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	<title>LMNOP4U &#187; Poems</title>
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		<title>&#8220;Alive&#8221; by Kamden Melton</title>
		<link>http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/2011/04/alive-by-kamden-melton/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=alive-by-kamden-melton</link>
		<comments>http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/2011/04/alive-by-kamden-melton/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 16 Apr 2011 04:46:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kathleen Melton</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Kid Quote]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Poems]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/?p=2709</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[“Mom, listen to this,” my little brown-eyed boy confessed both excitedly and nervously, “I wrote a poem.”   I laid down on his bed, resting my head against the pillow-y soft life-sized crocodile that is his sleeping companion. “It’s kind of sad,” he warned me, “but happy, too.”  He searched my face for approval to begin.  [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Picture-5.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2710" title="Picture 5" src="http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Picture-5-257x300.png" alt="" width="111" height="130" /></a>“Mom, listen to this,” my little brown-eyed boy confessed both excitedly and nervously, “I wrote a poem.”   I laid down on his bed, resting my head against the pillow-y soft life-sized crocodile that is his sleeping companion.</p>
<p>“It’s kind of sad,” he warned me, “but happy, too.”  He searched my face for approval to begin.  He wanted and needed my full attention.  Enraptured, I gave it to him.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>ALIVE</strong><br />
by Kamden Melton</p>
<p>“If you could only see me one last time.</p>
<p>If you could only hear my rhythm and rhyme.</p>
<p>If you could only let me hear laughter and chime.</p>
<p>Then you would know…I am alive.</p>
<p>I am alive through your memories of me.</p>
<p>I am alive, leave me be.</p>
<p>I am alive through your laughter and through joy.</p>
<p>So keep me alive – no tears, no sorrow.</p>
<p>Keep me alive because there IS a tomorrow.</p>
<p>No, sadness shan’t prevail for</p>
<p>Yesterday is history</p>
<p>Tomorrow is unknown</p>
<p>But today is a gift</p>
<p>And that’s why it’s called</p>
<p>The Present.”</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>He came to a soft, slow close, paused, then finally looked at me for a response.  I told him how lovely, how heartfelt and moving the poem truly was.  How brilliant he is.  I encouraged him to put it to music, for it seemed to lend itself to a song.</p>
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		<title>In Memory of Alberta Melton Wilkins, Much Loved</title>
		<link>http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/2011/02/in-memory-of-alberta-melton-wilkens-much-loved/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=in-memory-of-alberta-melton-wilkens-much-loved</link>
		<comments>http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/2011/02/in-memory-of-alberta-melton-wilkens-much-loved/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Feb 2011 18:32:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kathleen Melton</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Poems]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alberta Melton]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alberta Wilkens]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/?p=2677</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In reflection, one thing stands out about how Alberta lived her life.  She did not live in the past, nor did she dwell in it.  She chose to live in the present moment. To love in the present moment.  For life is not about the love we did not receive in the past, or the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Alberta69-small.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2678" title="Alberta69-small" src="http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Alberta69-small-243x300.jpg" alt="" width="243" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>In reflection, one thing stands out about how Alberta lived her life.  She did not live in the past, nor did she dwell in it.  She chose to live in the present moment. To love in the present moment.  For life is not about the love we did not receive in the past, or the pain of the past and our attempt to heal from it, life is about the love we give to others, today.</p>
<p>&#8220;It takes great courage and personal strength to hold on to our center during times of great hurt.  It takes wisdom to understand that our reactiveness only fans the flames of false drama.  Love creates a mystical shield around us, protecting us from chaos.  When we are in the midst of loss&#8230;or crisis of any kind, there is power in the words, &#8216;Be still and know that I am.&#8217;   There is no loss except in time&#8230;and time does not exist.&#8221;  &#8211; A Return to Love, Marianne Williamson</p>
<p>Only love is real.  And Alberta, your love will live on today and every day.  Dance in peace.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Nine.</title>
		<link>http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/2010/09/nine/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=nine</link>
		<comments>http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/2010/09/nine/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 24 Sep 2010 04:07:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kathleen Melton</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Parenting and Kids]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Poems]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/?p=2561</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Enjoy the time That you are nine Do not grow up too fast For once it&#8217;s gone It seems too long Since we remembered it last.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Paris-9.png"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-2562" title="Paris -9" src="http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Paris-9-300x239.png" alt="" width="300" height="239" /></a>Enjoy the time<br />
That you are nine<br />
Do not grow up too fast<br />
For once it&#8217;s gone<br />
It seems too long<br />
Since we remembered it last.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Jump The Fence</title>
		<link>http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/2009/12/jump-the-fence/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=jump-the-fence</link>
		<comments>http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/2009/12/jump-the-fence/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:00:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kathleen Melton</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Poems]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/?p=1927</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Some days I want to jump the fence. Like I did when I was a kid. Without thought of what is on the other side, or what I am leaving behind. But alas, my shoes are always &#8220;wrong.&#8221; Or my clothes. I don&#8217;t want to ruin them.  So I stay.  Where I am. And watch. [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1928" title="JUMPtheFENCE" src="http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/JUMPtheFENCE.jpg" alt="JUMPtheFENCE" width="575" height="383" /></p>
<p>Some days I want to jump the fence.</p>
<p>Like I did when I was a kid.</p>
<p>Without thought of what is on the other side, or what I am leaving behind.</p>
<p>But alas, my shoes are always &#8220;wrong.&#8221;</p>
<p>Or my clothes.</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t want to ruin them.  So I stay.  Where I am.</p>
<p>And watch.  Damn shoes.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>A Sea of Red</title>
		<link>http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/2009/10/1773/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=1773</link>
		<comments>http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/2009/10/1773/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:54:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kathleen Melton</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Poems]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/?p=1773</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Lying in a sea of red I reflect upon my life with dread The selfish actions by those most dear Brought to life my greatest fear - That in this life we stand alone Feeling failure in every bone. Trying to come from a place of love Releasing all else to the flying dove Was [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: left;"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-1774" title="Picture 5" src="http://www.kathleenmelton.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Picture-5-150x59.png" alt="Picture 5" width="150" height="59" />Lying in a sea of red<br />
I reflect upon my life with dread<br />
The selfish actions by those most dear<br />
Brought to life my greatest fear -<br />
That in this life we stand alone<br />
Feeling failure in every bone.<br />
Trying to come from a place of love<br />
Releasing all else to the flying dove<br />
Was met with nothing short of hate<br />
And now it’s over, it’s much too late.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
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