Inspirational Poems

Volunteers, God Bless Them

Many will be shocked to find
When the day of judgement nears
That there's a special place in heaven
Set aside for volunteers.
Furnished with big recliners,
Satin couches and footstools,
Where there's no committee chairmen,
No group leaders or car pools.
No eager team that needs a coach,
No bazaar and no bake sale,
There will be nothing to staple,
Not one thing to fold or mail.
Telephone lists will be outlawed,
But a finger snap will bring
Cool drinks and gourmet dinners
And treats fit for a king.
You ask, "Who'll serve these privleged few
And work for all they're worth?"
Why, all those who reaped the benefits
And not once volunteered on Earth.

Because The Girl

By Mimi Murray, National Operational Volunteer, GSUSA

Because the girl has a need,
We have an obligation.

Because the girl has a choice,
We must be her better choice.

Because the girl has high expectations,
We must excel.

Because the girl wants to explore,
We must be her guide.

Because the girl wants to belong,
We must open our arms.

Because the girl is searching for direction,
We must be her compass.

Because the girl encounters times of turmoil,
We must be her safe haven.

Because the girl is tomorrow's woman,
We must care today.

Because of the girl....
We exist.

My Special List

I have a list of folks I know...
all written in a book,
And every now and then..
I go and take a look.

That is when I realize
these names... they are a part,
not of the book they're written in...
but taken from the heart.

For each name stands for someone...
who has crossed my path sometime,
and in that meeting they have become...
the reason and the rhyme.

Although it sounds fantastic...
for me to make this claim,
I really am composed...
of each remembered name.

Although you're not aware...
of any special link,
just knowing you, has shaped my life...
more than you could think.

So please don't think my greeting...
as just a mere routine,
your name was not...
forgotten in between.

For when I send a greeting...
that is addressed to you,
it is because you're on the list...
of folks I'm indebted to.

So whether I have known you...
for many days or few,
in some ways you have a part...
in shaping things I do.

I am but a total...
of many folks I've met,
you are a friend I would prefer...
never to forget.

Thank you for being my friend!

Submitted by: Pam Shields, Nassau County

Green Angel

I dreamed I went to Heaven
And saw among the dead
An Angel dressed in Green
A halo 'round her head.

And she looked kind of funny
Midst all the glaring white,
The others asked her jealously
What gave her such right?

I'm just a Girl Scout Leader;
I lay no hold to fame;
But being such a person
Means more than just the name.

My jobs on earth were many;
Praises and thanks were few.
I did more work in one day,
Than ten people ought to do.

I was a tin can cooker,
A hiker, a pathfinder;
I've also been an artist,
A sailor, a bookbinder.
I taught jumping jills to dance,
I taught parrots to sing:
I made saints out of hoodlums,
While mama had her fling.

I walked the streets till my feet
Felt like a ton of brick,
Selling Girl Scout Cookies now
The mere thought makes me sick.

But it was all a lot of fun;
Life never was a bore,
See --- This role isn't new to me,
"I've been an angel before."

Angel in Green

Having left mortal earth I passed through Heaven's gate
And while anxiously awaiting the outcome of my fate
I walked among the angels all robed in purest white
Whereupon I saw one figure that cast a greenish light.

She sat upon a misty cloud, a harp held to her breast,
In a flowing, blowing gown of green, unlike all the rest;
I asked what great deed she'd done to earn the special hue
That gave her color where others had none, or maybe just a few.

She said, "On earth I sought no fame, fortune was not my goal
I shunned the power of politics and worked without a toll;
I spent time with children, helping them to grow
For as you reap in life, so must you learn to sow."

"You see," she said, "the dividend while growing up I'd share
I repaid where many others were too self-involved to care;
Girl Scouting was my choice of roads to follow in my quest
For among the girls I found a love deeper than the rest."

"A teacher was I, my work was hard, I had no diploma or pay
But where family and institutions failed I helped them find the way;
The lessons I taught were obscure and difficult to see
For they didn't have names like spelling or math or geometry."

"They were lessons in life delivered through guided experience
And they taught such things as character, spirit, and confidence;
Though on earth my life was blessed, it's even moreso today
For when I look down I see my work as my girls show others the way."

"On earth, Girl Scouting taught me to leave things better than before
And the same applies to that mortal place where life never was a bore
Now having lived by that Girl Scout rule in every earthly endeavor
I have become an Angel in Green and shall be a Girl Scout forever."

The Order Of The Great Green Knight

His suits aren't made of armored steel They're cotton, silk or tweed.
He makes his charge with credit card Not on a snow-white steed.

His lance is just a ball-point pen, No heralds cry his might,
And yet this Girl Scout husband is (And yet this Girl Scout volunteer's) A modern day great knight.

He aids young damsels in distress, A helping hand he lends.
He's asked to do a hundred things For wifey and her friends. (For daughters and their friends.)

He loads his car, unloads his car, Drives all around the town,
Plays errand boy and baby nurse, Builds things and tears them down.

At busy times, he doesn't dine, Just eats a TV dinner,
The tied-up phone is not his own In patience, he's a winner.

This husband, father gives his time, And though he might complain,
That he is being pushed around, He loves it just the same.

So, Girl Scouts raise symbolic sword, With touch both deft and light,
Tap all these faithful shoulders and Dub this man as "Green Knight". (Dub every man "Green Knight".)

Author Unknown

A Guy’s Green Angel

Amador Trail Service Unit adaptation of the Green Angel

I dreamed I went to heaven, and saw among the dead,
An angel dressed in green, a halo around his head,
And he looked kind of funny, midst all the glaring white,
The others asked him jealously, what gave him such a right.

I’m a Girl Scout leader’s husband, I lay no hold to fame,
But being such a person means more than just a name
My jobs on earth were many, praises and thanks were few
I did more work in one day than ten men ought to do!

I’ve had NO dinners, COLD dinners and hot dogs galore,
When I’m at my rope’s end, someone says, " Please, just once more?"
I’ve soothed wounded feelings, listened to delighted screams,
And after a week of Girl Scouts, I still hear them in my dreams!

I’ve been chauffeur, hiker and pathfinder,
Artist, picture taker and tent striker!
I’ve taught jumping girls to tie knots, parrots to sing,
And made saints of our mischievous ones, while mothers had their fling.

I’ve mingled with the high-toned, and they snickered and called me a hick,
Selling/delivering cookies, ‘til the mere thought made me sick!
But it was a lot of fun, life never was a bore...
You see I’m a soft touch for the: "Please, just once more?"

It made me feel important, without me there was no fun.
And I loved all those Girl Scouts, each and every one.
The songs, the games, the hikes, the fun, see what you have missed?
It makes me glad that one small phrase was one I couldn’t resist!

What She Brought Home From Girl Scouts Today

by Laura Hollenzer

Perhaps when she came home today
you asked, "What did you do at Girl Scouts?"
When she replied, "Nothing but play",
you were filled with doubts!

The weeks went by, you asked again,
still she had no craft to show.
Then you began to wonder,
why didn't they glue or sew?

For after all, it's dues each week,
and driving here and there.
The uniform, permission slips,
and cookie sale to share!

Ah... but she brought home much better things,
that no glue or craft could make.
If only to lend a helping hand,
when needed for someone's sake.

You see, although we think of Girl Scouting now,
it really isn't "today"!
It's the Girl Scouting for tomorrow,
and to help them explore a new way.

It's the caring, sharing, learning, growing,
the Golden Rule is our thumb.
For she'll be the one with the helping hand,
in the future years to come.

So, when she comes home the next time please,
you can rest with a brand new start.
For the craft that she brought home today,
is molded in her heart.

Because You Said 'Yes'

Because you said 'yes':

...a young girl will feel the pride of being someone special as she carefully puts on her uniform for the very first time.
...a girl can move to a new town and have "instant friendships" with girls she might never have met.

...parents will experience that special pride when they listen to their daughter say the Girl scout Promise for the first time.

...bright eyes will become a little brighter with excitement as the kindling finally catches on the first campfire.

...nervous giggles will emit from tents as girls try to fall asleep their first night of camp.

...the community, and the world will be richer because a girl has learned the importance of caring for her environment, and the warm feeling that comes from giving service to someone less fortunate than herself.

...a parent will find a gold trefoil carefully tucked away in a drawer as their daughter packs to leave home for her first adventures as a young adult.

...a young woman will contact the Girl Scouts one day and say, "I had so much fun when I was a Girl Scout, I'd like to try being a Leader."

And the circle will continue...because you said, "YES"

For All You Do

For the bounteous help that you have given
For the edge of sanity to which you were driven
For all the skeeters that you had to slap
For all the girls, for you they'll clap
For another Scout chore so very well done
For without you, actitivies would be none
How to say Thank You in some new way
Always floors me as to what to say
But all of your work was done in glee
Bright young faces are reward for thee.

For Everything

by LaDonna Albert

For every step taken on a wet and rocky trail.
For every reminder note you didn't forget to mail.
For every skinned knee you attended,
For every broken heart you mended.
For every burnt camping meal you ate,
For every late parent on which you had to wait.
For every tearful disappointment you heard,
For every time you could've ... but did't say a word.
For every ounce of laughter to a little girl you brought,
For every midnight giggle your tired ears have caught!
For every tear you've shed as they've grown up through the years.
For every one of your Girl Scouts, now full of confidence, not fears.
For every song you've sung,
For every song you'll sing...
Thank you...Girl Scout Leader... simply put...for everything!

Scouting is a Candle

Scouting is a candle that will light you on your way
It's trying on your honor, and helping every day
Exploring worlds around you and looking wider still
Pitching tents out in the woods and hiking up a hill
Guitars and voices blended under God's majestic sky
Loving those around you, friendships that never die
The meaning in a moment, in a smile or in a tear
Makes you a little taller in each new Scouting year.
A promise to your God and to your country too
Makes you a part of your world and your world a part of you
It's something that you carry wherever you may go
A secret deep inside you that only Scouts would know
But it's the kind of secret that you want the world to know
You can't hide all the happiness, you can't hide all the glow.
A candle glows together, it shines externally.
Make it shine on everyone, that's the way the world should be.

We Followed

(A Girl Scout Leader's Poem)
My dishes went unwashed today I didn't make the bed
I took her hand and went with her To Girl Scouts instead.
That my house was neglected That I didn't sweep the stairs
In twenty years no one on earth Will know or even care.
But that I helped a little girl from child to adulthood grow
In twenty years, the whole wide world Will look and see and know.

Leader Poem

Sometimes I get discouraged, My time is not my own.
If I'm not going somewhere, I'm always on the phone.

Reminding someone's mother, Of a stray permission slip.
Whose loss would cause disaster, To our upcoming field trip.

I'm dashing out to get supplies, (I think I'm going daft!)
Whose idea was this? Can we really do this craft?

And then there are the cookies- On the chairs and on the floor.
My home has twice as many, As the local grocery store.

Even when I'm sitting still, my brain is overheating.
Searching for a game or song, to liven up the meeting.

Just when I am exhausted, Too tired to move again.
A small eruption at the door- The girls are coming in!

I draw a breath of wonder and ask myself "oh why?"
Then I'm almost toppled, by a bear hug, just knee high.

The room is full of laughter,and suddenly I see.
That I really cannot think, of a better place to be.

Yes, I'm a Girl Scout Leader, and I guess that's no surprise.
And everything I do is worth, the smile in one girl's eyes

The Girl Scout Leader's Husband

I am a Leader's husband
My work is all cut out,
I play the second fiddle
When wifey's on the "Scout".

My car becomes a truck
I drive it here and there,
Filled with girls or filled with food
To camp in the open air.

I pitch the tent and skin my leg
And wallow in despair,
My mind is choked in protest
I have to eat the swear.

Then when at last I do get home
To lie down on my bunk,
I find the Girl Scout cooking school
And then I'm simply sunk!

Author Unknown

Toast to the Long - Suffering Husband of the Volunteer Worker

Here's to the man -- the poor, poor man
Whose busy wife does all she can
To make his home as precious as pearls,
While she's out "Scouting" with the girls.

He leaves for work in the gray, gray dawn,
The phone starts ringing the moment he's gone,
When he comes home he finds a note
And this is what his wifey wrote...

"Tonight I'll be a little late,
But on the table I put your plate,
Now don't forget to watch the stew
And keep your eye on the children, too.

That handkerchief I forgot to press,
But I couldn't wear a wrinkled dress!
I have an appointment to keep, you see
Tomorrow, I'll try to iron you three.

The laundry brought your shirts today
But I didn't get them put away.
Just clean a place upon the shelf,
I do feel I should have done it myself.

I had to use the car, today,
I backed it out the very same way
I've seen you do it ten times or more
But, darling, I hit the old garage door.

I'll have to have it tomorrow, too
I'm taking the "Scouts" out to the zoo.
No, it won't take much gasoline,
And could you manage to wash it clean?

Of course it's raining, but please don't fret,
They couldn't possibly get the cushions wet.
Oh, yes, I remember the trip before --
They only got mud on the seat and the floor.

No really, folks this isn't all true
But if it were, he'd see her through
He really thinks she's a pretty swell gal
And working with Scouts makes her a real pal.

So here's to the man, the lucky man,
Whose busy wife does all she can
To guide our daughters from strife and sorrow,
For they'll be the "Leaders of Tomorrow..."

Author Unknown

Scouting

I wear the pin of a Girl Scout; I try to live the Law.
I have often said the Promise, when life held only flaws.

But it's not the pin nor the Promise, nor just the Law I live
That causes me to love this Scouting - It's the feeling Scouting can give.

You have to live it to know it: When the sun has sunk down low
You must sing with other Girl Scouts, around the campfire's glow.

You must plan a cookout with them, and have it spoiled by the rain,
You must sing instead of crying, and make the plans again.

You should hike for many a mile, under a clear blue sky.
Then sleep in the open country, and watch the stars go by.

There are no words to express it, it can't be told in song.
You just must experience it; it will not take you long.

It is brought out when you are singing, as loud as you can sing.
And again in the peaceful silence, when a flag is taking wing.

Then when you salute Old Glory, you know that you belong,
And Taps cannot end this feeling, after the day is gone.

You will want to meet tomorrow, in hope that you can live
To pass on some of this feeling, only Scouting can give.

So it's not the pin nor Promise, nor just the Law I live,
That cause me to love Girls Scouting - it's the feeling Scouting can give.

Majorie Sullivan

Scout's Own (for adults)
Show Her The Rainbow

Show her the rainbow, for rainbows don't wait,
And soon she is a woman, too soon it's too late.
Rainbows and childhood too soon disappear,
Like an illusion, you thought they were here.

Someday a rainbow may be hard to find,
And childhood and rainbows will be left behind.
Like ripples on water they vanish and fade,
Then what will become of the plans you made?

So take time to show her the wonderful things
Like snowflakes and dewdrops and butterfly wings.
Show her the moonbeams that shine down at night-
sky full or starlight all twinkling and bright.

Soon you'll discover some treasures can't wait,
So show her the rainbow before it's too late.
Yes, show her the rainbow while she is still small.
Or soon you will find there is no rainbow at all

(Author Unknown)

Poem for Leader's Day

If we had a box, a great big one,
We would hide ourselves inside
We would have it decorated then,
With ribbons neatly tied.

We would ship ourselves to your house
and when you came along
We would all jump out and hug you
And sing this little song:

We're glad that you're our leader
We hope that you're glad too,
You do so much for all of us-
That's why we love you!

Recipe For A Girl Scout Leader

Combine one level head and one loving heart with equal parts of enthusiasm and energy.
Blend in ability to work with others and appreciation of individual differences.
Add a double measure of humor and the desire to help girls grow. Fold in the imagination of an elf and the memory of an elephant. Top with a rugged constitution and resilience to adapt to new ideas.
When seasoned with the training and steeped in experience, this recipe will serve many girls well.

Submitted by SWAPSALOT@aol.com

The Time You Have Spent

The time you have spent as a volunteer,
Be it half a lifetime or just a year.
Will have it's effect on such far reaching ways,
It can never be measured in hours or days.
But we want to say thank you for doing your part,
For giving your hand and giving your heart.
Thanks for the smiles when you wanted to weep,
For the camping trips when you couldn't sleep.
For car pools and nosebags and sit-upons,
For lighting the way to the outdoor johns.
For running and phoning and meeting and waiting,
For hiking and swimming and roller-skating.
But thanks more than ever for years yet to come,
When someone remembers the job that you've done.
And memories brighten a young woman's face,
In some other time and some other space.

GIRL SCOUT WEEK

Monday's Scout is at the tub,
Her Sunday clothes to rinse and rub.
Tuesday's Scout will roast and stew
And fry fresh pancakes just for you!
Wednesday's Scout is bent on Thrift,
To patch the hole and darn the rift.
Thursday is Scout Service Day,
For helping your neighbor in many a way.
Friday's Scout is rosy and strong.
She camps and "hikes" the whole day long.
Saturday's Scout is happy and gay
For this is Baby Caring Day.
Sunday's Scout presents to you
Her uniformed back in the family pew!

Submitted by Cindy Robinson

Heartprints

Whatever our hands touch...
We leave fingerprints.
On walls, on furniture,
On door knobs, dishes and books.
Smudges, showing we were there!

Oh Lord, please,
Wherever I go today...
Help me leave Heartprints...
Heartprints of compassion,
Understanding and love.
Heartprints of kindness
And genuine concern.

I shall go out today...
To leave Heartprints...
And if some one should say...
"I felt your touch!"
May that one feeling be...
Your loving touch, Lord,
Through me!

May my heart touch
my lonely neighbor, with a smile,
a worried mother, with peace,
a runaway child, with safety,
a homeless person, with warmth,
and my dear friends, with love.

Submitted by SWAPSALOT@aol.com

Friends Are Like Angels

Our friends are like angels,
Who brighten our days.
In all kinds of wonderful,
Magical ways.

Their thoughtfulness comes,
As a gift from above.
And we feel we're surrounded,
By warm, caring love.

Like upside-down rainbows,
Their smiles bring the sun.
And they fill ho-hum moments,
With laughter and fun.

Friends are like angels,
Without any wings.
Blessing our lives,
With the most precious things.

Thyme, the Spice of Life

Time marches on, I've been told this is true,
So many commitments - will they ever be through?
Get the kids off to school, do the shopping and cook;
Their jobs, their committees, they could write a book!
They'd include all the shortcuts they take every day,
To make sure that Guiding/Scouting fits in on the way.
Because, as you know, it entails quite a lot:
Make a fire, work on badges, bring treats, tie a knot.
Their work could go on until midnight or more,
But they really won't mind, it's the girls they adore.
So in order to keep them in step at that pace,
We've bottled spare thyme for them - just in case!

Enjoy your thyme in Girl Guides/Scouts!

Submitted by SWAPSALOT@aol.com

Sisterhood

Blazing fire, lend your light
Like the brilliant stars of night.
Point the way our path is going
While we follow, ever knowing
What we owe to those who dared.
Be Prepared, Be Prepared.

Logs burn, flames rise,
Hearts glow, trouble dies;
Each for all and all for each,
Happiness within our reach;
Joined together by the Good
Of World-Wide Scouting Sisterhood.

Submitted by SWAPSALOT@aol.com

Story - The Old Girl Scout Leader

The old Girl Scout leader had lived longer in the service unit than any of the others. She was so old that her patch jacket was filled - even on the sleeves, her mess kit was dented, her sleeping bag was flat and she had a special room in her house just for her Girl Scout supplies.

She was wise, for she had seen three generations of Girl Scouts roar through the schools and she had seen other leaders break their mainsprings, lose their buttons and miss too many service unit meetings. But Girl Scout magic is strange and wonderful, and the wise old leader wanted to share that magic with others!

"What is a REAL Girl Scout leader?" asked the new Brownie leader one day. "Does it mean being the best camper or selling the most cookies or planning the best craft project? Does it mean wearing my uniform? Does it mean marching in parades?"

"A REAL Girl Scout leader is more than cookies, crafts, camping, uniforms and parades," said the wise old leader. "Leadership is something that you work at every day. It's relationships that you build with girls and their families. But you feel like a REAL leader when you come to realize that the girls in your troop love you, not just for meetings and good times, but they REALLY love you. And you come to love them, too. Then you know in your heart the joy of Girl Scout leadership."

"Does it hurt? Will it take lots of time?" asked the new leader. "Sometimes," said the wise old leader. "Being a Girl Scout leader is a big commitment. You listen to the girls and try things that may seem new and strange to you. You attend training, fill out forms, meet deadlines, and challenge the weather for field trips, campouts and cookie sales. You help girls to learn how to make decisions and be responsible - and it's not always clear that you're going to succeed!"

"Generally, by the time you feel like you're a REAL leader, your hairdo doesn't matter quite so much as comfortable shoes; your friends keep asking you how you can think about taking 17 girls to the city; and you've shed a proud tear over the first event the girls planned and carried out by themselves - never mind the spilled punch or the candle that fell out of the ceremony log and nearly started a fire. These things don't matter because once you know you're a Girl Scout leader, you know you're making a difference in the world."

Written by Constance Bearnes, Illinois Crossroads Council

When Tomorrow Starts Without Me
-Non Girl Scout but very moving-

When tomorrow starts without me, and I'm not there to see;
If the sun should rise and find your eyes all filled with tears for me;
I wish so much you wouldn't cry the way you did today,
while thinking of the many things we didn't get to say.
I know how much you love me, as much as I love you,
and each time you think of me I know you'll miss me too;
But when tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand,
that an angel came and called my name and took me by the hand,
and said my place was ready in heaven far above,
and that I'd have to leave behind all those I dearly love.
But as I turned to walk away, a tear fell from my eye,
for all life, I'd always thought I didn't want to die.
I had so much to live for and so much yet to do,
it seemed almost impossible that I was leaving you.
I thought of all the yesterdays, the good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared and all the fun we had.
If I could relive yesterday, I thought, just for awhile,
I'd say goodbye and kiss you and maybe see you smile.
But then I fully realized that this could never be,
for emptiness and memories would take the place of me.
And when I thought of worldly things that I'd miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did, my heart was filled with sorrow.
But when I walked through heaven's gates, I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me, from His great golden throne,
He said, "This is eternity and all I've promised you".
Today for life on earth is past but here it starts anew.
I promise no tomorrow, but today will always last,
and since each day's the same day, there's no longing for the past.
But you have been so faithful, so trusting, and so true.
Though there were times you did some things you knew you shouldn't do.
But you have been forgiven and now at last you're free.
So won't you take my hand and share my life with me?
So when tomorrow starts without me, don't think we're far apart,
for every time you think of me, I'm right here in your heart.
by: David M. Romano