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  Sunday Night Solitude by Lance Roy In shadows cast by fading light, I feel the weight on this Sunday night, A quiet solitude, an endless sea, Lonely echoes of a love once free. The world outside, it rushes on it’s own, While I sit in silence, all alone, The empty chair, the vacant space, A haunting presence, your warm embrace. The clock's soft tick, a mournful sound, With each passing moment, you're not around, Our love, a flame that used to burn, Now flickers softly, it's my heart's concern. The stars above, they seem to weep, As memories of you, in my heart, I keep, The room is still, our photos on the wall, A lonely widow spouse, I miss you most of all. But in this solitude, a peace resides, A quiet knowing that love abides, Though you've journeyed to the other side, In my heart, your love will forever glide. So Sunday nights, though lonely and blue, I find solace in thoughts of you, In the gentle breeze, in the moon's soft light, I'll cherish the memor...

A Saturday in Paradise by Lance Roy   Under Skies of Blue, a Tale Unfolds journeys bright and stories untold. In Bradenton's heart, I start my quest, A land of beauty, where I'm truly blessed. Car repairs done, my spirit takes flight, Ready to chase the sun's golden light. Nine years in this haven, oh so dear, A celebration of life, every passing year. Down the Manatee Riverwalk I tread, A peaceful path where dreams are fed. Vendors bustling, their markets bloom, A vibrant tapestry, dispelling all gloom. Manatee Ave leads me to the Isle, Where beachside dreams stretch mile by mile. Early hours grace me, traffic's not near, A quiet drive, the morning so clear. Across the causeway, to islands of grace, Where boats set sail to open space. Gulf Drive unfolds its scenic trail, Morning's embrace, beyond the veil. Families and walkers, a lively scene, Little ones laughing, where shores convene. At The Donut Experience, a treat divine, Cold coffee in hand, moments entwine. ...

Tides of Tranquility: A Day's Tale on Anna Maria Island by Lance Roy In the soft embrace of Anna Maria's sunlit isle, After the feast of grilled fish 'neath Tide Tables' roof, Late November's breath, a gentle chill in the mid-60s, Yet the Florida sky, a canvas of azure warmth. Over the Cortez bridge, a glance back reveals Downtown Sarasota's distant silhouette, A skyline punctuating the clear afternoon, As if etched by an artist's careful hand. On Bradenton's sandy embrace, near empty midweek shores, Waves, not wild, whisper tales from the Gulf, A walk through vacation homes' quiet charm, To the Bradenton Beach Pier, where anchored boats shimmer. Bridge Street beckons with the siren call of locals, The Tender Inn's Tiki Bar, a haven for laughter, Live chords weave tales of coastal melodies, As the Gulf's horizon stretches its azure arms. Westward, along Bridge Street's lively promenade, Tourists gather souvenirs from the Bizarre, Serenity...

  The Legend of Sara De Sota is a popular folk tale from the Sarasota, Florida area. The story is rooted in local history and has been passed down through generations, often associated with the region’s early Spanish influence. Here’s a story of the legend: The Legend of Sara De Sota written by George F. Chapline In the sun-drenched lands of La Florida, where the azure waves of the Gulf of Mexico kiss the golden shores, there once lived a young woman of incomparable beauty and grace. Her name was Sara De Sota, the beloved daughter of the valiant Spanish explorer, Hernando De Soto. With skin like the purest ivory and eyes that shimmered like the bay at dawn, Sara was the jewel of her father’s heart and the pride of the Spanish colony. Though her life was one of privilege and honor, Sara’s heart was not content. For in the quiet moments when the moonlight bathed the waters of Sarasota Bay, her thoughts would drift to a young warrior of the indigenous people, known as Chief Ulele. He ...

  The Legend of Sara De Sota By Lance Roy the land of sunlit waters, where legends weave, Chichi-Okobee, the Seminole chief, believed, His blood, a river flowing, his warriors bold, Stood 'neath the sun, their story to be told. Before the camp of Do Soto, great and white, Two worlds collided in the morning light. Helmets gleaming, blades drawn near, A prince stood, unyielding, without fear. "Peace," spoke Chichi, palm raised high, A surrender to the chief, beneath the sky. Taken, bound, through the Everglades they roamed, A captive prince, his destiny intoned. No murmur escaped his princely lips, A willing captive, love's yearning eclipse. For Sara, fair daughter of the white chief, He'd tread the swamps, endure all grief. But illness struck, the fever's cruel bite, Chichi weakened, lost in the Everglades' might. Physicians' efforts, all in vain, Sara, the princess, suffered a similar pain. Ahti, the medicine man, Chichi sought, Through swamps and sha...

  Charlie Clark In the fields where he grew, under wide-open skies, Charley Clark rode to school, where the prairie winds sighed. From Kansas to Colorado, New Mexico’s embrace, Missouri called him home, in its gentle, warm grace. With a heart full of music, and hands skilled with strings, His harmonica’s whisper, his fiddle’s sweet ring. In the family band, from the tender age of ten, His melodies lingered, like a dear, cherished friend. He wed Lenora Ellen, a love pure and true, Their journey together, painted skies a bright hue. Through agrarian lands, his footsteps did tread, From banking to brokering, where his wisdom was spread. A Marine with valor, in duty he stood, Serving his country, as every brave soul would. At First Baptist Church, his faith was his guide, A Deacon, a teacher, with love shining wide. With “For Heaven’s Sake,” in the gospel he found, A harmony sacred, a spiritually bound. Pleasant Hill Country Church, his most recent abode, Where stories of faith and ser...