Category Archives: Poems

           A Grain of Sand

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Nothing more than a grain of sand

one among a cast of millions

arose and accepted the burdensome

yoke of humanity, the drudgery of life,

the pains, torments, tears, and fears

until love entered his heart.

Nothing but a tiny grain of sand

now filled with a woman’s love

beaming broader than the sun,

wider than the Milky Way

standing tall, strong, proud, and fearless

with her vision in his mind.

Nothing but a proud grain of sand

knelt by her side, making his

wishes known, the dreams of his soul,

the secrets of his heart,

the projects, plans, ideas, and thoughts

searing his vision.

Nothing but an exultant grain of sand

stood with his love at the altar

pledging faithful love, devotion,

a lifetime of togetherness,

trials, tribulation, joys, tears

traveling the path of marriage.

Nothing but two grains of sand

forged through the world

casting aside the millions to

focus on the other, the others that

they create, the little ones, children,

loins of our loins and loves of our love,

for now and forever. Amen.

    A Teacher’s Lament

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 I spoke with your teacher today,

And this is what she had to say:

Please tell Billy I like him a lot

But not when he licks each tiny spot

Of food off his plate.

It’s just plain gross.

It’s not polite to pick your nose

That’s why tissue’s good for blows

Putting snot between his teeth

Makes kids stare beyond belief

You just don’t do it

It’s just plain gross.

He needs to keep his shoes on his feet

The stench smells like rotten meat

While in the playground yard

Children find it too hard

To forgive him.

It’s just plain gross.

People don’t put their hands on their butts

And scratch until they make big cuts

Blood through the clothes

And a stick up the nose

It’s just plain gross.

Wedgies are not fun to receive

And when he complains, I believe

He only got what he deserved

Get back that which you served

And whine not

It’s just plain gross.

As far as work, Billy’s losing out

He wrinkles papers and runs about

Seldom sits for more than a minute

Pencils in places where they don’t fit

He’s failing

It’s just plain gross.

There’s not much more that I can say

Except that you should be on your way

To talk to Billy.  Tell him I care

For him I’d go anywhere

To find him help.

He’s not that gross.

Commitment

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the story of a marriage

is one of

trials

and

tribulations

forgiveness

and

letting go

of errors made

love

and

anger

compromise

and

patience

walking together

through life

sharing times

good

and

bad

most of all

reveling

in each other’s

company

until death

do us part

A Limited Perspective

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The curtain falls

Darkness ensues

The audience waits

Entranced

Holding breaths

Until the magic begins

The story unfolds

Holding enraptured

The captives

As they follow every word

Action

Song

Trying to memorize everything

For the future

To be able to express how they felt

What they saw

The experience of it all

Except for one lonely man

Sitting in the balcony

So high up that all he sees are the tops of heads

He understands that something

Great is happening below

But he cannot appreciate it

Because he cannot see

He hears the words, the music

But it bears no meaning without sight

When the show is over

When the man is asked about the play

He understands that he missed

A key point, an important interaction

And so he takes from the experience

A limited perspective

But to him, it enables him

To speak as an expert

Who has witnessed an inferior production

As someone with knowledge in the arts

Who has the right to disparage the show

That wasn’t worth money spent

Later, he sits alone, yearning for the time

When theater was great.

Priorities

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Things I wanted

But never got

Things I got but didn’t want

Blend into the past

So quickly forgotten

Successes I dreamed of

But never achieved

Achievements accomplished

That had not been

Preplanned

Money stopped me

From doing dear things

Money also got me

My career, my dream job

It all worked out

I had to get my priorities

In a line

Understand what comes first

Then next and especially

What doesn’t really matter

I had mentors along the way

Some steered me wrong

Sending me off onto rocky paths

Then disappearing

When I needed them most

No matter what wrongs

I committed

The injuries I inflicted

Whether intentionally

Or by accident

My God was always there

Walking beside me

Even when I felt alone

Even when I’d lost my way

He was there

He became my mentor

When I invited Him in

When I called His name

To beg for guidance

That I knew would be true

He helped me keep

First things first

To understand what matters most

To do what’s right

As often as I can

Lessons learned the hard way

Happened when I forgot

What mattered most

Because He was always there

Reminding me to stay true

Once I opened my mind

To God’s presence

Tears filled my eyes

And I felt His touch

A gentle brush on my cheek

I still make mistakes

Still drift toward the wrong path

But then He reminds me

To always, always

Put first things first

God so Loves Me

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My early years were tough,

Growing up feeling unloved,

Unwanted

Inferior

Except for my God

Who I knew loved me

He walked with me

Through turmoil

That tried to drag me down

Down

Down.

So far down that I almost

Drowned in sorrow

Until I realized

That my God loved me

For way too long

I thirsted

A dried-out soul

Sinking into the morass

Of depression

Until it came to me

That my God loved me

He gave me the gift of sunshine

That lit up my soul

Reignited joy

Reminded me that I was lovable

And capable of giving love

All thanks to

The love of my God

His love set me free

From despair and torment

From hatred and loneliness

I started breathing

His fire

Coming from the love of my God

Because of Him I live free

Happy and fulfilled

Blessed in countless ways

My heart beating out

The Love of my God.

The Shell

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Walking along the beach,

I found a shell.

an ordinary shell

it is perfectly formed

six rows of ridges

ruffles

completely round

except for where it joined

its twin when still whole

the shell feels surprisingly cool

and light

as if it’s soul’s mate

disappeared long ago

as I stare out at the Pacific Ocean

I wonder where this clam

might have lived

and how it got to this spot

on this very day

in time for me to pick it up

Years ago, my family moved

to California

a long journey

I felt the hollowness

of forced abandonment

like the clam

I was not in charge of my destiny

that power lay in my parents’ hands

I was an ordinary person

no great beauty

smart, but lacking common sense

or so I had been told

my parents picked the city

the house, even the school

all I did was move in

confined by their overarching rules

until I went to college

for years I drifted through life

swept by the tides

working at one job, then another

until marriage grounded me

now I stand with feet in the damp sand

rejoicing in the gifts given me,

such as simple clam shell

held in the hand

Another day awakens

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A new day begins,

Promising calm winds

Sunny skies

A touch of clouds

That guide me through

The hectic times of my life

I stretch, drawing in

Energy to replenish

My weary soul

To revitalize desires

And strengthen interests

A healing, needed balm

The day beckons me forth

Greeted by the early

call of morning birds

Filled with bounteous joy

That fills my soul

With unbounded joy

I burst into expectant smile

The day is mine to conquer

I shall vanquish foes

Destroy doubts

Eliminate naysayers

While rising to the peak

Of my talent

Ah, the dreams of a new day

A day of joyous victory

To fill my sights.

I rejoice.

Flowers, Flowers Everywhere

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It didn’t take too long to realize

That I had begun to fantasize,

And I was forced to carefully apprise

The situation before my eyes.

My time had come, that much was certain.

I stupidly stared at the white curtain,

After my legs had stopped their dartin’

And my poor heart had ceased its hurtin’

The doctor, a diagram he traced

Of my heart: at me he boldly faced

And now declared, as my eyes gazed

At my demise. I was sorely fazed.

Later that day, I died, to my surprise.

Sad I was this good world to be partin’

The flowers still remain where they were placed.

Blessed Firelight

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The fire crackles,

tongues of flame reaching

high into the night sky,

reaching to capture the

essence of the One who

feeds all flames.

Sparks whirl, grasping,

leaping for joy, celebrating

a temporary life lived in

fullness. Rejoicing, dancing,

sprinkling the darkness

with pinpoints of light.

Flickering flames bathe

the woods nearby, casting

eerie glows on low-reaching

fir trees; on fallen logs whose

souls have flown and rest

now in peace.

Horned owls hoot in syncopated

harmonies joined by a distant

pack of coyotes whose yips rise

and fall with unequaled grace.

A fir branch snaps, splitting the

song’s joyful tunes.

The night has a bite, a sharpness

that penetrates the inner core,

threatens to steal warmth,

warded off by a rising taper of

sparks, resurrecting feeble souls

who yearn for life.

Serenity beckons, calling the flames

to calm, to settle, to dwindle

until only a feeble light survives,

burning into perpetuity,

fueled by the eternal love

of One who feeds all flames.