All Winter Long The trees are white instead of green, And warm soft grass I have not seen All winter long The snows fall white, the winds blow cold, And children skate as I am told All winter long In by the fire old men sit, And by the fire women knit, All winter long [...]
A Diamond or a Coal? A diamond or a coal? A diamond, if you please: Who cares about a clumsy coal Beneath the summer trees? A diamond or a coal? A coal, sir, if you please: One comes to care about the coal What time the waters freeze. Christina Rossetti
The Canticle Far off I hear the singing of a thrush So far, in some far place, the deepest hush, There rises up a clear sweet sound of faith, Foolish one, to sing a note so brief Foolish one, no soul is there to hear Except the simple spirit of the deer, The heartless trees [...]
Cutthroat: A Friendly Game of Words with Friends The letters mock me As they line up In alphabetical order And challenge me to rearrange them In some semblance Of brilliance To disarm my opponent – Or at least Block that triple Dangling its Promise of a high Score – If I can’t have it She [...]
Little Boys and Leaves as Toys (For Luke and Tate) Shrinking Jack o’ Lanterns smile their sunken, crooked smiles At little boys chasing leaves under a cloudy sky. Barefoot, the boys collapse over each other, laughing, As leaves swirl in their tantalizing ritual dance. Across the road and down two houses, Mr Ed rides his [...]
Julie (Written for my mother) Long ago and far away A child was born one crisp autumn day Not much is known of this child in those days, Seemingly happy, creative and gay. And then came that time, long before “Women’s Lib” That society said, “To your husband you’ll give.” She put down her cap [...]
If You Wake Phantasm, phantasma, phantom Where have you been hiding? Inside November rain Curtain of the autumn Cold and dense and straight That will not cease In the rain within the chest Where the grey heart beats I am the terror in the night Behind the rain that sleeps You were unaware That waiting [...]
Goodness and Kindness Follow Them In the trenches The foxholes The front lines Of the war for his sheep Eyes of thunder Scan for dangers His shepherd’s crook At the ready Traveling the lanes Through the dark valleys Along restful waters He rescues the fallen He is there for their births Their growing, Laughs at [...]
Unharden My Heart Inspired by Heb 3:8 Unharden my heart Unburden my soul Forgive all my faults O Lord, make me whole! The desert is dry Temptation is near I thirst for my Lord My heart fills with fear. My soul is tarnished By the anger within, Worries abounding And many more sins. Your Presence [...]
An Early Harvest I hope you and your little winter garden stay safe in this freak fall storm. Have you secured your dented watering cans in the graying wooden shed? The little shed with a patched tin roof. I’ll bet you squeezed the wheelbarrow, Still filled with mulch, Between the push mower and solid, yet [...]
Quiet Wonder The rocking chair’s gentle embrace Held you and me in its slow pace Suspended, in both time and place. As I, in quiet wonder, said a prayer. We laughed. We played. We sometimes clashed, But always loved – Eternal rhythm of our lives. So I, in quiet wonder, said my prayer. How time [...]
I believe what I believe I believe what I believe That when in life I do achieve And rise in state and sight of men The truth I mask and myself deceive. I believe what I believe Knowing deep wherein thoughts conceive That if a thousand falls I make Even then would pardon relieve. I [...]
We are Going Somewhere. We are on Our Way I look in the rearview mirror My young son is thrilled Adrenaline pumped, anticipation heavy I’ve not told him where we’re going Whether a trip to the grocery store Or fabulous Toy place A drive around the block to home Or off to a friend’s house [...]
The Washing Machine I complain about the laundry more than my dirty clothes deserve. It’s a matter of functionality to wash clothes. I mean, it’s not like I’m beating anything against a rock in the blazing sun. I just use some detergent that I bought because it was on sale, or I paid a lot [...]
If I Should Die If I should die, And you should live, And time should gurgle on, And morn should beam, And noon should burn, As it has usual done; If birds should build as early, And bees as bustling go,– One might depart at option From enterprise below! ‘Tis sweet to know that stocks [...]
Gold Dust Tonic I think I should feel happy, Because I finally got my way. I can worship my Golden Calf Every night and day. But when I go to milk her On a morning, oh so bright, She somehow turns her head my way, Knowing something’s just not right. For she’s fit for only [...]
Washington On the 22nd of February In 1732 The father of our life was born With traits that were noble and true He would not say an unkind word Or treat a creature cruel He loved the simple things of life And cherished the “golden rule.” And though the years have passed and gone His [...]
1927 Revolution virgin-pure Covered now in filthy sores, I wonder what he’d think of this: The paradox of class and war Between the lowly and the state – No servant of the Comintern Foretold which class the Party ate: I knew him at one hundred one Channeled Chinese generals For the International, Tangled with the [...]
The Godliest Hour In the cool darkness before the dawn when the stars shine brightest against a dark blue night, the silent stillness envelopes me and I can hear even the softest whisper in this, the Godliest hour. ~Maria Morera Johnson
Passionate Love: In Memory of C.J. A woman of a thousand smiles and merriment and cheer. Yet infinite tears flow within her heart Unseen Occasionally soaking her pillow Rarely, rarely bathing a friend’s shoulder with the balm of sorrow and love. Heroic Mother, Bravely shouldering the evil of a Moment in Time. Sorrowful Mother drafted [...]
Part One: Life VI IF I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain. Emily Dickinson
F-16s I heard the roar of F-16s Cross the city overhead, Sentries high on kerosene Who on their airy pickets sped And we beneath a city wall Without a stone or battlement Thought no more of our downfall That such patrolling should prevent But when the walls go up it means There is a gate [...]
Where Can Your Hiding Be? Dark Night of the Soul II Part One BRIDE Where is your hiding place? Beloved, you’ve left me to moan While like a stag you flee Leaving the wound with me? I followed, calling loud, but you’d gone O shepherds, you that, yonder Go through the sheepfolds of the slope on [...]
Will the Guest Show? Like a dove on a church spire Cooing a winsome song Like the falcon on a cliff Scanning for prey Like the soldier pacing Through the watches of the night Like a mother waiting For her son to come from war There is One who waits and watches Will the guest [...]
