A newborn baby learns to laugh
How wonderful the sight
We show them love
We show them hate
We teach them wrong and right.

These children we are blessed to teach
Believe our words are truth
We want them smart
We want them strong
We minimize their youth.

In ignorance to what is real
Conditioned by our greed
Our anger grows
Outwardly shows
Just what our kids don't need.

How honorable the parents
That aren't afraid to try
To show their love
Devoid of hate
To marvel at the sky.

In search of truth I soon found out
The ultimate endeavour
Is in your heart
For all to know
That truth was here forever.

To teach that truth is in your heart
Your heart was made for giving
Though what you seek
May not be found
The quest makes life worth living.
Todd M. Sholley

In search of truth I soon found out
The ultimate endeavour
Is in your heart
For all to know
That truth was here forever.

A newborn baby learns to laugh
How wonderful the sight
We show them love
We show them hate
We teach them wrong and right.

These children we are blessed to teach
Believe our words are truth
We want them smart
We want them strong
We minimize their youth.

In ignorance to what is real
Conditioned by our greed
Our anger grows
Outwardly shows
Just what our kids don't need.

How honorable the parents
That aren't afraid to try
To show their love
Devoid of hate
To marvel at the sky.

To teach that truth is in your heart
Your heart was made for giving
Though what you seek
May not be found
The QUEST makes life worth living.

Todd M. Sholley

I met her on the bus I rode to work each day.

Though she was silent as she stared I knew she had a lot to say.

Don't sit with her the others conversed

she might have lice or crabs or something worse.

I've been noticing her ways for days and I began to care.

She rode along in silence her light blue eyes fixed in stare'

Her name was Esmerelda she had so much love to share,

a lifetime of wisdom, a head full of white hair.
Beside her purse and shawl there was a box full of seeds
oh, thats for my angels she pulled up her sleeves.
She got off at the park by the old flour mill
Soon birds were all over, the park quickly filled.

In youth she had beauty and yes, quite a dancer.

But poverty and war soon spread like a cancer.

She had her love of many years always by her side.

With Gus they had strength of heart and soul in kind.

Big Gus worked at the mill that ran both night and day.

I love you more than even bread is what he used to say.
Now one sad day he left her side
called up to go and fight.
Esmerelda was fine by day but cried most every night.
Soon the war was over she saw soldiers coming home.
Her Gus was nowhere in sight, she felt so alone.
One day some soldiers came to her with news
She cried at first then realized his love she'd never lose.
To ease the pain she rode the bus to the park
arriving by day not leaving till dark.
Gus always said he wished he could fly
and now and then theres a dove passing by
to kiss her sweet cheek and it seems she has learned
although Gus left his spirit returned.
I never thought Id meet an angel riding on the bus

I will cherish the story always of Esmerelda and Gus.

Freddy always had bad breath
but it was getting worse.
His mother blamed his diet,
Freddy claimed it was a curse.

His room was filled with stick-ups
to freshen up the air.
Freddy's mom was embarrassed,
Freddy didn't care.

Freddy's pillow lost its color
and faded from red to pink.
His morning breath has morphed
the toothbrush and towel at the sink.

Each morning Freddy's mom
wakes him with a stick.
She has to keep her distance,
his breath would make her sick.

Freddy loved attention,
he found lots of it at school.
Though his language was horrendous
some still thought he was cool.

Freddy could burp whole sentences
farting on command.
There was no doubt he was the king
of grossness in the land.

Freddy had a crush on Suzy Shindig,
the cutest girl in school.
He thought she was a princess,
she called him a fool.

Freddy freshened up his act
and soon won Suzy's heart.
She loved to be around him,
except when he would ....

Freddy's bad breath went away.
His family was elated.
The color had returned to all his breath had faded.

The chickens busy laying eggs were squawking 'bout their feat
while pigs nearby were waddlin' in mud to beat the heat.
The guernsey cow was chewing cud the goat was eatin' grass.The donkey
stood and watched it all while horse was passing gas.
The cats were waitin' for the milk that guernsey made each day,
their kittens hid amongst the straw for it was time to play.
The geese were honking while they chased away the cats.
The pigs called them rude then the geese called them fats.
The mice came out to gather their grains and the kittens chased
them right down the drains.
Pidgeons in pairs were preening their backs
as farmer came in with food in big sacks.
He made darn sure that everyone ate, was always on time and never late.
This loving existence for all that live there
is living proof of love in the air. Todd M Sholley

It seems only yesterday
when our children were born.
I remember the chair
I'd rock in 'till dawn.
This chair has a past that is tried and true,
and on many a night only that chair would do.
The chair was handmade a decade ago
by Mother's father, a woodsmith you know.
Each new generation rocks their babies 'till grown,
in that same rocking chair Grandpa made at his home.
Sometimes that old chair saw more use than my bed,
sounds like something my parents once said.
Through colic and colds, cuttin' teeth through their gums
I'd sing them my songs ... well, sometimes I'd hum.
I'd waken mid-morning with a baby asleep
then back to the crib I'd silently creep.
Some nights they'd want something, I just didn't know,
so we'd rock and we'd rock and we'd rock some more.
Now my kids have grown older and i still love that old chair.
My most precious moments were spent rocking there.
So simple and rustic that chair will live on
to watch sleepless nights turn into the dawn.
There's few things in life I wish always were there,
for me it's my family and that old rocking chair. Todd M
Sholley

Iwake up each morning
to that crazy old bird,
his song's not the prettiest thing
you've ever heard.
Daily he crows
to announce the sun.
He does his job well
and does it for fun.
Who else gets to scream
at the first light of day
at the top of their lungs
"get out of the hay!"
The people that live at the place where he crows
get up from their beds and put on their clothes.
Soon all the animals get their daily reward,
it's feeding time in the old barnyard.
When feeding is over he stretches his legs.
The chickens nearby are laying their eggs.
He scratches the dirt like he's having a fit,
his diet includes both gravel and grit.
The rest of his day is leisurely spent.
The chickens adore him and he is content.
His titles include the rooster, the crooner, the king!
He's glad to be grounded, not a bird of the wing.
If I could be something, I've heard people say,
I'd be a bald eagle, a great bird of prey.
Now that I know him, I have to say,
I'd be a ROOSTER any old day!

He lied to her
She lied to him
Their kids lied,
What a shame.
The son got busted
drinking beer,
he lied about his name.
The daughter
missed her period,
she lied to hide her shame.
Dad lied to mom
about working late,
it seemed the thing to do.
Mom lied to dad
about loving him,
for all along she knew.
They all lived lies
and didn't care,
for life was hard,
and nothing was fair.
One very sad day
dad had a stroke,
he died shortly after.
The family wished
instead of lies
they 'd filled their lives
with laughter.
The lies they told
brought only pain,
and ended up in sorrow.
From that day on
they swore to all ,
they'd tell the truth...tomorrow. Todd M. Sholley