My Father’s Poems English Volume L

By Rod Berg Schonenberg

On earth nothing comes out of nothing.
So where does love come from?
Do time, planets and circumstances bring
or beget from the cosmic dust, love?
From cosmic dust in destiny’s womb.
Does it always come from above?
The love that makes our lives worthwhile,
even if now and then it changes its style.
It is the only thing worth living for, even if,
in some lives it comes only once and no more.
(From Is love something? Poem)

During his lifetime, Rod Berg Schonenberg was a devoted high school teacher who documented his life experiences and penned hundreds of poems in five languages.

In a volume of poems shared posthumously by his daughter, Mr. Schonenberg reflects on old and new loves and all the complications and joys that accompany relationships as two souls intertwine and attempt to find a way to move forward in life together. Throughout his presentation, Mr. Schonenberg reminds us of the true beauty that lies within the heart and the hope that can be found even during the most challenging of times.

My Father’s Poems -English- Volume I shares poetry penned over a lifetime that provides lyrical insight into all that comprises loving another.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Nov 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9781665707459

Rod Berg Schonenberg

SOBRE EL AUTOR, ESCRITOR Y COMPOSITOR EL SEÑOR ROD BERG SCHONENBERG FUE NACIDO EN EL SALVADOR, CUANDO EL TENIA 2 MESES DE EDAD FUE TRAIDO A LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS A UN HOSPITAL EN MARYLAND, DONDE LOS DOCTORES LE SALVARON SU VIDA, EL CRECIO EN MARYLAND Y VIRGINIA, CUANDO FUE UN JOVENCITO FUE LLEVADO A EUROPA DONDE LO INTERNARON EN COLEGIOS PRIVADOS Y SU MASTER FUE PROFESOR DE IDIOMAS, ANTES DE LA SEGUNDA GUERRA MUNDIAL SE REGRESO A EL SALVADOR CON SU PADRE. EL DEDICO SU VIDA A LA ENSEÑANZA DE INGLES Y FRANCES EN LAS ESCUELAS SECUNDARIAS -HIGH SCHOOLS- Y LO HIZO POR MUCHOS AÑOS A GENERACIONES EN EL SALVADOR, TAMBIEN DIO CLASES PRIVADAS DE ITALIANO, ALEMAN, TENIS Y MUCHAS VECES TRABAJO COMO INTERPRETER. SU PASATIEMPO FAVORITO FUE LEER TODA CLASES DE LIBROS Y OBSERVAR A SU ALREDEDOR A LA GENTE, ANIMALES Y LA NATURALEZA. EL ESCRIBIO SUS EXPERIENCIAS, ESTOS POEMAS Y POEMAS HISTORIAS EN CINCO IDIOMAS SON EL FRUTO DE ESAS EXPERIENCIAS VIVIDAS A TRAVES DE SU VIDA EN ESTADOS UNIDOS, EUROPA Y EL SALVADOR. ESTOS LIBROS SON PUBLICADOS CON LOS MEJORES Y SELECCIONADOS POEMAS Y REFLEJAN EL LENGUAJE DE AMOR, TERNURA, PASION, AMISTAD, RECHAZO, SOLEDAD, SENSUALIDAD, TRISTEZA, MELANCOLIA, ESPERANZA E ILUSION QUE VIVE LATENTE EN CADA UNO DE NOSOTROS Y ESTA GAMA DE EMOCIONES TAMBIEN REFLEJAN LA ESPERANZA, FE Y PERSEVERANCIA QUE NOS DIRIJE A LUCHAR POR UN FUTURO MEJOR. EN UNOS DE SUS POEMAS EL ESCRIBIO “QUIERO QUE TODA LA GENTE LEA Y SIENTA LA EMOCION EN PALABRAS ADECUADAS A LOS SENTIMIENTOS QUE BROTAN DE EL CORAZON Y ALMA”... ¡SI! ..ESE FUE MI PADRE INTELIGENTE Y DE BUENOS SENTIMIENTOS QUE SIEMPRE EXTENDIO SU MANO AMIGA A TODA CLASE DE GENTE SIN IMPORTARLE LA CLASE SOCIAL DE LA PERSONA.

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Copyright © 2021 Rod Berg Schonenberg.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or

mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the

written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Archway Publishing

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.archwaypublishing.com

844-669-3957

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-6657-0744-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6657-1575-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6657-0745-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021910688

Archway Publishing rev. date: 11/23/2021

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CONTENTS

A PLACE

AFTER HIS-HERS INSPECTION

AN OLD LOVE

AT LAST I’M FREE

AT TOURS, FRANCE THINKING OF YOU…

AWAKE THINKING ABOUT YOU

AWAKENING FROM A DREAM

BEAUTIFUL SKY

BECAUSE I LOVE YOU

BECAUSE OF YOU

BLACK FATE

CASUAL MEETING

CONSIDERING

COUSIN LEN

CRYING MANY TIMES

DARK NIGHT

DARLING

DEPART

DESPITE OF

DISTANCE BETWEEN US?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS?

DOUBTING

DOVE’S LAMENTS

DREAMING WITH YOU

DREAMS NEVER COME TRUE

DREAMS

EASY LOVE

EMPTY PLACE (VERSION I)

EMPTY PLACE (VERSION II)

EMPTY

ESCAPE WINDOW

EVANGELINE’S SMILE

EVERY LIFE

EXPERIENCE

FARMER’S DREAM

FAST GROWTH

FLASHING EYES

FLEEING CLOUDS

FOREVER

FORLONG FEELINGS

FRESH LIGHT

FROM TIME TO TIME

GLAD TO BE BACK

GLORIOUS MOMENT

GOING OUT TOGETHER

GOODBYE MY LOVE

GOODBYE SUNSET

GRACE

HAVE YOU AN ANSWER

HE KNEW

HE THOUGHT

HEART ACHE

HIDE AWAYS

I CAN SAY

I CAN’T TELL YOU WHY

I DIDN’T KNOW

I FEEL

I KNEW IT

I MISS YOU

I NEED YOU HERE

I PONDER

I SAW A GIRL

I SHOULD BE THE ONE

I SUSPEND MY WILL

I WANT YOU CLOSE TO ME

I WANT YOU IN MY DREAMS

I WANT YOU

I WONDER

I’D LIKE TO KNOW

I’M GIVING UP

I’M GOING CRAZY

I’M MAD ABOUT YOU

I’M SENDING YOU A VALENTINE

INTO VERSES THAT DEPICT THE FEELINGS INSIDE OF ME

IS IT TRUE?

IS LOVE SOMETHING?

IT IS TIME

IT IS UNFAIR

IT LOOKS AS IF

IT SEEMS

IT’S ME

I’VE BEEN LOOKING

I’VE NEVER HAD THAT FEELING BEFORE

JOURNEY’S END

JUST A LITTLE MORE

JUST WAITING

LAST GOODBYE

LAST LOVE TRY

LIKE A VOLCANO

LONE SOUL, LOOKING FOR HER SOUL

LONELY LANE IN SPAIN

LONGINGS IN SOLITUDE

LOST IN THOUGHT

LOVELY BALLERINA

LOVE’S DIRECTION

MAN WITHOUT A DREAM

MANGO FLOWERS

MEANINGLESS

MOUNTAINS

MY HEART IS ON FIRE

MY LIFE

MY WISH

NATURE SEEMS

NEVER AGAIN

NEW GIRL-FRIEND

NO MATTER HOW

NOTHING BETTER

NOW THAT I’M OLD

OBSESSION (VERSION I)

OBSESSION (VERSION II)

OH CHANGES

OH HONEY!

OH, HOW SWEET!

OH HULL! OH SHIP!

OH! IF I COULD!

OH JOHANNA!

OH! WHAT A NIGHT!

ON REMEMBERING YOU

ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT

OUR VOLCANO

PAIN

PERENNIAL SEARCH

PHONE CALL

PLEASE DECIDE

PLEASE DON’T SPEND ON ME

REMEMBERING EVELYN

REMEMBERING YOU

SAYING GOODBYE

SEA WOES

SHATTERED ILLUSION

SHOULD I TRUST?

SINCE WE MET

SOMETHING STRANGE

SOMETIMES (VERSION I)

SOMETIMES (VERSION II)

SONGS FOR KIDS

SONIA

SPECIAL WISH

SPRING

STAR-LIT NIGHT

STRANGE LIFE

SWEETEST SENSATION

THAT BABY

THAT BOY

THAT DOVE’S LAMENTS

THAT OLD DOVE AGAIN

THE GENTLEMAN IN THE OLD CASTLE

THE GIRL IN THE VERY SHORT SKIRT

THE HIGH HILL

THE ONLY ONE

THE ONLY THING

THE SPECIAL GLINT

THERE’S A FEELING

THERE’S NO TURNING BACK

THINGS I’VE LEFT BEHIND

THINKING ABOUT YOU (VERSION I)

THINKING ABOUT YOU (VERSION II)

THINKING ABOUT YOU HILKIE

THINKING ABOUT YOU MY DEAR

THINKING IT OVER

THOSE SMILES

THOUGHTS IN SILENCE

THOUGHTS

TIME DOESN’T MATTER

TIME FLIES

TIME MARCHES

TIME RUNNING OUT

TOGETHER

TROUBLE INSIDE

TRYING TO CHEER MYSELF UP

UNEXPECTEDLY

USELESS

VANISHING DREAM

WANDERING DOVE

WAS IT TIME?

WHAT A PITY IT IS

WHAT CAN I DO WITH MY LIFE?

WHAT ELSE?

WHAT IS LOVE?

WHAT MUST HAPPEN!

WHAT ONE SHOULD TRY TO FIND

WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOUR SMILE?

WHEN LOVE

WHEN YOU’LL BE SEVENTY

WHEN YOUR HEART SAYS

WHENEVER

WHERE’S YOUR HEART?

WHILE IT RAINS

WHO KNOWS?

WHO WOULDN’T LIKE TO KISS YOUR LIPS?

WISTFUL THINKING

WITHERING

WORLD OF MY OWN

YOU MAKE ME FEEL

YOUR MEMORY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR, COMPOSER AND WRITER

Mr. ROD BERG SCHONENBERG wrote his Life Story -Memoirs-, brought to the USA when he was two months old and very sick, Doctors saved his life, he went to school in Baltimore, MD., attended Augusta Military Academy, Ft. Defiance, VA., as a teenager he was sent to Europe to several private schools, finnaly after many years later, returned to El Salvador with his father, before WWII.

He was a High School teacher of English and French and he did it to a few generations in El Salvador, also he worked as a translator.

On his Poem THOUGHTS he wrote:

"I want to lay down a while and rest,

‘cause at work I’ve done my best,

to form better future generations,

for bettering the future of our nation."

He loved to read any kind of books and on his spare time, thought, wrote and composed Poems and Poems Stories, he wrote about his life experiences in the United States, Europe, El Salvador, Central America and other Countries where he lived or visited.

He moved to United States, he lived with his family and many years later he died in the State Florida.

-- INTRODUCTION --

MY FATHER’S POEMS -ENGLISH- VOLUME I

ROD BERG SCHONENBERG

(The Hunter of Illusions)

He was a Languages Professor who taught English, Spanish, French, Italian and German, also Tennis as he competed and won some tournaments in Europe as well as soccer, swimming and skiing. He, also, understood fourteen Languages more.

This BOOK is a selection of Poems and Poems Stories that Mr. Schonenberg thought, composed and wrote throughout his life. He wrote about feelings of love, romance, sadness, pain, passion, tenderness, rejections and hope. His muse of inspiration were People, Animals and Nature. This collection of Poems is shared and realeased Posthumously by his daughter and as a promise to him before he died.

I, Valerie, his daughter, would like to take this opportunity to Thank God for helping me fullfill his dream and my promise, to my Family for their inconditional love and support and to the people who helped me.

This BOOK and its contents are exclusivelly property of the Family Rivera Schonenberg and any reproduction, copy or any other use is strictly prohibited without -written- permission from them and their Legal Team, Webster, NY

A PLACE

Never could I find

in this so ample, a world

a place enough peaceful

though, not so beautiful

where my mind

could easily work

in putting into words

the writing of 3 books

and some special poems

though my modest looks

might fool you.

Then when you read what I write

in spite of everything

you will really know

what kind of thoughts

in my spirit grow.

Looking for such a place

I’ve been all over this earth

but I haven’t found it yet.

Though the right inspirations I’ve met

for some beautiful poems that

make my soul sigh

without knowing why

every time when with pleasure

I read them again!

AFTER HIS-HERS INSPECTION

The look in your father’s eyes thrice told me he

was searching for my soul… I was nice

then he sent me away with a smile

confused I went away to think for a while.

After the 1st month I often felt the eyes of your

mother following me

sometimes she stroked my hair or arranged my

tie or my shirt, we played with Tom, she was

always there.

I was so afraid she’d guess or see that I loved

you…

Once she saw me looking at you in such a way,

it was then that she found out my secret,

she knew that I was head over heels in love

with you.

After that when playing, I bumped into her

she held me tight and looked right into my eyes

I trembled, held her gaze, sobbed and began to

cry.

I put my hands around her and my head buried

in hers, "Is it all right Rod, don’t cry. It’s all

right, she said. Can I come back to play?", I

asked. Her nod told me yes,

after that, I always blushed whenever my eyes

met hers.

Our secret was hushed until I went away,

that’s why she told you, "you may kiss him

Hilton", … because she knew…

AN OLD LOVE

Every old love

might come new again

by a magic spell

that comes from above.

Same as rain

That makes every plant old

new again!

You can never tell

but sometimes an old love

becomes new again

by a magic spell

sent from above

by he who knows all

and knows our heart very well.

But it must not be denied

that he can make the wall

of forgetfulness be drawn aside

just like a curtain.

And it’s certain

that where there has been

a great love

under its ashes and cinders

there might be yet reminders

that may spark it again

into a great flame

same as it was at first

on its first outburst!

AT LAST I’M FREE

My thoughts were swaying

and I heard myself saying

as in a dream I could see

my spirit say: At last I’m free.

As I left my carcass

on its way to heaven

while it had to bypass

some old spirits, exactly eleven.

And it repeated, free at last,

from my present future and past

and from a dreadful dull life

also, from a predominant wife.

At last I’m free, it repeated

joyfully and exuberant

while some angels greeted him

at the gates of heaven.

Afterwards when arranging things

on a shelf, he was repeating to himself,

"now I shall not have to think,

about my present future and past

because I’m free at last".

And everything seems rosy and pink

now, I have not to worry

and nothing for which to be sorry

because I can wait placidly

whatever happens in eternity!

AT TOURS, FRANCE

THINKING OF YOU…

I am always thinking of you dear

wondering why am I here?

remembering my fears

remembering your tears.

The peach-sweetness of your face

your rosy dress, the blue lace

the sweetness of your kiss

all of that I really miss