Member of The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers & The Songwriters Guild of America

Member of Nashville Songwriters Association International & Tennessee Songwriters Association International

1996 & 1997 International Society of Poets "International Poet of Merit" Award Winner & "Poet of the Year" Nominee

Elected by the Board of Directors of The National Library of Poetry to The International Poetry Hall of Fame (1997)

I turned the pages of a book a man once wrote while reminiscing

He talked of love and his lost hope of getting back what he was missing

He said the past remains the past and cannot ever be tomorrow

And what is lost cannot be found or be regained or even borrowed

He was a man a lot like me… but then again we're all related

We travel through life's ups and downs… some days we're sad and some elated

So his life story just like mine was one long tale of love and passion

And what he learned of what had gone was that all fire must burn to ashes

And what goes up keeps going up

Till when at last it turns and crashes

And all I've left of all we had

Is this one empty heart full of ashes

Sometimes I've won and then I've lost… I've paid the cost but don't regret it

One thing I know… to fail to try is to be sure I'll never get it

I have no fear of losing all… I'll stay the course that holds me faithful

And keep in mind that life's a gift and as its guest I must be grateful

So as we part I'll say goodbye and wish all you've ever wanted

I lay no blame… I know you tried… the flower died that we both planted

I'll carry on although you've gone and bear my sadness till it passes

And I'll recall what I have learned is that all fire must burn to ashes

And what goes up keeps going up

Till when at last it turns and crashes

And all I've left of all we had

Is this one empty heart full of ashes