An Open Letter to my Congressman, Rep Kevin Brady in response to a card he sent in the mail about The House Leadership going to file a lawsuit against the President.

Dear Congressman,

I received your new report postcard, dated July 31st in the mail today.

I read it with disbelief.  (For full disclosure I am a true Independent and have never voted on party lines only on issues.)

My problem with what you wrote is we have a Congress and Senate that are more concerned with party politics, what lobbyists, Super-Pacs, donors want etc.   We are in sore need of leadership and legislation to help the average working man or woman.  Did the President do the right thing is definitely open to interpretation, but, wasting time and our money on this rather than fixing what really matters is an absolutely ridiculous. As you correctly stated the President does not make the laws, but, if the legislative branch doesn't, can't or won't surely he has some responsibility to the people?

As far as the Affordable Care Act is concerned I don't think it is good legislation, but, it's a start.  The Health Care system needs to be fixed desperately.   It is a disgrace that in the 21st Century, in the World's Largest Super Power millions of people cannot afford to go see a doctor.   I implore you to put aside party politics and re-focus on what the founding fathers wanted Government to be:  "For the People, by, the People".   Unless I am mistaken if does not say "for the lobbyists" or "for the largest donors" or for "any particular special interest group" etc.. etc..

I look forward to hearing about a new Congress that is focused on what they are supposed to and that my Congressman is leading the charge.   If I hear this you will absolutely get my vote.

With Respect,

Richard Coull

The Presentation

Waiting…..

Butterflies in my stomach

Thoughts running through me head

I hope it comes out right

I hope it all makes sense.

Waiting…..

I've got to be positive

Even though I don’t believe all I say

It’s like a Jew preaching Jesus

Or a ‘Spurs fan praising Arsenal.

Waiting…..

He’ll be here soon

And in five minutes gone.

All this for five minutes

You’d think he was important!

Waiting…..

I wonder what he feels like

People creeping around

Saying what he’d like to hear

He must know it’s a front.

Waiting…..

Why am I sitting here worrying?

After all he’s just a man

Like me and millions of others

He’ll one day return to dust!

Waiting…..

16^th April 1996, North Acton, London, England.

-Richard

The Twelve Hour Shift

One hour to go

My legs ache

My eyes feel like lead

My brain refuses to work

(Although that’s not strange!).

One hour to go

To join the traffic queues

Staring into space.

One hour to go

Until I’m home

No time to eat.

Take a shower, then bed

To get up and start again.

One hour to go…..

15^th April 1996, North Acton, London, England.

-Richard

Galatians

“You fools” Paul says

To the Church is Galatia

To the Church today

And to me.

“You got confused

You got misled

Add your rules

And prejudices too.”

“Listen to me” he says in anger

“Listen to Christ

Look at The Cross

You don’t need rules

Just look in Faith

And you’ll be free.”

In his anger he loves

In his frustration he hurts

As his Master he serves

Is disobeyed and ignored.

In love he says

“Live by The Spirit

And leave sin behind

Be like trees

Grow and develop fruit.

Be patient.

Be kind.

Have love and joy.

Have peace and self-control.

Be gentle.

And be faithful

To The Christ you serve.”

Finally he closes

After opening his heart

“May the Grace of Jesus

Be with you evermore

For today and generations to come.”

8^th April 1996, Skegness, England.

-Richard

Christ Died

As we walk down the street

What do we see?

A beggar

A loser for all to see!

A black man

He’ll probably mug someday!

A gay man

He’ll soon be dead from Aids!

A business man

He must be good!

A young mother pushing a pram

Should have been more careful!

What I see is people

People for whom Christ died.

7^th April 1996, Skegness, England.

-Richard

Easter

I can see the sun rising

Over a clear Easter sky.

A new day dawning

Over the land.

I heard that The Son rose

From a stone enclosed tomb.

A new day dawning

Over the land.

I met the risen Son

As He shed light on my heart.

A new life dawning

Over my world.

7^th April 1996, Skegness, England.

-Richard

Joined

She’s in me

I’m in her

Christ’s in us.

Together we worship

Together we feed

Together we hope

On my own I’m lost

On my own I’m weak

On my own my worship falls short.

We’re one

We’re one in love

We’re one in Christ.

On my own I’m only half

On my own my power is low

On my own I only think of her.

6^th April 1996, Skegness, England.

-Richard

Praise Party

Dancing,

Singing,

Clapping,

Worshiping,

Suffering.

Emotions fly

As souls sigh

Yet a rod

Hide’s the power of God.

We want to feel good.

We want the Spirit to flood

But it’s us!

But it’s us!

What about those that need?

Let’s plant the seed

Let the word shine

So God can say “The world is mine.”

6^th April 1996, Skegness, England.

-Richard

Loneliness V / Love V

Aaaaaargh!!!  My head hurts.

Too much thinking

Round and round

Over and over

Without a break

Thinking of you

It makes my heart pain

My emotions confused

Over joy and sorrow

All at the same time.

Fall in love

Find my destiny

She love me

I love her

With a ring to prove it.

Why, then am I still alone?

She’s not here

Parting after fleeting joy

To meet again in two months’ time

And then part again.

It makes me cry

When others together

Are holding hands

Kissing

Being together.

I need her now

To hold, to kiss

Why can’t we be together?

I want to make love

And share my life.

It will be over

When she walks down the aisle.

She’ll be mine.

I’ll be hers.

Then we can be together

And show the world

How much we love each other.

Aaaaargh!!! My head hurts.

29^th March 1996, North Acton, London, England.

-Richard

R.A. Coull BSc(Hons) LRSC

Initials after my name

What does it mean?

Look, I’m cleverer than you

Haven’t I done well

Look at me!!

Does it make me better?

Better than anyone else?

Does it matter that I’ve achieved more?

No, unless it’s used for others

To help make lives better

Using the gifts I’ve got.

Otherwise it’s just paper

That can easily be destroyed!

23^rd March 1996, Uxbridge, England.

-Richard

Poetry

Poetry expresses deepest things

Written from the heart.

Is that all it needs?

You write to me,

I write to you

Of our love,

Our feelings,

Our failings.

But, nothing really matters

Except the one true thing

That I love you

And you love me!!

11^th March 1996, Hartlepool, England.

-Richard

Valentine – Alone

It’s Valentine’s Day.

Lovers are celebrating

Leaving the glow of love

Radiating everywhere.

But, I’m all alone

In my own lonely world.

Oh yes! I am love

With a girl all my own

Whom I love more than any other

Could possibly love.

She’s just so far away.

A telephone call is all we have

It’s tearing me apart.

I need her now!

I want her now!

Why do I have to wait?

Why do I have to be alone?

14^th February 1996, North Acton, London, England.

-Richard

Docklands: 9/2/96

Irish or British

Does it matter?

We speak the same language,

Share the same heritage.

Let the past be past

We all want peace.

All?

A handful of mindless bastards

Seeking their own ends

Not what the people want.

Their own personal glory.

Their selfish ways

Leads to pain for the innocent

Leaving children crying.

Fathers are dead

Mothers are dead

A minority leading us all

To our own Armageddon.

11^th February 1996, Uxbridge, England

-Richard

Valentine “1996”

A simple phrase

So often misused

“A match made in Heaven”

In our case ever so true.

Words can’t describe

Just how I feel

So all I can do

Is say….”I love you!!”

5^th February 1996, Uxbridge, England.

-Richard

Expectations

Dickens wrote about them

I have a lot of them

With abilities to match

Unfortunately not all

Others have a lot for me

What a Christian man should be

Work have a lot

Too much for all concerned

Impossible aims

Under stress

With the expectations of the world.

All too much!!

 30^th January 1996, Uxbridge, England.

-Richard

Richard and Jenn

I never believed in fairy tales

Or scripts from Hollywood.

I never believed in true love

Or passion that turns the head.

Now I believe

Or else how could you explain

How a girl from Texas

And a boy from England

Friends for years

Going through bad times,

Losing touch,

Meeting again

This time different

As their lips touched,

In passion embraced

Under a clear Texas sky.

Yes! I believe in love!

Yet, this is real life,

Could Spielberg or the Brothers Grimm

Write a story any better?

13^th January 1996, Uxbridge, England.

-Richard

Does it Matter?

Does it matter

If there is a ring or not?

Does it matter

When or where?

All that matters

Is that we love each other!!

All that matters

Is that we want to be together.

Does it matter

What other people think?

Does it matter

“That she is so young?”

All that matters

Is that we’re happy with each other!

All that matters

Is that we are in love.

  

11^th January 1996, North Acton, London, England.

-Richard

Love IV

When Cupid’s arrow strikes

A joy should be released;

Love and peace and contentment.

How can it be?

Pain and tears and loneliness

Tempered here and there

A fleeting time together

Until….she flies away again.

   

8^th January 1996, North Acton, London, England.

-Richard

Cold

Its cold outside

I’m cold

I’m cold outside

I’m cold inside

I’m all alone

Although surrounded

I’d be happy with one

Not the many.

The one I want is miles away.

The one’s I don’t are here.

It’s a cold Christmas.

  

25^th December 1995, Hartlepool, England.

-Richard

Christmas in Texas

Kids running wild

Christmas music playing

Tills jangling

Christmas trees decorated

Presents being brought.

Snow outside?

No, seventy degree heat!

It’s Christmas: isn't it?

25th November 1995, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

-Richard

Palladium Black

Mixing, stirring, waiting.

Is the colour changing?

Yes it is or no

I don’t know!

Add more acid

To reveal the secret that’s hidden.

A reaction at last…

Oh no! It’s a bit too fast

A foam’s getting higher

The results could be dire!

Phew! It’s stopped just in time

Giving a product nice and fine!

7^th November 1995, North Acton, London, England.

-Richard