Poems by Patricia Fleming

I believe that love is loyalty.
It will always have your back.
It will bravely stand in front of you
If someone should attack.

Its support will be unwavering.
It will never let you down.
It will be that one true constant
When there's no one else around.

I believe that love is friendship
And a mutual respect,
A bond that can't be broken,
No matter how far it may be stretched.

It will always want the best for you
And will help you if it can,
And when this crazy world confuses you,
Love will help you understand.

Love is not betrayal.
It can look you in the eye
And its word will not be broken;
It won't manipulate or lie.

Love will not degrade you
Or destroy your self-esteem.
It won't be cold or critical
Or belittle all your dreams.

Love will not abandon you,
Despite how difficult things get.
It will create the sweetest memories,
Not a torrent of regrets.

But where there are beginnings,
There will sometimes be an end.
But our hearts are made of sturdy stock,
And so a broken heart can mend.

To love is human nature;
It is a crucial part of life.
It may not always come so easily,
But it will be well worth the fight.

Love comes in every shape and size,
And we can love in different ways.
It will still remain alive in us,
When all else has passed away.

The world outside is a wondrous place,
Filled with many miracles to see.
It's a place to hear and smell and feel.
It's a place so unfettered and free.

From the welcome warmth of the morning sun,
As it plays upon your eyes,
Enticing you from your slumber
To awaken and come alive.

Or the gentle touch of an Autumn breeze,
As it chills and caresses your face,
Beckoning you to start your day
And let go of the night's embrace.

The sound of the birds as they twitter and sing,
Still nestled in the warmth of the trees.
Soon they will lift their wings in flight,
Shooed away by the fluttering leaves.

To smell that earthy, Autumn air,
As you step outside and breathe.
To hear that steady, familiar crunch,
As you wade through the dried, dead leaves.

To look up and get lost in a ceiling-less sky,
Deep blue or an ominous grey.
Squinting against the brightest of suns,
Or getting soaked by a sudden, cold rain.

To feel beads of sweat on your clammy face,
In the heat of a blistering day.
Then submerge in a river that seeps through your skin,
Dousing the fire in your veins.

To trudge through the deepest, blistering snow,
As the ice stings your rosy red cheeks.
To smell all the fireplaces burning,
As those faint of heart retreat.

To see your breath float on the air,
As your toes and fingers freeze.
And witness an icy, white blanket of snow,
Just as far as you can see.

The snowflakes falling harder now,
The earth is in a blur.
Your clothes feel damp and heavier,
Your speech begins to slur.

Yes, the outside is a wondrous place,
A world of beauty and brawn.
It's independent but so reliable.
It's vulnerable and yet so strong.

Remember the smell of the summer flowers,
With bright colors all around?
Deep green lawns and the aroma of grass,
Trees plush with leaves abound.

The ocean's glistening, thundering waves,
The gritty, infinite sands.
The forests of trees that reach up to the sky,
The mountains that tower over the land.

The outside world is an endless place.
It shows us how small we can be.
It can nurture and comfort our troubled hearts.
It can grant us sweet moments of peace. 

If you take the time to really see,
The outside is a glorious place.
And how lucky we are that this Paradise,
Is only a few steps away.

I lost a precious part of me
Where you once dwelled, dear friend.
A bond that spanned a lifetime
Came abruptly to an end.

Will my memories sustain me
Even now that you have gone?
Or will your image slowly fade away
Without your face to gaze upon?

I will never feel the comfort
Of your loving, warm embrace.
You will never make me laugh again
Until my stomach aches.

When my heart is feeling lonely,
You won't answer when I call,
And when I start to lose my balance,
You can't catch me if I fall.

I won't have your voice of reason
When I start to lose my way
Or your reassuring words of strength
When I'm feeling so afraid.

I will treasure all those good old days,
All those secrets that we shared,
So that carefree girl I was with you
Won't completely disappear.

I'll hold tightly to your memory
And forever miss you so.
But I'll trust that God must need you more,
And I will gently let you go.

To see that face you've missed so much,
To feel that warmth inside.
To see how much you mean to them,
Reflected in their eyes.

To feel that sense of comfort
That you felt in times gone by.
To hug someone with all your might,
To laugh until you cry.

To escape to all those memories,
Those moments that you shared.
To feel each strong emotion,
As if you were right there.

To recall that sense of purpose
That you felt when so naïve.
And the world was open wide to you
And you were fearless and so free.

To remember all those special friends
Who have long since passed away.
To share regrets you each possess
And haunt you still today.

To reveal whatever pain you've had
In the years that have gone by.
And together feel so grateful
That somehow you both survived.

To know this person inside out,
Their past secrets and their schemes.
Who helped you through some troubled times
And shared your hopes and dreams.

To know your heart and soul are safe
And there is no judgment there.
And no matter what you say or do,
All they want to do is care.

To feel that love that makes you whole
And finally find yourself again.
No, there's nothing better in this life,
Than being with a long-lost friend!

I'll post all those pictures of me having fun,
Wearing my happiest grin.
Add a few comments to enhance the effect,
And impress all my great Facebook friends.

Make them think that my life is fulfilling,
That I'm truly the best I can be.
Fill up my page with bullshit and lies,
So they all will be jealous of me.

Or perhaps I should post some Political views,
And appear quite informed and so smart.
Creating a page that can trigger debate,
Is an envious Facebook art.

Or maybe I'll take a more spiritual tact,
Sending Blessings to all of my friends.
What a kind and generous gesture,
Who cares if it's all just pretend.

I could certainly post a poem of mine,
And show them how deep I can be.
They be in such awe of the talent I have
They'll wish they could all be like me.

I wonder just how many likes I will get,
And maybe a comment or two.
But what if they simply ignore me today?
I just don't know what I will do.

Comparing my page to all of my friends,
Can cause me such worry and pain.
They have far more likes and a long list of friends,
It makes me feel insecure and ashamed.

I wake up each day and the first thing I do,
Is open my own Facebook page.
And the attention it drew has such an effect,
It can make or break my whole day.

I could never imagine that now in old age,
I'd have such a need to be liked.
And discovering that people really don't care,
Could fill me with panic and fright.

To be young in this world must be terribly hard,
When social media sets the standard so high.
And it constantly stalks and berates our poor youth,
Leading to anger, withdrawal and suicide.

As for myself, I took down my page,
I refuse to engage in such farce.
But when you are young and unsure yourself,
Such rejection can tear you apart.

So take care of the young that you have in your life,
Don't let social media win.
Nurture and protect their fragile esteem,
Be a true and accepting, real friend.