Ward Stories: Poetry

Organized by Dan Frey, Editor in Chief
Four poets are featured in this Winter 2018 edition of Ward Stories: Eva Tortora, Mary Divine, Richard A. Martinez Jr., and Louie Morano. One poem has an expression of love, another an eloquent and painful complaint, the others offer advice with a side dish of hope. Find what you need; take what you want and hopefully enjoy.

Love
By Eva Tortora
Love
surrounds my heart
from you
accepting me
and all my poems
and all my years
of battles, roses
sweat and tears
so on this day
thank you
and all my lessons
and all my poems,
love in my heart
from your acceptance
so I can write 1,000 more poems
and songs and words
blessing you

Living life with P.T.S.D.
By Mary Divine
How am I supposed to feel,
When the pain and nightmares become so real?

What am I supposed to say,
When all my hope has gone away?

When do I stop and get the choice,
To end the noise, quiet the voice?

Flashbacks, isolation and hypervigilance abound,
Peace and calmness cannot be found.

I often feel like the walking dead,
Stuck with the memories inside my head.

I sit alone quiet and don’t want to talk.
I think I would feel better if I go outside and walk.

This does not help, I feel as bad.
Am I going crazy? Am I going mad?

What can I do? I know this feeling is wrong.
I feel I’m always fighting, but help! I’m not that strong.

I wish I could go back in time,
To a place where my life was truly mine.

And be the person I used to be:
Normal, happy, smiling, free.

But no, this is not then, but now. 
I must devise a way somehow.

To halt bad thoughts, somehow someway,
To live my life from day to day.

A Season of Change
By Richard A. Martinez Jr.
Spending time
With family, with those who care
Living life
With people who share
I know when handling stress
From a heavy heart and burden
Can only tell why
Suddenly you can be certain
There is no way for me to tell
One thing from another
Just treat your sister like your sister
And your brother like your brother
Another day
Under what we stand for
Greatness can be made
Our hearts are our cure

Your Problems Will Disappear
By Louie Morano
You can make your life anything
you want it to be
simply by changing the
way you Think.

Instead of being sad you can feel great.
Go ahead and do it and give
yourself a break.

Turn a rotten day into a terrific one.
Good Times have just begun.

Listen to Norman Vincent Peale
and think positive.
It will be like crossing a bridge
from a world of sadness
to one of joy.

If life has you down and you feel annoyed
Think different thoughts that are a bit happier.
All your problems will disappear.