PREFACE
My beloved wife Jackie was the inspiration for writing my first poem. In my first volume, I mentioned that the poem was written to commemorate her 80th birthday.
Since then, I have composed several more of her since she always inspires me.
This volume also includes stories ranging from WW II and American heroes, including my dear brother Otto (Doc) who perished during that war, to poems about family, friends, values, angels, heaven and others, e.g., Mother Nature’s fury.
As a native Bostonian, I was motivated to write about sports including baseball and the legends (Jackie Robinson and Ted Williams).
“…They say that humor and laughter are the best medicine…”
Hopefully you will find both in these pages.
Arthur DeDonato
March, 2023
NOTE: This project is a true family affair. It is my son Michael’s concept; I am grateful for all his devoted effort. Of course, my appreciation for my granddaughter Laura’s beautiful illustrations is beyond measure,
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Table of Contents
MEMORIES
HAPPINESS .................................................................................................. 11
MEMORY BOOK ............................................................................................ 12
MY VAULT ..................................................................................................... 13
THERE WAS A TIME ..................................................................................... 14
MY COMPANION .......................................................................................... 15
SYMPHONY .................................................................................................. 16
SUMMERS .................................................................................................... 17
SUMMER FUN ............................................................................................... 18
MOTHER’S DAY AT THE BEACH ................................................................. 19
RADIO SHOWS DURING THE 1930’S ......................................................... 20
LADY ............................................................................................................. 21
A PLACE FOR A FAMILY .............................................................................. 22
NEW YORK WORLD's FAIR, 1964-1965 ..................................................... 23
A PLACE FOR A FAMILY .............................................................................. 24
THE VISITORS .............................................................................................. 25
HEAVEN
VIRGIN MARY 1 ............................................................................................ 27
VIRGIN MARY 2 ............................................................................................ 28
ANGEL ON THE FLOOR ............................................................................... 29
ANGELS CALLING ....................................................................................... 30
NATURE
MOTHER EARTH .......................................................................................... 32
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THE BEACH .................................................................................................. 33
SIGNS OF SPRING ....................................................................................... 35
PEACE .......................................................................................................... 37
WALKING ...................................................................................................... 38
WE ARE CLOUDS ........................................................................................ 39
SOUNDS ....................................................................................................... 40
THE WIND .................................................................................................... 41
FALL AND WINTER ..................................................................................... 42
SNOW ........................................................................................................... 43
MR. WINTER ................................................................................................. 44
FURY OF NATURE ....................................................................................... 45
THE HURRICANE ......................................................................................... 46
HURRICANE OF ‘38 ...................................................................................... 47
THE OLD MAN .............................................................................................. 48
FAMILY
ME AND OUR FAMILY .................................................................................. 48
AUNT CAMILLE ............................................................................................. 49
THE LAST DANCE ........................................................................................ 50
MY DEAR SISTER ROSE ............................................................................. 51
MY SISTER ANN AND ME ............................................................................ 52
MARY ROSE DEDONATO 90TH BIRTHDAY .............................................. 53
THE GIRL ...................................................................................................... 56
GOING HOME ............................................................................................... 57
RICHARD ...................................................................................................... 58
YOU NEVER GOT TO KNOW ....................................................................... 59
LAURA AND JON .......................................................................................... 63
LAURA, YOUR BABY BOY ............................................................................ 64
RICHARD OUR GODSON ............................................................................. 65
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FRIENDSHIP
FRIENDSHIP ................................................................................................. 67
TELL ME ........................................................................................................ 68
YOU AND ME ................................................................................................ 69
WAYS TO LIVE ............................................................................................. 70
ACT OF KINDNESS ...................................................................................... 71
MY BEST FRIEND ED TEED ....................................................................... 73
SUSAN PERNICE ........................................................................................ 75
GEORGE J. MATTHEWS .............................................................................. 76
HEROES
COMMANDORE EDWARD PREBLE .......................................................... 79
CHRISTMAS ................................................................................................. 80
FATHER’S DAY ............................................................................................. 81
ANGELS OF MERCY .................................................................................... 82
D-DAY ........................................................................................................... 83
EAST BOSTON ............................................................................................ 84
POLITICS
THE NARCISSIST ........................................................................................ 86
THE NARCISSIST-PART 2 ............................................................................ 87
THE EAGLE .................................................................................................. 89
THE LOSER .................................................................................................. 90
HEALTH
CORONAVIRUS ............................................................................................ 92
THE PANDEMIC............................................................................................ 93
VACCINES .................................................................................................... 94
EXERCISE .................................................................................................... 95
MY MUSCLES ............................................................................................... 96
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WEIGHT ........................................................................................................ 97
CHECKUP ..................................................................................................... 98
AMERICAN PASTIME
BASEBALL .................................................................................................. 100
THE LIFE OF A BASEBALL ......................................................................... 101
PERFECT GAME ......................................................................................... 102
ALL-AMERICAN GIRLS PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE ............... 103
JACKIE, MISTER NO. 42 ............................................................................. 105
TED WILLIAMS ........................................................................................... 107
HUMOR
OLD ............................................................................................................. 109
GETTING OLD ............................................................................................ 110
GETTING OLD 2 .......................................................................................... 111
MISSING ..................................................................................................... 112
MY PAL ....................................................................................................... 113
MY DOCTOR .............................................................................................. 114
MY ONE-EYED DOG................................................................................... 115
SLEEPING .................................................................................................. 116
LIMERICKS
LIMERICKS 1 .............................................................................................. 118
LIMERICKS 2 .............................................................................................. 119
LIMERICKS 3 .............................................................................................. 120
LIMERICKS 4 .............................................................................................. 121
LIMERICKS 5 .............................................................................................. 122
LIMERICKS 6............................................................................................... 123
LIMERICKS 7............................................................................................... 124
LIMERICKS 8 ............................................................................................... 125
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LIMERICKS 9 .............................................................................................. 126
LOVE
THE MIND READER .................................................................................... 128
JACKIE ........................................................................................................ 129
HER HANDS .............................................................................................. 130
THE ARTIST ............................................................................................... 131
SEARCHING ............................................................................................... 132
ME WITHOUT YOU ..................................................................................... 133
DREAM ....................................................................................................... 134
JACKIE MY DEAREST .............................................................................. 135
JACKIE MY LOVE ....................................................................................... 136
YOU ............................................................................................................. 137
YOUR PRESENCE ..................................................................................... 138
I WANT TO ................................................................................................. 140
TOMORROWS ............................................................................................ 141
TOMORROWS (2) ........................................................................................ 142
IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES .............................................................. 143
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MEMORIES
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HAPPINESS
February 17, 2023
Seeing my family and friends
Using Iphone to talk to family
and friends
Writing limericks that make
them laugh
Example "My One Eye Dog"
My poems that readers recall
with happy memories
There are poems that are a joy
to compose
These are some of those
Awesome, Jackie, Beauty,
Dance Emails I receive with
funny jokes
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MEMORY
