A Christmas Prayer

Lord I’m sending my request to you

Knowing that only you can make these wishes come true

On this the eve of your birth

Let there be peace on earth

For this and every Christmas to come,

May we live as one.

Remember the fathers and mothers that will be missed
And the children who have never experienced being loved and kissed.

This Christmas help us to look beyond our home.

To those who are all alone

May we be thankful for family and friends that care.
Help us to find enough love to share.

May we give thanks for all that we have got,

Knowing that these things mean a lot to those who have not.

Lord let your marvelous light penetrate the heart of every man

In every kingdom and every land.
So that on this the eve of your birth,
There will be peace on earth

May your love rain everywhere

This is my Christmas prayer.

P. Newman-Harris

In a world where children should be safe, they are falling more and more into harms way.
You think when you send them to school, to a movie or to the mall, they will return to you
unharmed.  Lately, that has not been the case.  To lose a child or a loved one is hard to bear
in any situation, but when it happens unnecessarily, it's even more difficult, so I just want to take a moment to offer a word of comfort to those who lost their loved ones in our most recent tragic events.

Having felt the pain of losing both a mother and father this year, I know your pain.  I was blessed to have my parents all of my life.  I was blessed even more to have had two loving parents that shared their love and devotion with three generations before they departed.  They raised our family to believe that when a believer departs this earth, they are in a better place.  Yet, I still struggle with the pain of loss.

There is not much that can be said at this time.  Just know that you are not alone in your sorrow.    To you I offer these words:

Gone

Sometimes I pray I’m having a dream

And don’t understand what it means

It already feels like forever since you departed.

I am so broken-hearted.

I keep reaching for the phone to call you

Like I used to do

Then I remember once again

You just can’t imagine how hard it has been.

I’ll never hear your voice or feel your touch.

I miss you so much.

The quiet peacefulness that was yours alone

It’s just gone.

The words of comfort I shared with others before

Don’t mean anything anymore.

Nothing can change the reality

You will still be-

Gone

They says things will get better with time

Those words were even mine

Nothing prepares you for this

When it’s someone you love that you miss

You will never see their smile or feel their kiss

You will never share the little things you used to share

Cause they’re not there.

I knew how hard this would be

But it’s harder than I ever thought it would be

They say time alone will heal a heart that is shattered

But right now time doesn’t matter.

Today, tomorrow, next week

There is no comfort I can seek

Words,

Words, are just words

When you’re all alone

And someone you love has just gone.

I know you’re in a better place,

But I still want to see your face.

I know you wouldn’t want to return,

But for you, I still yearn.

I feel no disgrace

For being in this place.

When it’s someone you love, you’ll understand.

I pray one day I can

Right now, this is my reality

When I wake up tomorrow, I’ll still feel the same

Nothing will take away the heartache or the pain

That comes with missing you

There is nothing I can do

Nothing can change the reality

You’ll still be-

Gone

Lord open the windows of heaven flood our souls

With words of comfort yet untold

We need your spirit to fall fresh on us

Giving the comfort only you can give

Each day we live

We must believe that in their absence, their hearts will go on...

What Christmas means to me

       

     Remember

©2005 by P. Newman-Harris

To those who believe

Christmas only comes in December

Take a moment to remember.

Remember the Holy one

Remember all that he has done.

Christmas is more than a season,

Much more than a few days of fun.

Christmas is a time to remember

Remember the love

He sent from above.

Remember God’s grace,

Remember his mercy

It's showing the same love and trust

He has shown us.

It's taking a stance,

Independent of circumstance,

Loving a sister or brother who can’t stand 
It's offering a hand

It’s opening your home

To someone spending Christmas alone.

It’s going out of your way to help the deprived.

Offering a co-worker a ride,

Giving an encouraging word or two.

Doing whatever you can do.

It’s standing in the gap for someone,

Regardless of race

Or the color of the face.

It’s not about color.

It’s about helping one another.

It’s the caring

And the sharing

It’s putting a smile on the face

Of children in India, Africa

And America.

It’s the showing of God’s amazing grace.

Not just one day,

But each and everyday.

It’s the giving.

It’s the living.

It’s showing the same love as he.

And thanking him for his grace and mercy

To all who believe

Christmas is not just in December

It's taking time to remember

Remember,

Remember, the holy one

For all that he has done.

No matter what the reason

Or the season

We must remember

Remember,

Remember

In the Spirit of Christmas-Great Is His Name

Jesus:  The Greatest Gift of Christmas

To those who remember why Christmas is special to us
Before we buy gifts and make a holiday fuss
We celebrate our Savior's birth
Because we know why he came to earth
We sing, we sing
Hallelujah, to Christ the King
Oh come let us adore him
Oh come let us adore him
We bow before his feet with gifts of praise and adoration
For glorious and divine is his creation
In all the earth
Oh come let us adore him
Oh come let us adore him
For great is his name in all the earth.
Oh come let us adore him at his birth.

Copyright P. Newman-Harris

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, behold,
There came wise men from the east.  Saying,
Where is he that is born the King of Jews?
For seeing the light of his star shining in the east, they desired to worship him.
And lo, the star which they saw in the east, went before them till
It came and stood over where the young child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy
For there in a manger lay the sweet little Jesus boy.

Reference:  Matthew 2

Great is his name in all the earth

Great is his name in all the earth

Oh come let us exalt our Savior at his birth

For great is his name in all the earth

As the spirit of joy fills the air

Let every heart prepare

To share.

Share the good news of our Savior’s birth

He came to bring peace on earth

Tell the story

Tell of his glory

Tell of how a bright star

Shining in the heavens afar

Led 3 wise men away

To search for the manger where he lay

Holy, holy, holy,

Holy is he.

All heaven and earth did sing.

For in the manger wrapped in swaddling was a king

Tell the story

Tell of his glory

Let joy bells ring, let every heart sing

For unto us was born a Savior and King

He who brought peace and hope for tomorrows to come

Let us exalt this holy one.

Let all heaven and earth sing

Sing of our holy king

Sing holy, holy, holy,

Holy is he.

Let high praises ring

He is Jesus, Our Lord Immanuel¸ our Savior and King

Oh come let us exalt him at his birth

For great is his name in all the earth

Great is his name in all the earth

Great is his name in all the earth!

Wishing You Many Blessings This Holiday Season

This is the season to be thankful for our blessings.  Remember, there but for the grace of God go we.  It is something I have to keep reminding myself of.  As the song Thank You Lord says, "It could have been me outdoors with no food and no clothes."



Bag Lady

Bag lady,

Bag lady,

Every day as I drive by

You always catch my eye

The load you carry is too heavy for you alone

You’re only skin and bones

Yet, there you are walking the street

With worn out shoes on your feet

I have seen you brave the cold and the scorching heat,

But you never seem to concede to defeat

I have seen the angry rain

Plummet your small frame

I have seen the wind send you in an aimless twirl

As if it’s you against the world

Bag lady,

Bag lady,

I know you are tired of struggling on your own.

How much longer will you be able to hold on?

I ponder your history.

Do you have family?

What is your name?

Who is the blame

For you being where you are?

How did you end up having no home and no car?

Do you only own the clothes you wear

And the bags you push around everywhere?

You peak my curiosity

I can’t help but admire your tenacity

And your capacity

To keep holding on

When everything is gone

Bag lady,

Bag lady,

I worry for your safety

Out on the streets

And wonder

Whether or not you have enough food to eat.

I pray.

I pray

Because even if you won’t concede to defeat

It’s got to be hard waging a battle against the streets.

I know there will come a day when I’ll look for you

And you’ll be gone,

The load you carry is too heavy for you alone

One day soon things will unravel,

And that will be the end of your travels.

You will be replaced

By another homeless face

That will catch my eye

As I drive by

Leaving me to ponder

And wonder

Once again,

Until another story comes to an end.

Poem, Bag Lady taken from Matters of the Heart
By Patricia Newman-Harris copyright 2010

Tis the Season of Thanksgiving

Once a year, we pause to reflect on our many blessings.  For some, life is a daily struggle to survive.  If we begin to count our blessings, naming them one by one,  we will find we have so much to be thankful for.  Happy Thanksgiving.

  

If I never get a chance to say thank you one more time,

I want the last thank you to be mine.

For the little things that seem insignificant to some

Lord, I thank you for every one

I have so much to be thankful for

There are so many good things yet in store.

I don’t want to take anything for granted

So, I thank you for every blessing you have granted.

I want to be among the few

Who returned to say thank you.

Before the day is done

I’m going to count my blessings one by one

I am going to give you all the praise you are due.

Lord, I just want to say thank you

In the midst of the heartache and the tears,

There were so many wonderful years.

You never left me alone and lonely

You never turned your back on me.

You were always there.

You heard my every prayer.

Without you in my life, it would not have been this way

That is why I want to say

Thank you for every day

And for every blessing that came my way

There is nothing anyone can say or do

To keep me from thanking you.

I’m going to count my blessings one by one

Giving thanks for every one

In case I never see this day end.

I want to begin

By saying thank you for everything you have done.

I just want to be among the few

Who returned to say thank you.

If I never get a chance to say thank you one more time,

I want the last thank you to be mine

Copyright P. Newman-Harris

Veteran's Day Tribute & Prayer

Today we honor those who paid willingly paid the price and
made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could leave in peace.
May we, as survivors and benefactors of their sacrifice,  honor them
by doing our part to make the dream of peace one day become reality.

Lord, every day I pray
Bless the soldiers far away.
Bless the young man who left his first love behind
Give him peace of mind
Bless the Father who left his family alone.
Keep them safe while he is gone
Lord, bless each and every one.
Let them know we appreciate all they have done.
Walk with those who have no one
I pray for each and every one.
Be their Father and their Mother
With you as their guide, they don't need another.
Keep them close to your heart I pray
Be with them every step of the way.
God, bless the young man who is barely twenty-two.
Let him know he can make it through.
Ease his fears
Dry his falling tears.
Lord bless the soldiers while they are away.
When their spirits are low, let them feel your touch.
Let them know we love them so much.
Then, Lord we pray that the fighting will soon cease
And that there will be an outpouring of peace
Open the door to each and every heart
So that the healing will start
Lord we commit our soldiers to your care
This is our prayer
Lord, bless the soldiers while they are away.
Be with them each and every day.

The Miracle of You

Father, thank you for the miracle of you,

For showing us what love can do.

Every time I see a Mother giving birth

I’m reminded of the miracle of your birth

What a gift that God did give

When he sent his only son that we might live!

When I think of the miracles you performed,

How you transformed

Water into wine,

And gave sight to the blind.

Every time I read about the ten thousand you fed

With two fish and five loaves of bread,

I cannot deny the awesomeness of you.

There is nothing you can’t do.

That any man could stand in your presence

And deny your existence

Is evidence to me

That blinded eyes cannot see your power and your majesty.

It hurts to think of what we put you through

When the ultimate display of love came through you.

So, Father I thank you for allowing us to feel your touch,

For loving us so much

But most of all for showing us what love can do.

Thank you for the miracle of you.

copyright  P.Newman-Harris

Today I Read a Story

Today I read a story.
It brought tears to my eyes.

Some may ask why, but how can I not cry

When people are led to the slaughter;

When someone’s mother, father, son, or daughter

Dies without reason?                           

When death becomes more than a season,

And there is no just cause,

I feel I have to do more than pause

It is hard to understand the human mind.

I’ve lived through so much hatred in my lifetime.

I wonder, will we ever see Martin’s dream come to pass?

If we could but find that path,

To being free at last.

If no more lives were lost

If there were no more Halocausts,

Or Ruwandas to cloud our history.

If we didn’t feel the need for designated places

Or division among the races

Oh what a day it would be.

Oh what a day it.

Oh what a day it would be

For you and me.

If we could tear down the walls that keep us apart

If we could open our hearts,

And allow universal peace,

The wars would soon cease.

Will we ever reach the mountain top?

Will the hatred ever stop?

Will we ever learn to think on a higher plane?

Will we ever realize that we are all the same?

Will we ever know what it means
To live Martin’s dream?

When will we tire of the death and destruction created

By the spread of prejudice and hate?

Will people like Immaculee ever be able to say,
This is the day that the stone of hate was rolled away?

Today I read a story that brought tears to my eyes.

Some may ask why, but how can I not cry?

How can I not ask the question why

When innocent people die?

copyright by P. Newman-Harris

You can read the story about Immaculee Ilibagiza in her book, "Left to Tell"

Today

Today corruption is confused with justice

Right is mistaken for wrong

And every fiber of morality seems to be gone

There is no respect for human life,

People will take your life without thinking twice

Everyone wants a solution

For moral pollution

But no one wants to take responsibility

For our lack of morality

What used to matter doesn't matter any more

Everyone wants an easy score

Let the stones fall where they may

All we can do is pray

There is no other way

We can make it through the day

Family is no longer our priority

Children are running wild and free.

We are warring for oil

And killing the innocent to divide the spoils.

In foreign nations,

Disease is running rapid amid violence and mass annihilation.

Devastation and deterioration 

Rule without moderation.

It's sometimes hard to understand

The heart of man

Politicians in America don't seem to care

About the nation's welfare.

Republicans and Democrats

Are in full scale attack.

Blame for every mistake is being placed on the Presidents back

Simply because he's black.

They are trying to revoke

The right to vote

On the down low

While saying it ain't so.

They'd rather see the nation burn

Than see a black President serve another term

Today corruption is confused with justice

Right is mistaken for wrong

And every fiber of morality seems to be gone

Let the stones fall where they may

All we can do is pray

There is no other way

We can make it through the day.

copyright P. Newman-Harris

You Can Turn Your Life Around

I know you feel like you're sitting on top of the world,

Because you can have any girl.

You walk around like you're the one,

Never giving a thought to the crazy things you've done.

All you think about is doing what makes you feel good,

And hanging in the hood.

When are you going to get tired of slipping and sliding,

Ducking and dodging, peeping and hiding?

Your life isn't worth a dime,

And you keep doing time.

You're forever yearning,

Never learning.

You complain about the lack of opportunity,

But it’s you who allows them to pass you by.

You blame everyone and everything for what's wrong in your life,

But it's you who refuses to live right.

How long are you going to travel this road?

Don't you know you are carrying a heavy load?

God wants you to be free.

Not living in misery.

If you don't change your ways,

You are living numbered days.

It's time to turn your life around.

It's never too late for the lost to be found.

When you take a stand,

You will become your own man.

You can be whatever you want to be

It’s you who controls your destiny

  

It doesn’t matter that you live in the hood.

You can still live your life for the good.

If you keep killing, thieving and getting high,

Your life will pass you by,

And you will have nothing to show for your years

But a pocketful of tears.

copyright by P. Newman-Harris

You Can Fly (copyright by P. Newman-Harris

You can fly, you can fly

As far as the sky is wide,

You can fly.

No matter what you see,

Believe the impossible can be.

Come what may believe,

And the unimaginable will be yours to receive.

When you allow God to lead and direct your path,

Your dreams will someday come to pass.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for.

It is the key to miracles yet in store.

It is that unreachable dream.

No matter what you see,

Believe the impossible can be.

You can make it through the rain,

You can navigate the vast terrain.

You can move that mountain,

When you trust God,

You can do anything against all odds.
Stand on his word
Your prayers will be heard.

Just believe.

The unthinkable will be yours to receive.

No matter what you see,

Believe that the impossible can be.

People might say your dreams won’t come true

Don’t let them stop you

They will try to make you feel like you have no worth

Remember, they did not put you here on this earth

Nor can they formulate your life’s plan

Your future is in God’s hands

If your friends want to hold you back

Start walking and don’t look back

You can have a future that is bright

But you have to be willing to make the sacrifice

You can make all your dreams come true.

Never stop believing in you

God will be the wind beneath your wings

In him you can do all things.

You can fly, you can fly,

As far as the sky is wide
You can fly

Matters of the Heart

Just wanted you to know I have completed the book, "Matters of the Heart," and it is not available on Create Space and on Amazon.com.   Some of the poems I have posted on this site are contained in the book.  Others will be available in another book that is soon to be in progress.

Remembering 911

This is dedicated to the family of those lost on 9/11.  We still remember those lost, we remember the cost and we continue to strive for a safer, more peaceful world for our children and our children's children.

I pray peace will be more than a word, more than a dream for some.
It will one day be for everyone.

One Heart, One Mind

When I think of the years,
The unnecessary tears
The agony, the shame
The anger and pain
That comes from being hurt again and again,
I wonder if we will ever live together peacefully?
Must we always war needlessly?
It doesn't matter who we are or where we are from
Life is the same for everyone.
If we open our hearts we will find,
We have one spirit, one heart and one mind.
When time is no more
Our differences won't matter anymore.
Regardless of what language we speak,
There is a comonality in what we seek
No mattter where we live, our goals and our aims
Are the same
Everbody cries
When someone they love dies.
There is no diffence in our tears
We share the same fears
We have different faces and different names,
But inside we are the same
It's time we realized
We have common ties.
When we get down to the heart of the matter,
That's all that matters.
Not the color of our skin,
Not where we have been, whether we are a King or Queen
Or where we live in the world
If we continue to hate
This will be our shared fate
Wars on every hand
And the deterioration of man.
We brag about how far we have come,
But if we never learn to live as one,
Our accomplishments will be as dung.
They will have no significance for anyone
We must live as a people, undefined by station or place
Inseparable by color or race.
We can't rewrite history
But we can change what is to be
When we realize that we are not just kindred spirits,
But a perfect fit
On the tapestry of mankind
With one heart and one mind,
Peace will finally be ours to find.

Copyright by P. Newman-Harrs
From the book "Matters of the Heart"

Spread Your Wings and Fly

Though years often bring tears
And unmatched fears,
For every season,
There is a rhyme or reason
Every mountain offers a different view
Another chance to experience facet of you
In every valley of pain
There is a chance for gain.
Like a tapestry,
Is woven intricately
From the hardships we must endure,
We can create a purposeful future
In order to walk into today,
We have to throw the past away
With a newness of mind
Peace will be ours to find
You can begin again
There is always a second wind.
God has given us the key to the door
When we open the door
We can walk into the future
Feeling secure
The past
Is often fragile as glass
It can make us
Or break us in two
It's all up to you
It's time to forget,
Forget the regrets,
The heartaches,
The mistakes of the past.
The past is the past.
It has to be left behind
For there to be a renewing of mind.
The failures and missed opportunities,
The doubts that have kept you from being free,
Cast them into the depths of the sea.
Only then can you fly free.
Delicate butterfly,
Wipe the tears from your eyes
Spread your wings and fly.
Fly,
Fly,
Spread your wings and fly.

Copyright P. Newman-Harris

SEND THAT BOY OFF TO DIE

Young man, can’t you see.

The road you are taking leads to agony.

Stealing, killing, robbing,

and running with your homies

Ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.

The man is not going to stand in your way

He hopes to see you in prison one day

Why play into his hands
When you have the power to alter his plans?

There is more to this thing than meets the eye.

His hidden agenda is to see you die.

Why do you think so many brothers are on death row?

It is time someone let you know.

Why give some else the power to control your destiny.

Can’t you see the plan and plot of the enemy?

There are so many things you could be.

Your life does not have to end tragically.

You, my brother, are the driver on life’s road.

It all depends on where you go when you reach the crossroads.

It is a decision you alone must make

Which road will you take?

Remember, some people do not want you to succeed.

They are happy to see you doing some dirty deed.

I want you to live.

 I know you have so much more to give.

If you don’t want your life to be characterized by defeat,

Be careful of the company you keep.

I am tired of seeing young men being sent away

That’s all I’m trying to say.

If you do not head what I have said,

You may be the next one who ends up dead.

                              

P. Harris

copyright 2000                      

I just want to let you know that you have an option.  You can control your own life or go 

to jail and have someone else control it for you 24/7.  It's all up to you.      

Thirteen

It isn’t easy being thirteen,

Somewhere between here and there

Not really fitting in anywhere.

It’s not unusual to feel that way.

Those feelings will soon go away.

In time, you will discover who you are.

Then you will know

Which way to go

In the meantime be unique.

The world has much to offer to those who seek

You've got to be willing to find your own way.

Find a course and stay

You will come into your own

Before you know it, you’ll be grown.

While you are young, explore the horizons of the unknown

The years will soon have come and gone.

You’ll soon be confronted with life’s challenges and demands,

So enjoy the time at hand.

copyright 2008 by P. Newman-Harris

Dedicated to those who that find themselves starting out the school year in unfamiliar surroundings.

Stay the course.  Remember if you don't launch your sail, you're destined to fail.  

In case you're wondering what I'm up to, I'm kinda taking a break to work on a book that will be available on Create Space, entitled" Matters of the Heart."  I will let you know when it is completed.

I've posted the poem entitled Matters of the Heart before, but I will post it again later.  In the meantime, here is a poem that is one I treasure most, because, it came to me so fast I could hardly get it down fast enough.  It was one of the first that came to me that way.  It is entitled, A Wake Up Call to the Brothers.  I've since revised it.    This poem will be the basis for another book of poetry entitled, "Living the Dream", which will be published soon.  A miniature version of both books is now available on Lulu.com.

Wake Up Call to the Brothers

This is a wakeup call to the brothers on the street,

The ones who are yet doing drive-bys and shedding the blood of his own.

Killing, robbing and victimizing the young and the old alike.

Yes, you, my brother.

When are you going to wake up?

Can’t you see the plan?

You’re just playing right into their hands.

Destroying your own self and your own neighborhoods

There’s no need for someone to put on a white hood

Like they used to do,

Not when they have you.

Spilling our blood all over the street.

You’ve got them beat

Killing, thieving and victimizing your own.

You know that is wrong.

For that, there is simply no excuse.

We shouldn’t have to suffer your abuse.

When are you going to stop complaining that the man is holding you back

And clean up your own act?

In case you haven’t heard yet,

The world is no longer going to provide you with a safety net.

Affirmative action, county aid, unemployment are going to go bye, bye.

If the eagle is going to fly, you’ve got to try.

If you continue down this dark path, you’re going to end up a statistic,

Wind up going ballistic,

Or be the next black man on America’s Most Wanted list,

Your life is at risk.

So, I’m going to give it to you straight.

Maybe then you can relate.

I’m only going to say this one time.

I just want to put something on your mind.

Let’s not pretend.

There has always been a systematic plan and plot for your end.

You are doing the enemy’s job and doing it well.

Can’t you tell?

You are selling drugs, smoking whatever you can find,

Drinking yourself out of your mind,

Doing time

Trying to live on a nickel and a dime,

Refusing to go to school or learn a trade so you can get ahead.

How much longer do you think it will take before you wind up dead?

Wake up my brother take a look around.

Remove the shield from your eyes.

The clock is ticking and your crimes are accruing.

Think about what you’re doing.

You best believe your enemy has his eye on you.

He’s content watching you destroy you.

Each time you kill your own there’s one less he has to destroy

There’s no need for a decoy.

All he has to do is watch the news at night

He doesn’t have to drive into the neighborhood with no lights.

I can hear his laughter echoing inside my head.

I can hear his victory shout.  “Another one is dead!”

I know life is not easy for you my brother and that your struggle has worn you down,

But you, unlike some of our ancestors, are not six feet under the ground,

Buried in an unmarked grave,

Because you chose to die rather than to live your life as a slave.

All of your dreams and wishes didn’t die with you.

There is something you can do.

You have a choice.

You have your own voice.

Don’t fall down in defeat.

Begin to stand on your own two feet.

Do you think Martin sacrificed his life for you to throw yours away?

It’s a new day.

In case you haven’t heard, we are free.

So, why aren’t you living like you are free?

What will it take?

The world is growing tired of trying to shake you awake.

I just don’t understand.

You can do it, I know you can

I’m pulling for you, yes I am.

End the bloodshed

Stop fighting blue against the red,

Start living for the good of our neighborhoods.

You don't have to be the next black man lying in the street

With outstretched feet.

I hope you get no rest in what you are doing.  So that the every time you take to the streets to take a life you will hear their laughter (and the words," Another one is dead") every time you pull the trigger.

Wake up, my brother.  Wake up.

Wake up, my brother.  Wake up

Wake up, my brother.  Wake up

Wake up, my brother.  Wake up

Revised version ©2011

By P. Newman-Harris