On the wings ofa Snow White Dove

AN OLD HIPPIE FINDS LIFE

FROM DOPE TO

HOPE!

My life in a few pictures.

1."Mike grows up"

In the 60s I dreamed about becoming a hippie and walking the streets of Haight/Ashbury in San Francisco. That dream came true in the early 70s but a life of drugs turned a dream into a nightmare and my life was lost. It wasn't until I found JESUS, AND IN HIM TRUE LIFE, that my real life began. That was Nov. 24, 1974. Now, over 34 yrs later, life gets better and better every day with HIM. Nope, I'm not perfect, far from it. I still like to wear beeds and sandels occasionally but now my "high" is my LORD, the KING of KINGS, His name is JESUS and the Heavenly home that awaits. (Isn't it wonderful to be able to have a first name relationship with the LORD!!) He even has me on a more exciting adventure, riding a Harley and telling people about His Good News.

If you have a comment, question, or suggestion, just click on my name and let me hear from you. There's lots more to tell. I will answer all your questions if I can.

Mail to: Mike Darling

My travels around the country on a Harley can be viewed at my other page

Harleys, HOGs, and Fun

Let all creatures praise the LORD

and sing unto HIM a new song!

PICTURES, POEMS, FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT PERHAPS MAY INTEREST YOU

Remember to smile, WHY ? Because Jesus Loves You! (and I do too.)

POEMS

"I Remember Shiloh" "by Mike Darling" THE TIME BEFORE THE BATTLE WAS SUCH A PEACEFUL DAY,
"WE'LL WHIP THEM BOYS FORE SUPPER TIME",
YOU COULD HEAR SOME BRAGGARD SOLDIERS SAY.
SOME WERE SMILING, OTHERS CRIED,
BUT ALL MEN FELT THE FEAR.
MOST OF ALL THEY CALLED ON GOD,
WHEN THE LAUGHTER TURNED TO TEARS.

OH, I REMEMBER SHILOH,
THE PEACH TREE BLOOMS, THE SOUNDS.
CANNON ROAR, MUSKET FIRE,
BODIES LIKE CORD WOOD, LYING STACKED UPON THE GROUND.
THE SCREAMS OF MEN, THAT BLOODY POND,
BATTLES WON AND LOST.
WHEN I REMEMBER SHILOH,
I CAN'T HELP BUT COUNT THE COST.

AND WHEN THE FIGHT WAS OVER,
TWO HORRIBLE DAYS HAD PAST.
BROTHERS HAD KILLED BROTHERS,
THOUSANDS HAD BREATHED THEIR LAST.
ONCE HANDSOME MEN LAY CRIPPLED NOW,
DISFIGURED FOR ALL TIME,
THIS BATTLE MADE NO SENSE AT ALL,
THIS WAR WAS SUCH A CRIME.

YES, I REMEMBER SHILOH,
THE PEACH TREE BLOOMS, THE SOUNDS.
CANNON ROAR, MUSKET FIRE,
BODIES LIKE CORD WOOD, LYING STACKED UPON THE GROUND.
SCREAMS OF MEN, THAT BLOODY POND,
BATTLES WON AND LOST.
WHEN I REMEMBER SHILOH,
I CAN'T HELP BUT COUNT THE COST.
WHEN I REMEMBER SHILOH,
I CAN�T HELP BUT MORN THE LOST.

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Letters Home "by Mike Darling"

YOUR LETTERS CAME AS TREASURED GOLD AT EVENING MAIL CALL YESTERDAY
AND I DEVOURED THEM LIKE A HUNGRY MANS� FIRST SLICE OF BREAD
A SWEET PEACE COMES IN THE MIDST OF ALL THIS CHAOS
AS I THINK OF THE THINGS YOU SAID
I HOPE YOU�VE RECEIVED ALL THE LETTERS I�VE WRITTEN
I TRIED TO WRITE EVERY DAY
BUT WE�VE MARCHED AND SKIRMISHED FOR SO MANY MILES
I�M SURE SOME HAVE LOST THEIR WAY.
YOU KNOW WE BOTH BELIEVED THE DAY I LEFT
THAT THIS WAR WOULD BE OVER SO SOON
REMEMBER HOW WE LAUGHED AND PROMISED TO SIT
UNDER THE OLD OAK TREE AT THE RISING OF THE NEXT FULL MOON
BUT THAT WAS AGES AGO IT SEEMS
AND SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED SENSE THEN
THESE INNOCENT EYES YOU USED TO ADMIRE
HAS NOW SEEN THE WORLD ALMOST COMING TO AN END
I DESIRED TO COME HOME TO YOU AT CHRISTMAS JUST PAST
BUT WE MARCHED WITH GEN. POLK TOWARDS ATLANTA
I�VE LET MY BEARD GROW AND THOUGHT I�D DRESS UP
AND LAUGH WITH THE KIDS AS I PRETENDED TO BE SANTA
BUT WE FOUGHT CHRISTMAS DAY AS WE PULLED BACK FROM COLUMBIA
OLE BOB WAS SHOT, I CRADLED HIM IN MY ARMS AS HE DIED
WE�D FOUGHT AND MARCHED AND PRAYED TOGETHER
I HAD TO LEAVE HIM THERE UNBURIED, IT HURT SO BAD I CRIED
THE CANNONEERS WILL START THEIR SONGS REAL SOON
THEIR SHELLS DROPPING LIKE ACORNS IN THE FALL
SO I�LL CLOSE THIS LETTER , KISS THE KIDS FOR ME DEAR
AND KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU ALL.

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"Loyalty"
by michael darling
WHAT�S THAT CAPTAIN, THE YOUNG PRIVATE DID GASP,
PRAYING HE HAD MISUNDERSTOOD.
WE�RE GOING BACK AT EM, BUT SIR LOOK AROUND
THE MEN ARE HALF DEAD, THEY�VE DONE ALL THEY COULD.
I�VE NO TIME TO EXPLAIN, THE CAPTAIN NOW GLARED,
BUT THIS HILL MUST BE OURS TONIGHT.
MUSTER YOUR COURAGE, LIFT HIGH YOUR HEAD
AND FOLLOW ME INTO THE FIGHT.
SEE TRAVELER NO PRANCING WITH THE GENERAL ASTRIDE
HE�S GIVEN THE ORDER IT�S TIME TO RIDE.
BECAUSE COURAGE AND HONOR AND TRUTH MUST PREVAIL,
WE�LL FOLLOW OUR GENERAL
THO HE ORDER "CHARGE HELL!"
SO RALLY NOW MEN AND MOVE THE RANKS FOREWORD,
TO GETTYSBURG AND VICTORY.
LET�S MAKE THIS CHARGE AND TAKE THIS HILL
FOR GOD AND ROBERT E. LEE.
THROUGH THE FOG OF A THOUSAND BELCHING CANNON
THE BRAVE CAPTAIN MADE HIS RIDE.
HIS SABER HELD HIGH, HIS VOICE AT A YELL,
THEN A CANNON SHELL BURST AT HIS SIDE.
THE YOUNG PRIVATE WAS FIRST TO REACH THE DYING HERO
AND HELD HIM CLOSE TO HIS CHEST.
TELL THE GENERAL, THE CAPTAIN NOW WHISPERED,
TELL HIM I�VE DONE MY BEST.
TAKE UP MY SABER, MY PISTOL AND FLAG
AND CHARGE THEM HARD AS YOU CAN,
FOR ME IT�S ALL OVER BUT YOU MUST BE LOYAL
TO GOD, THE GENERAL, AND OUR GREAT SOUTHERN LAND.
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First Love
by michael darling
DID YOU FEEL THE SPARK WHEN OUR FINGERS FIRST TOUCHED
DID YOU HEAR THE MELODY PLAYING SO SOFTLY ON THE WIND
DID YOU TASTE THE NEWNESS OF LIFE BEGINNING
DID YOU SEE THE MIST THAT A POUNDING HEART SENDS?
YOU MUST HAVE SEEN ME BLUSH AS I STARED SO DEEP
INTO THE PULSING STARS OF HEAVEN CALLED YOUR EYES
I WAS LOST IN THEIR WHIRLPOOL SEEMINGLY FOREVER
AND TAKEN QUITE BY SURPRISE
I NOTICED, DID YOU, THAT MY BREATHING PATTERN CHANGED
SHORT, SHALLOW GULPS, LIKE A DROWNING MAN FIGHTS FOR AIR
YET HEARING YOUR VOICE FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME
I WAS FLOATING TO DISTANT CLOUDS WITH OUT A SINGLE CARE.
I HOPE IT WASN�T TO OBVIOUS THAT MY KNEES BEGAN TO SHAKE
OR THAT MY HAND TREMBLED AT THE MELODY OF YOUR VOICE
I TRIED IN VAIN TO PULL MYSELF TOGETHER
BUT LIKE A BEE DRAWN TO A FLOWER, I REALLY HAD NO CHOICE
THEN YOU SMILED AND I THOUGHT I WOULD FAINT
I�D ONLY DREAMED OF BEAUTY TILL THEN
THE FLOWERS AND BIRDS AND CLOUDS SEEM TO PALE
AS THOUGH NATURE WERE WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT TO BEGIN
AS YOU WALKED AWAY YOU MUST HAVE THOUGHT
I HAD ACTED QUITE THE CLOWN
STANDING THERE DUMB STRUCK, MY MOUTH OPEN WIDE
UNABLE TO UTTER A SOUND
I�VE SEARCHED NOW SEEMINGLY ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE
I STEADFASTLY REFUSE TO GIVE UP THIS HEARTFELT QUEST
MANY HAVE CALLED IT A YOUNG MANS� FOOLISH DREAM
BUT I REFUSE TO LIVE MY LIFE WITH OUT YOU
SETTLING FOR SECOND BEST.
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Morning Love
by michael darling
Morning breaks in cloudless skies,
Sun stretches with waking yawn.
Golden rays highlight your face.
I watch you sleeping at dawn.
Dreaming of me I whisper in hope?
Your face awashed in smile.
Snuggling pillow, pleasant dreams,
I find contentment adoring for a while.
My hectic day will erase this picture,
So this moment I refuse to miss.
This time of peace, this time of love,
I wake you with a morning kiss.
I�ve seen the sparkle so many times,
I pray it will never cease,
I see your heart as your eyes smile,
There-in my world lies in perfect peace.
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Thae Dance of Life
by michael darling
Close to you, I hear music,
Yet not always the same.
Your sparkling eyes, I catch my breath
Every time I hear your name.
Sometimes I hear a rumba,
My heart beating with the rhythm of the drum.
Swaying with the joy and laughter,
Hoping the end will never come.
Other times I hear a symphony,
Like a million stars singing in the skies,
As we twirl and share our hearts,
Staring deep into each others eyes.
Oh, to dance with you the dance of life,
With no music heard at all,
Is the beating of our hearts enough,
To break down this protective wall?
The hurt is strong, is love stronger still?
If we don�t try we�ll never know.
But who goes first, to dance life�s dance
Who is brave enough to whisper "go".

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Outlook on Life
by michael darling
I�VE LOOKED DEEP INTO MANY FACES
READING THE LIGHT SHINING FROM THEIR EYES
SOME HAVE HELD ME
SOME HAVE HELLED ME
SOME HAVE BEEN TRUTHFUL
SOME HAVE TOLD LIES
BUT IN ALL I HAVE FOUND GOODNESS
THO AT TIMES THE SEARCH WAS ARDUOUS AND TAXING
NEVER WAS THE QUEST IN VAIN
NEVER WAS MY SOUL LEFT WAXING
MOST OFTEN I FOUND THAT THE HUNT IT�S SELF
WAS THE REWARD PRIZED MOST DEARLY
IN SEEKING THE BEST ALMOST ALWAYS IT�S FOUND
AND LIFE�S SINGULAR PLEASURES ARE REVEALED MORE CLEARLY
LEST YOU THINK ME TOO SIMPLEMINDED
I ADMIT THAT THE BAD IS PLENTIFUL OUT THERE
BUT IN HIM I AM PERSUADED
THAT HE IS ABLE
AND ON HIM I CAST MY EVERY CARE
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"Once Again"
by michael darling
I SAT AND WATCHED A DEW DROP FALL
FROM A YELLOW BUTTERCUP THIS MORNING
IT�S BLOSSOMING BEAUTY RAISED TOWARDS HEAVEN IN OPEN PRAISE
MY THOUGHTS WENT BACK TO US LABORING IN THE GARDEN AND THE FLOWERS WE WERE
TRYING TO RAISE
YOU STANDING THERE WITH A DROP OF SWEAT
READY TO DROP FROM YOUR NOSE
I�D NEVER KNOWN LOVES TRUE STRENGTH TILL THEN
I NEVER DREAMED THAT CHAPTER OF LIFE WOULD CLOSE
I STILL HAVEN�T FIGURED OUT WHY YOU LEFT
WE HAD SO ANY MEMORIES TO SHARE
I TRY NOT TO HARBOR ANY BITTERNESS
AND IF PRESSED TO ANSWER I ADMIT THAT I DO STILL CARE
I MUST CONFESS YOU BROKE MY HEART
AND LEFT A HOLE SO DEEP
I MOURNED THE DEATH OF LIFE GIVING LOVE
MY SOUL IN SORROW DID WEEP
BUT THAT WAS MANY YEARS AGO
AND TIME HAS ERASED THE SCARS
LOVE ONCE AGAIN GLISTENS IN THE SUNLIGHT
AND TWINKLES IN THE NIGHT LIKE HEAVENLY STARS
ONCE AGAIN THE BIRDS SING CONSTANTLY
ONCE AGAIN THE SUN DOES OPENLY SHINE
ONCE AGAIN THE BUTTERCUPS BLOSSOM
NOW THAT SHE IS MINE
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