Mattie Stepanek Poems/ Quotes for the Day

Every day, someone, try to post either a quote or a poem from Mattie Stepanek. This way, his message can continue to be spread and his spirit will always resonate with us.

Today's poem:

Facing the Future

Every journey begins
With but a small step.
And every day is a chance
For a new, small step
In the right direction.
Just follow your Heartsong.

by Mattie Stepanek

Today's poem:

"I Am"

I am black.
I am white.
I am all skin in between.
I am young.
I am old.
I am each age that has been.
I am scrawny.
I am well fed.
I am starving for attention.
I am famous.
I am cryptic.
I am hardly worth the mention.
I am short.
I am height.
I am any frame or stature.
I am smart.
I am challenged.
I am striving for a future.
I am able.
I am weak.
I am some strength.
I am none.
I am being.
I am thoughts.
I am all things, said and done.
I am born.
I am dying.
I am dust of humble roots.
I am grace.
I am pain.
I am labor of willed fruits.
I am a slave.
I am free.
I am bonded to my life.
I am rich.
I am poor.
I am wealth amid strife.
I am a shadow.
I am glory.
I am hiding from my shame.
I am hero.
I am loser.
I am yearning for a name.
I am empty.
I am proud.
I am seeking my tomorrow.
I am growing.
I am fading.
I am hope amid the sorrow.
I am certain.
I am doubtful.
I am desperate for solutions.
I am leader.
I am student.
I am fate and evolutions.
I am spirit.
I am voice.
I am memories not recalled.
I am chance.
I am cause.
I am effort, blocks and walls.
I am him.
I am her.
I am reasons without rhymes.
I am past.
I am nearing.
I am present in all times.
I am many.
I am no one.
I am seasoned by each being.
I am me.
I am you.
I am all souls now decreeing.
I am.

Mattie Stepanek

For Our World

We need to stop.
Just stop.
Stop for a moment.
Before anybody
Says or does anything
That may hurt anyone else.
We need to be silent.
Just silent.
Silent for a moment.
Before we forever lose
The blessing of songs
That grow in our hearts.
We need to notice.
Just notice.
Notice for a moment.
Before the future slips away
Into ashes and dust of humility.
Stop, be silent, and notice.
In so many ways, we are the same.
Our differences are unique treasures.
We have, we are, a mosaic of gifts
To nurture, to offer, to accept.
We need to be.
Just be.
Be for a moment.
Kind and gentle, innocent and trusting,
Like children and lambs,
Never judging or vengeful
Like the judging and vengeful.
And now, let us pray,
Differently, yet together,
Before there is no earth, no life,
No chance for peace.

September 11, 2001
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek

Revolutions 365:25

When the moon sets
Over your shoulder
As the sun rises
Bright towards your face,
What's in the middle?
Your life is.
Filled with choices
For each moment, each place.
We live between the
Past and the future,
In the moment of our
Here, now, today.
Can we cope with the
Daily life stresses?
If we humbly accept.
We must pray.

December, 2001
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek

a-byss'

My life
Is halfway down
An abyss.
A deep
Immeasurable space.
A gulf.
A cavity.
A vast chasm.
My life
Is not how
I planned it to be.
Is not how
I want it to be.
Is not how
I pray for it
To be.
In the darkness
Of this pit,
I see a small
Light of hope.
Is it possible for me
To climb to such heights?
To rebuild the bridges?
To find my salvation?
The song
In my heart
Is so quiet.
Is so dark.
Is so fearful.
I dare not stay in
This abyss.
Though deep
And vast,
I am only halfway
Down.
Thus, I am
Already
Halfway up?
Let such words
Fall onto my heart,
And raise me from this depth.

January 6, 2001
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek

Prayer for a Journey

Thank You, God,
Not just for life,
But for our journey through life.
Life is a miracle,
And a journey through life
Is so full of so many more miracles
If we travel with our Heartsongs.
Thank You, God,
For blessing me with the
Gift of Heartsongs,
So that I can enjoy my miracles.

April, 1998
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek

Heartsong

I have a song, deep in my heart,
And only I can hear it.
If I close my eyes and sit very still
It is so easy to listen to my song.
When my eyes are open and
I am so busy and moving and busy,
If I take time and listen very hard,
I can still hear my Heartsong.
It makes me feel happy.
Happier than ever.
Happier than everywhere
And everything and everyone
In the whole wide world
Happy like thinking about Going to Heaven when I die.
My Heartsong sounds like this:

I love you! I love you!
How happy you can be!
How happy you can make
The whole world be!

And sometimes it's other
Tunes and words, too,
But it always sings the
Same special feeling to me.
It makes me think of
Jamie, and Katie and Stevie,
And other wonderful things.
This is my special song.
But do you know what?
All people have a special song
Inside their hearts!
Everyone in the show wide world
Has a special Heartsong.
If you believe in magical, musical hearts,
And if you believe you can be happy,
Then you, too, will hear your song.

March 1996
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek

One Day
One day,
I will write a poem
About the
Giant snowflakes.
Such a beautiful sight
My eyes beheld during
Just an any mid-morning.
Huge snowflakes,
The size of
Paper snowflakes
Little children cut out
To decorate
The winter season.
Enormous snowflakes,
Thick as pancakes,
But gently drifting
From the sky.
Magical snowflakes,
From an elsewhere space,
That transported me
To someplace
Where I traveled
Through a field of stars,
Frosting past me...
To me...
On me...
Yes, one day,
I will write a poem
About these
Amazing snowflakes,
As my Heartsong awakes.
Such a fantastic
White wonder
That led my mind
To wander,
One day.

February 5, 2001
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek

Making Real Sense of the Senses

Our eyes are for looking at things,
But they are also for crying
When we are very happy or very sad.
Our ears are for listening,
But so are our hearts.
Our noses are for smelling food,
But also the wind and the grass and
If we try very hard, butterflies.
Our hands are for feeling,
But also for hugging and touching so gently.
Our mouths and tongues are for tasting,
But also for saying words, like
"I love you," and
"Thank You, God. For all of these things."

April, 1995
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek

Rapture

Have you witnessed
The early morning?
Right before the
Sun rises, and
The sky glows
Purple lava-lamp?
The clouds are
The dark,
Floating
Lumps, and
The still
Gentle earth
Is to look upon.

December 3, 2000
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek

"We must always remember to play after every storm."

That was his life philosophy.

On Being a Champion
by Mattie J.T. Stepanek

A Champion is a winner,
A hero...
Someone who never gives up
Even when the going gets rough.
A champion is a member of
A winning team...
Someone who overcomes challenges
Even when it requires creative solutions.
A champion is an optimist,
A hopeful spirit...
Someone who plays the game,
Even when the game is called life.
There can be a champion in each of us,
If we live as a winner,
If we live as a member of the team,
If we live with a hopeful spirit,
For Life.

About Dunderheads

When laughing with,
Everyone has fun
Playing the fool.
When laughing at,
The teaser is a
Lone, sad
Kind of fool.

October 31, 2000
© Matthew Joseph Thaddeus

I Could…If They Would

If they would find a cure when I'm a kid…
I could ride a bike and sail on rollerblades, and
I could go on really long nature hikes.
If they would find a cure when I'm a teenager…
I could earn my license and drive a car, and
I could dance every dance at my senior prom.
If they would find a cure when I'm a young adult…
I could travel around the world and teach peace, and
I could marry and have children of my own.
If they would find a cure when I'm grown old…
I could visit exotic places and appreciate culture, and
I could proudly share pictures of my grandchildren.
If they would find a cure when I'm alive…
I could live each day without pain and machines, and
I could celebrate the biggest thank you of life ever.
If they would find a cure when I'm buried into Heaven…
I could still celebrate with my brothers and sister there, and
I could still be happy knowing that I was part of the effort.

Mattie J.T Stepanek (author)

FYI, Billy put this to music on the his 4th album.

This one is cute, but it is also really deep and meaningful.

Heavenly Greeting

Dear God,
For a long time,
I have wondered about
How You will meet me
When I die and come to
Live with You in Heaven.
I know You reach out
Your hand to welcome
Your people into Your home,
But I never knew if You
Reached out Your right hand,
Or if You
Reached out Your left hand.
But now I don't have to
Wonder about that anymore.
I asked my mommy and
She told me that You
Reach out both of Your hands,
And welcome us with
A great big giant hug.
Wow!
I can't wait for my hug, God.
Thank you,
And Amen.

By: Mattie J.T. Stepanek (C)