Poems, Personal Stories, and Observations

Archive for the ‘Poems’ Category

I Long to Dwell

Self-knowledge:

I long to dwell in a gentle place

Where acceptance doesn’t depend on race.

Where sins are forgiven, each person driven

By self-knowledge of their own sin.

Understanding:

I long to dwell where people smile;

They say to me, “Sit down a while.”

They listen quietly, as do I;

And understanding, we say “aye”.

Safety:

I long to dwell where children are safe

No longer victims of hate or rape.

No longer killed inside the womb,

Nor harmed by parents’ angry gloom.

Growth:

I long to dwell with an inner peace,

Having confessed my anger and grief,

No longer concerned what others think —

Nor under their opinions shrink.

Humility:

I long to love as Jesus loves,

To fly like an eagle or a dove,

To have a purpose that fits like a glove,

And remember my gifts have come from above.

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A Piece of Heaven

What a gift to walk today

‘Midst falling leaves, by river’s run.

To hear the birds and crickets sing,

Walk under trees in dappled sun.

I do not know this wild wood-land,

Suburban-bred, not woodsman’s child.

Yet, not so wild as it could be;

The asphalt makes the trail seem mild.

Some leaves that fell, so many pressed

By feet and wheels, a thousand times,

As if the leaves on trail embossed,

Of passing life to be the signs.

And mild, too, the weath’r today;

It draws the people out to play

They walk, they talk, they bike, they run.

A peaceful time; most smile and wave.

In wilder places I have been,

But urban trails, they make me smile.

Oasis in a crowded world,

A piece of heaven for a while.

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There Is a God

There is a God, unfath’mable,
Whom many do not know.
Dark forces work continually 
So that our faith won’t grow.


They work on unsuspecting minds
And turn our thoughts away
From heavenly things, from angel’s wings;
Mankind’s their greatest prey.


There is a God Whose love is deep,
Who knows our ev’ry care.
He woos us with a perfect love;
His love is everywhere.


He never lies; nor does he cheat,
Nor practice any foul deceit.
He will not force His ways on us,
But waits in patience so discreet.


A love that’s forced can never be;
A real love must be free choice.
For freely chosen love’s the way
We’ll enter heaven and rejoice.

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Every Place

Every place

Has its ups and downs —

The smiles and the frowns,

The spooks and the clowns,

Disgraces or crowns.

You’ll find

Snakes or bugs,

Scorpions or slugs,

Crows or eagles,

Mosquitos or seagulls.

Every place

Has climate and weather,

The storms and the thunder,

Hurricanes or earthquakes,

Humidity or drought.

Every place

Has interesting neighbors

Who do you kind favors,

They help with their labors,

And pick up your papers.

Every place

Has frowning faces —

Won’t give you the time,

To judgment inclined,

Won’t lend you a dime.

Every place

Has pleasures and dangers —

Or are they both one?

Pleasure can be danger

If overdone.

Every life

Has its moments

Of goodness and closeness,

Of fear or of faith,

Of love or of hate.

O Lord,

Give me hope,

So with life I can cope —

To keep a deep peace

As my faith You increase.

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If Not for the Bird Songs

[After 66 years in California, my husband and I moved to Ohio,
to be near kids and grandkids. For whatever reason, it was emotionally
heartwrenching. This poem expresses those things that kept me going,
especially verses four through six. The person mentioned is a female in-
law, who helped me by her friendliness, and introducing me to many
people and places. Never underestimate how your kindness will help
people!]

If not for the bird songs,


My mind would be lost –

With all the changes,

With all the strangeness.


If not for the fairy fireflies,
I would have lost the wonder,
My mind torn asunder,
I would have gone under.

If not for the thunder,
I would make the blunder
Of sinking in sadness,
Being blind to the gladness.

If not for your smile,
I would have dwelt a long while
In a pit of despair;
Might have torn out my hair.

If not for your kindness,
I’d live only in blindness,
A desert of dryness,
So listless and lifeless.

If not for God’s comfort,
My life would be forfeit,
My joy would be dormant,
My thoughts tending morbid.

O, the greatness of God,
Who lifts up the lowly,
Who brightens our story;
Let us give Him the glory!

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ON MOVING TO THE MIDWEST IN SUMMER

A distant cloud, with flashing light. 

A soundless thunder, a sense of wonder. 

Fireflies flirting; the sidewalk skirting. 

The air hangs heavy, hot and wet; 

I wipe away the beads of sweat. 

The bugs are biting; a little frightening. 

Imagining fairies riding fireflies, 

In evening silence, their dance delighting. 

For quite some time, I forget the biting. 

Until I wake at 3 a.m.; the itching has begun again. 

My long-gone mother comes to mind. 

She prayed for me; her heart was kind. 

So many changes; can’t keep track.

Need to recall– God’s got my back.

He comes to fill what I now lack.

Exhaustion is my current test;

In God I need to take my rest.

His plan for me must be the best.

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Grief

I cannot excise your pain,
The painful, pounding refrain,
The unmet need
Of a  heart that bleeds.


I can only say I’m here
And wipe away a tear,
Or say that God is walking near —
The pain won’t disappear.


You will learn to carry it, accept it. 
And through that burning, searing stab,
The mending bone, the itching scab,
You’ll know you lived and loved.


One day the wound will heal
And only leave a scar.
You’ll know that you are real,
That you have lived and loved.

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Blessed Night

Blessed night
Stars are bright
Calming silence
Peaceful quietness

Sleep so softly
Clouds are lofty

Gentle rain
Song’s refrain
Birds sing brightly
Sky is lightening

Dawn begins
Joy within

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Given Good Gifts

The world is still turning
The seasons come and go.
My heart is still beating;
Life has its ebb and flow.

The blossoms still open;
The birds still laugh and sing.
My heart can be broken,
But then it sings again.

The children are smiling,
And many others cry.
Some have empty stomachs,
Some hear sweet lullabies.

If you’ve been given good gifts,
Please share them with the world,
And one day love will conquer
All the tragedy unfurled.

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Remember California

At my home near the Bay,
Stepping out into the rain-drenched air,
Covering my hair.

And then the rain stopped,
And I sensed other California places
I’ve mostly been.

The snow-chilled air of winter Tahoe,
The sea scents of Half Moon Bay,
A whiff of pungent pines in the Sierras,
Or Central Valley heat, like an oven baking.

You can smell the mud, fishing by a river,
Or at the Elkhorn Slough.
Or catch the skunk’s scent at night while driving,
Hoping death did not cause the fumes..

Did you ever smell the Jeffrey pines at Lassen?
They’re like vanilla pudding!

We all breathe the same air —
Remember California in your dreams.

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