Poems by Pat Fleming

When I was young and insecure,
And desperate to be liked.
I tended to withdraw in pain
And flee instead of fight.

All I wanted was to get along.
Conflict was not my style.
So despite what people did to me,
I took it with a smile.

So whenever someone hurt me,
I'd stuff those feelings deep inside.
Forgive but not forget it,
Just take it all in stride.

But anger tends to fester.
It's not so easy to control.
Just like a dormant bomb that's lit,
One day it will explode.

I've suffered many sad regrets.
I've felt my share of shame
For releasing all my pent-up ire
On the ones who weren't to blame.

So I would not advise this practice
Now that I've grown old and wise.
I've learned a great deal in my time,
And there's some truths I realized.

In life you must be tolerant,
But you also must be strong.
You don't have to be a doormat
When someone does you wrong.

You must carefully pick your battles,
Knowing when to let things go.
Don't seek revenge or try to hurt,
For what you reap you'll sow.

Don't back down but don't attack,
Hold your tongue but speak your mind.
You can defend yourself and others,
And still manage to be kind.

It's important that you love yourself.
This is the love that must come first.
If you can't see how grand you are,
Then no one else will see your worth.

A good rule of thumb to follow,
Show the world by what you do -
That you will gladly give respect
But will expect the same for you!

Here's to that very first friend that I made.
The one who said "yes" when I asked her to play.
Whose name I'd repeat over and over again
So astounded and grateful that she was my friend.

And here's to that friend who grew up by my side,
Who so graciously came along for the ride.
Who was privy to all of my grand hopes and dreams
And complicit in all of my hair-brained schemes.

All hail to that friend ever loyal and true,
Who was just as naïve about what we should do.
We were sisters who faced new adventures each day
Testing the waters on our long wending way.

Praise to that friend who knew all of my pain,
Who kept every secret silent and safe.
The one who would hold me whenever I cried
And then still made me laugh till it ached inside.

Thank God for that friend so much smarter than me,
Who I willingly followed as she took the lead.
Much more adept at learning the ropes,
She was the one who taught me the most.

And God bless that friend who would never condemn
No matter the messes I'd put myself in.
Who accepted my frailties and frustrating flaws
And would still lift me up when I'd flounder and fall.

And thank you forever that dearest of friends
Who showed me what being a friend truly meant.
Who gave me the chance to be one myself
And be someone of value to somebody else.

How I miss that dear friend who drifted away
Whose life took her sadly to some other place.
But I know in my heart even though we lost track
If I called her today, she would still have my back.

Friendship's a gift that we're granted in life
A force to take with us against the tough fight.
But the greatest blessing when it's all said and done
Is to have all those friendships in that One special One!

Will I slowly wither like a leaf
That falls upon the earth?
Once void of all its Autumn hues,
It loses all its worth.

Will my strength and vigor for this life
Just one day start to wane?
Will all these lines and wrinkles guise
My once familiar face?

Will I feel no longer needed
By my family and my friends?
Will that thrill of feeling deep in love,
In time come to an end?

Will I lose my sense of purpose,
My reason for each day?
Will my mind grow dull and cluttered
Till I somehow lose my way?

Will I outlive all my loved ones
And find myself alone?
Will I lose my independence,
My possessions and my home?

Will all my fondest memories
Escape my aging grasp?
And will I drift so far away
I never make it back?

Will I be that old forgotten soul
That no one comes to see?
Kept in the hands of strangers,
A shell of who I used to be.

I pray I'm spared such cruelty,
For if I am to live.
I don't want to be a burden
When I still have much to give.

I want to treasure every moment,
Every love my heart embraced.
I need to know each pain I felt,
Each tragedy I faced.

So if someday I disappear
Before I leave this life,
I beg you to reach out to me
And hold on with all your might.

For despite how far away I go,
I need the world to care.
For somewhere in that bewilderment,
I still linger there.

My words are like my heart beat.
They tell the world that I'm alive.
They recite the tale of who I am
And of all I have survived.

My words reveal my deepest pain.
They betray my greatest fears.
They share moments of my laughter,
As well as moments filled with tears.

My words can come from memories,
Of glorious days gone by.
Or they flow from feelings so extreme,
They lay hidden deep inside.

My words can tell sad stories,
Created in my mind.
Of other lives I've witnessed,
In another place and time.

My words can paint a picture,
Of the seasons in their glory.
They can gently tell of tragedies
Or a hero's noble story.

My words are like a loyal friend
That keep my secrets close.
But will serve as a catharsis
When I need release the most.

My words are my great treasure,
Far more valuable than gold.
And still offer always something new,
Even now that I've grown old.

My words connect me to my fellow man
And give my heart a way to vent.
They remind me I am human
And help my soul repent.

Thank God my words can still be shared,
I'm so grateful for this gift.
To express vast love or sorrow,
Intelligence or wit.

To reach out and touch another heart
Is something I don't fear.
I will use my words right to the end,
To let the world know I was here!

I do my very best each day
Though some days prove worse than others.
I'm everywhere I'm needed,
No need more crucial than another.

I'm there to calm each worry.
I'm drenched by every tear.
I bear the weight of every heartache,
And I'll defend against each fear.

I take the hand of those who have to go
And walk beside them to the Gates,
And sit vigil by the bedsides
Of all those who suffer still in wait.

I wrap my arms around those weary souls
Who lay sleepless through the night.
So laden by their anguished sadness
They've lost their will to live this life.

I whisper words of strength and tenderness
To give them hope again,
And fill their hearts with all my love
To help their souls to mend.

I have so many who depend on me
But I have endless love to share.
I can sit and comfort you alone
And still be everywhere.

But how the Devil works against me
As he wields his monstrous hand.
He sets his sights on all those fragile souls
And preys upon the sinful man.

I feel how angry and betrayed you feel
When the Devil seems to rise,
Convincing you that I don't care
And am no longer by your side.

But I will always take your deepest pain
And carry it for you.
Even times that you give up on me
I won't give up on you!

I know this life can be so wearisome
And the losses can be great.
But I will never leave you on your own
Or your faith in me forsake.

I watch you every second
And I see everything you do,
And what a wondrous sight you are to see,
When seeing from my point of view.

We are in this fight together
And there is nothing we can't do
As long as you stand firmly by my side
And I stand steadfast by you too.