Poems, Personal Stories, and Observations

Posts tagged ‘prayer’

Memorial Day 2025

Outdoors we gather, amongst the silent graves,
Bedecked with flags, each soldier’s resting place.

I sit in silence, waiting for Mass to begin;
Unearthly cicada sounds, the only din.

Just before, sev’n planes flew overhead,
Not to bomb, but to plume their smoke instead.

The bagpipes played “Amazing Grace” —
I weep, but not just grieving tears —

There’s joy that soldiers may be in a better place,
Taking advantage of God’s grace.

I have no words for those who were so brave,
Or perhaps unwittingly went to grave.

I cry for all the lost and all the dead,
For any harmed by war’s sick dread.

The sun, the warmth, is healing on my skin.
I pray, that through our pain, we all will heal again.

Category:

Poems

Tagged with:

Marriage Prayer

Dear God,

Thank you for the gift of marriage.

We ask you to please be the Lord of our marriage. Help us to love you more than each other.

Help us to love You and each other more every day.

Help us to appreciate each other’s gifts, talents, and virtues.

Help us to overlook each other’s faults and forgive each other’s sins.

Amen.

Category:

prayer

Tagged with:

It’s Only a Shack

Rain on the roof,
Clothes on my back;
It’s dry inside,
Though it’s only a shack.

Wind’s blowin’ hard,
But I do not fear —
Six layers of clothes
Do bring me good cheer.

The demons attack —
They make my thoughts jumble.
But through prayer and fasting,
The enemy crumbles.

Be not afraid;
You have what you need.
To God and His promises
We all must take heed.

God grants the rain,
The stars, sun, and moon.
Give thanks and give praise,
For He’s coming soon.

Category:

Poems

Tagged with:

The Confiteor

Some of you may be familiar with the prayer called “The Confiteor” (“I confess”). The form of this prayer that I’m most familiar with is:

“I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, (And, striking their breast, they say) through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.”

Some time ago, I realized something new about the Confiteor. When we say the words, “Through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault,” it’s not about me beating myself up and blaming myself for everything, it’s more about the fact that, compared to God, I am an extremely faulty creature, and in His great mercy, He has made a way for me to be saved.

When I compare myself to others (or focus on myself), it creates misery, but when I compare myself to God, who is all Perfection, it creates humility and gratitude.

Category:

Commentary

Tagged with:

Pandemic Fear

Written during the Covid pandemic lockdowns.

——————————————–

We do not wander, as we were wont,
Nor visit with our brother,
Nor sisters far, embrace in arms,
For fear of causing them much harm.

Some journeys far, we cannot take,
And many meetings must forsake,
Just through a screen we sometimes meet,
When togetherness we seek.

Or walking in our neighborhood,
Six feet apart; we’re told we should.
Some friend of ours, perchance we meet,
With joy afar, we then do greet.

But what a gift we still do have,
Imagination is at hand,
All o’er the earth, and far beyond,
Imagination is our bond.

By rushing streams, we still can wander,
And mountain vales, both near and yonder,
And air so clear, takes breath away;
Still smell a wildflower bouquet.

Those friends and family that we miss,
For them we offer prayer, and kiss.
We think of them and offer prayers,
And hope that well go their affairs.

Let memory of all that’s good,
Bring us some joy, as so it should.
And bring to mind those happy times
That will return in sunnier climes.

Category:

Poems

Tagged with:

Bugs Like Me

Those little things
With six thin legs
Seem just at night
To like me

Each night I find
One on an arm
Or leg, or ear –
They fright me

And then I cannot
Sleep a wink
For fear that they
Will bite me

[Unless I say
A little prayer
And then that act
Will calm me]

Category:

Poems

Tagged with:

The Appointment

He didn’t show up for the appointment
With my husband and me.
The lights were out,
But the door slightly ajar,
Though the latch was locked.

I thought surely
Either he or his wife
Were in serious trouble,
Perhaps dead.

I thought the worst.

Would there be a funeral?
Would we be notified?

I prayed.

What did it mean to me
If he were gone, or his wife?

The phone rang some time later —
“Sorry, I took some medicine
For a bad cold
And just woke up.
Please forgive me.”

I was so SURE that
Someone had died.
It just shows
That intuition
Can be terribly wrong.

I need to get a life.

Category:

Poems

Tagged with:

Graduation

Cathys Graduation 002z

For twinkle in my father’s eye,
For mother’s constant sacrifice,
For precious, awesome gift of life –
I give thanks.

For patient husband, children too,
Grandparents, siblings, nephews, too,
For cousins, in-laws, nieces few,
I give thanks.

For teachers full of expertise,
(Those projects – staying up ‘til three) –
But passed on knowledge expertly –
I give thanks.

For fellow students com’radarie,
For late night chats, and shared coffee,
For sharing notes (I’m panicking!) –
I give thanks.

To friends who shall remain unnamed;
Like parents, they did guide my sail,
Much wisdom did their words contain –
I give thanks.

For other friends, who stood nearby,
When I could not then socialize
(They really do deserve a prize) –
I give thanks.

But most of all to God above,
His plan, His purpose keeping on —
I couldn’t have done it without His love –
I give thanks!

(June, 2016)

Category:

Poems

Tagged with:

Prayer for a Broken Heart

The heart breaks
And cracked spirit
Takes long to mend
But it’s not the end

The heart grows stronger
And it takes longer
For harsh realities
To do their damage

Somehow flowers
Bloom again —
A seed is planted
Through tears and pain

Amen

Category:

Hope, Poems

Tagged with:

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.

Category:

Hope, Poems

Tagged with: