Michael J. Carducci

Valrico, FL, USA

MIKE BECAME INTERESTED AND WROTE POETRY SINCE HIS COLLEGE PROFESSOR HAD HIM READ POEMS WRITTEN BY HIS ANCESTOR AND NAMESAKE, A GREAT ITALIAN POET LAUREATE OF HIS TIME, DAILY. HE IS A SEMI-RETIRED EXECUTIVE WHO WAS VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER FOR A FORTUNE 100 CORPORATION. PRESENTLY, HE IS A MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT. MIKE IS AN AVID GARDENER AND TERRIBLE GOLFER. HE HAS WRITTEN POETRY PRIVATELY TO HIS LATE WIFE AND DAUGHTER BUT NEVER TRIED TO HAVE ANY POEMS PUBLISHED. ONLY BY URGING OF SOME FRIENDS WERE THESE POEMS SENT OUT FOR POSSIBLE PUBLICATION. MIKE ALSO WRITES BOOKS AND HOPES TO HAVE ONE PUBLISHED SHORTLY. MIKE SAYS, "MY LIFE HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH A CARING MOTHER, A LOVING WIFE, TERRIFIC DAUGHTER, AND UNDERSTANDING GRANDDAUGHTERS. NOW YOU KNOW WHY I WAS DELIGHTED WITH A FIRST GRANDSON AND MY DAUGHTER'S GREAT HUSBAND. I SHARE MY LIFE IN MY POEMS AND HOPE YOU ENJOY READING THEM AS MUCH AS I ENJOY WRITING THEM."

MOTHER'S DAY—MAY 10,1998

IN DAYS GONE PAST, YOU LOST A PRECIOUS LIFE,
MORE RECENTLY MY LOSS WAS A LOVING WIFE.
THE YEARS FLY BY AND ALL THE HURT REMAINS,
IN MEMORY OF OTHER TIMES OUR MIND RETAINS.

BEING SENIORS IN AGE, WE MUST STILL LIVE OUR LIFE,
OFTEN TO WONDER IF OUR SINS HAD CAUSED ANY STRIFE.
WITH NO FURTHER CHOICE OR CHANCE TO CHANGE OUR PAST,
DID WE TRY OUR BEST, OUR HOPE, OR HAD OUR LOT BEEN CAST.

LONGING FOR A REBIRTH OF BUDDING YOUTH, AS IN SPRING,
FOR OUR CARING, JOY, AND AFFECTION THAT IS OURS TO BRING,
THOSE THOUGHTS OF LOVE, TENDERNESS, AND GIVING TO OTHERS,
IS THE PICTURE OF A WOMAN, A WIFE, AND ALWAYS A MOTHER.

TO YOU LIKE ALL THE WONDERFUL MOTHERS ON THIS DAY,
OUR SINCEREST THANKS AND APRECIATION, WE MUST SAY.
THE GREAT LOVE WE SHARE WITH YOU MOTHERS AND WIVES,
HAPPY MOTHER DAY TODAY AND THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

MOTHER'S LOVE

IT SEEMED SO LONG AGO, YOU HELD ME IN YOUR CARING ARMS,
I WAS TOO YOUNG TO REALIZE, HOW MUCH YOUR LOVE COULD CALM.
THE WARMTH OF YOUR BODY, AND THE SOFTNESS OF YOU VOICE,
WAS MY SECURITY AND SAFETY IN THIS WORLD, MY ONLY CHOICE.

IN LATER YEARS WHEN I GREW OLDER, I COULD ALWAYS TELL,
IN YOUR EYES OF LOVE AND PAIN, THE REASON FOR YOUR YELL.
I KNEW THE ANGUISH IN YOUR HEART, IF ONLY BY THAT SCREAM,
TO CALL ME TO SAFETY AND DISCIPLINE, BUT NEVER TO BE MEAN.

NOW AS A TEENAGE BOY GROWN WITH YOUR NURTURING AND CARE,
I STILL NEEDED YOUR LOVING GUIDANCE TO KEEP ME FROM THAT DARE.
A DARING DO WITH ALL MY FRIENDS THAT SEEMED LIKE SO MUCH FUN,
BUT THOUGH YOUR COUNSEL, OFTEN GIVEN, YOU KNEW THE DAY WAS WON.

I GREW UP TO BE A BETTER MAN BECAUSE OF YOUR GREAT START,
I MOSTLY FOLLOWED YOUR ADVICE, YOU ALWAYS SEEMED SO SMART.
MOSTLY I REMEMBER MOM FOR THE GLINT THAT WAS IN HER EYES,
THE TEARS, THE CARE, THE HURT WERE WRAPPED UP IN HER SIGH.

THERE WERE SO MANY GREAT AWARDS THAT ALSO BROUGHT THESE TEARS,
THESE ARE THE GREAT MEMORIES, THE VERY BEST OF ALL THESE YEARS.
NOW I AM A FULL GROWN MAN, AND I REMEMBER ALL TOO WELL,
THE HEARTACHES AND TORTURE GIVEN YOU THAT HAD TO BE HELL.

IN ALL MY HEART NOW GROWN WITH YEARS, I FEEL I SHOULD CONFESS,
ALL THE TIME I DID THESE THINGS, I KNEW THAT I WAS BLESSED.
WITH ALL THE LOVE AND CARE OF THE ONE WHO KNEW ME THE BEST,
TO PASS THIS TIME WITH GUDANCE, AND KNOW THAT WAS THE TEST.

BUT ALL THE TROUBLE I CAUSED FOR YOU, AND SOMETIMES THE PAIN,
I TRIED TO MAKE IT UP TO YOU BY THE SUCCESS I HAVE GAINED.
OH, I KNOW THAT ALL THIS SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE LATE IN TIME,
BUT YOUR MOTHER'S LOVE HAS ALWAYS CALMED MY SORROWED MIND.