independence for Texas or die.
The Spanish word for "cottonwood" is "Alamo"
The long time popular name for the mission.
Today the stout-walled old chapel still stands
Preserved as a shrine of sacrifice and tradition.
By Tom Zart
SO DEAR TO MY HEART
So dear to my heart are my loved ones at home
As I toss and I turn in my bunk all alone.
Everyday I see death, hate, and corruption
Combat is God’s proof of man’s malfunction
]
For family, comrades, and myself I pray
To my love with this poem I wish to convey.
I knew I loved you though never how much
Till by war, I’m forced beyond your touch.
Where violence thrives, there’s the stench of death
With the taste of fear on every breath.
Who shall prevail, who shall die
As the sadistic kill beneath God’s sky.
Baghdad has become man’s highway to hell
Where the hearts of darkness are alive and well,
I count each day till it’s time to come home
And be with my love and never alone.
Love You
Your Marine
By Tom Zart
WHERE WARS ARE WON OR LOST
Wars are waged by older men
In council rooms in countries apart.
Who call for greater firepower
And troops for the battle chart.
While out among the shattered flesh
The dreams of all have turned gray.
So young and determined their faces were
Till on the battlefield they lay.
Unable to overcome their pride
The elders cast their vote.
For this or that or something else
As the thunder of war sounds its note.
Wherever wars are won or lost
The soldiers fall like toys.
Down through history it remains the same
Most who pass are hardly more than boys.
By Tom Zart
CHRISTMAS
Husbands with ladders hang lights on their home,
As all who have no one feel sad and alone.
The churches are full of the faithful that sing,
For the birth of our Lord, is a spiritual thing.
The sound of Christmas sweetly fills the air,
While frantic shoppers hustle from here to there.
The windows of storefronts at this time of year,
Reflect all their wonders as Christmas draws near.
Little ones stand looking with their nose pressed to glass,
As model trains on display come speeding past.
The path to Santa is lined with girls and boys,
With a list in their heart of their favorite toys.
The stores shelves are crammed with dolls that crawl or walk,
Games, cars, trucks, planes and stuffed toys that sing or talk.
The miracle of Christmas comes once a year,
When all that we love seems more precious and dear.
By Tom Zart
CREDIT CARD CHRISTMAS
Christmas is coming and our cards are all maxed.
My wife says don't fret, just try to relax.
But her car needs breaks, and mine needs new tires.
Tax time is coming, and yet, we're still buyers.
For beneath our tree, there’s one empty place
Which we’ll buy gifts for that will fill up the space.
Cause what fun is Christmas if we can't give out gifts
That kids tear open as the snow outside drifts.
We’ll light up the fire, and have a Christmas feast.
Say thank you to God, for saving us from the beast.
It may seem silly, but we can 't help but share.
It's that time of year to show others we care.
By Tom Zart
NIGHT OF NIGHTS
In the tiny town of Bethlehem,
Born in a stable, an infant lie.
While he slept his first dreamless night,
A whole universe of stars passed by.
When Jesus Christ our savior was born
Most of the angels began to sing,
Of peace, and good will to all mankind,
And alleluia to earth's new king.
There were those angels, who did not sing,
For they had passed through the devil's gate.
They knew this young lad belonged to God,
And for them salvation was too late.
So let's rejoice, and sing with great cheer,
That night when Jesus slept without fear.
For our Lord's birthday comes once a year,
On that night of nights we hold so dear.
By Tom Zart
CHRISTMAS IS COMING
"Oh" Christmas is coming and I'm all alone,
With no one to snuggle at night.
My wineglass is empty to help dull the desire
To kiss you by soft candlelight.
A rare pearl of value, you don 't leave alone
Or someone will steal them from you.
After they've gone and flown far away
It's hard to know just what to do.
I'm watching my neighbors hang lights on their tree;
With tinsel and striped candy cane.
Cause I took you for granted and didn't hug enough;
And now I must suffer my pain.
Lord, I'm so lonely; I wish I could die,
Then be born to relive again.
I realize the value of someone to love
And the danger of my selfish sin.
There's a ring on my phone and a knock at the door.
Which do I dare go for?
For, if neither is you, I'll break down and cry
And again pound my fist on the floor.
As I run down the hall the doorknob turns,
As the swirling snow rides on the wind.
There, in my doorway, it's the face that I love
Such a beautiful present to send.
Now, I am happy and dancing around,
With a permanent smile on my face.
As children are singing their Christmas love songs,
And the world is a wonderful place.
By Tom Zart
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Red, gold, yellow, green and blue
Are the colors of Christmas, which glow.
They help us feel their value within
As we travel our way through the snow.
Red stands for passion, anger or desire
Gold is the steadiness of love.
Yellow is fear of the unforeseen
Green and blue are the stars above.
The luster of Christmas can be yours
Most anywhere at a nearby store.
To purchase and adorn your tree and home .
Celebrating life, Jesus and more.
By Tom Zart
KENNEDY "THE WAR YEARS"
PT-109
After the attack on Pearl Harbor
He applied for sea duty in the war.
Where Lieutenant John F. Kennedy
Became known for his bravery and more.
In the dark hours before dawn
On August 2, of 43.
Kennedy commanded a torpedo boat
Through the blackness of night at sea.
PT-109, was on Solomon’s patrol
With a 12-man crew in a plywood craft.
A Japanese destroyer plowed through the night
Ramming and cutting Kennedy’s boat in half.
Two of the crew just disappeared
A third was badly burned.
Kennedy himself was thrown to the deck,
Where in pain his leadership he earned.
Some of his men had never learned to swim
As he gathered them on the bobbing bow.
The hours passed tell it seemed it would sink
So they made for an island and here’s how.
He ordered those who could to swim
The others were to hang on to a beam.
Kennedy grabbed the injured sailor
And off they tread through the ocean stream.
With his teeth clenched on the burnt man’s vest straps
Skipper Kennedy swam 3 miles.
5 hours later they all made it
Despite their hardships, sharks, and trials.
The next problem was how to summon up help
Without arousing the enemy all around.
After several attempts swimming to other islands
Eventually two natives in a canoe were found.
Kennedy scratch a note on a coconut
To be delivered to a base 38 miles away.
The message made it and they were saved
And their courage still lives us today.
By Tom Zart
THE LONELINESS OF WAR (WW II)
I know I’m still here so far, far away,
As I fight for what I believe is right.
I wonder about you and your mom,
Every moment of every day and night.
The loneliness of war can drive you insane,
If you don’t get letters of concern from home.
Left, right, behind and ahead,
Death awaits leaving love ones alone.
We pray to God that we will be saved
To return home or live the here after.
Bloody, dirt-covered men, we see everyday,
As we yearn for those times of laughter.
The far off stare of a fallen comrade,
As you stay by his side till his end.
No mother ever carried her infant child,
More carefully, than we do a friend.
Many have their own personal diaries,
To help keep their faculties together.
Watching hot steel crash into human flesh,
Always make home seem far away and better.
I’ve become an expert at dodging, weaving and diving,
So try not to worry too much about me.
Just help your mom and stand up from the ground,
And while I’m gone be all you can be.
Love Dad
By Tom Zart
FREEDOM
In their new uniforms,
The young march off
Not knowing who shall return.
With a proud devotion,
They brandish their flag
Leaving loved ones to wonder and yearn.
May we all be buried
By all of our children
Is an ancient tribal prayer.
They're so easy to lose
But so hard to forget;
Such a burden for a parent to bear.
Oh, the taste of victory
Shall soon be forgotten;
But, never that which was lost.
For those rows of white headstones
In peaceful green fields,
Make it easy to tally the cost.
America has survived all attempts to destroy
Knowing the cruelty of war,
And, we who remain
Must help keep her free
For those who can march no more!
By Tom Zart
TROOP SHIP
Our ship had sailed before the dawn
Surrounded by the thickest of fog,
Still ignorant of our destination
Or what was written in the captain's log.
It didn't take long for me to see
Our cruise was not for fun;
An experience of a lifetime
With nowhere for us to run.
Twenty knots per hour we cruised
As the white caps passed us by;
Ten thousand young Americans
Off to Europe to die.
A sailor told us not to worry;
Someday we’d get our mail.
Uncle Sam would make sure
No matter how far we sail.
Thirty feet deep I tried to sleep
Beneath our ship's waterline,
Just the place for claustrophobia
To enter into my mind.
My favorite vest was my May West
Which I wore all the time
Just in case of German U-boats
Or an underwater mine.
Thirty-three days we were at sea,
We crossed the equator twice.
Many years have passed since then,
Those years of sacrifice.
By Tom Zart
WAR
As war is fought it takes charge,
And events spin out of control.
The madness of men can alter the soil
Which nourishes the roots of their soul.
Many things will forever change,
Far more then wished to be.
As the wrath of war starts to destroy,
Those things we fight to keep free.
War is the greatest plague of man,
Religion, state, and sanity.
Any scourge is more preferred,
Than the one which disables humanity.
When war breaks out, boundaries change
And all who die are a token,
Of the rage that must run it's course,
Before words of peace are spoken.
By Tom Zart
DADS AT WAR
Where would I be without you dad?
My hero of night and day
I'm so glad you love my mother,
And take time for us each day.
The last time we played baseball,
You reached for me with your hand.
I looked at you, then made a wish,
That I might be just half the man.
I love my father of this earth,
And I love my father of heaven.
It's a lot for me to love, you know,
For I’m only eleven.
Mom and I sure miss you,
Since you left to defend our flag.
When others ask, where is your dad?
I can't help but boast and brag.
By Tom Zart
D-DAY
D-Day raised the curtain on the conflict
That fore shadowed the end of Hitler's dream.
The largest joint combat landing ever,
Though the blood from both sides flowed like a stream.
When their boats hit the sand, their ramps went down,
And all within paid a visit to hell.
They jumped out to do good for their country,
And to kill the enemy without fail.
They fought the Germans, tides, winds and the waves,
In conditions not easily foreseen.
By night the battle was in our favor,
With bravery, valor, death, and men who scream.
The corpses littered the beach for five miles,
Though heroism had carried the day,
With literally thousands dead or wounded,
Those who were left were determined to stay.
They faced great odds and chose not to protest,
And won the war that put evil to shame.
Most came home, married and raised their babies,
But those who could not we recall with pain.
By Tom Zart
PEARL HARBOR
Sunday, December the seventh,
In the year of 1941,
While most of Hawaii still slept,
Came the planes of the Rising Sun.
Waves of bombers and fighters flew,
From the decks of the Japanese ships.
While our planes were still on the ground,
"Banzai" was spoken from their lips.
The winds of war had been blowing
Across the oceans of our earth,
Though not till Pearl had been bombed,
Did we realize what freedom’s worth.
Wars are fought and won on two fronts,
At home and on the battle line.
Both are equally important,
When war consumes our heart and mind.
The attack brought us World War II,
With death, pain and separation.
All who had served were well aware
Of their sacrifice for nation.
By Tom Zart
D DAY - THE WALL
Over two hundred rangers scaled "The Wall"
A stone cliff over one hundred feet tall.
Some of them made it all the way to the top,
While others fell and perished from their drop.
Those who climbed over, had answered God's call;
For men to stop evil once and for all.
They fought the Germans and destroyed their guns,
To save the lives of our fathers and sons.
So many years have passed since then,
When our world's future was saved by brave men.
We cannot forget the hell they went through,
Before the skies, again turned blue.
By Tom Zart
MIDWAY
It was June the 4th 1942,
As I was floating in the ocean alone;
The ship I had sailed on, sank to the bottom
And I thought I would never again, see home.
The Japanese fleet had steamed in from the east
With the intentions of capturing Midway.
Though they were stopped by American war ships,
Whose guns, bombs and torpedoes planes saved the day.
All night long, I watched the fireworks of war
And on the second day we turned up the heat.
As big bombers from Hawaii dropped their loads,
On Japanese ships who soon chose to retreat.
An imperial pilot came floating close by,
Who had been chewed on by the beasts of the sea.
I couldn't help but feel passion for this is man
Who had answered his call just like me.
When it was over, I was plucked from the deep,
By men in a lifeboat just after the dawn.
For two days I had watched the battle for, Midway;
Now it's quiet and the enemy has gone.
By Tom Zart
SURVIVAL
I drifted all night and was loosing my hope
Before by the moon's light I saw dry land.
I floated over and through its reefs to the beach,
Where I quickly smoothed out my tracks in the sand.
All I had was my dagger and a canteen
And it was May 4th of 43.
Just me alone on an enemy island,
Wasn't a safe place for a sailor to be.
I felt I could kill in less than a heartbeat
If that's what it took for me to survive.
I’d already said thanks so many times,
For "God" was the reason I was alive.
Off in the dark, I herd two men's voices,
Laughing and talking in a language not mine.
Inch by inch I crept to their campsite,
Where on what they were eating, I would soon dine.
I stabbed them both and took their fish, rice and wine;
Then ran my way back to the raft by the beach.
Soon I was floating in the ocean again
And far enough out where bullets couldn't reach.
The next day I was picked up by a seaplane,
Whose crew spotted my sail from the air.
Once inside and safe, I cried like a child,
For the dead whom would forever be there.
It was hard to believe heaven let me live;
A farm boy from Kansas, in high school last year.
My girlfriend is blond and she hates it I 'm gone.
Though I'm a veteran of battle, death, and fear.
By Tom Zart
GENERAL QUARTERS
General quarters, general quarters,
All hands man your battle station!
Sunday morning, December the 7th,
As war confronted our nation.
We soon found out it wasn't a drill
But instead it was war for real.
As you watch the death of friends and shipmates,
It's more anger than fear you feel.
Japanese warplanes came flying in low,
As I took aim with my gun sight.
From the deck of a ship anchored at Pearl
Damaged, though crew still eager to fight.
I saw the face of a pilot, who crashed,
Surrounded by black smoke and fire.
Some of my bullets must have found their mark.
For his death was but my desire!
Two thousand, three hundred and twenty-three killed,
In a battle less than two hours.
With the heart of our Pacific fleet gone,
Japan had flexed their naval powers.
The bombing and strafing of ships and troops
Caused our congress to declare full war.
Where many a man laid down his life
Fighting for flag, country and more.
By Tom Zart
OKINAWA 1941
Okinawa was to be our last stop
Before we invaded Japan.
The largest landing of the Pacific war,
As our soldiers ran across the sand.
At first our marines were scarcely opposed
But on the fifth day hell they found.
A solid wall of human resistance
Firing their weapons from caves in the ground.
Air power and big guns had little affect
On their cliff forts carved deep in the limestone.
It took man against man to root them out
As flying bullets pierced flesh and bone.
Kamikaze pilots crashed their planes
Knocking out transports and war ships.
As the Imperial air force struck our fleet,
Cries of fear and hate spewed from lips.
One hundred, ten thousand Japanese
By the end of the battle were killed.
Over twelve thousand Americans died,
Before, just our flag flew over the field.
By Tom Zart
BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC
After the fall of France in 1940,
The Germans soon began their own blockade,
With most their efforts in the Atlantic,
Hoping to cut Britain's flow of war trade.
With fast surface raiders like the Bismarck,
Merchant ships caught at sea, had little chance.
The German’s small navy sank ship after ship,
Till the British Navy destroyed war's romance.
Shipping losses from German U-boats increased,
And the battle of the Atlantic seemed lost.
But soon America would enter the war,
To defeat freedom’s enemies at all cost.
Multitudes would die and their families cry,
Before World War II would be fought to its end.
What a waste of mankind, which had lost its mind,
Though now, our enemy is our friend.
By Tom Zart
P.O.W.
When you become a P.O.W.
You find you've lost your liberty and more,
The guy with the gun tells you what to do,
As you yearn for freedoms you had before.
Your will to serve helps keep you alive,
Though sometimes you wish you were dead.
Tortures far beyond any normal mind,
And there's no safety, even your bed.
Bullets, barbwire, searchlights and sharp teeth,
Keep you in a place you don't wish to be.
The food is quite awful and sometimes it moves,
And you've no choice of what you hear or see.
The lucky are released and return home,
Though in their dreams their fate is unsure.
War may be hell, but confinement is worse,
Cause afterwards you're never as you were.
By Tom Zart
SHOULD TOMORROW START WITHOUT ME
Should tomorrow start without me
Remember I love you.
Looking down from up above
Seeing everything you do.
If I become a casualty
I pray you will love again
Whom ever makes you happy
I’ll consider my friend.
Should tomorrow start without me
Remind our boys, God loves all who care.
And when life seems too harsh and cruel
With Him they must share their prayer.
I have proven I’m not a coward
Who breaks and runs to survive.
Always fearing death will kiss me
As the streets of Baghdad I drive.
Should tomorrow start without me
Be proud I choose to serve.
Our faith and our patriotism
Earn the freedom we deserve.
I miss home more than ever
It breaks my heart to stay away
I can’t help but want to hold you
And whisper what I say.
My God bless America
And all, I love,
YOUR MARINE
By Tom Zart
THANK HEAVEN FOR HEROES
Thank heaven for the heroes of life
Who lead us to overcome those who are not.
The wise are grateful for all God’s blessings
Where fools never realize what they’ve got.
America is the grain train of earth
Whose people exercise rule by their vote.
All have a chance to partake and prosper
As they arrive by foot, plane or boat.
Our freedom relies on the law of the land,
Our future depends on our grit.
Our past has known both good and bad
And our mistakes we are willing to admit.
The grim of heart hate America
And choose to put her wonders to shame
The devotion of most who love and live here
Rise up to defeat the soldiers of blame.
By Tom Zart
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
Americans harmonize in sentiment
While facing the challenges of life.
Shoulder to shoulder we defined our land
Through hardship, sacrifice and strife.
We are eager to oppose our enemies
Wherever they raise their head.
Our principles must be practiced
To avoid being conquered or dead.
We fail to see the merits of a dictator
Only freedom to work and pray as we please.
Most seek guidance from a higher power
As we share our concerns on our knees.
We have always held liberty close to our hearts
Unwilling to surrender to demise.
Whenever its existence was threatened
We have chosen to follow the wise.
We can’t foresee what the future may bring
Though we give it our best not to fail.
Every 4th of July we illuminate the sky
Proving freedom is alive and well.
By Tom Zart
AMERICAN SOLDIER
Our soldiers line up to be remembered
As the best of the best at their job.
They wish to be needed and depended on
To save all we love from the mob.
They risk their life and limb for liberty
Standing firm against evil unwilling to break.
To be part of something greater than themselves
They are willing to sacrifice whatever it will take.
By Tom Zart
FORMIDABLE FOE
America is the birthday cake of earth,
As the ants march from every direction.
Thank God for all who have sworn to defend her,
Serving with love, honor, pride, and affection.
Since the first day George Washington marched off to war,
There have been those who have wished our demise.
Their hatred, fueled by jealousy and greed,
Was defeated by our brave and the wise.
Once again, we must face a formidable foe,
Who have pledged by their God to destroy us all
Misusing their faith as an excuse to kill,
As for a worldwide jihad, their leaders call.
Some say we should try to appease them,
For if we resist, they’ll hate us even more.
But the David's among us shall cast our stones,
Defeating them, as it was done before.
By Tom Zart
VETERAN'S DAY
The cost of freedom is sometimes high,
Extremely more when our loved one's die.
Men and women pledged to fight and serve,
And it's our support that they deserve.
Mankind itself is the one to blame,
That all through history, the story's the same.
Peace, like love, can be hard to acquire,
Subject always to enemy fire.
Some how the righteouses tend to prevail,
Over the miss-guided, prone to fail.
No wonder we fear the tongues that lie,
As mankind squabbles beneath God's sky.
The danger our solders face is real,
So lets let them know just how we feel.
Put forth your flag and show them your heart,
As those we love from us depart.
By Tom Zart
OUR FLAG
Our flag is fabric wove of thread,
Carried by heroes live and dead.
She stands for justice and courage too,
With her colors; red, white and blue.
For all who serve her, there’ll be cheers,
For any who die, there’ll be tears,
For all who love her, life is swell,
For those who harm her, war is hell.
How many moms have cried before,
As they sent their children to war.
How many dads have not returned,
Because our freedom must be earned.
Wars were waged where brave men died
As patriots fought side by side.
Our flag is still the pearl of earth,
Because of those who prove her worth.
By Tom Zart
All poems included on this page
are copyrighted by Tom Zart
Author of
LOVE WAR AND MORE
reprinted with permission
by the author
MWSA Book Review
Love, War & More
Author: Tom Zart
Publisher: Publish America
Reviewer: Bill McDonald
President of the MWSA
A Poet’s thoughts, on history, emotions
and more.Normally you pick up a poetry
book and it may run about 50 to 80 pages
but not the man who is called
"The Westport Poet." Poet Tom Zart gives
the reader their money’s worth of poetry
in his fine collection called
"Love, War & More" His book, at 267 pages,
is filled with the thoughts and emotions
of a dedicated poet and his vast spiritual
tastes for life. His prose runs the gauntlet
from relationships, battle, butterflies, and
even one that ends the book called "Katrina"
about what happened in New Orleans.My favorite
poem in his collection deals with turning 60
years old since I can relate to that experience.
His poems are easy to read and more traditional
in nature, as opposed to all those beat and new
age writings that flourish in newer poetry books.
It is readable by all mature family members and
thought provoking at times.His war poetry covers
everything from Pearl Harbor and D-Day to present
day battles. He honors Soldiers and Sailors and
our nation through many well thought out pieces
of prose. There is something of interest in his
collection of poetry for all readers.This is one
of the most assorted and diverse collections of
poetry ever assembled in one volume. For poetry
lovers this will be a great book to buy. This book
is given the MWSA's highest rating for a poetry
book - 5 STARS!
Washington
March 16, 2007
Ms. Lillian Cauldwell
President and Chief Executive Officer
Passionate Internet Voices Radio
Ann Arbor Michigan
Dear Lillian:
Number 41 passed on the CDs from Tom Zart. Thank you for thinking of me.
I am thankful for your efforts to honor our brave military personnel and their families. America owes these courageous men and women a debt of gratitude, and I am honored to be the commander in chief of the greatest force for freedom in the history of the world.
Best Wishes.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush
TOM ZART’S 300 POEMS
You can hear all of Tom Zart’s 300 poems of love, war, faith and more 24-7 on web radio at=
http://internetvoicesradio.com/Arch-TomZart.htm
Tom Zart ARCHIVES:
FREE TO DOWNLOAD
SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF WORLD WAR III
Our sons and daughters serve in harms way
To defend our way of life.
Some are students, some grandparents,
Many a husband or wife.
They face great odds without complaint
Gambling life and limb for little pay.
So far away from all they love
Fight our soldiers for whom we pray.
The plotters and planners of America’s doom
pledge to murder and maim all they can.
From early childhood they are taught
To kill is to become a man.
They exploit their young as weapons of choice
Teaching in heaven, virgins will await.
Destroying lives along with their own
To learn of their falsehoods too late.
The fearful cry we must submit.
And find a way to soothe them.
Where defenders worry if we stand down
The future for America is grim.
Now’s not the time to fight one another
Or kiss our enemy’s cheek
All through history it remains the same
The strong enslave the weak.
May God continue to bless America
Refusing evil, the upper hand.
It’s up to us to stay resolute
Defending the liberty of Man.
By Tom, Zart
DAVID AND GOLIATH
David, the shepherd, a tender of sheep,
Would pray to his God before he would sleep.
One day he awoke to the roar of beasts;
A bear and a lion in search of a feast.
David slew both with his knife and his hand,
Though still just a boy and not yet a man.
The Lord's love for David was proven once again,
When he challenged the champion of the Philistine men.
Goliath’s beastly fingers and hideous toes,
Made David more selective with the stones that he chose.
One for the giant, he knew he would slay,
Four more for his brothers who were laughing that day.
The giant told David, "I'll tear you apart;
The birds and the animals shall feast on your heart."
David yelled back, "I’ll soon see you dead,
And when I’m through I’ll cut off your head!"
The worst of all men, drew high with his arm,
Came forth to David to do him great harm.
The youth jumped ahead just as quick as a lynx;
A stone from his sling popped the giant where he thinks.
Blood and bone spewed forth as that devil fell down;
A thousand pound soldier lie dead on the ground.
With Goliath’s own sword, David chopped off his head,
Then took it to Jerusalem, to prove that he was dead.
By Tom Zart
GENERAL WASHINGTON
Once in command, he boxed in the British
At Boston where he captured Dorchester Heights,
Overlooking the Brits at his mercy
As his men took aim with their cannon sites.
The British commander had but one choice,
To sail to New York to renew the fight.
Where the English had much greater forces,
Who soon chased Washington's men in full flight.
They continued on to Pennsylvania
After crossing the Hudson in retreat,
With the British forces in hot pursuit
It looked as though George was doomed to defeat.
When winter seemed to have stopped the fighting
That's when Washington crossed the Delaware.
On that Christmas night he captured Trenton
Where Hessians were surprised and unaware.
He whipped the British at Princeton,
Where in victory his men began to sing.
Washington then wintered at Morristown,
Training his troops for the combat of spring.
Washington fought bravely at Brandywine
And again at a place called Germantown,
But the British were the victorious ones
As the dead of both sides covered the ground.
Americans were blessed early that spring,
When the French entered the war on their side.
Though most suffered frostbite at Valley Forge,
With the help of the French they marched in stride.
The battles raged on, in the North and South
As the King’s soldiers laid waste to the land.
Washington himself was in great despair,
Pleading for aid for his weakened command.
His prayers were answered by 5000 troops,
And a French fleet who took Chesapeake Bay.
They bottled up Cornwallis at Yorktown,
Who surrendered to victory drums at play.
Yorktown was really the end of the war
Though not many quite realized that fact yet.
But the British soon grew tired of the fight
And the terms for its end were signed and set.
Washington yearned to retire at home,
But his country chose him first president.
Cheering crowds waved flags of love and support,
For they believed that "he," by God, was sent.
By Tom Zart
THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
In 1860 life was good,
Till its simpleness ceased one day.
The North wished to save the Union
While the South chose to break away.
America was torn apart
As six hundred thousand died.
Throughout four years of total war,
Women without husbands cried.
The sad fact of the Civil War
Is what was left at its end.
Too many times, men’s evil acts
Destroyed both foe and friend.
The problem was, once it began,
There was no peace or compromise.
Total victory must be proclaimed
Before rage would leave men’s eyes.
Destroy all that helps the enemy,
Was the cry of either side.
Anything to obtain victory,
As death on horseback did ride.
Black men dressed in old uniforms
Became the Union’s reserve.
They fought and died for their freedom
And their rights they earned and deserve.
Lifestyles would forever change
For all who survived the war.
It had ended as it began,
With sadness, misery and more.
Both sides prayed to the same God,
And spoke words from the Bible.
The prayers of both were not answered,
For all involved were liable.
By Tom Zart
THE KANSAS FRONTIER
Coronado, in his search to find gold for Spain,
Was the first European on the green Kansas plane.
Explorers and traders were arriving from France.
They saw the buffalo and the Indians who danced.
At the mouth of the Kaw were campfires in the dark;
Two men by the river named Lewis and Clark.
Large numbers of Indians, forced out from the East,
Resettled to Kansas where the buffalo feast.
So, many a cowboy decided to stay,
It wasn’t very long and most Indians were forced away.
When Missouri joined the Union; the slave states equaled the free.
Which way would Kansas vote, congress was anxious to see?
The Heart-Landers were bleeding; their towns were on fire;
As raiders from the slave states tried to force their desire.
The settlement of Lawrence was sacked by a mob,
In revenge came John Brown, who would murder and rob.
Kansas joined the Union as the Civil War began.
After four long years of tragedy, many women lost their man.
Cattle trails met the railroads as they pushed across the state.
Farmers planted corn and wheat as the buffalo awaited their fate.
Those frontier days have long since gone, though the sunflower is still here;
My childhood home of Kansas where the buffalo roam with the deer.
By Tom Zart
BLACK POWDER BRIDGE
A courier rider hands his papers to me;
They are instructions from Robert E. Lee.
I am advised now is the time,
To stop the troop movement on the Rock Island line.
I muster my men and they load up the boats,
We powder our pistols and darken our coats.
Traveling the currents, the sun slips from sight,
As brave men with a purpose have gathered to fight.
We capture a bridge before the moonrise,
The Yankees who are here shall soon feed the flies.
The evil of war feeds on my brain
As I light the fuse to destroy a train.
Above us a trestle of timber and tar
As we pull our oars for a willowed sandbar.
From the banks of the river; we watch it approach;
There’s shadows of soldiers, in the windows of a coach.
With a burst of bright yellow and a roar in my ear,
I hear them scream as they ’re falling in fear.
The river is boiling in steam, steel and stems,
Back home their families shall soon sing funeral hymns.
The one lone survivor was a red stallion stud,
I lassoed his neck, and freed him from the mud.
As I ride in his saddle beneath the stars that shine,
I pray for forgiveness and some peace of mind.
War is a lesson we ‘re eager to learn
When man has that fever to murder and burn.
Lord, please forgive me for what I have done,
For all those I’ve silenced were some mother’s son.
By Tom Zart
THE FEVER OF FEAR
Cannons are bursting hot metal from the ground.
Soldiers are looting and burning our town.
The fever of fear rushes through my veins,
As too many Bluecoats jump from troop trains.
Smoke from hot barrels is swirling around,
As four thousand muskets volley their sound.
All of my comrades have stopped a lead ball;
Most cry out, then stumble and fall.
Even the young lad who carried our flag,
Now he lies dead as he clings to that rag.
Wagons with the wounded trail blood on the ground,
Death and destruction are easily found.
The Generals are crying ’cause they can’t stand defeat;
But it’s always the soldier who dies on his feet.
Horse hooves are pounding on a bridge made of boards,
As the sunlight reflects from the blades of their swords.
Quickly I hide out in the roots of a tree,
Where the dirt has eroded and there’s just room for me.
After dark I sneak out with the cover of fog,
Then float down the river, as I cling to a log.
Songs of their victory, ring out through the night,
While from the cold, muddy water, I see their firelight.
It makes me remember my old country church,
Where the preacher spoke God’s word from his holy perch.
That the seed of all conflict began in a cave;
When man, like the wild wolf had to prove he was brave.
By Tom Zart
THUNDER IN THE GROUND
Cannons are bellowing from a ridge far away.
The battle lines are forming and there’s little time to pray.
Musket balls are pelting like hailstones from the sky;
I’m so full of fear cause I don ’t want to die.
From beyond yonder hill comes a terrifying sound,
It’s the music of the buglers and there’s thunder in the ground.
The fast-riding troopers have all drawn out their swords.
They ’re shouting and screaming as they charge up the gorge.
It’s hard to believe how many make it through;
As they’re hacking and shooting at the boys dressed in blue.
Then come the soldier men who run upon their feet,
Every time I drop one, my heart skips a beat.
There’s a storm on the ground made of death, dust and smoke.
My throat is so dry, I can ’t help but choke.
The fury of the battle is bound to settle down,
When most of the fighters lie dead on the ground.
After dark, the stretcher-bearers are afraid to search around.
The wild hogs eat the wounded and I can ’t stand the sound.
Come dawn, we dig ditches for all the brave, lifeless men.
Then quote words from our Bible praying heaven lets them in.
By Tom Zart
SLAVERY
When you chain the neck of a slave,
The other end fastens to you.
Your heart and soul become corrupt,
And all which is evil you’ll do.
No government shall exist for long,
Who’s people are not really free.
Though around the world there are those,
Who stay blind to how life should be.
Any who must enslave others,
Will dwell in their own living hell
After death, they’ll join their master,
In that place from heaven he fell.
But till then we’ll fight and resist
Making them put their chains away.
And those of us who may die first,
From heaven shall watch and pray
By Tom Zart
BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER
In the course of becoming officers
The young men of West Point bonded like brothers.
Till roomers of Civil War transformed friend to foe,
As many cadets chose to serve others.
Fifty-five of sixty major battles fought,
Were lead by graduates of the long gray line.
Yankees and Rebels ravaged one another,
For to kill and plunder were virtues of the time.
Over six hundred thousand soldiers were consumed,
Not counting multitudes of population.
Cities, farms and the countryside were laid to waste,
Before our Union was restored to a nation.
By Tom Zart
THE LITTLEST SOLDIER
Nine year old Johnny Clem who stood just four feet tall,
Ran away from Ohio to answer his country’s call.
He joined up with the Union and became a drummer boy,
Soon to prove the gun he wore was far more than a toy.
Armed with a sawed-off musket, cut down to just fit him,
He shot a Rebel horseman who tried to do him in.
Awarded his sergeant’s stripes and the silver medal,
His comrades offered him hot coffee from their kettle.
The newspapers of the North, gladly published his story,
Telling of the nine year old who earned his country’s glory.
By Tom Zart
THE BATTLE
The moon is sky high
And perfectly round
As it highlights the beauty
Of disputed ground.
Life is a journey
Where the passage is free.
After, there’s judgment,
By the living and Thee.
Tomorrow’s carnage,
We’ll survive if we can.
Death and dismemberment
By the hand of man.
Some will stumble
With absence of breath.
While others charge
Into the face of death.
We’ll race toward the battle
And pray for the best,
Hoping somehow
We pass God’s test.
By Tom Zart
BUGLES
Their red and blue, ragtag flag stood out,
Against their dust covered uniforms of gray.
Savagely we fought to kill our enemy,
As the battle raged on in the heat of the day
Volley after volley we put forth our blaze,
With thousands of led balls snapping flesh and bone.
Blistering sweat rolled down every face,
As the tunes of war by bugles were blown.
There was a clanking sound of ramrods in barrels,
As each new minieball was loaded and fired.
Some shot aimlessly into the smoke,
While others took aim at the worn and tired.
Bullets were popping like the fourth of July,
Yet our enemy kept surging ahead.
All at once they broke and ran off in groups,
Scattering as for the forest they fled.
From behind the protection of a stacked-stone wall,
The victorious cheered or just sat starring,
At all the bodies of friend and foe
While for the wounded the surgeons were caring.
Soon the war was over and I survived,
Despite it’s brutality on trampled ground.
From boy to man I was transformed,
Though, still in the night I hear its sound.
By Tom Zart
THE HINGE OF HISTORY
The hinge of history swings in all directions
As the happenings of the past are written down.
Out of all that has occurred since man’s beginnings,
Less has been recorded than waits to be found.
Babylonians kept chronicles of history,
Hebrews wrote the past as a dramatic story.
Greeks had no faith in the future at all,
Believing mans repeated errors doom his glory.
Christians added a new dimension to history,
Looking forward to Christ’s return to earth.
An on going drama involving man and God,
Believing all are created of equal worth.
Some have asked why must we study history;
It just encourages us to live in the past.
When we forget history we repeat its mistakes,
As the outcome of humanity is cast.
By Tom Zart
Sacrifice, Transformation, And Unrestricted Warfare
The Japanese hadn't lost a war since 1598
Each man carried 400 rounds of ammunition
(twice as many as an American infantryman)
With five days’ rations and fearless determination.
The men in the badly wrapped brown uniforms
Since their early childhood had been taught
That to die for the emperor and one’s country
Was the greatest of all glories to be sought.
Moreover, the hardware backing them was awesome
As sharpshooters they were accurate up to a thousand yards and more.
Their ships were faster, their guns bigger, Their torpedoes better,
And their planes matchless in quality, aerobatics and score.
Only by sacrifice, transformation, and unrestricted warfare
Was America able to overcome and prevail.
Again America must stand firm to survive
As we face a new monster from Hell
By Tom Zart
KOREA 1950
UN soldiers fought and were forced to retreat
Behind sandbags protected by barbwire hoops.
Many GI's died as they held off attacks,
By 810,000 Communist troops.
Our guys used phosphorus, flame-throwers and napalm,
For without these weapons they could not survive.
The Communist charges led by buglers,
Till the UN could start it's offensive drive.
On the battlefield of death and misery
Many froze with their hands still stuck to their guns.
While others hobbled with their boots wrapped in rags,
City boys, farmers, students, fathers and sons.
With a million and a half dead or wounded,
Both sides singed a truce before generals involved.
July 27th, 1953,
And though thousands were orphaned, nothing was solved.
By Tom Zart
BULLETS AND BARBWIRE
We awoke to the crack of rifle fire,
With mortar rounds hitting the ground near by.
The flying shrapnel was absorbed by sand bags,
Which saved lots of us who wished not to die.
The hot spent shell casings fell to the ground
As the VC charged our fortified hill.
We killed so many the stench made us sick,
While we fought to live and not for a thrill.
Barbwire, bullets and clay-mores took their toll
As red and green tracers lit up the sky.
Before long I was the last GI left,
When napalm caused my enemy to fry.
Fleeing the sound of our choppers gunfire
The enemy retreated to the caves and trees.
Then I cried, "thank you " to heaven above,
As I checked out my buddies on my knees.
Somehow I managed to survive the day
Though many I've served with names I have read
Carved in the shinny black stone of The Wall
Are my comrades of war, among the dead.
By Tom Zart
SOLDIER IN THE RAIN
I’m just a soldier who stands in the rain;
My memories of home are what keep me sane.
Back home is a land of milk and honey,
Ruled by lust and love of money.
But, what can I say, when I serve her true,
For I volunteered to see this war through.
Now, that I’m here, it's hard to believe,
We're just the victims of those who deceive.
As darkness falls on the rice fields of Nam
Scared men with rifles walk the shadows of the calm.
It's thousands of miles to the steps of my church,
With its stained glass, steeples and lost souls who search.
Off in the distance I see an arc light,
Bombs being dropped on children at night.
I've seen that evil they call the "yellow rain,"
And how life withers when it's sprayed by a plane.
All of my buddies have been taken away,
No more touch football will they ever play.
Zipped in their body bags for the long trip home,
Are some of the bravest, I've ever known.
War is a hell, devised by man,
There's death in the sea, the sky and the land.
Lord, I can’t help but wish I were home,
Back with my love, whom I hope is alone?
By Tom Zart
AMERICA
America, the beautiful, the place I was born,
I'll cherish till the day I die.
Where the bones of past heroes
Lie buried in the ground,
Who loved her the same as I.
Her mountains are so tall
They reach for the sky;
With prairies where the green grasses grow.
There's billions of trees where wild birds nest,
With creatures that flourish below.
That blue gold called water
With which we are blessed,
As raindrops or crystallized snow;
Changes to rivers and fresh water lakes
While the winds of our seasons blow.
There's the haunt of a whistle
From a lonely freight train
Racing on ribbons of steel,
With the harvest of farms and from the factories
Balanced in a box on a wheel.
Some cities have buildings
A hundred stories tall,
Concrete, glass and steel.
A statue in a harbor, a present from France,
Describes how, inside, we feel.
That flag on the moon
With red and white stripes
Proves our dreams come true!
America has the freedom of choice
To strive for those things we must do!
By Tom Zart
THE PRESIDENCY
Those who wish to be President
Must practice what they preach.
For their people need inspiring
To believe what they teach.
Take heed therefore, unto yourselves,
You overseers of the flock
Or the voters shall cast you out,
For your futures are not of rock.
Life may place you in deep waters,
Though it doesn't wish you to drown.
It's your past record that lets us know,
Who you are as you smile or frown.
If you wish to be remembered,
From the truth you must never part.
Power corrupts the best of us,
When we stop listening to our heart.
By Tom Zart
POLITICIANS
Most of the time as a politician stands up,
Along with the truth, their brain sits down.
Promising anything and everything to anyone,
While posing to the public, to be on common ground.
The higher the office the greater the corruption,
As candidates compete for those dead presidents of green.
While we're taxed to death to fund their pork
Our cost for everything has become obscene.
Thank God there are some better than most,
Not squeaky clean, but more honest than others.
Regardless of party, they deserve our vote,
For they share our thoughts like sisters and brothers.
Politicians who wish to be revered by history,
Must earn their fame by living the truth.
Any who continue to mislead and deceive,
Must be shunned by the voter at the booth.
By Tom Zart
THE ALAMO
The leaves of the cottonwoods hung motionless
As outside the walls Santa Anna’s horde closed in.
A small band of Texans watched and waited
Preoccupied by combat and how life would end.
The battle raged from building to building
Till the old mission’s chapel was the last to fall.
Over 180 Texans died fighting to the man
Never to yield, surrender or crawl.
Six weeks later Sam Houston rallied his forces
With "Remember the Alamo as their battle cry.
Attacking and defeating Santa Anna’s army
To win independence for Texas or die.
The Spanish word for "cottonwood" is "Alamo"
The long time popular name for the mission.
Today the stout-walled old chapel still stands
Preserved as a shrine of sacrifice and tradition.
By Tom Zart
SO DEAR TO MY HEART
So dear to my heart are my loved ones at home
As I toss and I turn in my bunk all alone.
Everyday I see death, hate, and corruption
Combat is God’s proof of man’s malfunction
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For family, comrades, and myself I pray
To my love with this poem I wish to convey.
I knew I loved you though never how much
Till by war, I’m forced beyond your touch.
Where violence thrives, there’s the stench of death
With the taste of fear on every breath.
Who shall prevail, who shall die
As the sadistic kill beneath God’s sky.
Baghdad has become man’s highway to hell
Where the hearts of darkness are alive and well,
I count each day till it’s time to come home
And be with my love and never alone.
Love You
Your Marine
By Tom Zart
WHERE WARS ARE WON OR LOST
Wars are waged by older men
In council rooms in countries apart.
Who call for greater firepower
And troops for the battle chart.
While out among the shattered flesh
The dreams of all have turned gray.
So young and determined their faces were
Till on the battlefield they lay.
Unable to overcome their pride
The elders cast their vote.
For this or that or something else
As the thunder of war sounds its note.
Wherever wars are won or lost
The soldiers fall like toys.
Down through history it remains the same
Most who pass are hardly more than boys.
By Tom Zart
CHRISTMAS
Husbands with ladders hang lights on their home,
As all who have no one feel sad and alone.
The churches are full of the faithful that sing,
For the birth of our Lord, is a spiritual thing.
The sound of Christmas sweetly fills the air,
While frantic shoppers hustle from here to there.
The windows of storefronts at this time of year,
Reflect all their wonders as Christmas draws near.
Little ones stand looking with their nose pressed to glass,
As model trains on display come speeding past.
The path to Santa is lined with girls and boys,
With a list in their heart of their favorite toys.
The stores shelves are crammed with dolls that crawl or walk,
Games, cars, trucks, planes and stuffed toys that sing or talk.
The miracle of Christmas comes once a year,
When all that we love seems more precious and dear.
By Tom Zart
CREDIT CARD CHRISTMAS
Christmas is coming and our cards are all maxed.
My wife says don't fret, just try to relax.
But her car needs breaks, and mine needs new tires.
Tax time is coming, and yet, we're still buyers.
For beneath our tree, there’s one empty place
Which we’ll buy gifts for that will fill up the space.
Cause what fun is Christmas if we can't give out gifts
That kids tear open as the snow outside drifts.
We’ll light up the fire, and have a Christmas feast.
Say thank you to God, for saving us from the beast.
It may seem silly, but we can 't help but share.
It's that time of year to show others we care.
By Tom Zart
NIGHT OF NIGHTS
In the tiny town of Bethlehem,
Born in a stable, an infant lie.
While he slept his first dreamless night,
A whole universe of stars passed by.
When Jesus Christ our savior was born
Most of the angels began to sing,
Of peace, and good will to all mankind,
And alleluia to earth's new king.
There were those angels, who did not sing,
For they had passed through the devil's gate.
They knew this young lad belonged to God,
And for them salvation was too late.
So let's rejoice, and sing with great cheer,
That night when Jesus slept without fear.
For our Lord's birthday comes once a year,
On that night of nights we hold so dear.
By Tom Zart
CHRISTMAS IS COMING
"Oh" Christmas is coming and I'm all alone,
With no one to snuggle at night.
My wineglass is empty to help dull the desire
To kiss you by soft candlelight.
A rare pearl of value, you don 't leave alone
Or someone will steal them from you.
After they've gone and flown far away
It's hard to know just what to do.
I'm watching my neighbors hang lights on their tree;
With tinsel and striped candy cane.
Cause I took you for granted and didn't hug enough;
And now I must suffer my pain.
Lord, I'm so lonely; I wish I could die,
Then be born to relive again.
I realize the value of someone to love
And the danger of my selfish sin.
There's a ring on my phone and a knock at the door.
Which do I dare go for?
For, if neither is you, I'll break down and cry
And again pound my fist on the floor.
As I run down the hall the doorknob turns,
As the swirling snow rides on the wind.
There, in my doorway, it's the face that I love
Such a beautiful present to send.
Now, I am happy and dancing around,
With a permanent smile on my face.
As children are singing their Christmas love songs,
And the world is a wonderful place.
By Tom Zart
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Red, gold, yellow, green and blue
Are the colors of Christmas, which glow.
They help us feel their value within
As we travel our way through the snow.
Red stands for passion, anger or desire
Gold is the steadiness of love.
Yellow is fear of the unforeseen
Green and blue are the stars above.
The luster of Christmas can be yours
Most anywhere at a nearby store.
To purchase and adorn your tree and home .
Celebrating life, Jesus and more.
By Tom Zart
KENNEDY "THE WAR YEARS"
PT-109
After the attack on Pearl Harbor
He applied for sea duty in the war.
Where Lieutenant John F. Kennedy
Became known for his bravery and more.
In the dark hours before dawn
On August 2, of 43.
Kennedy commanded a torpedo boat
Through the blackness of night at sea.
PT-109, was on Solomon’s patrol
With a 12-man crew in a plywood craft.
A Japanese destroyer plowed through the night
Ramming and cutting Kennedy’s boat in half.
Two of the crew just disappeared
A third was badly burned.
Kennedy himself was thrown to the deck,
Where in pain his leadership he earned.
Some of his men had never learned to swim
As he gathered them on the bobbing bow.
The hours passed tell it seemed it would sink
So they made for an island and here’s how.
He ordered those who could to swim
The others were to hang on to a beam.
Kennedy grabbed the injured sailor
And off they tread through the ocean stream.
With his teeth clenched on the burnt man’s vest straps
Skipper Kennedy swam 3 miles.
5 hours later they all made it
Despite their hardships, sharks, and trials.
The next problem was how to summon up help
Without arousing the enemy all around.
After several attempts swimming to other islands
Eventually two natives in a canoe were found.
Kennedy scratch a note on a coconut
To be delivered to a base 38 miles away.
The message made it and they were saved
And their courage still lives us today.
By Tom Zart
THE LONELINESS OF WAR (WW II)
I know I’m still here so far, far away,
As I fight for what I believe is right.
I wonder about you and your mom,
Every moment of every day and night.
The loneliness of war can drive you insane,
If you don’t get letters of concern from home.
Left, right, behind and ahead,
Death awaits leaving love ones alone.
We pray to God that we will be saved
To return home or live the here after.
Bloody, dirt-covered men, we see everyday,
As we yearn for those times of laughter.
The far off stare of a fallen comrade,
As you stay by his side till his end.
No mother ever carried her infant child,
More carefully, than we do a friend.
Many have their own personal diaries,
To help keep their faculties together.
Watching hot steel crash into human flesh,
Always make home seem far away and better.
I’ve become an expert at dodging, weaving and diving,
So try not to worry too much about me.
Just help your mom and stand up from the ground,
And while I’m gone be all you can be.
Love Dad
By Tom Zart
FREEDOM
In their new uniforms,
The young march off
Not knowing who shall return.
With a proud devotion,
They brandish their flag
Leaving loved ones to wonder and yearn.
May we all be buried
By all of our children
Is an ancient tribal prayer.
They're so easy to lose
But so hard to forget;
Such a burden for a parent to bear.
Oh, the taste of victory
Shall soon be forgotten;
But, never that which was lost.
For those rows of white headstones
In peaceful green fields,
Make it easy to tally the cost.
America has survived all attempts to destroy
Knowing the cruelty of war,
And, we who remain
Must help keep her free
For those who can march no more!
By Tom Zart
TROOP SHIP
Our ship had sailed before the dawn
Surrounded by the thickest of fog,
Still ignorant of our destination
Or what was written in the captain's log.
It didn't take long for me to see
Our cruise was not for fun;
An experience of a lifetime
With nowhere for us to run.
Twenty knots per hour we cruised
As the white caps passed us by;
Ten thousand young Americans
Off to Europe to die.
A sailor told us not to worry;
Someday we’d get our mail.
Uncle Sam would make sure
No matter how far we sail.
Thirty feet deep I tried to sleep
Beneath our ship's waterline,
Just the place for claustrophobia
To enter into my mind.
My favorite vest was my May West
Which I wore all the time
Just in case of German U-boats
Or an underwater mine.
Thirty-three days we were at sea,
We crossed the equator twice.
Many years have passed since then,
Those years of sacrifice.
By Tom Zart
WAR
As war is fought it takes charge,
And events spin out of control.
The madness of men can alter the soil
Which nourishes the roots of their soul.
Many things will forever change,
Far more then wished to be.
As the wrath of war starts to destroy,
Those things we fight to keep free.
War is the greatest plague of man,
Religion, state, and sanity.
Any scourge is more preferred,
Than the one which disables humanity.
When war breaks out, boundaries change
And all who die are a token,
Of the rage that must run it's course,
Before words of peace are spoken.
By Tom Zart
DADS AT WAR
Where would I be without you dad?
My hero of night and day
I'm so glad you love my mother,
And take time for us each day.
The last time we played baseball,
You reached for me with your hand.
I looked at you, then made a wish,
That I might be just half the man.
I love my father of this earth,
And I love my father of heaven.
It's a lot for me to love, you know,
For I’m only eleven.
Mom and I sure miss you,
Since you left to defend our flag.
When others ask, where is your dad?
I can't help but boast and brag.
By Tom Zart
D-DAY
D-Day raised the curtain on the conflict
That fore shadowed the end of Hitler's dream.
The largest joint combat landing ever,
Though the blood from both sides flowed like a stream.
When their boats hit the sand, their ramps went down,
And all within paid a visit to hell.
They jumped out to do good for their country,
And to kill the enemy without fail.
They fought the Germans, tides, winds and the waves,
In conditions not easily foreseen.
By night the battle was in our favor,
With bravery, valor, death, and men who scream.
The corpses littered the beach for five miles,
Though heroism had carried the day,
With literally thousands dead or wounded,
Those who were left were determined to stay.
They faced great odds and chose not to protest,
And won the war that put evil to shame.
Most came home, married and raised their babies,
But those who could not we recall with pain.
By Tom Zart
PEARL HARBOR
Sunday, December the seventh,
In the year of 1941,
While most of Hawaii still slept,
Came the planes of the Rising Sun.
Waves of bombers and fighters flew,
From the decks of the Japanese ships.
While our planes were still on the ground,
"Banzai" was spoken from their lips.
The winds of war had been blowing
Across the oceans of our earth,
Though not till Pearl had been bombed,
Did we realize what freedom’s worth.
Wars are fought and won on two fronts,
At home and on the battle line.
Both are equally important,
When war consumes our heart and mind.
The attack brought us World War II,
With death, pain and separation.
All who had served were well aware
Of their sacrifice for nation.
By Tom Zart
D DAY - THE WALL
Over two hundred rangers scaled "The Wall"
A stone cliff over one hundred feet tall.
Some of them made it all the way to the top,
While others fell and perished from their drop.
Those who climbed over, had answered God's call;
For men to stop evil once and for all.
They fought the Germans and destroyed their guns,
To save the lives of our fathers and sons.
So many years have passed since then,
When our world's future was saved by brave men.
We cannot forget the hell they went through,
Before the skies, again turned blue.
By Tom Zart
MIDWAY
It was June the 4th 1942,
As I was floating in the ocean alone;
The ship I had sailed on, sank to the bottom
And I thought I would never again, see home.
The Japanese fleet had steamed in from the east
With the intentions of capturing Midway.
Though they were stopped by American war ships,
Whose guns, bombs and torpedoes planes saved the day.
All night long, I watched the fireworks of war
And on the second day we turned up the heat.
As big bombers from Hawaii dropped their loads,
On Japanese ships who soon chose to retreat.
An imperial pilot came floating close by,
Who had been chewed on by the beasts of the sea.
I couldn't help but feel passion for this is man
Who had answered his call just like me.
When it was over, I was plucked from the deep,
By men in a lifeboat just after the dawn.
For two days I had watched the battle for, Midway;
Now it's quiet and the enemy has gone.
By Tom Zart
SURVIVAL
I drifted all night and was loosing my hope
Before by the moon's light I saw dry land.
I floated over and through its reefs to the beach,
Where I quickly smoothed out my tracks in the sand.
All I had was my dagger and a canteen
And it was May 4th of 43.
Just me alone on an enemy island,
Wasn't a safe place for a sailor to be.
I felt I could kill in less than a heartbeat
If that's what it took for me to survive.
I’d already said thanks so many times,
For "God" was the reason I was alive.
Off in the dark, I herd two men's voices,
Laughing and talking in a language not mine.
Inch by inch I crept to their campsite,
Where on what they were eating, I would soon dine.
I stabbed them both and took their fish, rice and wine;
Then ran my way back to the raft by the beach.
Soon I was floating in the ocean again
And far enough out where bullets couldn't reach.
The next day I was picked up by a seaplane,
Whose crew spotted my sail from the air.
Once inside and safe, I cried like a child,
For the dead whom would forever be there.
It was hard to believe heaven let me live;
A farm boy from Kansas, in high school last year.
My girlfriend is blond and she hates it I 'm gone.
Though I'm a veteran of battle, death, and fear.
By Tom Zart
GENERAL QUARTERS
General quarters, general quarters,
All hands man your battle station!
Sunday morning, December the 7th,
As war confronted our nation.
We soon found out it wasn't a drill
But instead it was war for real.
As you watch the death of friends and shipmates,
It's more anger than fear you feel.
Japanese warplanes came flying in low,
As I took aim with my gun sight.
From the deck of a ship anchored at Pearl
Damaged, though crew still eager to fight.
I saw the face of a pilot, who crashed,
Surrounded by black smoke and fire.
Some of my bullets must have found their mark.
For his death was but my desire!
Two thousand, three hundred and twenty-three killed,
In a battle less than two hours.
With the heart of our Pacific fleet gone,
Japan had flexed their naval powers.
The bombing and strafing of ships and troops
Caused our congress to declare full war.
Where many a man laid down his life
Fighting for flag, country and more.
By Tom Zart
OKINAWA 1941
Okinawa was to be our last stop
Before we invaded Japan.
The largest landing of the Pacific war,
As our soldiers ran across the sand.
At first our marines were scarcely opposed
But on the fifth day hell they found.
A solid wall of human resistance
Firing their weapons from caves in the ground.
Air power and big guns had little affect
On their cliff forts carved deep in the limestone.
It took man against man to root them out
As flying bullets pierced flesh and bone.
Kamikaze pilots crashed their planes
Knocking out transports and war ships.
As the Imperial air force struck our fleet,
Cries of fear and hate spewed from lips.
One hundred, ten thousand Japanese
By the end of the battle were killed.
Over twelve thousand Americans died,
Before, just our flag flew over the field.
By Tom Zart
BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC
After the fall of France in 1940,
The Germans soon began their own blockade,
With most their efforts in the Atlantic,
Hoping to cut Britain's flow of war trade.
With fast surface raiders like the Bismarck,
Merchant ships caught at sea, had little chance.
The German’s small navy sank ship after ship,
Till the British Navy destroyed war's romance.
Shipping losses from German U-boats increased,
And the battle of the Atlantic seemed lost.
But soon America would enter the war,
To defeat freedom’s enemies at all cost.
Multitudes would die and their families cry,
Before World War II would be fought to its end.
What a waste of mankind, which had lost its mind,
Though now, our enemy is our friend.
By Tom Zart
P.O.W.
When you become a P.O.W.
You find you've lost your liberty and more,
The guy with the gun tells you what to do,
As you yearn for freedoms you had before.
Your will to serve helps keep you alive,
Though sometimes you wish you were dead.
Tortures far beyond any normal mind,
And there's no safety, even your bed.
Bullets, barbwire, searchlights and sharp teeth,
Keep you in a place you don't wish to be.
The food is quite awful and sometimes it moves,
And you've no choice of what you hear or see.
The lucky are released and return home,
Though in their dreams their fate is unsure.
War may be hell, but confinement is worse,
Cause afterwards you're never as you were.
By Tom Zart
SHOULD TOMORROW START WITHOUT ME
Should tomorrow start without me
Remember I love you.
Looking down from up above
Seeing everything you do.
If I become a casualty
I pray you will love again
Whom ever makes you happy
I’ll consider my friend.
Should tomorrow start without me
Remind our boys, God loves all who care.
And when life seems too harsh and cruel
With Him they must share their prayer.
I have proven I’m not a coward
Who breaks and runs to survive.
Always fearing death will kiss me
As the streets of Baghdad I drive.
Should tomorrow start without me
Be proud I choose to serve.
Our faith and our patriotism
Earn the freedom we deserve.
I miss home more than ever
It breaks my heart to stay away
I can’t help but want to hold you
And whisper what I say.
My God bless America
And all, I love,
YOUR MARINE
By Tom Zart
THANK HEAVEN FOR HEROES
Thank heaven for the heroes of life
Who lead us to overcome those who are not.
The wise are grateful for all God’s blessings
Where fools never realize what they’ve got.
America is the grain train of earth
Whose people exercise rule by their vote.
All have a chance to partake and prosper
As they arrive by foot, plane or boat.
Our freedom relies on the law of the land,
Our future depends on our grit.
Our past has known both good and bad
And our mistakes we are willing to admit.
The grim of heart hate America
And choose to put her wonders to shame
The devotion of most who love and live here
Rise up to defeat the soldiers of blame.
By Tom Zart
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
Americans harmonize in sentiment
While facing the challenges of life.
Shoulder to shoulder we defined our land
Through hardship, sacrifice and strife.
We are eager to oppose our enemies
Wherever they raise their head.
Our principles must be practiced
To avoid being conquered or dead.
We fail to see the merits of a dictator
Only freedom to work and pray as we please.
Most seek guidance from a higher power
As we share our concerns on our knees.
We have always held liberty close to our hearts
Unwilling to surrender to demise.
Whenever its existence was threatened
We have chosen to follow the wise.
We can’t foresee what the future may bring
Though we give it our best not to fail.
Every 4th of July we illuminate the sky
Proving freedom is alive and well.
By Tom Zart
AMERICAN SOLDIER
Our soldiers line up to be remembered
As the best of the best at their job.
They wish to be needed and depended on
To save all we love from the mob.
They risk their life and limb for liberty
Standing firm against evil unwilling to break.
To be part of something greater than themselves
They are willing to sacrifice whatever it will take.
By Tom Zart
FORMIDABLE FOE
America is the birthday cake of earth,
As the ants march from every direction.
Thank God for all who have sworn to defend her,
Serving with love, honor, pride, and affection.
Since the first day George Washington marched off to war,
There have been those who have wished our demise.
Their hatred, fueled by jealousy and greed,
Was defeated by our brave and the wise.
Once again, we must face a formidable foe,
Who have pledged by their God to destroy us all
Misusing their faith as an excuse to kill,
As for a worldwide jihad, their leaders call.
Some say we should try to appease them,
For if we resist, they’ll hate us even more.
But the David's among us shall cast our stones,
Defeating them, as it was done before.
By Tom Zart
VETERAN'S DAY
The cost of freedom is sometimes high,
Extremely more when our loved one's die.
Men and women pledged to fight and serve,
And it's our support that they deserve.
Mankind itself is the one to blame,
That all through history, the story's the same.
Peace, like love, can be hard to acquire,
Subject always to enemy fire.
Some how the righteouses tend to prevail,
Over the miss-guided, prone to fail.
No wonder we fear the tongues that lie,
As mankind squabbles beneath God's sky.
The danger our solders face is real,
So lets let them know just how we feel.
Put forth your flag and show them your heart,
As those we love from us depart.
By Tom Zart
OUR FLAG
Our flag is fabric wove of thread,
Carried by heroes live and dead.
She stands for justice and courage too,
With her colors; red, white and blue.
For all who serve her, there’ll be cheers,
For any who die, there’ll be tears,
For all who love her, life is swell,
For those who harm her, war is hell.
How many moms have cried before,
As they sent their children to war.
How many dads have not returned,
Because our freedom must be earned.
Wars were waged where brave men died
As patriots fought side by side.
Our flag is still the pearl of earth,
Because of those who prove her worth.
By Tom Zart
All poems included on this page
are copyrighted by Tom Zart
Author of
LOVE WAR AND MORE
reprinted with permission
by the author
MWSA Book Review
Love, War & More
Author: Tom Zart
Publisher: Publish America
Reviewer: Bill McDonald
President of the MWSA
A Poet’s thoughts, on history, emotions
and more.Normally you pick up a poetry
book and it may run about 50 to 80 pages
but not the man who is called
"The Westport Poet." Poet Tom Zart gives
the reader their money’s worth of poetry
in his fine collection called
"Love, War & More" His book, at 267 pages,
is filled with the thoughts and emotions
of a dedicated poet and his vast spiritual
tastes for life. His prose runs the gauntlet
from relationships, battle, butterflies, and
even one that ends the book called "Katrina"
about what happened in New Orleans.My favorite
poem in his collection deals with turning 60
years old since I can relate to that experience.
His poems are easy to read and more traditional
in nature, as opposed to all those beat and new
age writings that flourish in newer poetry books.
It is readable by all mature family members and
thought provoking at times.His war poetry covers
everything from Pearl Harbor and D-Day to present
day battles. He honors Soldiers and Sailors and
our nation through many well thought out pieces
of prose. There is something of interest in his
collection of poetry for all readers.This is one
of the most assorted and diverse collections of
poetry ever assembled in one volume. For poetry
lovers this will be a great book to buy. This book
is given the MWSA's highest rating for a poetry
book - 5 STARS!
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