Fading Soldiers

IN MEMORY;
General Douglas MacArthur's farewell speech to Congress
April 19, 1951
"old soldiers never die; they just fade away"

There is a gallant creed existing
Which grow smaller by the day?
They're the soldiers, men and women
Who gave so much our way?

In the service of their country
From lands so foreign and strange
They did what was needed
To save us from tyranny

No matter what the cost
No matter what the lost
In the many battlefields inflicted
Far across the raging seas

The sacrifice they made
Has often been forgotten
What we now enjoy today
Comes from the valor of their deeds

For all these brazen soldiers
Who displayed such bravery?
Remember them for what they gave
As they are laid to eternal rest

They paid dearly in their struggle
For the liberty we now possess
So take a small amount of time
In a prayer for what they did

Remember them with peace and love
As they take their final breath
I'm honored to pay them homage
For the gallantry they displayed

May God bless these aging warriors?
They will never be forgotten
For they gave their very best
For old soldiers never die

They just simply fade away

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
July 8, 2008

The Gift

I'm here to convey the memories from a long forgotten past
To share a gift which was given and lost from the kindness of a man

Arriving within the spirals in the pattern of my thoughts
Like the twilight bending a rainbow, which enlightens the luster of the breaking sun

Such wisdom he imparted to the children he loved so much
He tried to carve these sentiments to those who felt the strain

A man few remembered, for when he died no one wept
He left a void so empty, unfilled in the loneliness of his life

From the dreams lies his substance in the fantasies of my sleep
It all comes back in the remembrance of what he tried to give

As I approach the shadows in the autumn of my years
The words that I recall I now begin to feel

In the solace of the morning time, peace awakes my heart
A reminder of what was lost and now is found again

So I'll take to my grave all he did impart, in the wisdom he displayed
The epitaph which he left behind, will endear this precious gift

He may have died alone without tears to bid farewell
But he will be remembered for I have become a better man

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
July 1, 2008

Distant Drummer

Dedicated: Those who hear the music..........

I hear a distant drummer in the beat of a somber tune
Which came in the lyrics of life, since birth it's played a song

Across a wooden bridge, came a gift given to me
Arriving when I least expected, from one so high above

It shares a spot so deep inside the rapture of my being
As if it's been a part of me, only now I begin to feel

For I've tasted the sweet desires existing within my dreams
Which resides within a vibrant rainbow, along the waters edge

As I age towards the unknown, there's so much I want to impart
In the imagery which reverts to me, in my remaining days

So I'll share what comes my way, to those who hear the music
Hoping my words brings peace of mind, in the message I wish to convey

To those who are blessed in hearing
The melody vibrating within one's heart

I pray that you will feel the joy
Which has grown deeply between my soul

I'll continue to relay my thoughts to you
Pleading you will do the same

In our travels to find a wooden bridge
And the sounds of a distant drummer

Seeking the one who gave to us, the glory of his love
Along with the gift we share, which brings the saving grace

We'll march to the cadence of a happy tune
Inside his royal palace, forever and evermore

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
June 21, 2008

Unimaginable

Beyond the cosmos of the known galaxies
In the universe we call home

Lies the miracle by the hands of God
In the gift he gives to all

We feel this in every breath we take
From the treasure we call life

We see this in every vista
As the sun moves across the sky

From the glorious splendor of his love
He grants to each of us

Only foreshadows what's in store
To those who truly believe

In the world he created
By his everlasting love

Bought by the death of his begotten son
So our hearts could be cleansed of sin

Thus bestowing the miracle of salvation
Which awaits his flock, beyond the waning stars?

Where the heavenly Father and the Son
Will rule upon their throne

To reign the unimaginable, forever
In a palace we pray will be our home

Is all we can ask for, all we can imagine?
Surrounded by his glory, in his kingdom forevermore

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
March 28, 2008

The Spiral

Within the shadow of the years
Looms the memories of all my fears

Which come in the dreams I have each night?
Leaving me unable to resist the futile attempts to slight

As I fall into the circle of unrelenting love
I hope of finding a way to convey an impression of

The many battles inflected, in the indifference of a cause
Culminating in what was won and lost, in a whirlwind of applause

So in the fantasies we have shared, we'll adjust for separate ways
Which will lead to a new horizon as we leave our yesterdays?

In this parting thought, I will entrust before I go
I ask for your forgiveness for the feelings I could not show

And if you have within you a moment to reflect
Remember all we totaled in the time we did connect

For this shall live beyond us in the blood line we did create
Our daughters will always love us, no matter what the fate

As we come to an end of a spiral, we'll say our final goodbyes
Turning towards a new beginning, in the windmill of our minds

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
June 1, 2008

Wings of Dove

There is a canyon of no regret, which exists within ourselves

It takes affect when problems occur, between our drifting shell

Thus creating a vacuum of despair, which dwells inside our hearts?
Which comes in wayward thoughts, when we think its time to part

Tasting the memories of that first kiss, in a match from heaven above
Is worth the effort to sort this out, to save our fading love

Often time is what we need to soothe our painful hurts
Bringing a type of healing, to erase the lasting marks

So please help me find the pieces, we’ve lost along the way
To rebound to the way it used to be, in the remaining days

For we have known the feelings of unrelenting love
It awaits for us to find again, between the wings of doves

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
May 23, 2008

Mortal Fears

Can a river of deception be a prelude to a dream?
As we sleep with eyes wide open, hoping it's not a scheme

Wishing to catch a glimmer, from the brilliance of your eyes
I lean to kiss your moisten lips, as the moon begins to rise

In the twilight of the dew, lies sweet memories I hold for you
Which becalms a restless heart, of a stranger I once knew?

We've shared so much together, in the volume of our years
I feel as if our love has grown, beyond our mortal fears

For in the time God grants to us, I'll make this solemn oath
To cherish each second given, for the thoughts you hold so close

So take my hand, hold me tight, and never look behind
For the destiny of the new eternity, is there for us to find

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
May 14, 2008

Gathering Storms

Can the sultry taste of a passionate kiss be measured within our dreams?
Could the lasting memories, of years past, slip between the seams?

Will the gathering storms, heard so clear, be just a passing lark
Is it the wish of what once was felt, that drives us further apart

I fear that all we've come to know, will soon be an afterthought
While the richness of all we dwelled upon becomes a fleeting haunt

I want so much for love, to be caressed into our hearts
To feel refreshed, with only thoughts to never think to part

So in the desires I'll share with you, I'll do what must be done
In seeking the passion which has been lost, between the setting sun?

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
May 12, 2008

Fleeting Glance

Is there a signal, which signifies?
When love has taken flight

Does it come ever so quietly?
Like a thief into the night

Can one feel the pain of the passing darts?
As they rip and tear into a fickle heart

Does the rhythmic flow of an enticing dance
Reflect in the hurtful larks, of a fleeting glance

Will we survive another day, or will our fate go astray
I feel all this and more, as time silently slips away

I've often wondered if love can be made eternal
Or is it a passing phase, centering around a hardened kernel

I fear the love once shared, between embracing souls
Has encased itself into a shadowy void, completely out of control

So I'll take my leave, bid farewell, wishing only the best
Hoping we'll find another's love, to lay this hurt to rest

As we instill our weeping memories deep within our hearts
We'll watch the changing patterns fade into the dark

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
May 1, 2008

Rhythmic Patterns

I hear the sound of raindrops

Pelting against the window pane

As I turn towards the rainy night
from the softness of my bed

They come in rhythmic patterns
To stir the sentiments in me

As I search for the lost nostalgia
Buried deep within my dreams

Of songs which sing sweet melodies
For a long forgotten past

In a mood, so much somber
Then what is exists today

Where time moved very slowly
Across the golden path

I relish, what once I knew
For it shall never be again

From the shadows of my yesterdays
Which engulfs my very soul

I’ve learned it’s a part of me
In accepting what I’ve come to know

So in the destiny, which is now my home
I’ll remember the ideals of a simple time

In the dreams that are yet to follow
On a road I’ve come to know

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
April 17, 2008

Worthy Stanzas

Dedicated: Poetry2Share

To touch the stars with worthy stanzas
Is what every poet thrives to do

I've come to realize this and more
Since joining a poetry site, far across the sea

Every so often stored deep within our dreams
Sparks are ignited by our wondering thoughts

Which turns the vivid shadows, of the darkness
Into a blazing light, that flashes across the sky

Thus causing such joy, to those who care to read
The words of enchantment which calms a enduring heart

To those who write such phrases, I have this to convey
It's a pleasure for me to be able to say

How proud I am to be a member of poetry2share
Which shines so brightly with talented writers

Who touch the stars with each syllable
In the rhymes created, from the substance of their souls

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
April 25, 2008

Forgotten Tragedies

In Memory: Nameless faces & Old Soldiers

Can a soldier be forgiven, for the death which comes his way?
Can the savagery of his nature, be tamed to some degree

Can the horrors one sees in war, be a figment of a dream
Or does it go on enticing one's soul, in the bitterness one displays

Thus creating a shadow of despair, in the hallows of an empty heart
Compounding the memories of forgotten tragedies, one tries so hard to ignore


Even after forty years, the pain remains so clear
I see the faces of the nameless, I recall their tearful gaze

They come in the middle of my night, no pity can I expect
In a fantasy of a cause, I still don't understand

For the souls of those who perished, in a jungle of no regret
Leaves an empty feeling, I would rather soon forget

So my life will continue onwards
Nothing I can do, to exempt the wrongful sins

But pray for God and those nameless faces
To release this pain from me

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
April 08, 2008

Author's Note:
40th Anniversary of the My lai Massacre
3-16-68

Tracks of Time

Along the dusty tracks of time

Lurks the memories of forgotten lore
It comes in the haunts, of my sleepless nights
A reminder of what was lost, within a restless heart

Awakening to the bitterness, which never seems to fade?
Enlightens the loneliness felt, in the desperate flow of despair
So I'll take whatever comes my way
For the mistakes made in the embrace, we call life

The dreads I've come to know, which has been a part of me
Gives me thought of how it shall end, before the final blow
Wishing I could alter time, so I can start anew
But alas this cannot be, so I'll look to another source

I have come to this conclusion, evil does exists
It surrounds our very nature, tempting us in every way
But if one looks between the darkness
There is a brightness, which lights the day

It lies in the man named Jesus, who died upon the cross
He came to save our souls, if only we believe
Just take his heart within yourself, for you'll never be alone
To feel the richness of his grace is the greatest gift of all

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
April 08, 2008

Roll of The Dice

Laced within the hapless shadow
Which engulfs one's withered soul

Lies the fate of a wayward heart
So listless and out of control

While no virtue exists for the sins
Ingested by the wagers of life

It comes in the roll of the dice
Along with the numbers that follow

Over the years, the eyes of the snake
Has come to be the norm

Which causes so much pain
In the person I've thrived to be

Addiction is not easy to break
No matter how hard one tries

It affects the lives of all around
It's seen in the tears they cry

So whenever I fell the desire
For taking a change on luck

I stir the memories of forgotten harm
I've caused to the those I love

This weakens the corridors of my inner being
As the hurt invades my heart

Reminding me of my selfish ways
As tears stream down my cheeks

I hope that I will not be lost
In the deals and shuffles of life

For the gamble that's made in turning one's life
Can change one's destiny

So I'll pray the good Lord to give me strength
To resist the temptations of sin

Tempering the craving felt deep within
Making me whole again

I trust to be that person, they've longed for
In the love they keep for me

So I can be the man they've needed
To a family in need of one

Not knowing when the bell will toll
This I know for sure

To win a place in the kingdom of heaven
Is a bet worth my soul

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
April 3, 2008

Double Bouquet

In Memory: Of love departed, but not forgotten

Within the shallows of your grave

Their lies a hallowed love

It comes from what once we felt

In the time we shared as one

I’m here to bring you flowers

The kind you always liked

Now there are two, I come to see

For our son lies by your side

It’s been two years, since he left

To a war across the sea

On his return, in a flag draped coffin

We cried unto the night

Now I face another loss

You left me all alone

Again, I cry, but you’re not here

To console my streaming tears

So now, I bring a double bouquet

To lay upon these markers

Remembering the one, we loved and nurtured

I picked these flowers for him

The other my sweet, I place for you

As tears, begin to flow

For the women who was his Mother?

To the Mother, who was my wife?

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz

March 16, 2007

Flames of Passion

On shifting sands of time, in a land so far from home
I lay upon this lonely bunk, remembering my love for you

Ten months into a tour of duty finally a glimmer, has shown its face
Which brings a spark to the darkness, in the hope what lies ahead

It seems a change of orders, has brought a sense of stability
To a country long existing, in the turmoil's of moral decay

Death still stalks but not as often, how I pray for God to cease
As we camp upon this desert, in the heat which bears no shade

Each hour of the day, I think of you as the sun moves across the sky
Waiting until I can hold you tight, taste your lips, embrace you totally

Between now and the time I leave, there's a duty I must uphold
To a nation, knowing only the grief of fear, in the walls which holds their shame

A heavy burden we carry, I feel the tide has begun to change
The prayers I keep within my chest, is for peace to invade our souls

Writing this letter in my tent, I feel the need for sleep affect my tired eyes
The reflections of my thoughts will always be of the love within our hearts

The time will soon be here my sweet, when I'll return to be with you
We'll ignite the flames of passion anew, in the dreams we share as one

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
February 24, 2008

Endless Dream

Upon the wake of an endless dream
Beyond the tangents of space and time

Within the realm of our wretched souls
Lies a void, overfilled with the pain of careless thoughts

Cascading into the loneliness of despair
We tread towards the unknown

Riding the emptiness of fear, in search of what was lost
Hoping to find a common goal, to soothe the lustful wants

So often in life, the road we take, will lead to separate lanes
On a highway covered with memories mislaid, of our shameful ways

So I'll take this time to let you know, how I truly feel
The love we once held so close has gone to someone else

Take heed, my sweet, remember not the broken heart
Which lays bear our shattered dreams?

But think what once we shared
In the time we spent as one

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
March 131, 2008

Jumbled Words

I see pictures in my mind they come when I'm reposed
Bringing jumbled words unrecognized, in the slumber of my dreams

In your fantasies have you ever wondered, how it would be
If rainbows, Angels and moonbeams, shared the night time sky

At first I asked how strange this is, as I wake into the night
Nevertheless, something pulls me to my pen, and words just seem to flow

Its been said the night holds a thousand eyes
Could the stars that glimmer in the evening dusk

Be the cause, the very reason why
I think such marvels as these

In an age we know as the past, sorrows fill our yesterdays
Much as a river, that rounds the bend drifts towards tomorrow

We seek a new beginning, to set our lives anew
Searching to find a destiny, in the hope of what shall be

We'll steer our ship to brighter days, in the time that's left to us
These jumbled words did come to me, just the other night

I thought to share these sites with you, in the dreams that come to me
Where Angels merge from rainbows, in the moonbeams of the night

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
February 15, 2008

Mislaid Illusions

Between the starlight of the sky
Dwells the rapture of broken dreams

They come in the tears I cry
To impede the loneliness of despair

For in the intrusions of mislaid illusions
Which remain within my thoughts?

Beats the sweet memory of brighter days
We shared along the way

Now just the lingering sentiments
Is all that's left of a crestfallen past

The smiles, the laughter, the afterthoughts
Lost in a realm forever more

When last we parted, without even a kiss
We drifted into a timeless maze

A never ending wall of shame
To seal the fate we framed

I've often pondered of this and more
As I search the hollows of my soul

Seeking the peace and calm to release the pain
Which pounds within this listless heart

For the love which was lost, in turning away
From the feelings we once embraced

Comes to haunt the stillness of the night
In the sins that torture me

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
February 09, 2008

Mandate to Destiny

Dedicated: To the American Voter

There is a place called destiny
Existing in the realm of our dreams

It holds the promise of better times
With the changing of the leaves

As we close upon an election year
On the eve of a new dawn

We as Americans will need to choose
In the leaders who'll guide our strides

It's call the right to vote
Which came with a heavy price?

For freedom is never easy to ingest
Well mastered by the tears of war

Along with the blood shed by the brave
And those who served with pride

Gave us the freedom of choice
A mandate we cannot deny

The eyes of the world look upon us
To untie the ropes of oppression

Within the context of our fate
We will do whatever we can

To bestow a privilege for the many who suffer
In a world which longs to be free

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
February 2, 2008