if angels gave birth

FullSizeRender

if angels gave birth

their offspring would

be cherubic with…

 

round rosebud cheeks

innocently wise eyes

beguiling half smiles

petal-soft scented skin

miniature untried wings

slippery hot-pink halo

and a kissable bald pate

 

….almost as perfect

as our granddaughter,

Elon LaShay, loved by God.

 

perfect skipping stone

 

bitterness weighs

like smooth stone

in a deep pocket,

turned over and

over and over, worn

by the long fingers

of hurtful memories;

familiar, uncomfortable

too full of mean-ing.

 

choose to limp

with lumpy baggage

or let forgiveness

reach firmly into

heart’s hidden folds,

remove hard burden

and fling it far,

leaving space

for lighter grace.

 

 

 

 

 

for my brother

 

Yesterday, you and I hiked steep slopes above timberline together.

Yesterday, we scrambled to the mountain’s rocky summit, shouting;

Yesterday, both of us could see for miles into the future’s glorious vista.

Today, we sit on this boulder, gulping for oxygen and squinting at horizon.

Today, trail is precarious scree and semi-obscured by fog of fears, tears

Today, we rub our aching muscles and commiserate with breaking hearts

But tomorrow…tomorrow will dawn brilliant where sorrow will be no more!
 


Linking this poem (revised from an earlier version) with d’Verse Poets today.  I’m hosting “poetics” with a mountain theme and the online pub opens at 3 EST.  Come join us!

follow the light

 

light of the

IMG_8748

photo by lynn

world shines

in baby’s eyes

 

happy flame of

solitary oil lamp

flickers from barn

 

starlight burns

unusual brightness

above sleeping village

 

angelic aether

outshines campfire

of blinded shepherds

 

holy spark

igniting faith fire

in heart’s cold hearth

 

For God, who said,”Let light shine out of darkness”, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.                                                                   2 Corinthians 4:6

 

november colors dakota

 

honk gray geese vee tattoo

across low-flying sky’s ceiling.

 

ice-edged blue pond fingers

reedy border of dry wild rice.

 

undulating green winter wheat field

interrupted by bare windbreak.

 

peely red shed leans lopsided into

prevailing prairie headwinds.

 

buff-brown buck grazes placidly

among herd of hardy range cattle.

 

flap black crow caws contrary to

silently melting snow pile.

 

tufted straw-gold crop debris

disk-mixed into fallow, fertile soil.

 

sunny silver beams gleam earthward

 between radiant cracks in clouds.

 

inspired white church steeple points

gratefully back toward heaven.

 

the accident

Linking to De’s prompt at dVerse on enjambment

(Enjambment occurs when a phrase carries over a line-break without a major pause)

If i remember right,

his grandfather told

story of when

they were filling

barn loft with

hay crop of

rectangular bales in

clutches of six, hung

from clawed

bale hook swung

from hay wagon up, up, up

in-to

loft’s massive open

door,

slide creeeaking toward back of

loft and released with a

jerkkk

when close to position of men stacking

bales (by hand) inside barn.

Metal framed hooks hung from

pulley on cable while entire

mechanism was

operated by horse power;  this day’s

chosen

 beast of burden was

neighbor’s loyal work horse, well-trained to

obey master’s voice commands.

They had un-loaded

a few clutches of hay bales when some-

thing terrible,  when some-

thing went terribly

wrong…

The horse, wearing blinders,

un-expectedly sidestepped, shying

in fear from un-certain threat, whether

dog barked,  kitten scampered, or

barn swallow

swooped,

that horse jumped off path, over low curb of wide

shallow well, covered by light lumber;

the now terrified animal’s weight

broke through

boards…

men watched helplessly as it

f

e

l

l

down  into

the  w

e

l

l

and drowned.

bare passages

 
it was time,

they tore down the

community hospital;

insulated with asbestos,

warmed with memories of

loudly wet births of sons and

quietly dry death of grandfather.

life at dis-ease tries to heal,

bursting forth or fading away

within tired brick walls

now demolished,

dust to dust.

you are the gift!


i’d like to think
companionship is gift
we give each other

mutual mutuality
congenial congeniality
a cup of tea and poetry

in the garden
beg God’s pardon
walked together three

traditions worthy
bring dear family in
closer company

grand alma mater’s
anthem sings loyal
camaraderie

as faith enables
hungry sinners join
around graced table

dare to cross borders
dare not burn bridges
open eyes to see

friendly faces in
surprising places
tap hearts deep spaces

to simply be present
(and mostly pleasant)
is love’s best present!


My gift to Abhra & friends at dVerse Poets and in observance of Random Acts of Poetry Day!

best dog days

At d’Verse Poets today, Toni invites us to write about the “dog days” of summer…
 

not gonna miss ‘em

our dog days are over

weather cools to 80’s

summer humidity drops

we can breathe again
 

heat made us both pant

my sweet silly Lily girl

husky-lab fur face friend
 

her final breaths labor

humidity of tears drop

105 fevered body cools

my dog’s days are over

oh, how i miss her !
 

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Lily: faithful friend, walking partner, and quite possibly the best dog ever!

grateful

Dedicated to my “sister” friend, Joyce, who recently let go of her mother’s hands…
 
strong women’s hands

shape my life and yours:

grandmas instill faith

aunts stitch laughter

sister friends en-courage

mothers mold hearts.

even if we can no longer

touch those dear hands,

we still hear the voices

of influence cheering us

on like birdsong

in a garden of grace.
 


Invited by Marina to write poem including words important to us/we are thankful for, on the occasion of the 4th anniversary of dVerse Poets

inversion // diversion

tangerine sun

rolllling deliciously

down

to/ward blue sky-bowl’s rim

sWELLs briefly into

navel orange…then

ruby red grapefruit

e-long-gates to lemon wedge

be/fore drrroppping

off

green earth-table’s edge.

contempt of court

 One-of-the-most-cowardly

in June, the bridal month,

five wise-in-their-own-eyes

justices rule supreme injustice;

deny reality’s own design,

declare bride is unnecessary

to have a wedding — absurd

as the emperor’s new clothes.

our founding fathers gave their

best to balance the powers that be.

We-the-people lament loud over

the proud actions of judges

who bring the gavel down

on a rainbow bully pulpit;

over-ruling states’ rights,

the Constitution, even

basic common sense.

Does anyone see the

naked shame of tyranny?


Justice Alito, in dissenting opinion, observed that “even enthusiastic supporters of same-sex marriage should worry about the scope of the power that today’s majority claims. Today’s decision shows that decades of attempts to restrain this Court’s abuse of authority have failed… All Americans,” he concludes, “should worry about what the majority’s claim of power portends.”

(quote from www.lifesitenews.com July 6, 2015)

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