“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.” – Epictetus
Flickr Photos
Thought For the Day: First Say To Yourself What You Would Be; and Then Do What You Have To Do
Posted in Thought For the Day
Tagged Do, Epictetus, First, Say, Thought For the Day, Would Be, Yourself
Leave a comment
Something Beyond Beautiful
Something Beyond Beautiful
by Michael Doyle
When the hurricanes pass me by,
And I realize that I did not die.
I go to the place where the river flows,
That quiet place where nobody goes.
I find that passion has ruled my game,
And my character has framed my name.
I was born to touch your precious feelings,
Dancing in the moonlight is soul revealing.
I smile as you and I cuddle to speak,
And I promise you a love song every week.
You smile and say that will be wonderful,
And eyes shine like something beyond beautiful.
The thing is that time is the opening key.
It's told me the truth of what will be.
I couldn't live if living was without you.
There's never been a feeling more true.
Life packs a wallop straight between the eyes,
Laying back on tall grass, taking in the sunrise.
My dreams sent me the angel that you are.
I see your vision painted deep within the stars.
I smile as you and I cuddle to speak,
And I promise you a love song every week.
You smile and say that will be wonderful,
And eyes shine like something beyond beautiful.
We can last forever, past the lonely night,
I feel the hunger that fades into your light.
These dreams are the dreams to chase around,
It's there in your love, it's what I've found.
The tears that dragged me down have gone away,
It's been like this since that magical day.
I looked deeply into your soul and found my love,
And on that day I knew what I had dreamed of
I smile as you and I cuddle to speak,
And I promise you a love song every week.
You smile and say that will be wonderful,
And eyes shine like something beyond beautiful.
(c) August 1, 2025 Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved
Posted in Poetry and Poems
Tagged Angel, Beyond Beautiful, Born, Character, Cuddle, Dancing, Die, Dream, Dreams, Eyes, Fade, Feeling, Flow, Forever, Found, Frame, Game, Hunger, Hurricane, Life, Light, Live, Lonely Night, Look, Love, Love Song, Moonlight, Name, Opening Key, Passion, Poetry, Poetry and Poems, Precious Feelings, Promise, Quiet Place, River, Romance, Smile, Soul, Speak, Stars, Sunrise, Tall Grass, Tears, Touch, Truth, Vision, Wallop, Wonderful, Writing
Leave a comment
First Principles: The Test of Leadership Is Not To Put Greatness Into Humanity, But To Elicit It, For the Greatness Is Already There
“The test of leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there.” – James Buchanan
Posted in First Principles
Tagged Elicit, First Principles, Greatness, Humanity, James Buchanan, Leadership, Test
Leave a comment
Thought For the Day: No Philosophers So Thoroughly Comprehend Us As Dogs and Horses
“No philosophers so thoroughly comprehend us as dogs and horses.” – Herman Melville
Posted in Thought For the Day
Tagged Comprehend, Dogs, Herman Melville, Horses, Philosophers, Thought For the Day, Us
Leave a comment
In Veneration
In Veneration
by Michael Doyle
With every breath's exhalation,
I speak of you with inspiration.
My fingers crawl across the pages.
At every turn, you're the rock of ages.
The Lord God withstood sacrifice.
I can only hope that what I do will suffice.
In all the doing, done, and understood,
I live my life for the good.
You are the savior in this fight,
Keeper of faith and bringer of light.
Holy then is your sacred name,
Jesus - the lifter of my heavy shame.
At the cornerstone is your faith and inspiration.
I walk my steps in life seeking after aspiration.
With the passing of my wounded generation,
I hope my life's love leaves some veneration.
As it reaches across and connects
To the generation that will come next,
As a child of God, I bear His holy name,
And hope my children will be the same.
(c)July 31, 2025 Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved
Posted in Poetry and Poems
Tagged Breath, Bringer of Light, Child of God, Connection, Cornerstone, Done, Exhalation, Faith, Fight, Fingers, Generation, Good, Holy, Inspiration, Jesus, Keeper of Faith, Life, Lord God, Love, Pages, Poetry and Poems, Rock of Ages, Sacred Name, Sacrifice, Savior, Shame, Speak, Suffice, Turn, Undestood, Veneration, Wounded Generation
Leave a comment
First Principles: While Men Inhabiting Different Parts of This Vast Continent Cannot Be Expected To Hold the Same Opinions, They Can Unite In A Common Objective and Sustain Common Principles
“While men inhabiting different parts of this vast continent cannot be expected to hold the same opinions, they can unite in a common objective and sustain common principles.” – Franklin Pierce
Posted in First Principles
Tagged Common Objective, Common Principles, Continent, Expectation, First Principles, Franklin Pierce, Mankind, Opinion, Sustain, United
Leave a comment
Thought For the Day: The Earth Is the Lord’s, and Everything In It, and All Who Live In It
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;” – Psalm 24:1
Posted in Thought For the Day
Tagged All, Earth, Everything, Psalm 24:1, The Lord, The World, Thought For the Day
Leave a comment
On Alien Worlds
On Alien Worlds
by Michael Doyle
On alien worlds,
There are contagions in the light.
It's played by a different set of rules
That must be kept pitch black as night.
There is life there
Swimming in the light.
It's a difference that we fear
Though we have no real right.
Evil transfers itself
Like any virus or common cold.
It's not existence but absence
Of any trace of God's presence.
It becomes something more than compelling,
As our desires become self-fulfilling.
There is no stopping until it takes control,
And we who would master this have lost our souls.
This then is a very human story,
The one that defines our moment of glory.
It's not about falling down, but rising up,
That gains us access to the victor's cup.
It's the same with prejudice and its ways.
It spread from vessel to vessel in ancient days.
It's a sad story without any thread of dignity,
However, it has continued to play out in human history.
The only cure is that those who live by harshness,
Filling their souls and our souls with darkness,
Can also bring about peace and love by imagination.
By doing so, this is the first cause of illumination.
(c) July 30, 2025 Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved
Posted in Poetry and Poems
Tagged Absence, Alien World, Common Cold, Compel, Contagion, Control, Desire, Difference, Evil, Existences, Fear, God's Presence, Life, Light, Night, Poetry and Poems, Rules, Soul, Virus
Leave a comment
First Principles: An Honorable Defeat Is Better Than A Dishonorable Victory
“An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory.” – Millard Fillmore
Posted in First Principles
Tagged Defeat, Dishonorable, First Pinrciples, Honor, Millard Fillmore, Victory
Leave a comment
Thought For the Day: Nature Does Not Hurry, Yet Everything Is Accomplished
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” – Lao Tzu
Posted in Thought For the Day
Tagged Accomplishment, Everything, Hurry, Lao Tzu, Nature, Thought For the Day
Leave a comment
ALOHA PROMISES FOREVER 