Poems, Personal Stories, and Observations

Mercy

How the wind is moaning,

And how the trees are groaning.

The cold wind, it is roaming

To find its place of rest.

 

How my heart is yearning,

And to the light is turning.

Every day, I’m learning

To find my peace at last.

 

The wheels of time are turning;

So many people hurting.

The millstones, they are grinding

Until the end of time.

 

The flowers, they are flourishing,

The Word of God is nourishing.

With many people perishing,

God’s mercy we must show.

 

Made for Infinity

I know You have a plan

A purpose great for me

But what the plan and purpose are

Is hard for me to see

 

It’s hidden from my eyesight

Too quiet for my ears

Or maybe I could see and hear

If not absorbed by fear

 

You’re making a creation

You have an awesome plan

The gears are turning slowly

O’er many years they span

 

The universe You fashioned

The earth, the stars, the sea –

Am I just a speck of dust, or —

Made for infinity?

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How Can I Heal?

How can I heal the world’s pain?

The cancers, tumors,

The nasty rumors,

The lack of humor?

 

How can I heal the world’s pain?

The violence, hate,

The madness great,

Our terrible fate?

 

How can I heal the world’s pain?

The end of marrying,

The critics disparaging,

The churches hemorrhaging?

 

How can I heal the world’s pain?

The children killed,

Life unfulfilled,

Their heartbeats stilled?

 

How can I heal the world’s pain?

Ten thousands thronging,

The migrants walking —

For life they’re longing.

 

How can I heal the world’s pain?

The addictive pornography,

The “isms” and philosophies,

The love for others atrophied?

 

How can I heal the world’s pain,

And my own paralysis?

Does it need analysis?

Or a radical catalyst?

 

OUR Father

Isn’t it amazing that we can call God OUR Father! Along with Jesus, who was sinless, we are allowed the privilege of calling His Father, OUR Father in heaven. We can walk with Jesus, looking up to the same Father!

Among my mother’s belongings, after her death, I found a little slip of paper with the following typewritten words, which inspired me to write the words above:

“Pride says ‘Look how great I am,’ and then runs ahead of God.
Despair says, ‘Look how awful I am,’ and then runs away from God.
Humility says, ‘Look at the greatness of my Father,’ and then walks with God.
Sometimes I need to ask myself, ‘Which child of God am I?’ “

California Autumn

It’s raining redwood seeds
and flocks of geese
dance noisily over my head.

Cool night air, alive with life,
comes through my window;
it smells so fertile.

No snow as yet,
and better yet,
the rain may come.

The promise of rain
is teasing us.

If rain will come,
the earth will bloom again —
and so my heart.

In Gardens We Could Smile

[On the passing of my friend Martha]

Goodbye, my friend,
Until we meet again.
When sorrow runs its painful course,
There will be joy again.

Goodbye, my friend,
Who bravely bore your pain,
Who wandered earth in brokenness
And still could wear a grin.

Goodbye, my friend,
Sometimes I hardly knew
What went on, inside your mind
Or what you had been through.

Goodbye, my friend —
We didn’t see eye to eye
On many things, but still it seems
In gardens we could smile.

Goodbye, my friend;
We’ll meet again someday.
Your body healed, our friendship sealed,
And love will ever stay.

Vagabond

Wandering through this globe;
Don’t really have a home.
But — still, I do;
I know it’s true —
That heaven’s my real home.

Can’t settle anywhere;
No place without a care.
I must let go;
Yes, I must know
That God is everywhere.

Can’t seem to find my place.
I need a lot more grace.
A vagabond
Must be so strong
And keep on running the race.

[9/9/2015]

[Written during a trip to Europe, during the 2015 refugee crisis]

As I ride down the metro escalator,
Hundreds of faces look up,
Going the other direction.

Each face has a story —
Joys and sorrows
Unknown to me.
What is going on
Behind each face?

As I read the newspaper
Thousands of refugees
Are crossing borders.

Each face has a story —
Joys and sorrows
Unknown to me.
What is going on
Behind each face?

May every face
Find peace
In their own heart.

May every face
Be willing
To give peace to others.

[9/6/2015]

[A composite of my experiences and others’]

People bustling —
Sounds of a crowd.
Little babies
Crying out loud.

All of humanity
Compressed in one space.
A microcosm
Of our human race.

Flights delayed —
Sleep on the floor.
Jet lag had me
Run into a door.

As a matter of fact,
The food turned out great.
People were friendly
Even though late.

Air conditioning —
Incredible blessing.
Otherwise,
There’d be more stressing.

Many languages,
People of the globe.
Many faces,
And languages told.

And over it all
The Lord of the earth
Is watching each one,
And gives each one worth.

[8/21/2015]