In Memorium

A gracious Lady, laid to rest, has left this world of pain.
Gone to rewards she garnered here, but not for her own gain.
A helping hand, a kindly smile, she gave and shared with all.
With love and care, she raised her flock from depths where they did fall.

Great pain and grief o'er fills the cup of those now left behind.
Remember not this empty shell, she lives on in your mind.
The lives she helped to save from a disease that haunts the earth
Are testimony to the life she lead from her rebirth.

Rejoice in her reward and all the lives she helped to save.
Think back on all the gifts, the words, the love; not of the grave!
Stay on the path and take those steps that she would have you tred.
With words and deeds remember all the souls and minds she fed.

With love we bid you fond farewell and through the tears of grief
We see you as you were, not as you are, ere came life's thief.
How is it that our hearts can be so full of love and pain?
God will, when all are gathered 'round, this mystery explain.

For Francis T. and her loving husband Gene of Preston Group, Dallas

Rarely Have We Seen

Yes, we've seen the young child
Who is empty inside
Though surrounded by life,
Only wanting to die.

So alone in a crowd
But with nowhere to hide
For that child stared at us
From the mirror's clear eye.

Yes, we've seen the young teen
Who just wants to belong
The first drink, then one more
Brought that warmth never known.

Was the life of the party
Which lasted too long
For we've all felt the weight
Of those chains we put on.

Yes, we've seen the destruction
Of life and of friends
Our loved ones turned 'way,
Hate and shame on their face

From our long painful crawl
Down a road with no ends
Which was stopped by a prayer
We all prayed; and God's grace.

Yes, we've seen them arrive,
Hearts fear-filled, empty souls
They seek peace from lifetimes
Of self-will, pain and grief

So lost on their life's path
With no purpose or goals
We all came as they do,
Praying for some relief.

Yes, we've seen the fresh glow
Of their new sanity
When the greatest known power
Came into their heart.

Gave their will and their life
To a God, they could see
Brought all moral decay
To the light, and their part.

Yes, we've seen them confess,
Both to God and to man
All their faults and defects,
They prayed God to remove

Humbly asked Him to take
Them, as only He can
For we too walked those steps;
Felt rough paths become smooth.

Yes, we've seen the long lists,
Made amends where we could
Taking care not to hurt
Those we'd harmed in the past

We watched close, mind and heart,
And lived life as one should
Made amends, every time
We were wrong, ...and at last

Yes, we've seen our life changed
By close contact with God
Whom we all understand
In our various ways

Prayed His will to be known,
Asked for strength as we trod
Down the path of twelve steps
We must walk all our days.

Yes, we've seen it before
And we'll see it again
You are not all alone,
For we share the same tale.

Walk our path throughout life,
We will help where we can
For it's rare that we've seen
Those who do ever fail.

Shadows

Dark shadows slid slowly across lifeless eyes.
A youth, full of strength and stupidity dies.
His mind numbed by drugs, in an alcohol cloud.
The body now readied with burial shroud.

His friends, who were not, stand graveside, eyes cast down.
And guilt's weight remains from their night on the town.
Last screams of his agony ring in their ears.
"We only went out to have fun; a few beers!"

Scarred now and forever, to carry the blame
In nightmare or day when they think of his name.
A mother's eyes filled to o'erflowing with grief
Stare coldly at those who enabled Life's thief.

Look not on her face, all you friends of her son
For rage burns within her for what you have done.
Excuses are easy, but falsely they ring.
Like thieves in the night, you have stolen heart's king.

Remember this day for as long as you live.
Ask for God's forgiveness. His mom will not give
Respite from the memories taken away.
A son, lost forever! A friend, gone today.

Thoughts on Al-Anon

You're my beacon in the night
Light to guide me in the storm
Anchor me from useless flight
Home and haven from all harm

Cause and reason for my change
Fount of strength and sea of love
Goals in life to rearrange
Heaven sent from God above

From the pits of hopeless shame
Lifted up by those who care
Share your weakness and your name
Help and hugs await you there.

To the Phoenix Group
October 10, 1989
With love and respect for what you have done
and what you will do.

Tornadoes and Rainbows

A sweet southern belle on her gold road of life
Lived under a rainbow in fair wooded glade
Soon to be a woman, soon to be a wife
Tried hard to fit in, with the plans she had made.

She drank to have fun, and at first, it did ease
But pain, grown too great, the drink couldn't allay
She caught the tornado of this dread disease
Her road's golden bricks became tarnished and gray

The winds, faster still, tore her world, there, apart
Its strength moved her far to a land, not her own
And swept her away from two babes of her heart
Still, seeking more rainbows, for some light still shown

Surrounded by strangers, no one for a friend
Determined, she fought to succeed in this place
Back came the tornado, dark clouds it did send
To stifle success, and left hardly a trace

So black that the tarnished road near disappeared
Lost in this strange land and so full of despair
She asked for God's help, though forsaken, she feared
Upon her knees, cried desperation's old prayer

God's servant came near, Betty J. was her name
Brought with her the light of new rainbow's, well-shined
Too soon, the light dimmed, for the storm was the same
Winds caught her once more and left rainbows behind

Three years she was blown here and there by the storm
Broken and alone, one more time she did pray
Was shown a new place to protect her from harm
A place full of rainbows, who asked her to stay

With them, where they met, and to bask in their light
Their laughter was balm to the tears which she shed
The words, rainbows shared, made her golden road bright
And lessons she learned kept her soul and heart fed

Rainbow, Santa Sam, gave his love without cause
Ed and Smiling Sonny shed light on her path
And always, with Sam, was a wizard named Oz
Ruth's wit and her grin seemed to calm the storm's wrath

Two rainbows, Regina and Dorothy, were there
As were many others who met, night and morn'
The fairest was Dorothy, with her love and care
That child of the storm, in her light, was reborn

All taught her to polish her road bright as day
And soon, a new rainbow emerged into light
One step at a time, Dorothy showed her the way
To use her own rainbow, a guide through storm's night

Her lessons, well learned, she gave freely, with love
She too, brought new rainbows by word and by deed
You see, all God's rainbows are not up above
Their brightness is here, if you only take heed.

Dedicated to the Rainbows of Preston Group

Thank you for my Rainbow