A Fire Burns

It seems so distant to me now

and memories fade each day

What happened to our way of life?

I really just can’t say

Somehow a stupor settled in    

and apathy laid waste

A generation lost its soul

and values were replaced

My heroes disappeared one day

and rights turned into wrong

Confusion now so strong and clear

To whom do I belong?

Yet now inside a fire burns

I know we're still the best

I pledge allegiance to the flag

my hand upon my chest

All Rights Reserved Jon Arno 2012

How Beautiful

How beautiful she looks tonight

as slumber holds her close

Her spirit off in dreams somewhere

oh what a lovely pose

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Clinging To A Ray Of Hope

So many times I think of you

and whisper out your name

Regrets have often punished me

while taunting who's to blame 

So bruised and battered in my soul

this heartache never ends

I try to make it through each day

sometimes I just pretend

I'm clinging to a ray of hope

our paths will cross once more

Sometimes I even fantasize

you walking through my door

All Rights Reserved Jon Arno 2012

I Tried So Hard

I tried so hard to make it work    

you finally took me down

I couldn’t hold on anymore

and in the end love drowned

You pushed me down into the depths

Of heartache and despair

I didn’t go without a fight

I struggled hard for air

I tried to hold on to our dream

but in the end  It died

Your secret life was hid from me

so many times you lied

Death has it’s freedom in the end

perspective lights the way

In retrospect I can’t believe

I let you...make me stay

All Rights Reserved Jon Arno 2012

Forever Be With You

So many years of memories

they gather here for me

Each time I come to visit you

your spirit sets them free

The silence here is so profound

my thoughts so clear and true

Perspectives are in harmony     

there all in tune with you

I wish that I could turn back time

and hold you once again

To run my fingers through your hair

and see your lovely grin

I long for days so long ago

when we were young at heart

We couldn’t know a day would come

when we would be apart

One day My Love I’ll come to stay

forever be with you

We’ll walk  in places yet unknown

the sadness we’ll undo

All Rights Reserved Jon Arno 2012

A Tantalizing Dream

Again she finds me late at night

a tantalizing dream

Recurring visit while I sleep

a strange but lovely theme

So beautiful and marvelous

this lady dressed in lace

With diamonds hanging from her ears

a smile upon her face

Each time I have to say goodbye

she boards a waiting train

I want to follow after her

but find myself restrained

Who is this woman in my dreams

a traveler placed in time?

She seems to know me very well

this visitor of mine

A premonition speaks to me

that soon I’ll board the train

The next stop is eternity

it's all been preordained

All Rights Reserved Jon Arno 2012

Back In Time

If you could travel back in time

I wonder would you go

A one way ticket guaranteed

but only you would know

A chance to take a different path
than what you chose before
With wisdom there to be your guide
to know your youth once more

Would you be willing to give up
the life you have right now
Go back to where it all began
and change it then somehow

Perhaps you're happy with your life
things worked out very well
Some minor problems here and there
but nothing to dispel

For you the portal disappears
but others walk on through
For them it didn't go so well
I'm glad it did for you

All Rights Reserved Jon Arno 2012

Maybe Find Love Twice

So many times I’ve thought of you

when silence filled my day

Sometimes a smile would come to me

but seldom would it stay

At times those moments hurt so bad

I often called  your name

An overwhelming avalanche

emotions unrestrained   

Sometimes I’d lay awake at night

and try to think it through

But truth would always close the doors

some things I can’t undo

I hope in time I’ll find a way

to turn the page in life

A chapter filled with happiness

and maybe find love twice

All Rights Reserved Jon Arno 2012

Life Gets In The Way

Distant memories call at night

when slumber holds me close

The voices of my child hood friends

the ones I loved the most

Sometimes I feel a need to call

but life gets in the way

I carry one with what I do

and this is where I stay

If I could travel back in time

I know I surely would

Somehow I chased a foolish dream

and lost all that I could

Its funny how we settle for

so little in this life

We give away our souls sometimes

the pain cuts like a knife

All Rights Reserved Jon Arno 2012

Thank God I Still Have You

My Summer months have slipped away

they came and went so fast

Fall weather soon will settle in

and then it too won’t last

Another year is almost gone

I can’t believe it’s true

The kids all grown and on their own

Thank God I still have you

I didn’t think that life would give

so many pleasant days

But warning signs have now arrived

some say they come with age

I won’t give in without a fight

there’s still so much to do

Tomorrow brings a brand new day

for me to spend with you

All Rights Reserved Jon Arno 2012

The Quest

I’ve come back home a different man

so many years have past

Ambition lured me far from home

and dreams they didn’t last

When I left home I never knew

what life was all about

The quest to find my niche in life…

assumed it’d all work out  

My path to glory found dead ends

I struggled for so long

Another face inside the crowd

How did it all go wrong?

In time old memories spoke to me

when I was all alone

And in the end a still small voice

said son, you should go home

All Rights Reserved Jon Arno 2012

Granny’s Paradise

Each summer after school let out

I’d travel far away

To spend two weeks at Granny’s house

oh how we both would play

My Granny had a secret place

She often shared with me

                           A garden that turned fantasy                        

Into reality

So magical and wonderful

my Grannie’s paradise

A garden that would come alive   

and catch me by surprise  

Each day it seemed the garden changed

new blossom’s would appear

My Granny would delight in this

sometimes I’d see a deer!

We’d walk along the garden trail

her stories came to life

Sometimes I saw the characters

they smiled as we walked by 

Her heart was filled with melody

I loved to hold her hand

A gentle soul so full of love

I was her little man

All Rights Reserved Jon Arno 2012