Carolyn Rebecca Cauthen 

Kingston Springs, Tennessee 

In 1998, I had my first book " The Ties That Bind" published.  Three of my poems:  Haunted by Kevin's Memory," " A Time For Me," and " Our Soap Opera World" have been turned into songs by Hill Top Records of California.  I have written two columns and sixteen poems in a POEMAZINE plus naming their D.D.D.D.  anthology Thank God For Poetry.
Poetry is the mirror of the soul-  A song waiting to be born.  Sometimes it takes years for the perfect thoughts to form.  It stimulates my power of creativity while joking sensitivity.

A Time For Me

Mom and Dad have passed on to celestial homes,
My children are grown now, out on their own;
I spend much time daydreaming and jotting down lines,
Desiring to compose a poem so sublime.

I've given unselfishly all of my life,
Begrudged not being daughter, mother, nor wife,
At the end of this month, I'll be fifty-two,
What have I accomplished? There's much to aspire to.

There's a major upheaval churning in me,
My restless spirit implores to break free;
In this humdrum existence, I can celebrate,
Toward achieving my life's goal, I must concentrate.

As I let go the mundane, my mind fills with ideas,
Peace washes o'er me, I exist without fears;
Ridicule or rejection, I don't even consider,
I'm extremely tenacious, nor am I a quitter!

Desperately seeking for what? I don't know,
Earthly wealth and fame - I hardly think so!
Striving for some modicum of success,
In the realm of poetry is my one true test.

Haunted by Kevin's Memory

She did not fit in before he came along,
She always seemed so alone and withdrawn;
He put her at ease, the perfect gentleman,
Made her life complete when he took her hand.

They dated often throughout high school,
Being known as a couple was really "cool",
When he went off to college, they drifted apart,
She saw other guys, but kept him in her heart.

They had made plans to start dating again,
At a Christmas party for all their good friends;
She was so excited, "Mom," she said,
"This time I know Kevin and I will wed!"

Soon she learned of his death, and suffered such pain,
As over and over, she screamed out his name
Has it been fifteen years? Time goes dragging by,
Yet, she speaks of him fondly with tears in her eyes.

Yes, she's haunted today by a memory,
Of a boy in a grave in a cemetery;
For the rest of her life, she'll love Kevin still,
And she admits freely that she always will.