People and Places

Bear with me on this one. It is a personal and nostalgic look at our past travels.

People and Places

By Wayne Hinton

May 5, 2015

If you are old enough, maybe you can relate to this.
If you are young enough, maybe you can learn from it.
And, if you are in between, maybe you can change if needed.
My goals were quite simple years ago, and I reaped the benefit.

By keeping my goals simple, some were easy to achieve.
But the biggest advantage was being able to recognize
Opportunities for what they were worth
And what they could offer to my eyes.

Math was a major part of my early goals
But that didn’t work out for me.
Several girls interested me enough to think
My Mrs. was among them, but it wasn’t to be.

I dreamed of living in Texas for some reason,
And Dallas was a focus for many years.
I thought I was stuck working in Cincinnati,
And losing our first child brought many tears.

My wife had never lived anywhere else,
So moving to Texas was a test of trust.
We took a trial move for a few months,
And found that Dallas westward was full of dust.

With two children at the time, we made a conscious decision
To use the temporary time we were there
And make the most of every moment.
So we toured Texas with a flare.

The Alamo was a must-see of course
And Johnson’s library was full of intrigue.
Since we had not seen anything like it.
The displays were out of our league.

Eisenhower’s birthplace was close
And we couldn’t let the opportunity pass
To visit his old home in Denison
Long before he earned his brass.

A drive into Oklahoma found us racing a tornado
Hoping we could beat it back to Dallas.
We did, of course, with some nerves unwound.
At least I found out that my feelings were not callous.

Passing the test of living elsewhere, we waited
And found ourselves moving to Connecticut.
While there, we visited New York City, Boston and more
Where we witnessed a whole new form of etiquette.

Plymouth Rock, Cape Cod, Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine
And New Hampshire were among our many tours.
We even were able to give my dad a vacation that
He had only dreamed would show the sight of early wars.

Chicago was next, although I did not really want to go.
Surprisingly, we found some of our best friends ever
And again made some incredible findings.
Finding our way around town was a difficult endeavor.

My first visit outside the United States
Came when I had a small team
Doing some work in Puerto Rico.
The humidity was extreme.

Wisconsin was more interesting than expected
And long distance bike rides and camping were great.
We amassed a great many pleasant memories
And we toured throughout the state.

I thought I knew Kentucky well, having grown up there,
But living in Frankfort for a short time,
And getting Janis some horse riding lessons,
Gave us a different view of the caves and pleasant clime.

Dallas was next – our second time to live there.
Our focus was on a school where both kids could graduate.
But after only a few short days, I was called to Detroit.
You never know when you will meet a twist of fate.

Needless to say, Detroit was not in my top ten cities to live
But General Motors needed a lot of assistance
So many of us went to help even though
What we wanted to see was far in the distance.

My position allowed me trips
To Canada and Mexico.
Working with the locals there
Helped my skills to grow.

Michigan holds some absolutely wonderful scenery
The Upper Peninsula provides a great many views.
We also got our first chances to spend time
In Canada, Niagara Falls and other places to choose.

We lived there long enough for both children to graduate
And I had some serious increases in responsibilities.
I considered it a reward to be chosen to go to South Korea
It proved to be a real test of some of my abilities.

The Old Korean Village and Itaewon were fascinating
And the food was deliciously different.
We bought souvenirs, of course,
And the people were very brilliant.

New Orleans loomed next in our travels
And what an unusual time we had.
The food and music, along with the people,
All had a quality and style, but it was not all bad.

The history of southern Louisiana is full of wonder
You can imagine a belle descending the stairs
Of almost any of the mansions
And no one is burdened by cares.

Opening offices in Oklahoma City and Reno
Gave me some new views of life.
Tahoe is a wonderful place and it gave
Me a place to vacation with my wife.

Our third relocation to Dallas gave travel for us
A whole new dimension.
The places we saw while in Europe
Were way beyond our comprehension.

England, Ireland, Belgium and Germany
Were very educational and beautiful locations.
The autobahn, Switzerland and the Rhine
Went beyond my expectations.

Now, as we have settled into our advanced ages,
I have no more fear to fly.
Nor do I want to do it anymore.
I’m content to gaze into the sky.

I see a lot of planes go over the house
And I wonder about each person’s destination.
Is it business or pleasure or something else?
I hope it is combined with a great vacation.

Nostalgia or Neuroses?

Nostalgia or Neuroses?

By Wayne Hinton

May 4, 2015

Oh, Donna, where can you be? The years have taken you away.

You are in the background now just like Peggy Sue.

Some were funny, like the boy named Sue,

Emotions were a major part of every song we knew.

Carol, Diana, Tammy and long, tall Sally were popular, too.

Heartbreak Hotel was full and Lonesome Town

Was where all the broken hearts stayed.

And we’ll never forget being called Cathy’s Clown.

It doesn’t really matter if you were leaving on a jet plane

Or laughing as the tide washed away love letters in the sand,

We all agreed there ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone,

And we had to re-write the love letters by hand.

Paul said it wasn’t puppy love, but it really was,

At seventeen, it is rarely anything serious.

It just feels like we will die when the one we think we love

Only makes us feel delirious.

Don’t get me wrong … I love the old songs and the memories,

They were a very large part of my youth.

But for all the singing about what we called love,

All we experienced about love was far from the truth.

The most romantic love is not Romeo and Juliet

Even though they tragically died together.

It is the story of grandma and grandpa

Who grew old together through all the storms they could weather.

Songs of the youth play with our neuroses

Without which they would not be popular in their day.

Now we need to put them where they belong

As nostalgia and let them lay.

Enjoy the music that was then, and sing along

We can recognize the music is easy to dance to,

But, at the same time, we do not need to retrieve

The old days when our hormones and neuroses grew.

We don’t need to be singing the blues anymore

My prayer has changed and I’m sure yours has, too.

But the day we stop growing and learning

Will always make us Mr. Blue.

Why Am I Still Here?

Why Am I Still Here?

By Wayne Hinton

May 3, 2015

Why am I still here?
Sometimes it just doesn’t make sense.
As I look back over the years,
Life almost stopped on several events.

First, when I was very young, my mother fed me an apple
She never gave it a thought to peel it first.
Mom knew apples were good for health and teeth
And gave it to me not fearing the worst.

I choked on the peel. Doctors were called.
I’m not sure how long I was without air.
They watched me carefully and nurtured me
So that I recovered after the scare.

God must have had something He wanted me to do.

Nothing can protect children from the accidents that loom
Around each and every blunder.
Falls, cuts, bruises, breaks are all a part of growing up.
Survival is often a wonder.

Then driving a car becomes a teenager’s dream.
I was fortunate to have a cousin with one dad could afford.
A couple of minor mishaps taught me a few things
Then, I was enamored of and bought a 1955 Ford.

It was beautiful – emerald green with many coats
I really felt like I was in the car I was meant to own.
On a two-lane highway, three cars behind a three wheel tractor,
I decided to pass them all in a legal passing zone.

It may have been seven years old, but I owned it only six days.
When the tricycle tractor turned left into my path
I ended up in a ditch with the motor racing.
Turning off the ignition key, I dove out of the car with great wrath.

The car was totaled and I was in a state of awe again.
It was time to move on and my next experience
Was driving home from college for a weekend.
I made it to the last highway exit in a state of weariness.

God must have had something else He wanted me to do.

Suffice it to say, I fell asleep at the wheel, running off the road
I awoke as I was swerving onto the gravel.
Why I was able to compose myself, I will never know
It makes more sense that my nerves would unravel.

A few years later, after college graduation,
I became friends with a co-worker who was non-controversial
He had his pilot’s license active but wanted to
Progress so he could go on to fly commercial.

As we flew into Cincinnati Airport, he found out
His brakes didn’t work, but we escaped
Missing an incoming jet plane without incident.
We didn’t even have time to be afraid.

Later, on his test flight, the instructor told Jerry
To put the small plane into a stall.
I didn’t know this, not that he could recover,
In my mind, my life was over – that was all.

It became clearer in my mind that God had something He wanted me to do.

There have been many other incidents in my life
Where survival was very uncertain.
Yet, I am still here to tell my story
Before He closes the final curtain.

Prostate cancer and lymphoma were treated
With chemo and radiation treatments for a cure.
Then heart trouble sent me into hospital stays
And procedures that I did not think I could endure.

My attitude has stayed positive and my doctors
Have been beyond my greatest hope.
Yet, I was totally convinced that I did not have the strength
To come close to be able to cope.

Often in this life, God keeps us alive
Even when we don’t know how or why.
And many times, it may be after a few years,
He gives us other situation that explain the reasons from high.

So – why am I still here? I can only presume that God has something more that He wants me to do.

Sodom and Gomorrah

Sodom and Gomorrah

By Wayne Hinton

April 28, 2015

Isaiah says without the LORD of hosts 

We would have become like Sodom,

Had he not left to us a very small remnant,

Who hold fast to “Thy kingdom come”

I can’t really think of more to say

Because in this world around us

We can’t get much closer to Sodom

There’s little more to discuss.

What Can I Do?

WHAT CAN I DO?

by Wayne Hinton

April 26, 2015

Looking back over my seventy-one years, it is clear

That many things have remained the same.

What I liked and disliked in my younger days

I still feel is not much more than a head game.

Running fast in track meets was rewarding.

I enjoyed baseball and life in the country.

A starry, starry night is relaxing

And who doesn’t love a day that is sunny.

After my love of God and His ways,

My family is most important.

Of all the things I have experienced

Those have been the most constant.

Aging and illnesses have taken a lot away.

And it is so tempting to dwell on those things

That I can no longer do like when I was young

Yet I can still wait to see what tomorrow brings.

The business world taught me a lot

That no class room could ever do.

I try to learn from everything I have done

Selling real estate taught me, too.

I can no longer be effective in any job

No matter how hard I might try.

I know some my age that have recoiled from life

And sit around waiting to die.

Not me. Oh, no. I’ve never been that way.

To give up or to quit

Although to be totally honest,

It’s not always easy, I admit.

A dear friend and I have talked about

The physical trials we have been through.

Why we are still alive on earth can only mean

There is something else God wants us to do.

As the days go by and opportunities arise

It is important, it seems to me,

To take advantage of each and every one.

Even when the impact is hard to see.

I believe that God has a purpose and plan

For each and every person on earth.

And how we face each days challenges

He judges us for what we are worth.

So, I will try to relax and enjoy each day

Whether rainy or sunny, it doesn’t matter.

I will ask for Gods’ direction for me

And keep it in view; not let it scatter.

I’ve heard it said that the best way to learn

Is to teach others what you know.

So I plan to pass along what I have learned

To anyone wanting to grow.

If that is all I can do with my life

For whatever time I have on earth

To teach and to learn is important to God

And how we should live since our birth.

Patience

Patience
by Wayne Hinton

4/21/2015


Patience is a strange phenomenon when we take pause
To consider what it means to each of us.
At times we are convinced that we
Are the only people in the world with a surplus.

Like many of us, I have analyzed my own level
Of patience as it applies to me.
Most of my life I have felt that my patience with people,
Was as strong as it can be.

I’ve searched the Bible to see what God expects
And have found that patience is a product
Of the testing of one’s faith in God
And we show it by our own conduct.

My focus was on verses from Solomon,
The greatest teacher and wisest of all,
And James, who gave my cursory looks
Comfort that I had the wherewithal.

I had been through two cancers and treatments
That they brought along with them.
Then with my heart damaged I had more to learn
And health concerns became more solemn.

Another year went by and I was feeling fairly well
When new challenges appeared
That required a serious test of patience
I did not do well as the new treatments reared.

It wasn’t until a few days later
That I was able to get a new revelation
When I saw a movie about Jesus Christ
And the torturing that was done.

Jesus’ back was raw and bleeding,
Yet He never said a word
The thorns on His head were more
Than most men could encounter.

While carrying His cross it was clear
That the pain and suffering were too much
For any human being to endure
It would be too painful to even touch.

As He went through this terrible ordeal,
It became too personal for my being.
As I understood Christ’s patience
That qualified Him to be King.

“Lord, grant me patience – right now”
We joke when our needs are not so great.
Our faith alone should give us what we need,
Yet in life’s challenges we simply can’t relate.

James said we should count it all joy
When you fall into various trials,
Knowing that testing produces patience.
Even when our physical body wails.

Some have said I am strong but they don’t know
The weakness I feel every day
Compared to the afflictions that Jesus
Suffered to show us His Way.

My patience will never come close to His
As I go through these days and nights.
So I must rely on His strength
To carry me when I face my fights.

Let's Be Real

Let’s be Real

By Wayne Hinton

February 13, 2015

Charlie said to “Kiss an Angel Good Morning”

And this makes a lot of sense.

I think the only way to consider this

Is in the future tense.

We fall in love when we are young

Many times is not very rare.

We look at one another and believe

We will make the perfect pair.

If we take the next steps, we find

Many things need a second look.

Maybe we find it difficult to talk

Or you read each other like a book.

So you take on the challenge of marriage

And then you really find out

How your spouse lives life

And what love is all about.

Sorry to say to all the wives

But at times you are a lot of trouble.

The first argument is difficult

And really bursts the bubble.

Then the story really opens up

The ‘nits’ start sneaking in

As your spouse finds out that

Your patience wears thin.

You squeeze the toothpaste the wrong way,

And you don’t know how to hang toilet paper.

The things you now find out about each other

If you’re not committed, love can go like vapor.

You can call it quits as many people do,

But that defeats the reasons

That you promised one another

Love for all of the seasons.

For better or worse is not just a phrase.

It has a strong intent.

And it may takes years to understand

What is really meant.

Love songs are meant for the young

When they are looking for a mate.

They do not paint a true picture

Of life beyond the first date.

Mistakes are made by all.

Men are included in the mix, of course.

Learning to understand a man

May be harder than taming a horse.

None of us is perfect, that’s true

And we need to understand

That staying in love all your life

Must be learned firsthand.

So, when you awake in the morning

And get past the morning breath

Remember, she may not be an angel,

But she is your true love ‘til death.

A Reason, A Season or a Lifetime

A Reason, A Season or a Lifetime

By Wayne Hinton

February 10, 2015

Friends come and go through the years.

Some we miss as time goes by.

Whatever happened to so and so, we ask,

We lost track and don’t even know why.

We were very close to some of them

In our younger days.

But as we age, our memory

Sees them in different ways.

Did the “Male Most Likely to Succeed” really succeed?

Or did he end up just scraping by?

Is the “Most Photogenic Girl” still pretty,

Is she still svelte and spry?

We all have added years to our lives,

Except for those who have died.

And though we once were close as can be,

Now we are scattered far and wide.

Do the twins still look a lot alike?

Are the athletes still athletic?

Or have they all developed like so many?

Health and age making them pathetic.

If somehow we can talk with them again,

Will they remember you at all?

Or will they have to be super honest

And say they don’t remember at all?

If they remember, how will it be?

Will it be with kindness or not?

Remember, our view of the relationship

May not be what we thought.

Why were they in our lives?

Did you ever think of that?

We knew them only a very short time,

It might have only been a chat.

God only knows the answer to that.

We don’t have as much control

As we think we might have had

We all were playing a role.

On the stage we call life,

There are many characters and roles.

Some are only cameos

While others will share our goals.

Those who share our goals, we hope,

Will stick around for a time

While we reach and learn

How to scale our mountain to climb.

Once the mountain has been conquered,

Those friends, too, may be gone.

We hear about them from time to time,

Their memory lingers on.

It’s been said that each of us

Has, at best, five lifetime friends.

They are few and far between,

But their friendship never ends.

There is a suggestion for each of us to follow.

Why not reach out to find those souls

Who helped us along the way?

Find out if they, each one, met their goals.

Tell them how much you appreciate

The role they played in your life.

Thank them for contributing their advice

When you were going through some strife.

Send a note to those who may be grieving

From the loss of someone held dear.

It may be you can ease their sadness

By lending them your ear.

While you’re at it, don’t forget

Those you may have alienated.

Offer them a sincere apology.

It just might be appreciated.

Remember, every person you have known,

Was placed into your life’s climb

By God, who knew what you needed,

For a reason, a season or a lifetime.

To All the People I have Known

To All the People I have Known

by Wayne Hinton

With apologies to Andy, Julio and Willie

(If you know their songs, you'll know what I mean)

As I look back over the past 55 years

I am amazed how many people I have seen.

Many of them became life-long friends.

Others entered my life for only a season

I choose to believe that everyone I have known

Came into my life for a reason.

I've experienced my closest male friendships

With only a very few

And, of the three that were dearest,

Death has taken two.

My relationships with girls and women

Were hard to understand.

I know some called me fickled, but each

Was an important part of God's plan.

I learned something from each and every friend,

Even some of them were related,

But the most important things I learned

Were from those females I dated.

I could name names,

But that would not be smart,

My wife knows who they are

Each one a work of art.

Some were pretty,

All were cute.

No matter their appearance,

I gave each one the book.

There were some exceptions

To the fickle side of me

Each of them gave me the boot.

In all there were only three.

You see, I never believed I could be truly loved,

I thought that was out of my reach,

So I left each one before they had a chance to leave me.

To leave them, subconsciously, was my safety net -

For the relationship to cease.

It really didn't matter

Whether the eyes were brown or blue.

The green-eyed girl I married

Has proven her love is true.

She is truly a composite

Of all the girls I dated.

God knew she was there for me

If I but only waited.

I'm sorry for my treatment of some

By being fickle or crude or rude.

No matter what I did to you,

You gave me spiritual food.

I have grown old and

Nothing works the same

But I thank all my friends for being in my life,

No matter what's your name.

Knowing you has helped me grow

Into what I am today.

This poem is the only method

I could put into words what I want to say.

Ode To Wayne

An Ode to Wayne

In the 1970s and 1980s, the Dean Martin roasts were a highlight of TV. Like most popular trends, there were many copycat attempts. Even managers were not exempt. I was roasted (honored) by one such event and I still have the audio tape (remember those) of it. They really had me nailed!

When I was leaving the account, I was again 'honored' with gifts and jokes and one particular poem that I just happened across while going through my old 'stuff'. Bill wrote it:

An Ode to Wayne

There's a story that's told of a man called Wayne,

A man so strong as a locomotive train.

He was an ace SE and a hard-nosed boss;

He wore a cowboy hat, but he didn't have a hoss.

Well, one day in his shop there was heard a big bash

And the modules abended and the system did crash.

Well, no, some people screamed and other passed out;

Many wet their pants, and all began to shout.

The place was in a frenzy as they tried to patch the system,

But they fought a losing battle 'til Wayne came to assist them.

Well, he found himself a console and he pushed 'em all aside.

He said "Better make way - 'cause I'm gonna take a ride!"

Well, he started on that keyboard, and that tube it sure did smoke

As his powers of reason, that SE did invoke.

Well, he sat there and he typed until his fingers, they bled

And he didn't stop the 'cause he liked the color red.

Well, now when the dust settled that system did hum

And Wayne, he slowly got up and then he smiled some.

Well, he grabbed his coat and donned his hat

And then we heard him say -

"It weren't nothin' folks - just another day."

Have Things Really Changed or Not?

Have Things Really Changed or Not?

By Wayne Hinton

1/31/2015

Many Christians agree that Solomon was wise

And his writings were wise and true.

So what do we do with the words he wrote,

That under the sun there is nothing new?

“Is there anything of which it may be said, ‘See, this is new’?

It has already been in ancient times before us.”

Then how come it is that the TV ads

Repeatedly tell us it is not thus.

When I was young, my mom read poems to me

And I listened closely and studied each.

To me they were as new as they could be

But it was the poems now within my reach.

Each had been around for years,

But for me they were brand new.

And each one I heard helped me

As in this world, I grew.

When mom told me to put on my coat,

I knew not to complain.

She was cold and history told her

I didn't know to come in from the rain.

I started school with others my age

And there I found more new things.

Of course, there was nothing really new

But I was no longer tied to my mother’s apron strings.

Summers were spent with my grandparents

On their farms and stores and fields.

It was all so new to me, but not to them

To grandpa, he was pulling in the farming yields.

Teenage years are new, no doubt.

But are they really so?

Was it as true, as I felt it was,

New to a boy for a girl to say “no”?

Then came college and things were new again.

No more parents for daily guidance, but

The professors seemed to know the dangers

Of us getting into a rut.

Up until graduation from college,

Things were really quite the same.

Every teacher knew the answer

Before they even called out our name.

Now, with a real job so I could pay my bills,

Another set of “new” came my way.

My managers’ project assignments had due dates

I didn't understand, but neither did they.

Since the job had never been done before,

We might have considered it to be “new”.

But after a while, it became clear to me

That each project repeated jobs I already knew.

By now a wedding was in my life,

And everything was going to be “new” again.

We had no idea what we were doing,

Except going where we’d never been.

We had been children ourselves, of course,

And thought we knew how to raise them.

But each one was different and

Equally quite a gem.

When we were teenagers, we knew everything.

Life ahead was going to be effortless.

Now, with the ‘terrible twos’ facing us,

The children each left us breathless.

As our children grew, we saw each stage of their life

Through our own eyes, no matter how much we tried.

The challenges they faced were different than ours,

We wanted to help … to be their guide.

What we didn't see was that, just like us,

All the things they were going through,

Was their first experience with growing up …

To them, it was all brand new.

They did reach the adult stage

Sometimes it was in spite of us.

They got jobs, got married, had kids

Now they put the kids on the bus.

Relating to their job experience

Was another uphill task.

Companies change, they come and go,

We really didn't know what to ask.

Grandchildren are wonderful,

Only grandparents can understand.

If we could have them before our own,

Life would truly be grand.

The teachers are different, the jobs are, too.

Hair lengths change from year to year.

And each time we enter a “new” stage of life

There is a certain measure of fear.

Companies come and companies go,

We don’t have Pony Express any more.

But we do have children and grandchildren.

We still have peace and war.

It was wonderful to see the grandchildren

Play in our large acreage of land.

Just as I had done at my grandparents’ home

When I played and worked and got tanned.

But I am not my grandfather,

And our grandchildren are not me.

Similarities exist, to be sure,

But each must be what they must be.

I am reminded of these changes when I recall

The atmosphere of my youth.

It takes a village to raise a child

Was once a universal truth.

Our neighbors were close, and now they are not.

Extended families were common then.

Now we hardly know people who live

We talk, but I can’t remember when.

Solomon told us “That which has been is what will be,

That which is done is what will be done.

There is no remembrance of former things

And there is nothing new under the sun.

Have things really changed or not?

We have tools not known in history.

But without those tools, what has changed

Still remains a very great mystery.

Eighteen Again

Eighteen Again

Who Wants to be Eighteen Again?

By Wayne Hinton

1/29/15

So George wants to be eighteen again –

I can’t say that I agree.

The high school years were difficult.

They were very hard for me.

Stephen may have said it best,

“No kid in high school feels as though they fit in”

Boys are interested in girls,

But they don’t know how to begin.

The smart kids want to be accepted

But the in-crowd feels inferior.

Most others want to learn because they think

The smart kids are superior.

Each one is searching for something

And no one is sure just what it is.

We all thought the others knew

And we feared failing the quiz.

Boys are intimidated by teenage girls

And the girls like to hang together.

So the boys try to impress the girls

By playing football in stormy weather.

I've heard it said that girls mature faster;

Boys are at a loss and don’t understand

That the girls they talked to in grade school

Speak a new language and make it sound grand.

When asked if a young boy likes the girls.

He will reply as all young lads do.

He’ll say he likes them just as friends

But deep inside he knows that’s not true.

The teen years also bring an awakening

That parents are not always right.

You've believe everything they've told you.

Now new things come to light.

Even textbooks cannot be believed

Although they are taught as true.

We find out that what we are told

Is not what we thought we knew.

Stephen said more when he said

“If you liked being a teenager, there's something really wrong with you.” 

No, George, I don’t want to be eighteen again.

I just have a different point of view.

Communications

Communications

by Wayne Hinton

12/29/14

“What are you doing Saturday night?”
I ask though I don’t really care.
You may plan to watch some TV show
Or maybe just wash your hair.

That’s the way of teenage boys
When intending to ask for a date.
No matter how much we try
We can’t seem to get it straight.

It’s so hard to ask for a date when you’re young.
Young men are frightened of being turned down.
So we ask questions that are meaningless,
And end up sounding like a clown.

As we get older, things change.
That’s not to say they get better.
But we do get better asking questions
That invite a better answer.

It works both ways, you know.
Women’s statements are unique.
“Fine” doesn't mean it’s really fine,
It’s just the way they speak.

When she talks to you about a problem,
She really doesn't want your help.
You see, if she talks about it long enough,
She’ll solve it by herself.

I know that some women have a sense of direction,
But there are some without it.
When sisters talk about driving in and out
A highway, I have to doubt it.

They laugh at my confusion.
They know exactly what they mean
Just tell me north, south, east or west,
Otherwise, I’ll miss the scene.

With all our differences,
I wouldn't trade a thing.
After all, communications
Add a special zing.

So, whether you are old or young,
Cherish your time together.
True love will help you,
Through all kinds of weather.

I Love You!

I wrote this one a little over 9 months after having the LVAD operation. Nita has proven to be an excellent caregiver and it is from her heart.

I Love You!

by Wayne Hinton

December 26, 2014

I review my life’s events,
As my days move into their December
And my notes, and poems and calendars
Give me much to remember.

I Love You! … What a simple phrase.
I've used it many times before.
When I was young, I thought I knew
What it meant, but there was more.

I never lied when I said the phrase.
There was no doubt in my mind
That I meant it at the time,
Though true love is hard to find.

I know that very well by now
The years have taught me much.
There is much, much more to love
Than just a loving touch.

It really isn’t possible to experience true love
In a short year or two.
You must make sure that it will last,
Regardless of what happens to you.

I wrote poems when I was young
And poured out my feelings strong,
But, as I now know true love,
I know that I was wrong.

Our life has had many ups and downs
And our love survived the call.
That is what true love is about.
Not all smooth, at all.

The highs were being together
Through of each of life’s events.
It started with simply being alone
And enjoying her lingering scents.

Our love grew into a wedding,
Though that doesn’t prove anything.
Many marry for what they think is love,
Only to experience it failing.

The children were the next high point,
When they were born, or not.
Nothing else was important then,
We love them all a lot.

They grew up much too fast it seems,
But even that has its rewards.
For now we have eight more to love.
Grandchildren and in-laws are awards.

But, even they, are growing too fast.
Every day goes by at the speed of light,
And the time seems all too short.
Yet, still we love them all with all our might.

Our health is failing now in various ways.
Quiet time is a real treasure.
Each moment that we have together
Is truly a marvelous pleasure.

Now I really know the meaning of true love,
It’s not what I used to think
When I was young and used the phrase
Time has gone by in a wink.

And now, I have more understanding
Of God’s love for each of human being.
He made us, created us and loved us
Though we are each a different version.

As time goes by, love grows
And with it comes the joy
Of know true love abounds
It is not a little toy.

I review my life’s events,
As my days move into their December
And my notes, and poems and calendars
Give me much to remember.

I Love You! … What a simple phrase.
I've used it many times before.
When I was young, I thought I knew
What it meant, but there was more.

Each Night Goes By

Each Night Goes By

by Wayne Hinton, May 12, 1964
(written for a class grade in college)

Each night goes by just as before.
Nothing has really changed.
The birds still sing, the wind still blows,
But yet I feel estranged.

I guess it's been now one full year,
Or is it nearing two?
Like time, I have no meaning now,
My life was lived for you.
I know I didn't show it then,
Conceit was in my head.
That head is filled with questions now,
My actions all are dead.
Each question starts with just one word - Why?
No answer is in the air.
Why does love hurt a lover so?
And why do I still care?

There was a time I wouldn't care;
Oh, foolish then was I.
I brushed aside true love before,
And didn't blink an eye.
I know those loves could be renewed
If I but gave the sign,
But they could never match the joy
I had when you were mine.
I  wish that I had known it then,
That I would feel like this.
I miss your dog, your loving eyes,
Your pug nose and your kiss.

Your kiss --- the thought causes a lump
Within my throat to grow.
I cough and try to free my breath,
Oh, heart! Stop beating so!
Your lips were soft lies a rose's leaf.
My heart beat so fast --- I'm sure you heard ---
As our two hearts did meet.
I never knew how much you cared.
You hid your feelings well.
I long to kiss your lips so much
I'd buy if you would sell.

Too many tales have met my ears.
None, I believe, are true
Because the girl with the tales
Is not the girl I knew.
I knew a fair young woman who,
Far older than her years,
Would sit in church of times with me
And shed her clean, soft tears.
She had a heart of gold, it seemed;
She held her morals high.
It seems impossible to me
She'd let those morals die.

Yes, you were young and tender then,
It cannot be denied,
And I was not much older, true,
When I walked by your side.
I love you then, and I still do,
My heart within me wails.
I long to hear your voice call
As sweet as a nightingale's.
No matter what the world may say;
No matter how you change;
No matter how my friends may try;
They'll ne'er my love derange.

I love you! ... What a simple phrase!
I said it once to you.
But then it had a pleading ring,
And I was losing you.
Remember how it was that day
You walked along the street?
I stopped to see a pretty girl
And she an ass did meet.
I begged and pleaded with you then,
A full-fledged fool was I,
For knowing you were leaving me
What could I do but cry?

I love you! ... It sounds silly now.
What did it mean to you?
Did you laugh inside too hard?
Oh, God! I wish I knew!
My thoughts were all a mingled then,
And not much better now;
My courage has all left me since;
I dare not breathe a vow;
My confidence has also gone;
Nothing have I left.
I live but yet I live not life,
For life itself has left.

There have been words by many men
More capable than I
Of telling stories of their loves
And how their loves did die.
But still I feel, as I lie here,
A hope I cannot hide.
I hope beyond all hope. But still ...
Has our love truly died?
Do you still hold some love for me?
Will we yet love again?
Just now that hope burned strong in me;
But now, it, too, must end.

Each night goes by just as before,
Nothing has really changed.
The birds still sing, the wind still blows,
And still I feel estranged.

She's More

She's More Lyrics

"She's More" was written by Hengber, Liz/crosby, Rob: See, Hoar, Rob Crosby. 

(Okay, this is a song, not technically a poem, and I did not write it, but I am taking liberty (since it is my blog site) and posting it here. After a song is not much more than a poem put to lyrics. Many of the poems I have posted have been put to lyrics, but this one was apparently written with the goal for it to be a song. It was recorded by Andy Griggs and reached the top 5 in some charts in 2000. I only heard it once on the radio, researched it, and came to realize that every word fits my thoughts about my wife of over 46 years - Nita.)

I like blue eyes, hers are green
Not like the woman of my dreams
And her hair's not quite as long as I had planned
Five foot three isn't tall
She's not the girl I pictured at all
In those paint by number fantasies I've had
So it took me by complete surprise
When my heart got lost in those deep green eyes
She's not at all what I was looking for
She's more


No, it wasn't at first sight
But the moment I looked twice
I saw the woman I was born to love
Her laughter fills my soul
And when I hold her I don't wanna let go
When it comes to her I can't get enough
So it took me by complete surprise
When my heart got lost in those deep green eyes
She's not at all what I was looking for
She's more


More than I dreamed of
More than any man deserves
I couldn't ask for more
Than a love like hers
So it took me by complete surprise
When my heart got lost in those deep green eyes
She's not at all what I was looking for
She's more

The Phone Stopped Ringing

The Phone Stopped Ringing

By Wayne Hinton

1.15.1999

My mother died – and friends called;

They all sent their love and expression of caring.

Each day I read the cards that cam

Filled with verses of peace and thoughts of love –

Then the phone stopped ringing.

My grandmother died – and, once again,

My friends came around with thought of sharing.

With warm greeting and sincere love,

Everyone wanted to help and to share the pain –

Then the phone stopped ringing.

My dad was near death and friends rallied again.

They knew our suffering was wearing.

There is only so much a person’s soul can take,

And they wanted to help lift the weight –

Then the phone stopped ringing.

I lost my job – and untold people called,

Many were bent on swearing.

They couldn’t believe the events were happening,

And offered ways to overcome them –

Then the phone stopped ringing.

God has allowed these things to happen – and given us strength,

As we faced each event we were bearing.

He has given us knowledge that our friends are still there,

Each meaning well in their own special way –

Even when the phone stopped ringing.

But, let’s not stop there – others need our help,

As they face each day with hope and daring.

Every one has their trials to face, as through this life they travel.

Let’s band together and show we care –

And not let the phone stop ringing.

The memories linger forever – there is no end

Of the pain in our hearts that is tearing

Our thoughts and feelings from the work we all have.

God has given us a bond we need to always share –

Let’s never let the phone stop ringing.

Copyright 1.15.1999