While The Sun Is Shining:

I will forget that rain exists,
I will rejoice in a day of peace,
The splendor of light,
The warmth upon my back,
I see the light as our boys all come home,
Joyous and relieved,
For the stars of peace and harmony,
They will shine bright and full,
But I will be here walking,
Amongst the golden trees and grasses,
Looking over the shoreline,
Seeing all the world's ships coming in,
Knowing I will be finally reading happy headlines,
Because the bright serenity of morning,
I have utter faith it shall come.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 02/27/2003

Author's Comments:
Something to hold close to heart,
For the tone of our hearts creates the tone
of our lives. May you all walk in the sunshine.

A Sea Of Glass:

The white sails were silent and unmoving,
The flag lying draped immobile upon the mast,
The sunset was vast and indelibly warm,
Tears were draped across eyes,
All the decks awash yet not in pain,
Sheer delight and joy our Captain,
The brass under hand held us steady,
As we leaned and watched the stars rise,
The fish of the seas looked down into our eyes,
And the sea of night lovingly swallowed us whole,
A comet fell across the waveless expanse,
And we feared to break the treasure of silence,
Never dipping an oar to follow it away,
Little did we know then of angels,
But they sang our treasures upon the distant reaches,
Those sands of our tomorrow such gentle breezes hold,
And the fragile red wood of our boat,
It held us up to Heaven like babes in arm,
Even as our ship glided silently in from the sea,
Content to see the fires of home,
Our towers of light,
Upon the coming shores.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 02/27/2003

Author's Comments:
I am looking to find a beautiful place in the heart,
and hold to it like a glowing candle against the
dark night of false fears.

Boundaries Of Pictures:

A heart can be broken to look,
Joy may fly into a face in remembrance,
Cheeks may flush at the cringe,
Reality even seem to bend,
In the magic of artistic illusion,
Time may stop and start like an engine,
Racing into the great beyond,
All these lanes we drive so hard,
Yet you can twist the key 'til breaking,
Shift every lever you find,
But there is no reverse,
Not even the slightest brakes,
And that's what drives you to tears the most,
The universal law of the boundaries of pictures.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 02/23/2002

Author's Comments:
A life lesson reinforced yesterday.

The Light Of Understanding:

Understanding is a small candle,
Hard to find even in a dark room,
Flickering in the breezes that blow through our lives,
And no matter how close or loving,
The hand that tries to light the match,
It so often seems we must find it ourselves,
And when we do it's hard not to look,
For joyous or sad it fills our eyes,
With stinging smoke or sudden glaring light,
How I wish the arms of a hug,
Could turn your head just the right way,
So that you could see.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 02/18/2003

Author's Comments;
How many times have we all thought
this when a loved one was hurting?

Miracle List:

Sunshine upon golden hair,
Fine wine and wonderful dinners,
Eyes to see my love,
Warmth to hold her,
Plenty of cash to buy her gifts and flowers,
A life of plenty that doesn't come at other's expense,
Sweet music for romantic hours and hours,
Sand and sea and fun,
A beautiful place where we wish to be at home,
Candle light and starshine,
Both of us feeling fulfilled in our purpose of life,
Peace and harmony and happiness,
Safety and happiness for those we love,
Charity and kindness and good works,
Someone nice and inquisitive to teach,
The ability to help others in need,
The opportunity to do so,
This is my list of miracles,
I now claim by divine right,
And thank you God for granting these things,
To all who have the heart to ask you.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 02/18/2003

Author's Comments:
A prayer, a poem. Many times there is
little difference between them.

Freedom Of The Sun:

I want to go back to where my hair was long,
I want to rock on out to a bad guitar,
Bust out in the summer sunshine,
Get my eyes just so full and ride like the wind,
I want to walk under fast jets and smile up,
I want to dance in a concert without a care,
Feel the bass wash my body like an ocean of sound,
Turn on my dreams and bring them out loud,
And all the pieces I miss but cannot say,
Wish I could see them curl up close,
Just get blown away,
Let that guitar come on strong and rock me away.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 02/18/2003

Author's Comments:
Listening to some tunes from my high school
years and wishing I could have a vacation back in
that time knowin' all I know.

An Affair Of The Heart:

Day by day,
Note by note,
Our lives play,
Everyone takes it so for granted,
But we've been given the gift,
Incredible and magic and joyous,
Or sad and blue and washed out to sea,
Angry and devastated and blissful,
Every nuance in between,
This gold and platinum of the heart,
Take an ancient and put him in one day of ours,
He'd know instantly what riches I mean,
This gift we expect just like the air we breathe,
We've the richest gift of poetry to music,
This world has ever seen,
Voices that stroke our hearts in all shades,
How do we use it,
How do we choose it,
Take it away for a day,
And you'd see.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 02/18/2003

Author's Comments:
I wonder how many people realize how
graced our culture is with access to so many
different forms and styles of music?
It's unprecedented in history.

A Hushed New Voice:

Soft,
Husky and feminine,
An evening of gentle pull at the heart,
You can feel the soul in the hearing,
And wander in a tenderly longing atmosphere,
She brings the lights low,
The feeling tremulous and wanting,
The keystrokes and deep vocal reach,
All there in your ear like heart candy,
Reaches into you and calls you away,
Yeah the fire is burning smoky blue,
When Norah sings.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 02/10/2003

Author's Comments:
I've recently discovered the voice
and style of Norah Jones. It's like
a smooth whiskey blend of blues,
jazz, and lounge that fits perfectly
into a quiet enjoyable night.
norahjones.com

When Seven Angels Fall:

You won the sky,
All of you,
You reached for our dreams,
Never giving in,
You flew so high and so far,
And the sky reached out,
Calling you it's own.

Never fear that we shall fail,
To pursue the dream you gave up living for,
We shall miss you,
Give our arms and hearts to those you loved,
As we stand upon the Earth searching to Heaven,
The place where heroes go,
When seven angels fall.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
Author donated to public domain.

Author's Comments:
It is with great regret and a heavy heart that I
write these pitifully inadequate words in the
aftermath of losing Columbia's crew. These people gave
their lives in pursuit of the best things humanity aspires to.
Via con Dios, go with God, and we shall remember you.
Rick Husband, William McCool, Kalpana Chawla
David Brown, Mike Anderson, Laurel Clark
Ilan Ramon.

Please be aware I do not need or expect any reply. I wish to pay my respects to the individuals that passed and offer my condolences to their friends, colleagues, and most of all families. My heart goes out to you all.

Dan Stafford

Touch The Earth:

Upon all the cloud-decked dark as blackness stormy sky,
I reached out my hands to touch the wind,
Hair flowing back at the rain pounding my face,
Even with eyes closed I could tell in the moment,
The clouds opened up in five places,
The rays of sunshine carried down,
Voices of angels howled in the cyclone,
And the fingers of God fell upon the Earth,
Bringing warmth amid the tears,
I turned as the wind whipped me,
Opened my raw eyes,
And saw the double rainbow,
Two times the price of the covenant,
In payment for the gift of all these tears.

AquarianM

By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 02/01/2003

Author's Comments:
I've seen all the things I describe in person
at different times, except the angels were in my dreams.