The Gallery: A Collection of Poems and Short Stories

© 2014 SD Vojtko. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 04/29/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4918-9994-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-9992-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4918-9993-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014905733

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Table of Contents

Poems

By S.D. Vojtko

1)     A Friend

2)     Always and Forever

3)     Always Loved

4)     Angels

5)     Awaking

6)     Bonds

7)     Christmas Eve

8)     Forever now

9)     I Heard Him Calling

10)   I’m never going to be

11)   Life’s Prize

12)   My Sweet Savior

13)   Never Alone my friend

14)   Spring

15)   Staceyo

16)   Tell the world

17)   The Book

18)   The Call

19)   The Lake

20)   The only man for me

21)   The Sweetest Man I Ever Knew

22)   Things you need in life

23)   We Have Each Other

24)   When I found Love

25)   Your Love

26)   Yours

POEMS

By Robert T. Ware

1)     After Dawn…

2)     In a Moment…

3)     My Blue Angel, . . .

4)     My Struggle

5)     Roses Are All Red, . . .

6)     Sixteen Things

7)     Star light…

8)     Storms of Life… .

9)     The One for Me…

10)   Worse than Death

SHORT STORIES

By S.d. Vojtko

1)     A New Beginning

2)     Big Sister

3)     Carol

4)     Fred

5)     Lee’s One Stop

6)     My Early Years

7)     My New Start in Life

8)     Our lives go on

9)     Peppy and I

10)   The First Winter Snow

11)   Three Little Words

12)   Without You

This book is dedicated to two very special men.

Mr. L. S saved my life more than once.

And

Mr. S. S was always there when I needed a friend.

I LOVE YOU BOTH WITH ALL MY HEART

I pray to GOD to watch over them, keep them safe.

To bring them love and happiness while

Going on their way.

GOD BLESS YOU

I will love you always

POEMS

By S.D. Vojtko

A Friend

Have you ever wondered where a friend came from?

Or how it all began?

Have you ever held a hand of someone or washed

Away the tears that sadness brings?

Was forgiveness ever given, from one to the other?

Was there a time when laughter

sounded just like thunder?

Did you romp in the sun, or play in the rain?

Enjoying life as one?

Did you see things as they really were?

And encourage each other to be strong?

Was there a time when you were all alone?

And no one with a hand for you to hold?

For in a moment you can lose someone

and life will never be the same.

A friend is someone you can trust

will always be there for you.

Someone for caring and sharing all your happiness,

joys and pain.

Someone that listens without given blame.

Who will wipe away the tears of sadness,

and walk with you in the rain.

All this I learned through you my friends.

This is how it all began and

I’m so proud to call you my friend.

Always and Forever

We were young and so in love.

I knew we were to be as one.

She said she wanted to be my wife.

We made plans, hopes of happy days

and for bright tomorrows.

Then one day she looked at me and said,

I can’t, I can’t be your wife.

I can’t live with you and your life.

I have to be me, be myself.

I loved her so, my heart was broken.

She was my tomorrow my forever more.

She walked away without saying good-bye.

She walked away like she didn’t care.

Always and forever wasn’t there.

Then she was gone, the pain was so bad

I wanted to die.

But God said, "My son you must go on,

there are many important things you need

to get done. You will see life goes on."

MY heart turned cold, I would do my job.

I studied hard, and did go far.

I knew hard work was the only way.

I keep friends and family far away.

My cold, cold heart was here to stay.

As I lost my loved ones, my heart grew colder.

Always and forever was not for me.

I didn’t have time to open my heart,

not to the hurt and the pain that was within.

Not to a love that could have been.

I did my job and I did it well,

I had no one to care or to be proud.

No one to talk to, no one to tell.

Always and forever was not for me.

As the years go by, I think of the people

I met on the way, a few that care

and wanted to stay. Some got to close

and I pushed them away. I said mean

things and walked away.

I was afraid to let down my guard, I didn’t

want the pain, I didn’t want them to know

I did cared too. What would people say?

Who would really care what would they do?

Always and forever was not for me.

Now time has passed by,

I hope someone would care. I have no one to

talk to no one is there.

No one to call my own, no one to love,

no special friend.

Is this what I want till the end?

Always and forever alone without a friend.

GOD PLEASE HELP ME WHAT HAVE I DONE.

Always and forever alone, with no one to care.

Always Loved

I know that you still doubt it

You don’t want to hear the words.

Just know one thing as you go about your life.

You will always be loved.

In your darkest hours and lonely days

If your jogging in the park or walking in the rain.

Somewhere out there a friend is calling your name.

Some people show their love with pride with no shame.

Love is patient and kind it fills your heart with joy.

It’s not aggressive, jealous or rude,

not always right or wrong.

Love can and will bear all things it will never fail.

Love is guaranteed to put a smile on your face,

a spring in your step as you stroll along.

All love asks of you is to be true to yourself and others.

How do I know this because as long as I live my friend,

you will always have someone

that cares for you till the end.

You will always be loved.

Angels

Have you ever wondered where Angels came from?

Do you know who they really are?

Have you seen them before at another time or place?

They seemed to know all about you

what you need and face.

When they put their arms around you

can you feel their grace?

There are times that I have problems that I cannot solve

and I ask GOD to help me before I fail.

As I sit all alone just talking to GOD

I feel the warmth of a loved one from up above.

I know it’s an Angel I can feel the grace.

Somehow my Angel has opened a door

and I fear no more.

Yes I believe in Angels and know who they are.

They are the loved ones that’s left us

GOD sends from heaven above,

to help us fine peace, happiness and love.

Never be afraid to ask them for help

GOD is always there to open

HIS arms and fill you with His Love and Grace.

Awaking

Awaking with the morning sun,

I reach out to the bright new day.

To glorify, magnify the wonders

of the world you made.

Early in the morning I will seek your face.

Seeing love in all the things you’ve done.

Hearing the birds sing, and the flowers all

the bloom the smells are so becoming they

bring me so much joy.

Thank you for the colors you’ve giving me

so much beauty.

I see peace, joy and love in all the things you do.

Yes Lord, I thank you for your son too.

Dear Lord I know you are so great.

Oh Heavenly Father, I love you so.

But that is something you already know.

BONDS

Upon thinking of time and space.

I know of the heart to heart bond.

Or the love a mother has for her son.

Families have troubles and tears flow.

With you and your friends there is a bond too.

With hope, joy and dreams for all to see.

Between you and me we make a bond too.

Something very special it grow and grow…

And often just like strangers, we drifted apart.

But we will always have a bind in our hearts.

Once a bond is made it is hard to be broken.

Some were deep inside there is a speck of hope.

That someday that bond will burst wide open.

For the joy of our bond will never fully be broken.

Christmas Eve

The night before Christmas I sat all alone.

Waiting to see if Santa would come to my home.

The snow was falling lightly blowing all around;

my fireplace was going with a crackly sound.

As I sat here looking at my Christmas tree standing in

the window for all to see, all green, gold and white.

With star on top shining so bright.

On the door was my wreath with its bright red bow.

A few reindeer on the lawn light up the snow.

Santa and his elves were playing too.

Frosty was out there waving his arms for you.

The lights outside with their pretty colors reminded

me of the past when there was just you and me.

I never thought I would be alone on Christmas Eve.

The fire started dying and soon would be out, so I drank

the last of my wine, turned off the TV.

The rest of the lights would stay on for the eve.

As I said my prayers

I thanked God for this year

I may be alone but in my heart you are near.

Merry Christmas Dear Jesus, Happy Birthday too.

Someday, soon I’ll celebrate with you.

As I crawled into bed I was sure I heard the

tiny little feet of eight little reindeer.

Forever now

You did the calling to our Father’s side.

You’ve done the drying to be our guide.

Of all the tears I cried

you helped me hear the knocking at my door.

In this heart you will dwell for ever more.

You’ve always been here at my side.

Helping me to abide, even at life’s troubled shore.

In this heart you will dwell forever more.

Oh sweet Jesus to me,

You are my Comforter, forevermore.

Now help me to honor

to uplift and magnify

Our Father and His only Son.

In this heart you will dwell forever more . . .

I Heard Him Calling

I can feel the sunshine upon my face.

I can feel myself floating on a gentle breeze.

I can’t feel any pain I am totally at ease.

I can hear a voice calling, calling me back home.

I know the voice I’m hearing is coming from above.

As I look around I see the ground moving farther away.

I see people crying, others that are praying,

they all knew that I couldn’t stay.

Now I hear the Angels singing the clouds have opened up.

They are standing there waiting the Gate is open wide.

I hear a voice calling Welcome Home my sweet child,

you’ve been away so long.

Now I have my white robe, a halo and wings.

Yes I’m home again and as happy as I can be.

I’m never going to be

I’m never going to be the women you want me to be.

I’m never going to run or jog around the lake with thee.

I’m never going be as pretty as the women that you see.

I’m never going to be slim, trim and happy and gay.

Or swaying to the music in some man’s arms.

I’m never going to be healthy, younger, wealthy or wise.

But for some people that’s all they can see with their eyes.

All I’m ever going to be is just plain me,

always just the way I’m.

Were I’ve been is a long lonely road,

with no one to really care.

All I was is just someone to lighting their load.

I was only good as a help hand

or to care for them till the end.

Someone to take their burdens off their hands.

I’ve been used and abused with no one to care.

This was my cross to bear.

My life has been so lonely filled with despair.