Flooded outside with water
Flooded inside with tears
As no one has seen such havoc
In a countless number of years

The relentless rain; it seemed to never end
The likes we have seldom seen
People were trapped inside their homes
Their streets resembled streams

Hurricane Harvey slammed the Texas coast
And stalled out over our great city
It flooded the north, south, east, and west
It really had no pity

Visions ingrained forever in our minds
Of victims trudging through high water
Trying desperately to get somewhere safe
To deal with all the disorder

Fearful, nervous, and terrified people
Watched the water rise higher and higher
All around them their world was washing away
They were getting desperate and so very tired

Thousands of people lost everything they had
Their homes, belongings and their cars
But helping hands and much-needed supplies
Are reaching out to them from afar

The emotional toll cannot even be measured
The aftermath will be so heavy
With the destruction of such a powerful storm
Coupled with flooding caused by the levee

Yes, the hurricane crippled our bustling city
It will take months and years to rebuild
But we have the heart of a champion
Which is way too hard to be killed!

Look beyond the color of someone’s skin
Look deep into their soul
You’ll find the same warm and caring heart
The kind that makes us all whole

Forgiving all those years gone by
When not all men were free
We should live together now, in harmony
God’s perfect plan to see

All lives matter—every single one
As we strive to achieve the same things:
Happiness, success, and love
And the friendships that living brings

Every person you meet has some kind of struggle
So greet them with a smile
Be kind, be helpful, and give from your heart
Always going that extra mile

Make a difference in someone’s life today
This second, this minute, this hour
It’s no mistake your paths have crossed
Within you lies the power

The power to make or break their day
Whether they’re brown or black or white
We can make a difference in the lives we touch
We’re all together in this fight!

The circle of love encompasses the globe
As hand after hand we touch
Nothing else you achieve in this life
Will ultimately mean so much!

No more senseless killing and getting revenge
For the violence and wrongs that go down
It is written: “Vengeance is mine,” saith the Lord
These words in your head should resound

So let’s bring love where hatred abounds
It all starts with you and me
Only then will we truly be brothers and sisters
Only then will we all be free!

-Sandy Carouth
July 2016

And only God can tell us why”

Quote from www.remember-me-memorial.com

Through the Eyes of a Child

Rock me in the cradle

Hold me in your arms

Whisper in my ears

About the world and all its charms

I’ll close my eyes to the madness

That engulfs our lives today

Teach me that no matter what happens

To bow my head and pray

I am young, so sweet, and innocent

Not the victim of a horrific crime

May the few years we spent together

Be forever etched in time

Yes, remember the special moments

That we shared day-in and day-out

Know that my heart will always be there

And that I’ll miss you, without a doubt!

I have no rhyme or reason

That explains what happened today

I long to still be with you

So that we could frolic and play

I know you’re sad that I am gone

But don’t cry too long for me

For I am skipping and running on streets of gold

And am as happy as I can be!

One day soon I’ll be coming to meet you—

It really won’t be that long

Till we embrace each other at the Heavenly gates

And we burst out in joyous song!

I will always be your baby

No one can ever take that away!

So be happy; be strong; be fearless

And I’ll see you again someday!

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow,

nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:  for the former things are passed away”

Revelation 21:4

 Poem by Sandy Carouth

December 14, 2012

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under Heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die…”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a KJV

You spared my life again, oh Lord
I really shouldn’t even be here
Your mighty hand protected me
In the midst of my worst fears

Now when I gaze at the ruins
There is no rhyme or reason
That I was left standing there
Yet, to everything there is a season

You lifted me up!
I walked out of the wreck
Dazed and stunned
But with barely a speck

This isn’t even the first time
That I’ve had a brush with death
Had the wind completely knocked out of me
Barely able to catch my next breath

You seem to be trying considerably hard
To catch my wayward attention
As I’ve always approached the word of God
With hesitation and utmost caution

But I can see very clearly now
How really precious my life is
And how I shouldn’t waste a single moment
‘Cause after all, they are all His

I will focus on what is important to me
Putting love in the center of the ring
For that is what makes the world go round
And what makes every human heart sing!

Our lives can be changed in an instant…
We can’t really count on tomorrow
We only have this day, this moment
We’re living on time that is borrowed

So I’ll look at each day quite differently now
Every morning when I open my eyes
I’ll sing His praises loud and clear
For this life that He gives me is a prize!

Sandy Carouth
August 26, 2012

I feel like a leaf in the gutter of life,

Floating adrift, amidst all of the strife.

Letting go; falling down, in spite of myself.

Losing my hope and pride—treasures better than wealth.

Once vibrant with color, so fresh and alive!

Kissed by morning dew, just before the dive.

Now brown and barren, you’d hardly recognize

My lifeless state in this drab disguise.

I held on as long as anyone could,

Not wanting to let go, even if I should.

But I have no real purpose—no direction in life,

And the days I’m disheartened are unquestionably rife.

I feel helpless and trapped, with no way out,

And no where to turn that doesn’t harbor doubt.

I wish I could see just what is down the road…

What’s waiting for me—what the future holds.

I long to be free of this nagging torment;

Torn between here and now, which seems to be dormant,

And what lies ahead, at the end of the line…

Will I overcome this and will everything be fine?

Should I turn to the left or turn to the right?

I’m growing weary of the struggle and tired of the fight.

Feeling repeatedly pulled down whichever way I go,

Ducking into corners and dodging every foe.

I’m in desperate need of a change, but what?

I just yearn to get out of this same ole rut!

What IS the point of this day-in/day-out?

Where am I going?  What is my route?

I’ve spent my whole life getting here where I am.

Why all of a sudden do I feel it’s a sham?

The solution must be out there somewhere it seems;

How to save me from despair and let me hold onto my dreams.

Sandy Carouth

September 2010

“They fell, but o’er their glorious grave floats free the banner of the cause they died to save.”

-Francis Marion Crawford

Remember…

A Memorial Day Poem

It’s the time of year when we turn our thoughts

To our precious freedom, and those who fought

For our liberty that they wanted to save,

And that sent them to an early grave.

So on this day as we remember

The ones who were so brave;

Take a long, hard walk in their shoes

On the road they had to pave.

Soldiers fought the fight, the battle won,

As they trudged onward in the setting sun.

Never once regretting the choice they made;

Only asking their memory never to fade.

So fly your banner, so proud and free!

It’s the least we can do, you and me.

Let the stars and stripes wave freely in the wind.

Stand tall and proud, and never rescind.

And please, don’t take what you have for granted!

A high price was paid for those seeds to be planted.

Yes, blood was spilled; lives torn apart…

Hopes and dreams were shattered—ripped right from the heart!

Now they shouldn’t have died in vain, you see,

Having endured the pain for you and me.

Their lives will live on, just take a good look;

You’ll see their bright faces in the babbling brook.

In the tall, majestic mountains we’ll find

The strength of the soldier—one of a kind!

In springtime the newness of life abounds

As the earth is reborn and beauty resounds.

Yes, we’ll always remember their sacrifice,

And how they paid the ultimate price.

The stains of war may be washed away,

But no one will forget them, especially not today!

-Sandy Carouth May 2009

And help me show the lost world to see

That your love for them with your outstretched arms

Is meant to keep them from any harm.

Yes, you hung upon the tree that day,

But the mockers were blinded to “the way.”

A few eyes were opened to see the Light;

Deep down in their souls they knew wrong from right.

You were born to die, to save us from sin.

All we need to do is let you come in!

Open up our hearts to your saving grace—

Surrender our lives to their rightful place.

For you live within us, deep down in our heart,

And from our side, you wish never to part.

As we walk through this life hand-in-hand,

We’ll tell others about you; we’ll take a firm stand.

The world is still blinded to your love, it seems,

As we dash to and fro, always chasing our dreams.

Never once just pausing to glance up at the cross—

Never realizing the magnitude of that loss!

‘Cause you stand there now, with your arms open wide,

Waiting patiently for us to swallow our pride.

To ask you to please come into our heart;

Let the fire rage on from that first little spark.

Jesus is calling, “Come unto me.”

If you accept Him now, you’ll forever be

Up where the streets are paved with gold,

Where life is eternal—to have and to hold.

Yes, the groom will come to take home His bride.

There’s nothing that day we’ll be able to hide.

For our worldly deeds will be shouted out;

If you’ve come to know Him, there’ll be no doubt!

So trust in the Lord—do it today!

Can’t you see that there is no other way?

Accept this gift given freely to you,

And live for Jesus—he’s forever true!

-Sandy Carouth 2008

Are You Going Right Back?

Are you going right back to the way you used to be?

Haven’t you seen anything God wanted you to see?

For amidst the devastation of the hurricane’s powerful blow,

The Lord had something special that He so much needed to show.

For we seem to plod along in life on our own merry way,

Completely wrapped up in ourselves, each and every day.

We’re out of touch, tucked away behind all those closed doors;

Even our closest neighbors we scarcely know any more.

And we put our time and effort all in material things;

Never even realizing the fallacy which that brings.

‘Cause more and more of everything doesn’t seem to satisfy

The emptiness and longing of the soul as it cries.

Guess it takes something sizeable to open up our eyes,

As we’re usually hidden behind some kind of fake disguise.

Caught up in a world of technology as we’ve grown,

We don’t even notice that we actually live alone.

But forced to emerge from our cozy home and inner shell,

We mingled with other people, and then we could surely tell

That there’s something terribly missing in the way that we all live—

We need to build closer friendships, as we have so much to give.

Since hurricane Ike’s destruction, I can definitely feel your pain.

As there’s not many people who weren’t more than remotely slain.

My heart is aching with overwhelming pangs of compassion,

As even people’s basic needs are suddenly in ration.

And I ask, “Were you somewhat humbled on this eventful day?

Enough to bow your head down low and then quietly pray?”

Glorifying our God for all of the everyday simple things—

For those precious little joys that a good life always brings.

So go ahead and think about it for a long, long while…

Will anything now change in your hectic daily lifestyle?

‘Cause if you weren’t quite shaken and stirred as the storm tore through,

Then I don’t know what else on earth could give you such a clue.

And if we never had to experience ill fate such as this,

We’d never slow down and appreciate our abundance and our bliss.

But with all of the inconveniences and our lives turned upside down,

We were able to help our fellow man wear a smile instead of a frown.

Yes, neighbors helping neighbors, and folks befriending strangers.

We’ll roll our shirt sleeves up and forget about the dangers.

Lord, take our focus off ourselves, to help all those in need.

Let us share our wealth, and thus your love, forgetting our own greed.

And may we never be complacent, taking things for granted,

As we bask in our abundance may our view of life be planted.

Ever looking upward for your guidance and protection,

So that you can always point us in the right direction.

In this poem, I am portraying how men and women are totally opposite in how they think and react emotionally, as women tend to weave every aspect of their lives together (like spaghetti noodles), while men tend to compartmentalize their lives, being in one box (square) at a time (the waffle).

I entered this poem in the Open Amateur Poetry Contest, New York, NY, and received a notice stating that my poem has been certified as a semi-finalist in the International Open Poetry Contest, and it will automatically be entered into the final competition held in November!  It will also be one of the poems published in the hardbound volume of Immortal Verses, scheduled for publication in the winter of 2009.