Poems by Doug William Benson

Who would've thought,
This forty-yeared soul,
Would hear the words,
"To have and to hold,"
At peace all alone,
With dreams forgot,
Then you came along,
Oh, who would've thought?

Who would've thought,
These cityscape-two,
This wanderlust match,
With the globe in their view,
Would one day become,
Suburbanite-bots!
With a home? And a yard?
Oh, who would've thought?

Who would've thought,
That this anti-kid pairing,
Would open their hearts,
To allow for more sharing,
Of love and of hope,
To us you also brought,
Our angel we're holding,
Oh, who would've thought? 

Yes, who would've thought,
That the future we plan for,
Could end up becoming,
Not that, but so much more,
If we're open to change,
Allow ourselves to be taught,
Then miracles do happen!
Oh, who would've thought?

There once was a disk called a record
Played on vinyl with a stylus connector 
Known for hisses and pops
And scratches on top
Cryptic messages when they're played backward?

Next came the track with an eight
Only Boomers seem to relate
'Twas the first in a car
Played on loop; how bizarre
"Oh you liked that song? You'll have to wait!"

More popular, a tape called cassette
With a Walkman and skates you were set
You could finally rewind
But you'd oft lose your mind
'Cause the ribbons in knots they would get

Then came the disk that's compact
Just press "back" or "repeat" or "next" track
You would organize for hours
Thanks to cases and towers
Be careful! Don't scratch, smudge or crack!

MP3 was what followed next
"Pod," "Shuffle," "Mini"- all hexed
Though mobile and thin
Born too close to their kin
So their lifespan was set to be vexed

Then an Apple took its place on the throne
And from that point we'd never be alone
With a tooth that is blue
Meaning wireless too
Who'd of thought we'd have music on our phone?

So, truthfully, will it be that long,
Before our ears have the power of song?
With a light infrared
From the chip in our head?
Guess we'll see what A.I. brings along!

The batteries of a flashlight
or a luminescent wristwatch
will die over time;
HIS light is immortal.

The bulb in the streetlamp
the headlight
the modern-day lighthouse
will all burn out one day;
HIS light will burn on forever.

The lights cast by
a small ember
the cozy chimney flame
or the raging wildfire
will at some point lose their power;
HIS light will never extinguish.

Even the celestial lights
the sun, the moon, the stars
all have their temperance
within a single rotation of the Earth,
HIS light is omnipresent.

HE is the only true,
Light of the World.

We're gathered together in tribute to pay,
A life that was lost, yet still paving the way,
And in spite of our mourning, all is not grey,
For heaven received a new angel today.

The lives that were touched by your marks will portray,
The memories created that forever will stay,
As those who've been blessed to know you would say,
That heaven received a new angel today.

So, thank you dear (loved one) for all that you gave,
Your time and your heart; Each sacrifice made,
Just keep moving forward and let your legacy stay,
As heaven receives a new angel today.

And into HIS arms may you run to this day,
Eternal embracing with tears wiped away,
HIS army's now stronger than it was yesterday,
Because heaven received a new angel today.