Poems, Personal Stories, and Observations

Spring Emerging

Bird songs billowing from the hedges,
From meadows, grasses, trees and sedges.
Twitter, toot, and hoot, and tweet,
Their song and melody so sweet.

Flowers timid peep from ground;
Will the warmth still be around?
Frogs in creeks at night do croak,
Parents take walks with little folk.

The sun can warm us as we walk,
But clouds are good to cool us off.
Still a chill in morning air,
But new life battles all our cares.

Well, you just can’t be good enough for some people,
Their standards are high’r than a steeple.
No matter what you do, your intentions are cruel,
At least that’s what they seem to think of you.

No matter how hard you try, they’re still gonna cry
That you’ve been unfair, that you really don’t care.
That you’re really a jerk, and your ways just don’t work.

Well, maybe they’re right; it seems to be my plight
To be misunderstood, no matter how good.
Yes, it must be my fault, looks like guiltless I’m not.

Okay, I’m not perfect; I just can’t live up to it.
Your standard, that is. I’m just not a whiz
At following your ways — I’m in a daze.

So it’s time to chill out; quit making a shout
About things that don’t matter; stop all the chatter.
Give it a rest; it’ll be for the best.

How could I do that awful thing,
With words to bite, with tongue to sting?
How could I cut off other’s words,
To thus imply, “You are absurd.”?

With ease I fall and don’t suspect
The words I say might have effect.
And sure myself have often known
The hurt of words from other’s tongue.

So, grant us, Lord, we do implore,
Our tongue to hold, our words to store.
And let instead encourg’ment come,
So we’ll have peace when day is done.

First Anniversary

Today is the 1st anniversary of what I call my “Kidney Stone Miracle”. Because of going to emergency for kidney stone pain, the doctors also discovered a cancerous tumor in the other (left) kidney. A month later, they removed it and I’m doing well today. Thank you, God, for another year of life!

The surgeon later told me that “You shouldn’t have had that much trouble passing that stone; it wasn’t that big.” But because of the pain, they found the cancer, so thank God.

Often our suffering can have a good result. We don’t always see the result, but in trusting God it can bear good fruit.

You can read the original story here:
https://clarakatalin.wordpress.com/2014/03/11/the-kidney-stone-miracle/

Movin’ On

The room’s still a mess,
The world’s in distress,
Bills haven’t been paid,
There’s no sun, just shade.

But I’m movin’ on, movin’ on.

Sometimes feel depressed,
And maybe too stressed,
Feel like I can’t get a grip,
And the news gives me fits.

But I’m movin’ on, movin’ on.

I’m finding new joy,
I don’t need a new toy.
I’m letting it slide,
Going to take a joy ride.

And I’m movin’ on, movin’ on.

Gotta choose to feel good;
Can’t always do what you “should”.
Make the best of this life,
Let go of the strife.

And I’m movin’ on, movin’ on.

Let others go argue
Tryin’ to prove that they’re right.
Prayin’ to accept it all —
Letting go’s the best fight.

Let’s get movin’ on, movin’ on.

Can’t let the world kill you,
Demands all around — still you
Do what you can, and just
Keep movin’ on, movin’ on.

The California fields in driest dust did lie
While other realms with snow, and rain, and ice did vie.

The fields lay fallow, perhaps with needful rest.
It might, somehow, work out for all the best.

I’m not a farmer, nor a country lad,
But farmer’s plight doth somehow make me sad.

I’m Dancin’ Again

I’m dancin’ again!
Through the pain,
And through the tears,
I’m dancin’ again.

Because the dead are raised to life,
And peace will come through fearful strife,
Because the wrong will come to right —
I’m dancin’ again.

Because my heart,
Though so confused,
Is slowly, gently being infused
With grace, and truth, and light.

Because the pain is for my good,
Because He’s always understood,
Because with God I really could —
Learn to dance again.

Because the cross will cure my sin,
Because He’ll bring me peace within,
The peace that silences the din —
I’ll dance again!

Poem and Equation

Though not so black and white,
In general:

You are the scientist;
I am the poet.

You are the measurer;
I go by the ebb and flow.

You like rules and laws;
I like intuition.

You reason;
I emote.

Two ways of looking at reality —
Both are needed.

Both poem and equation
Show the beauty of creation.

More Amazed

Every day
I’m more amazed
That I have lived
Another day.

The world’s still here;
I’m still alive.
God’s mercy
Helping me to thrive.

It’s not that I’ve
Been gravely ill.
Not quite so old —
Nor over the hill.

He’s just surprised me,
Still walks beside me,
He’s keeping me here —
The purpose not clear.

Amazing grace,
How sweet the sound.
My destiny
Is heaven bound.

Speechless

How can I speak of Your love, Lord?
Your patience to people of earth?
How do we understand Your ways?
And grasp Your incredible worth?

How can I tell of Your mercy?
Express your gentleness great?
How to tell how You saved me?
From tortuous, miserable fate?

How do I shout from the rooftops?
Your patience long-suffering, kind?
How to continue in silence? —
In You, endless wonder I find.

How to heal misunderstanding?
How to love those who hate?
How to forgive all the heartache?
My unrest let me finally forsake.