I have to live with myself and so 
I want to be fit for myself to know.
I want to be able as days go by,
always to look myself straight in the eye; I don’t want to stand with the setting sun
and hate myself for the things I have done.

I don’t want to keep on a closet shelf 
a lot of secrets about myself 
and fool myself as I come and go 
into thinking no one else will ever know
the kind of person I really am, 
I don’t want to dress up myself in sham.

I want to go out with my head erect 
I want to deserve all men’s respect;
but here in the struggle for fame and wealth
I want to be able to like myself. 

I don’t want to look at myself and know that
I am bluster and bluff and empty show. 

I never can hide myself from me;
I see what others may never see;
I know what others may never know, 
I never can fool myself and so, 
whatever happens I want to be 
self respecting and conscience free.

-Edgar A. Guest 

Source: Inspirational Words of Wisdom

Before you speak, listen.
Before you write, think.
Before you spend, earn.
Before you invest, investigate.
Before you criticize, wait.
Before you pray, forgive.
Before you quit, try.
Before you retire, save.
Before you die, give.

-William Arthur Ward

Source: Inspirational Words of Wisdom

Send a drop of kindness,
And see a happy face.
A drop of kindness goes real far,
It may even reach outer space.

Send a drop of love,
And feel a loving embrace.
It feels so good to feel like,
You are in the right place.

Send a drop of hope,
But be that shinning star.
Hope is wonderful to have,
But sometimes you can’t sit away so far.

Send a drop of faith,
With a single prayer.
And God will show the way,
As faith is always there.

– Julie Herbert

Source: Inspirational Words of Wisdom

You look for an angel

Beautiful and stunning

You look for a goddess

Mysterious and cunning

You look for amazement

Perfection all around

Beauty bewitching

Lyric unsound

You wonder in stupidity

Across the world and ocean blue

Not seeing that your perfect girl

Is standing right in front of you

-Katie Rose Waechter

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

– Mother Teresa

Source: Be Happy Zone

A garden of flowers

Trees and plants

Cigarette buds and litter

But only at first glance

A common place

For folk to enjoy free time

Smoke and eat seeds

Or drink some wine

A garden with life

Laughter and tears

A garden with friendship

Shared food and shared fears

A place many go

To talk to everyday

A common meeting ground

After being away

Where people stop by

To make plans for the eve

But always come back

After their goal was achieved

Always at least one

With a cig or a toke

Always in the garden

Are the Garden Folk

–Katie Rose Waechter

This poem is dedicated to the memory of Brian (Monty). I will always miss you. I will always miss San Francisco.

Hold fast to dreams 
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

– Langston Hughes

Source: Family Friend Poems

Rain

prittle prattle, prittle prattle

On the roof top above

Creates the sensation of a drowsy membrane

Or maybe it

tittle tattles, tittle tattles

As it hits the window

and waters the flowers on my window pane

My cat

purr, purr, purrs

Demanding my attention

Biting the pen I use to write

Meowing at me all the same

Breathe

in and out, in and out

My eyelids grow heavy

Perhaps ill sleep while it rains

–Katie Rose Waechter