2. Ignorance, jealousy, hurt, hate inflame
Innocence, happiness, patience, and love
Inside yourself, you’ll find all of the above
Play your cards right and don’t be others’ fool
Help where you can, don’t misuse your tools
Dot your I’s and cross your heart
Don’t let good friends, but rather enemies, part
Some, they find solace, others find shame
A lesson to learn, a trade to be taught
A good conscience and a willing soul
Questions to ask, answers to be sought
Walk your own path, meet your goal
Live a life to be proud of, a life to love
Live with delight, live a life to write of
Lessons to Share

3. Anya,
Lessons to Share was written for you to share a few of the short lessons I’ve
needed to learn and re-learn every day of my life so far. It is about the
pros, the cons, the highs, and the lows in life. I can’t say I’m an expert, I
won’t say I know everything –at least not say it and mean it- but I do want to
show you a perspective which you can pick apart and make your own
decisions on. I have made many mistakes, but from each one I learned a
valuable lesson. I would like to offer you a piece of advice. These lessons will
be hard, they’ll seem impossible. Stick with them despite everything and
learn as much as you possibly can from them. Without these lessons -and the
challenges they present- life would be null, void, and pointless. It is those
moments in sheer adversity which really define who we are. Trials are
advantageous and invaluable to our lives and in how we deal with what we
go through on a daily basis.They make us strong and they give us our
unbreakable wills –just so long as we stick to the challenge.
To Anya, On Lessons to Share

4. Late one dark, warm Summer’s night
As I gazed into the stars alight
I heard a whisper in the breeze
And a shaking in the trees
I turned around with sudden fear
But what I saw was my lover dear
It melted away like springtime snow
And in his arms I was all aglow
Blissful in the darkness there
The moon shone bright, our love like air
A day’s light later, in the dark of night
I returned to the place where he held me tight
Covered by shadow, surrounded by mist
I walked slowly forward, stumbling upon a tryst
Ode to a Failed Love
It was my lover I had thought forever true
And a woman, hair of gold and eyes ice blue
She giggled, he barked out that warm laugh
My heart tore and ripped into a pathetic half
Tears burned my eyes, their ecstasy burned
my soul
Away I ran through the darkness, blindly I
stole
In day’s sweet light, feeling safe and secure
I saw him today, he seemed heartless, impure
Masked by his friendly smile, his shining eyes
He hides himself from others, he wears a
disguise
Thinking about him used to hurt, it used to
burn
Forgetting him was hard, but a good skill to
learn
Now when I see him, I think back to the first
night
When his hands held mine in the pale
moonlight
The present is here, the past is past,
My future is shining, we weren’t meant to last

5. Anya,
This poem is to warn you about what will happen to you a few times in your
life. Pain caused by someone else to you is inevitable. Everyone hurts and
everyone cries; you know this by now too. My hope is to show you that even
though pain is there –and its hurt shakes you to your core at times- it is there
for a reason. Pain throws us learning curves and strengthens and makes us
wiser in the end. There will be times in your life –and plenty of them, too-
when you’ll get hurt and you will be sorely tempted to close yourself off
from everyone and everything, refusing to let yourself trust.You should
undoubtedly take more care to protect yourself, but do not go to the
extreme of missing out on the great things in life like the new
experiences, friendship, and love just out there waiting for you to find them.
Don’t be afraid to know what it is that you want and go for it. I wanted to let
you know that because you get hurt, that is just more reason to get back up
again, this time as a stronger, smarter woman.
To Anya, On Ode to a Failed Love

6. In your life you will cross many paths
They will provide learning experiences
There will be love and peace; pain and wrath
My hope is to gift you with lessons of my inexperience
Enjoy the little things; they are many but leave fast
Savor the larger things; they are family and friends
Spend your time wisely; make it mean something to last
Take chances you’ll remember when your days end
Forgive and learn from mistakes, never forget
Love and accept the faults in others and
Use the past as a learning tool, don’t live in regret
Your present and past are crafted by your hands
Your Life

7. Anya,
My little sister, my helper through my own trials in life, I’d like to return the
favor and give you a glimpse of what to expect. Life comes with its ups and
its downs; it comes with its trials and joys. Making the most of what you’re
given gives you all that you want and need. This poem I wrote for you gives
you a refresher on what you already know, but hopefully also get you
thinking about these things more clearly and look at them more closely.You
know the facts of both life and death, but have you taken the time to think
them through yet? Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time for you to think
and learn as well.There is also love, which you’ve caught glimpses of in your
crushes, or at least some of the crazier symptoms. Peaceful moments are
hard to come by, enjoy each one as much as possible. Little things and big
thing alike; the scent of flowers, the taste of chocolate, and the love of those
around you should be cherished.You never know when you might not be
able to enjoy these things for one reason or another.
To Anya, OnYour Life

8. May your choices bring you peace
And put your heart and mind at ease
May all you choose be with your heart
But don’t forget to give your mind a part
In all you say and all you do
Don’t make choices to regret all through
Your life, it is a most precious gift
Try new things to help your views shift
Do not let others pressure you to decide
Listen to reason, ignore your pride
From bad to worse, from worse to great
Make weighed decisions, choose your fate
Your Choices

9. Anya,
I wrote this poem to illustrate the importance and gravity of the choices you
make in your own life. I would like to pass down these little tips which, had I
known them when I was your age, would have made going through what I
did much easier. When you make choices, think mainly using logic but also
learn to recognize the times when you must use your logic in conjunction
with your heart. As you get older, the decisions to make will increase further
in difficulty, coming as tests that God sends to you to prepare you for what
comes next. As far as people you surround yourself with, make sure you
choose the ones who make you be a better sister, friend, and catholic.
“Friends” who try to tell you what you should and shouldn’t be, who you
should or shouldn’t hang out with, have nothing but constant criticism for
everything you are and do have no business being called “friend”. Make sure
they push you to be your best.That is how you know that you made the best
choice for yourself, because people who push you to better yourself have
your back and always will.
To Anya, OnYour Choices

10. Love is patient, love is kind
Love is fun but don’t lose your mind
When you give yourself, give completely
If you can’t do that, you can’t love him, really
Share who you are and who you want to be
Don’t pretend; don’t hide behind a fake
screen
Let him see your flaws, let him see your worth
The time you have is precious, more than any
jewel on earth
Let him count the seconds, minutes, hours
and days
Until you’ll be together, until he sees your
face
Love
Be patient with him, be supportive and kind
Be a generous and thoughtful companion to his mind
Ensure he knows your heart is in the same place
To reach him when he needs you through time and space
Know that he also has his flaws and battle scars
He’s not perfect; you’ll never know people who are
Talk, laugh, live and love with each other
You’ll know for sure when for you there’s no other
Love is not jealous or boastful, it can’t be defined
Love is not a game to play or to be outlined
It does not have boundaries or limits in our hearts
It is worth all that we go through our lives from the start

11. Anya,
This poem was written for you to be given a piece of advice on what little I
have learned about love thus far in my life. I’m hoping that you will find use
for it and be able to add to what you have learned up to now. The poem is
merely a few tidbits on my interpretation of what love should be like. I can’t
tell you how it feels as that hasn’t happened for me yet, but I hope to be able
to show you what standards you might want to set in order to attain a
true, great love. I know you have a great capacity for love, and I know that
someday you’ll make someone the luckiest man on earth. I’d like you to
remember a few things first though.That love is patient, and you have to be
too; there isn’t a “prince charming” type of guy to expect, but a humble one
strong of character; finally, think with your head as well as your heart and
find a way to combine the two harmoniously (that brings the best outcomes
to decisions). Find love and make sure you hold it close to your heart!
To Anya, On love

12. I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
And I water’d it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears:
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.
And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.
And into my garden stole.
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see,
My foe outstretch’d beneath the tree.
A PoisonTree byWilliam Blake

13. Nor dread nor hope attend
A dying animal;
A man awaits his end
Dreading and hoping all;
Many times he died,
Many times rose again.
A great man in his pride
Confronting murderous men
Casts derision upon
Supersession of breath;
He knows death to the bone
Man has created death.
Death ByWilliam ButlerYeats

14. The sense of the world is short,
Long and various the report,
To love and be beloved;
Men and gods have not outlearned it,
And how oft soe'er they've turned it,
'Tis not to be improved.
Eros by RalphWaldo Emerson

15. I love thine inland seas,
Thy groves of giant trees,
Thy rolling plains;
Thy rivers' mighty sweep,
Thy mystic canyons deep,
Thy mountains wild and steep,
All thy domains;
Thy silver Eastern strands,
Thy Golden Gate that stands
Wide to the West;
Thy flowery Southland fair,
Thy sweet and crystal air,
O land beyond compare,
Thee I love best!
America by Henry van Dyke

16. What is our life? A play of passion,
Our mirth the music of division,
Our mother's wombs the tiring-houses be,
Where we are dressed for this short comedy.
Heaven the judicious sharp spectator is,
That sits and marks still who doth act amiss.
Our graves that hide us from the setting sun
Are like drawn curtains when the play is done.
Thus march we, playing, to our latest rest,
Only we die in earnest, that's no jest.
What is Our Life? by SirWalter Raleigh

17. Anya,
As you could tell –since you came this far - my own poems aren’t the only
ones included in this small collection of poetry. I chose the five other poems
to get the point of my “advice in life and its happenings” theme across. A
PoisonTree by William Blake was selected to illustrate to you the destructive
power of hate. I want to use it as a reminder that hate is a poison that, if not
let go completely, just grows into something worse and more terrible. If let
go, it is replaced by love, which will strengthen you. If held onto, hate grows
stronger and bears deadly fruit. As I have not come into much contact with
death in my life so far, I selected Death by William ButlerYeats. I hope to
give you more insight into it from someone else who might know more
about it from experience.
Why these other poems by famous
authors?

18. Eros by Ralph Waldo Emerson was chosen for this collection to expand a
little more on love. I also wanted to give you a different perspective to look
at on the subject. I have not gotten enough experience to tell you what is to
be done in any situation, but I hope that little pieces of wisdom from a
published author might help. America by Henry Van Dyke was included in
this collection to show an important value to have in one’s life. It is
important to have a sense of pride in who you are and where you come from.
Be proud of your heritage as a German and Mexican, also be proud especially
in the country in which you live. Finally, Life by Sir Walter Raleigh was
involved in this collection to add advice from one more experienced than I in
life. My hope in dedicating this collection of poetry to you is to help you
along in your life with what little I have learned so far. Here’s to growing
up, but not too fast!
Continued…

19. Blake, William. “A Poison Tree”. The PoeticalWorks of William Blake. the University of Michigan: N/A, 1914. 94. Print.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Eros”. The Early Poems of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Harvard University: A.L. Burt Company, publishers,
1900. 145. Print.
Raleigh, Sir Walter. “What is Our Life?”. The Poems of Sir Walter Raleigh Collected and Authenticated with Those of Sir Henry
Wotton and Other Courtly Poets from 1540 to 1650. Oxford, England: Oxford University, 1875. 10. Print.
Van Dyke, Henry. “America”. The Poems of HenryVan Dyke. Princeton University: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1911. 140. Print.
Yeats, William Butler. “Death”. Poems of William ButlerYeats. Raliegh, North Carolina: Hayes Barton Press, 1964. 111. Print.
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