Archive for the ‘poems’ Category
enough
I will not forget.
I cannot pretend.
This has been the break and bend,
This has been the break and mend,
This has been the break and end
Of me
As I know me,
As I knew me.
Lost, lost, lost
And gone forever,
Is it ok to call this “never”
As I watch the others,
The others go?
Not mothers, no, but others,
Go in and out
In and out
In and out
All day without
A care,
Light as air
As I stare.
Do I romanticize,
Fantasize,
Analyze,
Demonize?
Their eyes
Behind perfect sunglassed shades
Coifed hair
Clean shirts
Important deals being made
While I,
While I,
While I
In smeared and smattered smock
Do slouch and count the Os
Mosaic on the floorboard
And O, how I used to be so clean
A sight to be seen,
Supreme,
The Queen of my Universe
So I thought
Controlled,
In ivory tower,
On pause for hours,
Walking with the flowers,
A superpower
Until,
Until,
Until
Indelible line, pink pale
Nine months later, a wail,
A battle to the finish,
But we fought together, no limits
And that was the last time
I got my way
The day I got you
And all that comes with who
You were born to be,
A soul like me
STRONG
FIGHTER
PASSION
FLYER
Is it any wonder?
Is it any wonder?
Is it any wonder
You bring the thunder
And lighten your momma’s heart
When the pain of old desires comes sharp.
You breathe,
I breathe,
You breathe,
You smile in your sleep,
You laugh and weep,
Your boldness runs deep
Already you keep
A place in your heart for the pain
And the rain
And the shame
Of a world that needs and bleeds
For one like you,
One like you,
One like you,
Who holds his momma’s hand
When she can’t stand
Because she can’t stand,
She can’t stand,
She won’t stand
Alone
Anymore.
So together we weather
The surges of grace
That come our way
As grace, these days,
Floods us in tempest strong.
I know it won’t be long -
I’ll blink,
I’ll blink,
I’ll blink,
These days be gone
And I’ll wish them back,
The smock
The pain
The tears
Endless drain
Of shame and tasks
And more to do than
Ability or facility
And brevity,
O, brevity,
I know these days are brevity
But pain be what pain be:
TEACHER,
WAKER-UPPER,
FAITHFUL LOVER.
And you are enough, my friend,
My son,
My sun,
A treasure,
A pleasure,
A measureless glory,
You are enough.
And I am enough
In fallen state,
In guilt and hate,
A daughter still,
A daughter still
I am enough.
I cannot pretend.
I may not mend.
But he is here.
No fear.
No fear.
No fear.
He is here.
[For mommas everywhere who bleed love.]
No Commentsdance, ok
“And they find themselves dancing toward a throne
filled by the glory of sheer love.”
~ Larry Crabb, The Pressure’s Off
Dance
But, the grocery list.
Dance
I could return those calls.
Dance
I should freshen my make-up.
Dance with me
I think I’ll move the bookshelves.
To that corner.
Dance with me, little girl
What time is it?
I have to leave soon.
Dance with me, daughter
. . .
Ok
I stood, hesitant,
& swayed
in one spot
to silent music,
awkward & alone.
Now, twirl
I did, hesitant,
the curtains open
to nighttime reflections & nearby neighbors
& leap the way you did as a child
I laughed, hesitant,
remembering little girl steps,
free,
forgetful,
shown to my daddy
while music infused the living room
& my youthful soul.
Tonight, I showed my Daddy seasoned steps
while noiseless hush infused the living room
& a woman’s soul.
After several moments of timelessness,
I drew short breaths,
wiped a sweaty brow
& bowed.
Free.
Forgetful.
Beautiful
lipstick helps
Lipstick helps
A good haircut helps, too
& lavender – lavender essential oil diluted in fresh water, spritzed on the face during the afternoon descent of a wicked August sun
Dark chocolate & green tea helps, too, along with recycling
Sometimes tofu helps, if it’s seasoned just right;
& olive oil always helps
Ripe tomatoes help a great deal;
& sweet potatoes, even more
Music helps, with songs about forgiveness & beauty, mercy & honest love,
Sometimes even songs without words
Open windows accompanied by cool breezes & rain showers help immensely
A sunset, a sunrise, a star wink, a moon climb – they all help
Ocean tides & bird songs, mountain peaks & wildflowers help
Trees & morning walks help a lot
A kiss is the best help;
Or is it laughter with friends
Gratefulness helps maybe most of all;
for all the things from the hand of God that daily help us navigate a broken world
& a wounded life;
that remind us of peace, joy, dancing, love, & hope,
& the Word that spoke it all
No CommentsYou are
You are
Satisfier of the soul
Fulfiller of the empty
Defender of the weak
Power to the faint
Song to the troubled
Everything to the broken.
& You are
Justice to the depraved
Mercy to the heartless
Comfort to the mourning
Keeper of the wanderer
Shepherd of the foolish
Beauty of the repulsive.
& You are
Provider of the poor
Healer of the sick
Redeemer of the slave
Life to the dying
Peace to the fearful
Savior to the wretch.
& You are
Champion to the losers
Goodness to the evil
Love to the hated
Glory of the condemned
King of all Creation
Possessor of the universe.
You are.
snow
It has been 100 degrees or more three days this week. The thick, heavy air has been intoxicating and unbearable. Its gelatinous, sweaty mass enveloped me during my morning walk and left me longing to take just one deep breath of fresh air.
I wished for winter. And snow. The real, Midwestern kind of snow. The snow of which snowmen and snowballs and snowcastles are made. The snow that tastes like a salty slush. The snow that floats down in perfectly unique flakes, blanketing dead ground.
Enjoy this poem and be cool.
Snow
I knew how it would sound –
Even before I raised my window
One-fifth of the way
Hollow,
Resonant
Still
The song of birds
& the hum of wind
Whistling and whispering through the trees,
The only audible sounds –
Even in the distance
Where a few brave cars dare
To follow the tracks of a few brave cars before them.
The smell is clean,
All the muck of the spring, summer and fall,
Frozen and dead,
Unable to survive the icy degrees.
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