Poetry, book, Reflections of the Heart by James McLean

Ever see how you smile? The look and energy it does give to someone else.
Ever see the warmth it gives, how it lights up your eyes making that deep ocean blue a color rich in love?
Ever see the lines it forms around your mouth, taking away the sadness and lighting up your face?
Ever see how this little thing gives a gift to last the whole day through, helping to uplift the spirits of others as they walk with your happiness?
Ever see how you make people feel welcome when you pass a smile onto them bringing them close to your soul?
Your smile tells a thousand words, as it shows your true heart and the kindness that it brings to others.
When your smile tells a thousand words.

Footprints To Show You Were There
May 11th 2001

A man was walking alone on a beach that day, feeling the loss of his true love of many years and feeling the loneliness of all of his fears.
As he watched the sun bid the day goodbye, the tears of his soul began to cry. His tears how they trickled down his face so gentle, lightly touching the sand on the place that they did meet, hitting the ground alongside his feet.
At this point he fell to his knees and closed his eyes, seeing memories of the two of them going arm and arm with her by his side. The smell of her skin, the softness of her hair, the wetness of her lips, as he would kiss her without a care. Feeling the love of his eternal soul, pledging to her only until the day that they grow old.
Then with the sound of the sea by his side, as it brings him back and he opens his eyes. On the ground is a wonder for him to see, a gift of her heart drawn in the sand showing him that they will never be apart from Thee.
Now he knows what he must do, understanding the things that he always knew. Her angel came to him on this day, to show him of her love and how to find his way. His tears still cried from his eyes and from his soul as he walked away with the sunset of gold.

Sometimes we cry the tears from our eyes,
knowing that our love will never die. There
may be times when it feels like it will, but we
know that angels are with us from afar.

It’s Because Of You
July 5th 2004

It’s because of you that the sunsets seem more beautiful to my eyes and it’s because of you that there is music and harmony in those quiet places of my heart.
It’s because of you that my world is a peaceful place to see and it’s because of you that my soul has wings to sore across the snowcapped mountaintops so free.
It’s because of you that my heart is taken to a place that I have never known and it’s because of you that I was shown the way to face.
It’s because of your giving me something so small that grew to be beautiful like the autumn leaves of the fall.
It’s because of you that I’ve been given so much more, this special gift that cannot be bought at any store.
It’s because of you’re becoming a part of me, that I thank God every day for the blessing that I do see.
It’s because of you that I’ve grown inside and it makes me want to be there walking by your side.
Of all the greatest things that you have given to me, your love was the greatest gift that I did ever receive.

Dear Anthony (Anthony’s Story)
2001

Dear Anthony,
When I started to write poetry a long time ago, I thought it would be a special gift to you if I did something about you, you know. I know that our life together was meant to be, but remember that my love for you will always be as special today as it was the first time that I held you in my arms.
How proud I was to be a new dad back then and how I am still proud of the person you are today.
I think childhood should be filled with many special things for a child to have, and just being the person that you are should not matter to anyone as long as you remain and keep the person that you are today.
Each child in his own little way is different but also unique. Just because we are different does not mean we have to be something or do something we are not.
Just be yourself, I always say and don’t be something that you are not. With this, people will like you for who you are, not for what you have to pretend to be.
Just remember, I will always love you no matter what. With the changes in time and when you become a man, I know you and I will remain the same because I hold you in my soul and in my heart.
All my love, Dad

A Mother’s Love
October 13th 2003

In the darkness of the night, in a room down the hall a little baby cries out for a woman so tall.
As his mother awakens from the deepness of her dreams, she sleepily walks to the sounds of her little one’s cries and his screams.
The clock on the wall is chiming four in the morn as she turns to open her little one’s door.
As she slowly walks towards him in a crib so small, the moonlight shines through a window, lighting the room for all.
Her eyes adjust helping her find her way, as she walks towards his crib in a most loving way.
She stands over him as he still cries, reaching to touch him and to help with the tears in his eyes.
As she picks him up and holds him gently in her arms, she can feel the softness of her baby’s skin and the wetness of his tears, also his love from within and his little fears.
Among the shadows are the images that are there, coming alive from the moonlight because of the darkness that they share.
She finds her chair, their special place and begins to rock him as she sings a song that comes from her heart’s eternal grace.
In the music of her voice and the warmness that he feels, the little one starts to fall asleep as he feels her heartbeat so real.
In her lullaby, the words from her heart, is a magical song that only they can share.
As the chair rocks to the beat and keeps in tune, this is what she sings to her little one that is so new, “Please little one, please don’t you cry, mama’s going to sing you our sweet lullaby. When you feel the fear in your little heart, I will be here for you and we will never be apart. My life is better, something so true and this is because of my love that is only for you. I will hold and caress you until the first break in the sky as we share the beauty of the morning sunrise.”
As the sun begins to break the darkness of the sky, she can feel the power of her love coming deeply from inside.
With her baby in her arms and the color of the sky, she enjoys the quiet peacefulness of the morning sunrise.
As she watches the morning come so very alive, a little yellow bird sits upon a branch so high. He sings his music, his morning song as he gives her a gift that is so very strong.
She closes her eyes and gives thanks for the day, as she was able to share this moment with her son in a very special way.
She now understands that it was meant to be, because of the love that she shares with her son that is so free.
The most precious gift is the one that she knows as she watches her son continue to grow.
A mother’s love for the child that she has growing inside comes from her heart and beats gently in the wind, knowing that he feels the same from within.

A Father’s Special Love
October 18th 2002

As the day couples with the night and the moon reflects its amber of dimming light, my eyes enthrall upon an old sofa and towards the slumber of his sleep.
I watch, as he lays quietly into the deepness that he keeps and cocoons himself within his blanket, wrapping his body to the warmness that he seeks.
As a trusted old friend lays her head upon his feet and watches his every movement as she too falls quietly within her sleep.
Oh how I embrace this moment; their motionless union that has become and I feel contented peacefulness towards the day as it has begun.
As the sand in the hourglass quietly trickles its last little grain of pure love, I gently lean forward to kiss his forehead and watch the suns radiant light as it opens the sky from above.
This awesome stage of pastel light grows gracefully across the sky and I watch a bird and its magical movements, this miracle reborn that once did hide.
I feel a father’s special love, being a part of a love that is anew and seeing this little child gives to me a purity that is like the early morning dew.
I dedicate this poem to my son Anthony. James McLean

Little One So Small
To my new friend Hannah, March 12th 2001

Dear little one, what a joy it was, seeing you today made life seem okay. Your smile came to you so easy you see, was it in the softness of a voice you already knew or was it the joy we all saw when we looked at you?
Your little fingers reached out to touch my nose so gentle and it brought to my spirit a joy that I already knew.
As I watched you fall asleep, I wondered to myself, where do your dreams take you little one? Do you go to a place that only you know, to be among the flowers and the trees that grow? Will you see in your dreams the butterflies that play from flower to flower or the little bird that sings by your window, singing you a soft lullaby when you cry?
You came to us from a place so far. Did the little angels bring you on that day, standing beside you making sure that everything would be okay? Oh how they gave to you a purity of one so small blessing you with all the gifts to help you stand so tall. Your angel will stand with you for days to come because I think God has blessed you, little one so small.
The angel is there when you cry in the darkness of the night, helping you ease your heart and holding you just right.
As I held you in my arms on that day and kissed your forehead in a soft way, it seemed to bring to you a smile that lightened up your face showing me the peacefulness of a child’s eternal grace.
You may not know of the gift that you gave to me but it’s one that I will always and forever see.
Blessed little child of the world will be,
bringing you joy to help set your heart free.
To help take away the sadness that you feel,
to bring you happiness that is oh so real.
Thank you little one so small.

Playing Together In The Snow
February 22nd 2001

The day started out in an over-cast way and the snow began to fall down to the earth, as gentle as cotton balls fall so you say.
In the distance of the winter wonderland, two squirrels came out on this day; to enjoy the snowflakes as they played.
Side by side the two did come, jumping and running, together as one.
As I watched from a spot over there, a smile came across my face, thinking without a care.
What fun it was to see them there as they shared in this moment, as they appeared.
Through the snow the two did run, playing in their game of tag just for fun.
One would stop and the other did too, checking me out to see what I would do.
Oh how they’re fun would make me laugh, to see two creatures enjoying the day at last.
As I stood there watching and wondering in my mind, feeling the freshness of the snow lightly touching my skin, the two gave to me a peace that was felt from within.
I looked up to the heavens as the snow continued to come and I watched the two of them continue in their playful fun. As they went on and the snow did fall, I was so glad because I was a part of it all.

Life Is Like A River
August 5th 2001

Little river flowing down the river so deep and I stop to listen as I can hear God speak.
In the quietness of the morning as the sun begins to shine, I stop to give thanks to Him for the beautiful sunshine.
Oh how the colors give a reflection so true, reflecting a picture that He can only give to you.
Little river flowing is a gift that I can see that is given to my heart, as I know that He will walk with me.
As I watch a branch floating on by, the water in front of me becomes very active to my eyes.
What a wonder and how beautiful it is to me, as I watch the fish dancing in front of me.
The ripples on the surface are what they leave behind and oh how they seem to dance to the colors of the sunshine.
Little river flowing with the quietness that we share and it helps my soul when I sometimes feel despair.
Oh how I look to the things that I can see, looking inside of myself and seeing the things that are so free.
Little river flowing on a journey I will go, He is there with me because I can feel His love grow.
Life sometimes may be hard this is true
but as time goes on, you will find the
things that are for you.