My Dad is a Survivor
If Only I Could Go Back
A Mother's Day Song
 Our Tears

~This Could Be You~
Footprints of My Dad
As a Nation Mourns
A Special Corsage for Momma
A Mother’s Day Thought

Just Once
Together Forever, We Abide
Another Day To Remember Mother
"When It's Time For You To GO!"
Every Time a Tear Falls

Being Reminded Each Day
(Unnamed)
It Matters Not What the Age
I Release You To Fly
“Why Didn’t I Fit In?”

“A Profile of Courage”

Poems Dedicated to Our Children-Page One

Poems Dedicated to Our Children-Page Two

Angel Kisses

All of Kaye's poems are copyrighted. 
To reprint you must have Kaye's permission. Email Kaye
Do Not reprint a poem that was dedicated 
to an individual child without that parent's permission.
 

There She Goes Again

Oh, there she goes again!
 Mom is just staring
 at my photograph.
While I wish she could 
hear my voice;
She wishes she could 
 hear me laugh. 
Her heart goes to a place
too many other 
mothers have been.
Somewhere a heart repairs.
Oh, there she goes again.

Another night up until dawn.
She watches the sun rise;
While she longs to feel my touch,
I long for her to know who
dries her teary eyes.
I've heard my Mom say
 her world stands still.
But really it's in a spin.
Oh, I know how she feels.
But, there she goes again.

Oh there she goes again.
My Mom holds my photograph.
While she longs to hear my voice ...
I long to hear her laugh.
And though her heart is broken,
her smile is like back when.
My Mom appears to Mothers
as a fighter like no other.
Oh there's nothing like her grin.
There's no one like you, Mom.
Oh, there she goes again.
Oh yes, she holds my photograph
and longs to hear my laughter.
I calm the fear of a heart within ...
And will do so each day hereafter!
Oh but, there she goes again.

~Author~
Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Copyright 2001
All Rights Reserved

The Rights of a Parent

Every time I turn on the television
or even listen to the radio
someone somewhere is screaming for their rights.
Saying equal rights is NOT for all to know.

They are demanding the right to do this;
Or say that; or just be what they want to be.
They want the freedom to "express themselves."
You know ... their pleas don't really bother me.

But ... who stands up for the rights of a parent?
Where are all the people on the sidewalks in protest?
Who cares about the rights of a lonely parent that's
forced to lay their child in Heavenly rest?

What about the rights of a precious mother
who so wanted one day to stand in pride
and watch her daughter try on her wedding dress!
This mother's rights have been denied.

Oh ... what about the rights of that loving daddy;
Who wanted to teach his son how to play ball.
And sit proudly in the bleachers to yell out too.
This dad's rights don't exist at all.

Oh, I say what about the rights of each mother
who so wanted to taste Grammiehood?
And each dad who wanted to gaze into a nursery
and bawl like a baby right where he stood?

Oh, what about that dad who wanted his right;
 to be the dad & silently intimidate
 a young man who stands shaking in his shoes.
This dad's rights still lay in wait.

Oh, and what about the rights of each mother
who so wanted to dance with her son.
And hold him close to her just one more time;
On the day he & his bride became one.

What about those parents who wanted the right
to teach their child right from wrong?
Who so wanted to sit on life's sidelines
and watch their child grow strong in love & song.

Someone needs to take a stand up for equality.
This plea is true ... I must confess.
But if we are to live in a world where all is fair,
 rights of a parent MUST not be repossessed.

And, today I'll once again turn on the radio,
and hear those protesters voice in blast!
But the screams of a parent who once had dreams ...
Now are only silent whispers from the past!

The only rights these parents hold in their hands
are the rights to possess empty arms.
And the right to know their child is with the Lord;
Forever smiling & protected from all harm.

Oh yes, let's fight for the rights of a parent.
Let the rights of a parent be restored.
Remove the pain that so plainly stands in view.
And give us the right to smile forevermore!

~Author~
Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Copyright 2001 Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Dedicated to you.

My Dad is a Survivor

My dad is a survivor too
which is no surprise to me.
He's always been like a lighthouse
that helps you cross a stormy sea.

But, I walk with my dad each day
to lift him when he's down.
I wipe the tears he hides from others;
He cries when no one's around.

I watch him sit up late at night
with my picture in his hand.
He cries as he tries to grieve alone,
and wishes he could understand.

My dad is like a tower of strength.
He's the greatest of them all!
But, there are times when he needs to cry...
Please be there when he falls.

Hold his hand or pat his shoulder...
And tell him it's okay.
Be his strength when he's sad,
Help him mourn in his own way.

Now, as I watch over my precious dad
from the Heavens up above...
I'm so proud that he's a survivor...
And, I can still feel his love.

The end.
Copyright 1998 Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Dedicated to all dads who have lost a child & was forced to survive.

If Only I Could Go Back

I was just barely a teenager.
Oh, I thought I knew it all.
But one night without thinking,
I made a poor judgment call.

I was partying with some of my friends.
And, I had too much to drink.
Then, when it was time to go home,
I didn’t even take the time to think.

I got behind the wheel that night.
I thought I knew my way home.
But with liquor steering the vehicle,
I never dreamed of the outcome.

I am in misery now & forever.
Oh, yes, if only I could go back...
Go back to that moment in time,
And erase those deadly tracks.

I’ll never forget the horrible sounds that night.
I heard glass shatter & people scream.
It’s a sound that echoes in my heart daily...
It will always haunt me in my dreams.

You see, a little boy lost his life that night.
All because I was too drunk to drive.
I had no idea what my actions would cause.
Oh I shouldn't have been the one to survive.

I live with that memory every day of my life.
But those parents have empty arms.
And, if only I could go back to that night...
I would keep you from all harm.

It was me that chose to drink & drive that night.
I didn’t have to get behind the wheel...
Oh If Only I could have Gone back to then...
Oh how different so many people would feel.

I can never change what happened that night.
It is a nightmare that I live through.
But, if you can hear these words I'm saying...
Oh Please...don’t let what happen to me...happen to you!

~Author~
Kaye Des’Ormeaux
Copyright 2000
M. A. D. D.  & S. A. D. D. 
Dedicated to the ones who've lost their life at the 
hands of a drunk driver!
There’s no excuse.

A Mother's Day Song

When I see a mother cry,
I think about you.
I know you are heart broken...
I see what you live through.

I wish I could've stayed with you.
We would've been a team.
You & me together for all time.
An answer to the utmost dream.

When I first lay in your arms,
I loved you dearly & I must say.
Even though I couldn't change it...
I didn't want to go away.

I'd have settled for playing baseball,
or soccer or those other things.
I would have like to mess up my room.
And, race to the phone when it rings.

I'd have love to watch Daddy
get all frustrated & tongue-tied.
When he had to give me away.
The day I became a bride.

I'd have love to give you the gift...
The gift of a beautiful grandchild.
A child that would sit on your lap...
Or run through your yard so wild.

Oh I guess I could wish for this,
but I know it wouldn't come true.
I'm an angel in Heaven's Angelic choir...
Singing a Mother's Day song to you!

~Author~
Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Copyright 2000
Dedicated to Mother's 
who have Empty Arms this Mother's Day!

OUR TEARS

My heart aches for the children we lost.
I see their pictures on this page.
Someone took their life without cause.
Leaving our lives in such a rage!

We cry the tears of loneliness.
For that's all we can do.
Our tears can't bring you home.
Oh, our tears are shed for you.

I see lives that are torn apart here.
So many hearts had to break.
All the pain we feel stays with us daily.
But how much more can we take?

Oh Lord, the mother with her baby.
Mother & child murdered without reason.
Oh, what they could have done in life...
If they had only been given a season.

So many mothers represented here.
They have so many tears to cry.
Their child was taken from them...
But we just don't understand why.

Children whose life was taken.
It just seems so unfair.
Left behind were the broken lives of families.
Families left with burdens to bear.

Now, as I see the faces on this page.
I know there must be a reason why.
Another left our hearts broken in two!
Now, we still have OUR TEARS to cry!

~Author~
Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Copyright 2000
Dedicated to the families of murdered victims
 

~This Could Be You~

I see children's faces in the clouds.
Families lives that were torn in two.
I can't help but think of my own blessings.
And how ... "this could have been you."

I know we don't think it can happen.
It will always be the other one.
But if we are not carefully watching...
It may be our daughter or be our son.

The one that we least expect, my friend,
may fall in the depths of a disease.
Cancer, or AIDS, or other dreadful killers.
Oh don't let them reach us please!

Everyday we see families in hospitals.
We see them crying endless tears.
And we can't help but be thankful that
we haven't had to feel their fears.

Oh, my friend, tragedies happen so fast.
A terrific nightmare comes in view.
We look around us and wonder why,
"this tragedy happen to you!'

A mother sits holding her baby!
A child struggles for each breath.
The family gathers around for comfort.
As the child closes his eyes in death.

A dad sits at the edge of insanity.
As he patiently waits for a telephone call.
Will his child be found without harm?
Will his child be found at all?

Yes, it happens everyday to someone.
Maybe some cannot live through.
But you must stop & remind yourself...
Oh, This could have been you!

Yes, I see children's faces in the clouds.
And families whose lives are torn in two.
Oh yes, I am thankful for my own blessings...
As I think...'This could have been you!"

~Author~
Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Copyright 2000
Dedicated to those whose lives have been torn by tragedies

As a Nation Mourns

Americans lost their lives again.
Oh why does this have to be?
Why can't there be peace in the world?
Even with no war, lives are lost senselessly.

They say that men & women on the USS Cole
gave their lives for me & you.
But, tell me, why did this have to happen?
After all that our country has been through?

Yes, the world stands to take notice.
To see how we will react.
But lives were taken without a cause.
And that should be the only fact.

The men & women we lost on that ship
were the love of someone's life.
It was a father, a son, a brother or husband.
A daughter, a mother, a sister, or wife.

Oh will the world ever overcome 
the tragedy of this loss?
Will the seas around us ever be calm?
Or will every ship be shaken & tossed?

Oh, as I sit tonight & think of this tragedy,
as I am sure many are doing tonight.
I can't help but think of those precious familles
with no sense of peace in sight.

To the many families that lost a loved one,
 hearts grieve for your sorrow.
May the love you lost somehow carry you
through all of your painful tomorrow's.

May you always know that they'll be remembered.
Those lives lost aboard the USS Cole.
As a nation mourns this tragedy, we wonder;
Will this world ever again be whole?

~Author~
Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Copyright 2000
Dedicated to the memory of those lives lost
on the USS COLE
October 12, 2000

Footprints of My Dad

I’ve proudly walked through this life 
in the shadow of my dad.
He's been the light to help me see,
And has been since I was just a lad.

You see, he's played a major role in my life.
Allowing me to make my own mark.
But because I used his light for my guidance,
I was never blinded by the dark.

Any young man who loves his Father;
as much as I love mine.
Will stand before you today and say
Oh my dad's shadow has kept me aligned.

As I’ve walked in the footprints of my dad.
I can't help but feel love and pride.
For the man that led me through life,
Is not only my Father, but also my guide.

I give credit to my mother & father
for instilling in me what is right & what is wrong.
And as I look back at the footprints I've made
I can see that I was never walking alone.

Yes, I’ve proudly walked through my life 
And I look back at all the steps I’ve made.
Many people walked along side of me.
But no one has left the print that my dad has laid.

So as this election of 2000 comes to an end,
and someone sits in the President's chair.
Whether I win or lose, I know in my heart,
I'm proud of the footprints that I have shared.
 

Written by:
Kaye Des’Ormeaux 
Copyright 2000 Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Dedicated to Gov. George W. Bush & his family.
 

A Special Corsage for Momma

I send you this special rose
to go in the corsage your wear.
I know it has wilted a bit.
But I know that you don't care.

I planted the flowers just for you.
I fertilized each rose with love.
This garden of roses I planted for you,
grows in the Heaven's above.

I see other mother's with a corsage.
I want you to have one too.
So I touch the roses & kiss them...
Before I put them together for you.

Now wear this corsage that I send you...
Wear it with all my love & your pride.
For it comes from the bottom of my heart...
Watered by the tears you've cried.

~Author~
Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Copyright 2000
Dedicated to Moms

A Mother’s Day Thought

Today is Mother’s Day 
To honor you in a special way.
I thank you for all your love...
For all that you do and say.

I thank you for the warm hugs.
For cleaning my wounded knees.
I love you for always being there.
For being so easy to love & please.

I thank you for the many years
you worked to keep me fed.
I think about the unnecessary tears
that I caused you to shed.

I thank you for being a great chef.
Oh those pies you made for me.
I thank you for being the chauffeur
that took me places I wanted to be.

Oh those times you fixed my jeans
when I tore them on the playground.
It was so wonderful just to know...
Momma was always around.

Oh, Momma, look how time has passed us by.
I now have children of my own.
It’s just that today is YOUR day for me.
It doesn't change just because I'm grown!

With Love to my Mom,
Kaye Des’Ormeaux
Copyright 2000
Dedicated to the Moms.

Just Once

Just once, I wish I had heard
the words I had to miss.
Just once, I wish I could’ve seen you...
And gave you a Mother’s kiss.

Just once, I wish I could’ve seen
the look on your face.
Or took you in my arms, sweet child,
and felt you in my embrace.

I wish I could’ve been there for you
when you first let out a cry.
Just once, I wish I could’ve seen you
before you soared with angels on high.

Just once, I wish I could have told you
the stories of the love we shared.
How your daddy & I cherished you
before we had time to prepare.

Just once I wish I hadn't listened
when I was told you were gone.
For I was then left with empty arms...
I didn’t want to be left alone.

I wish I could have heard you laugh...
Or even shed a tear.
But Just once wouldn't be enough, 
I’d want you forever to stay here.
 

~Author~
Kaye Des’Ormeaux
Copyright 2000
Dedicated to a Special Mother

Together Forever, We Abide

Sometimes I want to cry when I 
think about the pain you feel.
I reach out toward you to help you
But those tears are much too real.

I touched your face this morning.
I knelt down beside your bed.
I whispered to you that I love you so.
Did you hear what I said?

I stood beside you in the kitchen.
I smelled the food you cook.
Oh did you know that I was right there?
Can you see me when you look?

I rode beside you in the car today.
You were driving the carpool.
I saw a tear fall on your cheek too,
when you let the kids off at school.

I walked with you today along that path.
The path that we used to take walks.
I heard you whisper my name  too, Momma.
You still mention me when you talk.

I watched you sit alone today.
As you thought of me  and cried.
I know this wasn’t the way it was to be.
I wasn’t supposed to have died.

But, I still spend days with you Momma.
Can’t you feel me near your side?
I’m here & you’re there but we are together...
Together forever Me & you Abide.

~Author~
Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Dedicated to the Moms who've lost a child.

Another Day To Remember Mother

It is that time of year again
when we celebrate Mother’s Day.
But it is so painful for those of us
whose mother has gone away.

Today is the day that we remember
all the wonderful things she did.
Oh how she pampered us & loved us.
Oh the cards we made her as a kid.

I think today of my dear Mother
who loved us with so much love.
She was more gentle than a lamb;
More precious than a dove.

I think of the nights she sat up
waiting for me to come home.
Of the times she prayed for my safety
when I chose to wonder & roam.

I think about her joyous laughter,
and even the times that she cried.
Or the times that she’d sing in church...
Maybe not well, but she tried.

All year I remember my dear Mother.
Not one day passes she’s not with me.
She’s in my thoughts & rules my deeds,
as it was truly meant to be.

But it does hurt this time of year,
for she’s not with me anymore.
She sings & praises the Lord in Heaven...
While she looks down from Heavens Open Door.

~Kaye Des’Ormeaux~!
Dedicated to Barbara & Ms. Fea
Copyright 2000

"When It's Time For You To GO!"

One night I was awakened
by a knock upon my door.
I went to see who it was
as I've done many times before.
I saw a man dressed in a robe...
His hair was white as snow.
He reach His hand toward me
and said, "It's time for you to go!"
I don't know why I felt no fear
of the stranger standing there.
I took Him by His gentle hand.
Then we were floating in the air.
We reached the Pearly Gates of Heaven
and walked through Heaven's door.
He said, "You lived for me on earth, my child!
Now you'll live with me forevermore!"
He led me down the streets of gold
to the mansions He had prepared.
He showed me the Throne of God
that together we would share!
He let me hear the angels sing.. 
Their faces were all aglow!
He then turned to me and said,
"It's time for you to go!"

I was awakened by a noise...
A noise I'd never heard before.
My family was weeping & smiling
standing at the entrance door!
Oh, it seemed that for quite some time
I'd been in a deep & peaceful sleep.
But the memory of Jesus with me
was mine to cherish & keep.
Then...Jesus entered into the room,
though no one saw Him come in.
He came to my bed and said,
"You know where you have been.
But, life on earth isn't over yet.
You still have some things to do.
Touch each life that you can touch
with this time I'm giving you!
And, don't fear, my child, I am here
and I'll always love you so...
And, I'll be the one to carry you home...
When it's time for you to go!"

Copyright 1998 
Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Dedicated to my Lord.

Every Time a Tear Falls

Every time a tear falls,
someone heart is broken.
Every time a heart is breaks,
words are left unspoken.

Oh tears could drown an ocean.
They could fill the deepest cave.
Teardrops that fall while mourning...
Oh they could swallow up a grave!

Tears for a broken child.
Or for a heartbroken mother.
Tears for the loss of a beautiful child.
Tears we shed for one another.

They can't replace the pain we feel.
Tears are a sense of release.
When our hearts ache with agony...
Tears can somehow give us peace.

But, no peace can come from anger.
We see this every time a tear falls.
And we reach inside the depths of our soul,
we learn they aren't our tears at all.

Author
Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Copyright 2000

Being Reminded Each Day
(of that day)

Being reminded each day of that day 
is a pain that many live through.
Losing a child hurts like no other hurt.
 Surviving is not an easy thing to do.

 I, too, dread to see the sun rise tomorrow.
My heart tells me to just sleep through the day.
But nothing will erase the agonizing sorrow
that I've known since you went away.

Oh how I've longed to see my child again.
To look into your eyes once more.
To know what you would have contributed to life.
To see what avenues were yours to explore!

Now I dread for "that day" to arrive.
And I know how other mothers feel.
That day draws nigh for her to cry again.
And that terrific pain is just as real.

For the day that my child left my side;
It's a day that I want to erase.
Oh how it brings such misery & pain for me.
Now oh yes now, it's here for me to face!

I'll need a helping hand to get through
each hour that passes me by.
I'll need some hands to help me stand
and ears to hear me cry.

So take a moment this day and think of me.
Your prayers will see me through.
And when the sun goes down tomorrow...
I'll begin another year of weeping anew!

Copyright 2000 
Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Written on
September 27, 2000
Dedicated to YOU!

(Unnamed)

Sometimes we can't help
 but ask the reason "why"?
When a person we love
will just suddenly die!
Our heart is emptied
and replaced with pain.
There's such a heartache
that words can't explain!

For, one day, he's here ...
but the next day, he's gone!
You're surrounded by love,
yet you feel lost and alone!
All have felt the sting of death
at some point in their life.
They know it cuts into your heart
like a two-edged knife!

But, there's one thing
we must all understand ...
without "death," he can't walk
with God hand in hand!
And, if he could come back today,
to this cruel worldly place,
he'd tell you how great Heaven is ...
as he wiped the tears from your face.

He'd tell you that Heaven
is such beauty to behold;
that the paths are lined with jewels ...
that he walks on streets made of gold!
He'd tell you not to cry for him;
to stop the flow of your tears.
For he now walks with Angels,
And ... he'll always be near!

~Author~
Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Copyright 1998 Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Dedicated to Kurt & Teresa.
in Memory of Pop
 

It Matters Not What the Age 

Oh it matters not what
How old a child may be.
If they are a young age of twelve.
Or at the age of thirty-three.
If they are called home...
The pain is just a real.
And only that Momma and Daddy
Know how it truly feels. 
I've seen parents lose a child.
In the twinkling of an eye.
Their heart can only ask others
Oh Please tell me why?
Then, parents whose child
Has been ill for a while.
When the moment comes,
Oh They can't release a smile. 

I've seen my own Momma let my sister go.
And it broke her heart in pieces
More than she should bestow.
She never once expected
To bury her own child.
But death is no respecter of persons.
And death can't be defiled.

 So, the moms who have walked
The path of anguish and pain.
My heart goes out to you daily.
I love you more than I can explain.
I wish I could give to each of you
A warm and loving embrace.
And could wipe each tear, Oh yes...
From your painful face. 

But, since I cannot do this.
I will ask the angels to
Reach through the Heavens
And send a special I love you.
And, now, my own sister...
Who is an angel now.
Will be one of those angels...
To protect us somehow. 

And, when I see moms and dads,
Oh the precious ones I meet.
Who have lost a child...
I want to see you win the defeat.
For you've suffered enough
This we all know is true.
So, I send this gift of love.
To ease the pain you've been through. 

 Kaye Des'Ormeaux
All rights reserved.
Special Tribute to My sister, Linda Dalgleish
Aug 3, 1950 -- Aug 14, 1999

I Release You To Fly

Today, I sat on the edge of eternity,
and watched as life passed me by.
I wanted to feel your embrace again,
But Couldn’t no matter how hard I try.

Life is not as simple as we think.
Days seem to just come & go.
But the treasures of that loved one.
Oh what a joy it is to know!

I overhear other mothers when they cry,
and wonder if their pain will ease.
Is that the way I was meant to live?
Oh tell me ... tell me please.

I know that a child is a precious gift.
One that comes with a few directions.
We try our best to follow the handbook of life.
But later see our imperfections.

Loving a child is surely a full time job.
And oh what blessings we receive!
There are no nine to five jobs here, my friend.
Never will there ever be, I believe!

We just keep on giving to our children.
Even when they are no longer in sight.
The love we have for them continues to grow.
And prayers are said night after night.

So, today as I sat on the edge of eternity
and watched as time flew by.
I Couldn’t help but feel your embrace ...
Just before I released you to fly!

~Author~
Kaye Des’Ormeaux
Copyright 2001

“Why Didn’t I Fit In?”

Why didn’t I fit in?
What was wrong with me?
I don’t understand, Momma.
Were my faults so plain to see?
I was just a little one.
I had dreams of my own.
But you took them away
before they could be known.

Why didn’t I fit in?
Oh please tell me why!
Was it too much to love me?
Why did I have to die?
Each time your heart would beat,
I would feel it too.
Couldn’t you hear my heart
as it pounded inside of you?

Why didn’t I fit in?
I’d have made your life worthwhile.
If you’d just let me live,
I’d have made you smile.
Instead, I was taken away
before I was given a chance.
Now, I’ll never hear your voice again.
I’ll never learn to dance.

Yes, I’ve yearned to learn the reason...
Why you didn’t let me live.
This question haunts me daily...
Because I had so much to give.
I had hair so dark & skin so soft...
You’ll never know what I could’ve been.
And, I know I’ll never understand...
“ Why didn’t I fit in?”

~Author~ 
Kaye Des’Ormeaux
Copyright 2000
All Rights Reserved.

“A Profile of Courage”

They say that he can't win the fight,
for others have tried and failed.
That cancer is sure to claim his life;
He'll just follow an empty trail.

But, if death is going to get him,
it won't win without a fight!
He gathers strength from those he loves
to struggle with all of his might.

Though he fears not what lies ahead,
once his eyes have closed in death;
It’s for the ones he shall leave behind
that he fights to his final breath.

No, he won't lay down his armor,
or be caught without his shield.
God creates the miracles for him,
to win in this cancer battlefield.
 

~Author~
Kaye Des’Ormeaux
All rights reserved.
Copyright 1991 Kaye Des'Ormeaux
Dedicated to the Late Rev Alford.
My dad, who fought a battle with cancer & heart disease
who lost his battle to cancer on November 29, 1991

TCF Atlanta

Stories That Touch The Heart

Patriotic Stories | Poems (2)

Wall of Memory | Meeting Times | Newsletter | Suggested Reading

Grief Resource Sites