The Winds of March

In Memory: Maria C. Ruiz (03-10-24) (03-28-03)

March brings breezes loud and shrill, stirs the golden Daffodil
Within the branches of the trees, blown by winds from the northern skies

Lay the hope of another year, in the seeds which cling to the sleeping trees
Which wakes the flowers in the ground, to put our mind at ease?

I paid a visit the other day, to a place I seldom go
Where memories lie beneath the ground, and tears are often found

The 28th of March to be exact, is a time of sadness; I'll never forget
That's the day our Mother left, to be with God above

The pain which left her soul that morn, transferred to the ones she loved
That very moment lingers in me, and my siblings will never forget

For the winds of March blew in from the north, and took her life from us
And the tears we cried in the early dawn, will forever remain in our hearts?

Only memories of a Mother who gave us life, is all that we have left

As I watch the golden Daffodils she loved so much, stirring atop her grave

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
January 7, 2007

Bush Pilot

Dedicated To: Jimmy Tubbs & Cheryl Reynolds

As I surge below the sunlit stars, in the land of the midnight sun
The snow capped mountains are rising fast, beneath the pale moonlight

A bush pilot I've been since '75, never regretting the choice I made
For I've seen the wonders of this world in my travels toward the clouds

Inside the drifting pockets of air, that cushions my silver wings
I steer this craft, with breathless thoughts, as I soar to a higher peace

How often will one get a chance, to gaze upon the trueness of this land?
As I fly up high, I see the dreams created by God, in the solitude of the sky

Not much has changed, in the years I've flown, and I pray it never will
For the beauty which lies before my eyes, is a treasure for all to see

In airlifting supplies to a wayward spot in the outback of the Alaskan plains
I ponder of the grandeur which unfolds before me, and shudder at what may come

If only we could keep the serenity of the land, the way it's always been
The dreams which God created, will forever remain in our thoughts

For those who wish to see the visions, will need to fly up high
So come along and join with me, for the glow that shines from heaven above

Will brighten the shadows of the Northern Lights
In the land of the midnight sun

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
January 02, 2007

Soldiers On Patrol

Dedicated To: Winston H. Martin

As I ride along the sands of time, I find how precious life can be

Whenever soldiers, engage in wars, to fight for liberty

For me the loneliness job I'll ever have

Is being the commander of an Army Battalion, in the city they call Baghdad

In my short stay in the hell, which I've come to know so well

Death is just a heartbeat away, each second we're on patrol

I try to instill this thought in my troops, to keep them safe from harm

But every so often I've come to learn, it is of no avail

For when the sounds of a bomb explodes, it shatters the dreams we have

Of what is yet to come and unfortunately will never be

At the end of a sadden day, I'll weep with tears in the duty which lies to me

In the letters I'll write to Mothers, Fathers, and wives the ones who are left behind

Each day I prepare our soldiers, for the orders that come our way

And each time I pray no harm will come, from this evil that's so abound

But as the commander of this unit, I need to make this clear

The bravest men, and women I know, are serving our nation well

One day I'll know, peace will come and our troops will head for home

And we'll remember they gave their best for God and country

As only soldiers can

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz

December 28, 2006

The Summit of Your Love

Dedicated To: Pamela Hardin

If I could climb towards the summit, which contains all my love for you
If I could reach, and touch your lips, and kiss softly the thoughts you hold inside for me

What bliss would we enjoy, as I caress the memories we once embraced, so many years ago
As I climb the snow tipped mountain, known as the Matterhorn

From another place and time the thoughts for you I hold inside keeps peace within my mind
Decisions in life are often made, which decides the fate we'll take

As we ride towards the goal we seek, in our stroll to a higher place
Did I make the wrong choice, in turning my heart, from the love you offered me?

I've climbed many mountains in this world, for a mountaineer am I?
But the peak, I could not conquer, is the summit of all your love

So as I age with grace and do what is needed, to seal the fate I've chose?
The dreams for you will always be, of the passion I left behind

And all my vistas of the mountains I've climbed, will be like an afterthought
For the crest I could not capture, is the love that was lost in turning away

From the beauty that lies in your soul

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
December 21, 2006

Shifting Swells

Dedicated To: The Skippers of the Velux5ocean Ultimate Solo Challenge

Beyond the blueness of the sea, beneath the pale moonlight
I ride the currents of the deep, aboard my solo yacht

Eight weeks out from Bilbao, and forging onwards to Fremantle, on the first leg of the trek
My thoughts of you begin and end, in the twilight of the lonely sky, towards the goal I seek

Each day goes by with memories of us, within my weathered crown
This helps preserve my sanity from being lost, in the ravages of this endless wake?

How I wish you where along my side, as I ride the shifting swells
For all the love I hold for you, I keep within my heart

Every moment alone on this ship of life, which protects me from the perils, which lay beneath my keel?
I hold the dreams that are yet to be, in the portals of our souls

Until this race around the world comes to a graceful end
And I'm holding you within my arms, so I can kiss your tears away

Then I'll know I've faced the test, done my best
And now, I'm here for you

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
December 02, 2006

Shadows in the Clouds

Dedicated To: Ronnie Mckinzie

Have you ever wondered how it would be, if our lives had never crossed?
No special feeling would be felt, as our shadows emerge from the clouds

For us to share our lives, and hopes, from a place so far away
Makes this friendship so exceptional, in the sentiments which we convey

I sometimes ponder, how you cope, in the life that you've weaved
As we face the reality of time and what is yet to be

Our thoughts will be similar, in the aspirations we shall seek
We may even approach life differently, but in the end the results remain the same

So many things we have in common, which lie between our thoughts
Even the tears we've shed, when hurt invades our hearts

All of this revolving, within the web of our wayward souls
As we travel down the busy highway, between the blissful lanes

But this I tell you my far away friend, our dreams will never shatter, as long as we believe
There's only one heavenly Father, and the gift we share is his

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
November 27, 2006

Rivers, of My Thoughts

Dedicated To: Jack Zeigler & Flo, the wife he left behind

To you my dearest, I profess the love for you, I keep inside my soul
For this is how I truly feel, from within the rivers of my thoughts

Between the fibers of my dreams, lie the memories of our hopes
And all that we've ever done, in the life which we've embraced

So I'll take this time, to let you know, how deep our love has grown
As we age with grace, towards the final chapter, I know we'll face one day

Each moment with you has been a jubilation, a blessing from God above
So many recollections we both enjoyed, along with tears to match the sadness, instilled within our hearts

But overall I must confess, each night when we lie down to sleep, as I stare into your eyes
I say a silent prayer, thanking God for all you've done and for all you mean too me

For I can not contemplate, living without your love
So I'll pray for God, to place my soul into his home, when my sands of time run out

Where I'll wait until he calls you, so we can be together
In the kingdom he created from the power of his passion

In his heavenly home, we shall share eternal bliss
For our love will begin all over again
And will last until forever

Written by Roland R. Ruiz
Wednesday November 22, 2006

Destiny

Dedicated To: Louis Antonio Almaguer, Jr.

As I walk along this barren highway, where I've never been before
I look and ponder how I got here, with not a soul to even ask

I'm searching for a sign post, their lies one up ahead
My eyes begin to strain, as I look to read the name

The words I spy says Destiny, how strange it seems to me
As I wonder how I came upon, this quiet lonely path

So I keep my pace and hope another, will soon be joining me
To tell me where I am, and what lies around the bend

I'm thinking how this happened, unable to recall
The last think I remember, was driving down the mountain, in the early morning fog

Tired from working the night shift, and in a hurry to get home
So I drive a little faster, as my eyelids begin to fall

Now I'm walking down a road, without a car to steer me home
Something wrong, very different, never felt this way before

In the distance I see a person, heading straight towards this spot
Could it be a lonely stranger with the same thoughts, I possess?

As he gets a little closer, it begins to dawn on me
He isn't even walking, for his wings are clear too see

Now I know why the sign post, has the name of Destiny
My days are finally over, no point in shedding tears

Though I led a life of goodness, I've sinned along the way
For every night before I sleep, I pray to God my soul to keep
and to forgive my earthly sins

Now the time has come to reap, for all that I've prayed
Today is just the beginning, of the next eternity

For my Guardian Angle has been sent, by the Son who loves me so
To guide me to my heavily home, the one his Father built

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
November 13, 2006

Seconds & Heartbeats

In Memory: Jesus Gonzalez Jr.

In the inner corners of my thoughts, lie the heartaches of my life
Which comes to haunt me each time I gaze, towards the love we once embraced

It's been two years since you departed, leaving me all along
To wander in this empty house, with only memories, to calm the fears, which remain within my dreams

The seconds and heartbeats we shared together, since we became just one
Keeps my sanity from being lost, in the shadows of my heart

I've tried to find another love, too soothe my lonely days
But I've yet to find that special one, to replace the images your face in shines, upon my wretched soul

So I'll try to sleep and hope no thoughts of you, will reach inside of me
But this I know, as sure as the morning dew forms upon the grass

The feelings of you, will come to me in the twilight of the night
As I'll yearn and weep many tears, for all you've left behind

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
November 08, 2006

Pondering Thoughts

Dedicated To: Art Bocanegra

Have you ever wondered how many seconds, remain within your life

Or how may times your heart has beaten, since you first appeared in your Mother's womb

On this cloudy murky day, as I sit upon my trusted steed, with only these thoughts to keep me occupied

I ponder what life has dealt to me, and wonder why I feel this way

All that I have ever done makes little difference

When the seconds and heartbeats meets at the end, and all my debts are due

That's when I'll meet the maker who waits for me, on the other side of life

Will I be ready to face what is to come, or should I correct the mistakes I've made, before my time runs out

This is the deep question I need to answer, as I sit with my lonely thoughts

And wonder why I've led a life of solitude, without a soul mate to comfort me in my time of need

I fear my seconds will soon give out, as my heartbeat begins to fade

So I'll make my peace before I go, and pray it will be enough

So I'll be able to share the glory, which waits for me, and all those who believe

In another place so much kinder, then the one I live in today

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz

November 2, 2006

Dreams of A Beating Heart

Dedicated To: Clyde Harris

If ever a dream, could describe the feeling of love
I hold for you inside my beating heart

The day would not be fast enough, to cascade into the dark
So I could fall asleep quickly, to let my thoughts of you begin

The visions of the love we shared, so many years ago
Reflect upon our inner selves, as we try to relive our loss

My eyes did meet a glancing dart, between our broken souls
The sparks still flame, even though years have passed
Since you were my blushing bride

Now the only thoughts we share, are the one we made together
For she is truly a gift from God, where did we go so wrong

I know that we're not the same, our lives has lead to separate trails
Along the road of life, it's as if another, has placed on a different path

But as we meet on this wedding day, for the one we created from love
I hope and pray she'll be able to keep, what we lost along the way

And as the Pastor repeats the words I remember, from another place and time
To love, honor, and cherish each other, forever and a day

How I wish we could have kept our vows, what a difference this hour would make
As I watch my baby walks out the isle, towards the path she'll take

I think back to what should have been, as the tears flow down your cheeks
And wishing time would turn around, so I could love you all over again

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
October 28, 2006

Moon Beams of Love

Dedicated To: Angie M. Ruiz

If all my thoughts of you could be seen, like the moon beams that shine at night
If all the love I have for you, could be put to song

And sung by Angels, in their heavenly home, as they fly between the clouds
If all that I've ever felt for you, could be expressed in just one dream

What endless shadows of love would exist, between the rainbows of our souls
I could not imagine how life would be, without you by my side

The kiss you place upon my lips, before we fall asleep
And the gentile caress I feel upon my cheeks, when you wake me in the morn

As we share the remaining golden years, the Lord will grant to us
I pray that all we've done together, brings honor to our marriage

And God, will let us share our love, until the final hour

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
October 18, 2006

Evil Wind

Dedicated To: Manuel Perez

I had a dream the other night, as I tossed and turned, in the early morning hours
About an evil wind that's blowing, across our troubled land

I feel the presence in the air, as it surrounds my wretched soul
A dreaded fear is embedded deeply, in the fiber of my bones

For there is danger in the horizon, it's headed for our eastern shore, in hast it makes its way
Many say it's here already, and I would tend to agree, so I say a silent prayer, for the worst is yet to be

The war has brought a feeling of despair, to a nation so brave and proud
Maybe it's time to shed this honor; we've held since our founding days

This is a different kind of war, unlike the ones we've fought before
We have an enemy who has no fear of taking life, even when it's their own

Our troops each day die one by one, in this God forsaken place
Where death lurks around every corner, in cities so far away

Waiting to steal our sons and daughters, as they march along the streets
Is their no way out with honor, I wonder how this can be

For the President of these United States, must face the reality
To find a way to return our troops, for we aspire to live in peace

I pray that somehow this will be, and God will grant our sovereign nation
A way to end the pain we've endured, since September of 2001

May we pray as one, to end this war, and bring our soldiers home
For they deserve to live out their dreams, for all that they have done

I ask you Lord to grant this prayer, and bring peace to our turbulent soil
This struggle has brought much anguish to us, and we wish you'll end it soon

And send the evil wind that's blowing, back where it belongs

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
October 15, 2006

Window of Time

Dedicated To: Juan M. I. Valadez

Have you ever wanted to look thru the window of time?
To see what you've left behind

As I lie in this hospice bed, thinking of all my yesterdays
I remember back when I was young, free of the pain, that now becomes a part of me

My carefee days, were filled with zeal, death was not even an afterthought
So eager was I to follow the course, which was so plan for me to see

As I sailed thru life's embrace, not ever thinking the day would come
When my youthful ways would slip away, as I aged with grace, towards my final destiny

Then one day in the prime of life, a pain shot thru my being
The hurt that I endured that day, convinced me of my mortality

In the delirium of the aches, which came deep within my bones?
I knew right then this was real, as the EMS blared down the crowed street

In my 47 years, I have never known the comforts of a hospital bed
Soon I learned how to adjust to the sickness that invaded me, but the worst was yet to come

In between the shots of dope they poured into my veins
I fell as if, I'm in a cloud, as the pain begins to fade

After three days of testing, the Doctors paid a visit
To let me know the score

I remember the overcast of the sky, as I looked out the windowpane
The three of them peered down at me, with the results the tests had shown

"A militant tumor has spread within your bones, you have just weeks to live"
"Their's nothing we can do, but ease the pain", so the Doctors said

I was in total shock as I heard the words that would soon seal my fate
As I watched them leave the room, it began to dawn on me that death was at the door

Now I lie in this hospice bed with only thoughts of my yesteryears to set my mind at ease
I've been a loner all my life, not even siblings have I

My parents died some years ago, and I never found the love a wife, to share sweet dreams with me
So their's nothing to leave behind, not even a friend to say goodbye

But thru all of this, as I lay dying in this bed, I have one final thought
A Pastor paid a visit, just this very day

He told me of the Father in Heaven, who loves me nonetheless, to open heart and soul, to his eternal Son
Just asked for his forgiveness, for he gives it free to all

So I poured out my sins, and prayed with him, as he knelt beside my pillow
Together we asked for God's mercy, thru his holy Son

I felt a tingling touch my heart, as he rose from the side of my bed
I remember his words, as he gave me a hug

For death is just the beginning, a trip we all must make
To reach the home we longed to be, for the rest of eternity

Written by Roland R. Ruiz
October 07, 2006

The Midnight Sky

Have you ever been under the midnight sky, riding along with the salty spray across the barren sea?
With only the stars and moonlight shinning bright to whisper to your thoughts

As I set upon this rickety porch, and look toward the open waters, that once was a part of me
The dreams of when I was young and free, keeps flooding back and haunts me, in the middle of the night when I'm alone, without a soul to keep me company

The memories of the wild ocean lay deep within my mind
I remember slicing around Cape Horn, in the early morning hours

With a copper sky, behind the mast, which highlights the beauty of the day?
While the ice cold waves, that broached the ship, brings contentment to my soul

The sounds of the sea, remains in me, for all these many years
Which adds to the joy, to this weathered sailor, who longs to be aboard a ship, within the swells of an endless wake?

How I wish I could go back and sail around the Horn, in the ship that was my life
until time caught up and I got old, for only the sea is ageless

The sky, and fog, the savage tides at night, brings comfort to my misty eyes, as I look towards the ocean, from the porch of my land locked ship

That now becomes my home, until the middle of the night, when my dreams begin to flow, and I'm back at sea, where I long to be

In wait of God, calling me to the harbor of his love, where I'll dock my ship upon his pier and sail no more forever

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
September 17, 2006

Dreams of Life

Dedicated To: A Californian Friend

The dreams of life was once forgotten
When once in darkness I reposed

But now as I awake, from my slumber
In the brightness of the morn

I feel the dreams I thought forgotten
Not those that really matter

But in my search for something different
To soothe the trembles in my heart

I hap to find the love of you
From which I vow to n'eer depart

But if that love I look to find
Has left my heart unbridled

The darkness that once filled my soul
Will never in my heart repose

Now the brightness of the light
Fills my heart with love

I will humbly thank the Creator
Who lives in the realm above

But only when my time is done
And he's ready to call me home

Only then will I relent my love of you
For my heavenly home above

Copyright C.P. Dhuet & Roland R. Ruiz

Waters of Life

Artwork courtesy of www.eaglezen.com

What if I could relive my life, and start all over again
Would I change my ways, I sometimes wonder as I asked myself

If all that I've ever done, could be placed in front of me
What choice would my soul select, for the rest of eternity?

Should I take the same road, in my trek thru troubled times?
Or would I change direction, and go where no harm can reach my heart

To play it safe, as one would say, and stay on the high side of life
Without the pain, to release the tears which resides so deep in me?

How often one must face this choice, in the daily chores of strife
For those who make this passage in time, on the road which leads to death

Have a decision that must be made, as we thread upon the waters of life
For in the end, a final choice awaits for each of us

To live in internal bliss, with the one who created all we've seen
Or stay forever without the love, he gives freely to one and all

It is for us to decide, for myself I have no fear, in the choice which I shall make
I'll ask his Son who died for me, to forgive my mortal sins

And hope and pray, my sins are cleansed, in the blood he shed for me
So I'll follow him to his Father's palace, and Heaven will be my home

Where I'll sing with all the Angels, and multitudes, which fill his house with love
There I'll bask in the glow of his everlasting grace, in the room he prepared for me

For all eternity

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
September 14, 2006

Golden Sands

Dedicated To: Evangeline, My Beloved

As I thread upon the golden sands
Which leads to thoughts of you?

I think of the years, shared together
In the sunshine of my dreams

They come at night to soothe my soul
This fills my heart with love

As I turn onto my pillow, from the softness of our bed
I see the total beauty, which lies within my grasp

I think of all we've accomplished, since we became just one
And wishing we could go back, to relive our youth again

For in the silken sands we've trodden, in our march thru time
Has brought to us a life of richness

Filled with love and laughter, along with many tears we've shed
To wash our pain away

I think of love ones, and friends, who shared our wedding day
How many have passed, to their just reward
Leaving only memories, to keep within our hearts

Our life has been a blessing, for all these many years
All that I have ever been, is due because of you

As I gaze upon the women who's made my life complete
I'll pray for God, to bless, the years he'll grant to us
And thank him for what he's given, in our trek thru life's embrace

One final thought I'll leave behind, as I drift back to my dreams
Grow old along with me; my beloved for the best is yet to be

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
September 07, 2006

Voyage of Loneliness

Dedicated To: Oralia Culler

Author's Note
The Ultimate Solo Challenge will soon begin, this around the world yacht race is called VELUX 5 OCEANS, is one of the most established, continuously run, single-handed round the world yacht race. It has taken place every four years since 1982. The race is the longest and toughest event, for any individual in any sport, October 22, of 2006, the race will begin, and the skippers will sail over 30,000 miles of ocean alone, facing all the extremes that nature can throw at them, this poem is dedicated in to these few brave men who dare to challenge nature, and all its elements.....

I've seen the majestic stars twinkling brightly, beneath the shadows of a moonless night
Watched the sparkles of the Northern Lights, in the coldness of a Norwegian fjord

I've crossed the oceans, so many times without the feel of solid ground, to support my aging feet
And seen so many different sites in my travels around this world

For I've sailed upon the seven seas, watching swells of cresting waves, swirling within the undulations, of a unforgiving mass
But what I remember most, which remains deep within my thoughts

Is the loneliness felt, in the vastness of the ocean, which lies beneath my keel
Its been six weeks since I left Bilbao, Spain, on an early October morn on route to Fremantle, Australia, by early December, on the first leg of the race

With a lay over to rest my weary bones, I'll pursue a trek towards America
On the banks of the Chesapeake Bay, hoping to make Norfolk, by mid March in the early part of next year

Then cross the wild Atlantic, back to Bilbao, to claim the prize I hope to win by the middle of April, I pray
That is if I'm able to keep my sanity, in this God forsaken abyss

Which is to be my home for the next six months, how lonely will I be
As I ponder aboard my solo yacht, which protects me from the mysteries which lie below the water line, within this endless wake

I think of God so high above, and say a prayer to him, please dear Lord, give me strength to cope with the feelings I have inside my heart
Alone at sea without a friend to convey the many thoughts, which resides so deep in me

If you could keep me in a frame of mind, which will hold me in one piece
And let me finish, what I've started, to reach the end I seek

Then I'll know I've given my best, win or lose, I've been faithful to the quest
And passed the test, and the prize called life, I've won

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
September 04, 2006

Cabin Boy

Dedicated To: Xavier Christopher Magallanes

Whenever I go back to the sea, it is with a tear in my eye
For I recollect the lad that I was, and the memories flood back to me

I was just short of fifteen, when I boarded a ship
From a pier, on the Bay of St. John's

Due to a friend, who snuck me aboard, a cabin boy I became
So off I sailed to see the world, for I knew I could learn the ways of the sea

If given half of a chance, so I did what was told, and kept to myself
And watched and learned what needed to be done, to keep this vessel afloat

For the years brought me the craft of the trade, and a sailor I soon came to be
I was taught the skills, by the best of the crew, how my hands did burn with the rope

But soon I was able to keep up with the best, and a cabin boy I was no more
For I was a whaler, my home town New Bedford, and I never regretted my move

That was nearly 40 years ago, now I'm landlocked, without a ship to steer my heart, towards the ocean's blue

How hollow my life has become, since the sea which I love, is no longer a part of me
As I look from the shore, towards the horizon, within the misty fog
A ship of fate waits for me, to take me to my new home

Now as my life nears an end, I think of my yesteryears
I pray that my dreams, of the oceans I've sailed

Will be waiting for me, when I dock at the home port of God

Written by: Roland R. Ruiz
September 1, 2006