FROM THE HEART OF MY SOUL
by Deborah Ann Barnum

Of that which I value most in my life, I must confess
Are the few and rare true friends that I possess
I have friends with whom I laugh, cry and share the things I like to do
But also special friends, who in the heart of my soul I know are true
Always a joy, they are also at times, a refuge, an anchor, a mirror
Unselfish friends who share my happiness, yet see each unspoken fear.
Of all God's gifts that I humbly and gratefully treasure.
These are His greatest blessings, beyond all measure.

OCH! MY LAD by Eloise.

Och! My lad, my verra braw lad,
Och! My ain lad so fine,
How I do long to press my lips
Upon these lips o' thine.

Art thou a dream, or art thou real,
Dinna think that I much care,
So long that thine fine heart wi' me
Thou art so willin' to share.

Only wi' thee, my proud, sweet luve,
Ever am I complete;
Only wi' thee here in my arms
Will I be feelin' replete.

AULD LANG SYNE IN GREENOCK by Kathy.

Twas Auld Lang Syne in Greenock
And I met a stranger there
He stood so tall and handsome
All I could do was stare.

Those eyes of green seduced me
My heart just missed a beat
Ne'er had I felt this way before
Could he make my life complete?

His smile was so inviting
Just like the light of day
"Sweet Lady will you dance with me"
He said in his charming way.

His arms held me so tightly
As we waltzed around the floor
Pure love welled up inside me
I could not ask for more.

As time did pass we were as one
And loved with all our heart
But the day we feared came all too soon
When we knew we had to part.

His lips were warm and tender
When he said goodbye to me
For my lover was a sailor
Who answered the call of the sea.

I was so lost and lonely
As I lay alone in my bed
But he returned and came back to me
On the morrow we were wed

With two small bairns around us
We lived by a beautiful loch
But I'll ne'er forget when first we met
'Twas Auld Lang Syne in Greenock

LAMENT O' A LUVER O' TREES by Peigi McCann.

I canna look at whit I hae
Ma bawbees, jewels, an' a' this,
An' busk masel' wi' whit I grasp,
An' mak me think I'm a' this!
For a' this, an a' this,
I slave an' toil for a' this,
For warld's gear an' gowden chain,
I sell ma saul for a' this.

An' we can hae whit e'er we want,
Wear cleeding fine an a' this,
An' usquebae an' sparklin' wine,
Our fortunes spent on a' this!
For a' this, an a' this,
We're lippen fou wi' a' this,
Nae heed the sick an' pyne o' puir,
Dae we gae blin' wi' a' this?

Ye see yon man in haddin' white,
Wha speaks, an' smiles, an' a' this?
Tho' hundreds hang on ev'ry word,
He, too, is caught in a' this!
In a' this, an a' this,
For fortune, micht an a' this,
We send our sons to die for ile,
An' hyster after a' this.

A hundred years yon forest grows,
Owre bonnie glen for a' this.
The aik an' birk that we wad saw,
Syne rive an' rype for a' this!
For a' this, an a' this,
We scaur the earth for a' this,
Wi' gumlie girse, an' faun flou'r,
We're owre rin wi' a' this.

Sae let us to withouten do,
Sic grippie goods an' a' this.
Nae mair mak pow'r our only God,
But bluidy be frae a' this!
Frae a' this, an a' this,
We're torn apairt for a' this.
An' hope someday the planet o'er,
We'll a' gie owre frae a' this.

Peigi also submitted a Translation for this which I append here

TREEHUGGER'S LAMENT

I cannot look at what I have
My money, jewels, and all this,
And dress myself with what I grasp,
And make me think I'm all this!
For all this, and all this,
I slave and toil for all this,
For worldly wealth and golden chains,
I sell my soul for all this.

And we can get whatever we want,
Wear clothing fine and all this,
And whisky pure and sparkling wine,
Our fortunes spent on all this!
For all this, and all this,
We're brimming full with all this,
Not heed the sick, and pain of poor,
Do we go blind with all this?

You see that man in house of white,
Who speaks, and smiles, and all this?
Though hundreds hang on every word,
He, too, is caught in all this!
For all this, and all this,
For fortune, might and all this,
We send our sons to die for oil,
And stumble after all this.

A hundred years that forest grows,
Over valley fair for all this,
The oak and birch that we would sow,
Then rive and use for all this!
For all this and all this,
We scar the earth for all this,
Leave muddy grass, and fallen flower,
We're over-run with all this.

So let us do without this,
Such greedy goods and all this,
No more make power our only God,
But bloody be from all this!
For all this and all this,
We're torn apart for all this,
And hope someday the planet over,
We will abandon all this.

Introduction page to Rottentomatoes.

Poems submitted from Alexandria, Rose, Andrew and Janet.

Poems submitted from Jan Morell, Linda Mackintosh, Janis Bonner and Beth.

Poems submitted from Karen Richmond, Lynn Ennis Iozzo, Merry Gonzalves and Ruby Wooten.

Poems submitted from Kami, Kath, Lisa W, Terra and Rachel Lovern.

Poems submitted from Bonnie Anne Pinard, Bonnie Toben, Deborah, Dina, Joelle and LilyRose.

Poems submitted from Mamatish, Martha, Nicholas, Tense L. Smith and Tonya Kimble.