"The Lea's of Texas"
Lea was the name, not Lee
Texas their destiny
Albert M. and Edward
father and son
divided by Civil War
one served in gray on land
the other Union blue on the sea.
The Harriet Lane, not Buchanan's niece
for whom the ship was named
but a seven hundred ton gunboat
a revenue cutter of fame
captured by Confederates
in the Battle for Galveston Bay
her usefulness never did decrease.
So it was on that fateful day
in the heat of battle, father and son
from opposite sides fought
the son, Lt. Commander Edward Lea
on the Harriet Lane
in the end
over the son's grave they did pray.
War is a very terrible thing
death, destruction
man's inhumanity to man
a mother and children's tears
all have a duty to do
remedying politician's folly
the common man of peace would sing.
dc riggs © 23 January 2010
Valentine's Day, belonging to who?
to whom?
the greeting card maker
the florist
or to the human heart?
history's legend
the priest who chose God
over Emperor's rule
gave the gift
to future generations
to reach out
to touch
with a Valentine's greeting
from a loving heart
which for others
beats always in love so true.
dc riggs © 13 February 2010
Littered tables the guests have left
life was a banquet
steak and shrimp, curried chicken
luscious desserts
broccoli and calceiform too
in the end what's left
crumbs of the feast.
fulfilled, not completed
yet that is how it should end.
Love, the sum total of life
the he, the her
infatuation, regret, utter joy
children, parents, family
saying hello, courtship
goodbye, farewell
each in its time.
fulfilled, not completed
yet that is how it should end.
In that pinpoint in time called
"The Beginning"
the Creator, created
each what, where, each soul
with a view toward life
always another bend, challenge
in life's flowing river.
fulfilled, in this life not completed
for in God's eternity, there is no end.
dc riggs © 13 February 2010
Hot buttered bread, oven fresh
a cold snowy day
hot coco
that chases the chill away
the bird that didn't fly
south to escape winter's cold
calls to the sky
for the flowers below
have no desire or a need
to be awakened from their nap
spring time will come
just like the dawn
and the earth will be in bloom
far faster than we
who stagger into morning
sustained by thoughts
of hot coco
on a cold snowy day
hot buttered bread, oven fresh.
dc riggs © 30 January 2010
