And There Was Light

[Roadrunner3]

A Flower Wakes

A flower wakes at forest's edge,
Prompted, called forth by Spring,
Tucked in between some hyssops and sedge,
Blinking, eyes full of beams.

Yawning, it spreads its petals, imbued
By photons effusively lent,
Glistening, robed in a delicate dew,
Beauty Winter had pent.

Curious bees abuzzing thrill,
Pistils erupt bearing gold,
Chaos in sync, cotillion fulfills
Dance forged in ancient untold.

Ephemeral symphony rounding the earth,
Robing, disrobing, then dead,
Surging of Life returns where the dearth
Left wake of dismay in its stead.

Souls borne on barrenness often will fledge
With wings yearning canopy view;
As blooms reappear between hyssops and sedge
Soaring, rejoicing renew.

 

[Roadrunner3]

Beyond the Bars

Beyond the bars of common sense
Which hold my soul in check,
Beyond the sphere of lessons learned
With censored intellect,

A field of Phoenix flowers grows
Which stand the test of Time,
They're bathed in everlasting Son,
Reflect Creation's rhyme,

And all I have to do is lift
Gaffed cry unto my God,
My broken life grows whole again
Through healing, Holy sod.

 

[afishamongmany]

Ah! RR, A Flower Wakes is a real beaut!
From the forest's edge this nature poem rounds the earth to speak of our souls longing, reaching for the canopy view.
Thanks
><>

 

[Roadrunner3]

Do We Know When We Grow?

Do we know when we grow?
Does our voice change?

Children,
Pulled by curiosity
Propelled by boundless energy
Grow
Change
Dramatically.

Speech
Movement
Ideas
Over time
Are fluid...flow.

And what of our spiritual life?
Is there not initial joy
Energy
Curiosity
Childlike excitement
The unveiling of "something bigger"?

Brave new world
So much to learn
Discipline helpful.

Language of the spirit
Awkward feelings
Concepts reeling.

Much later
Reality tested
Imposters divested
Rebelliousness rested

There is fluidity
Serenity
Devotional flow.

With creatures renewed on nurturing sea

Did we know when we grew
And our voice, was it Thee?

 

[afishamongmany]

Reality tested
Imposters divested
Rebelliousness rested

Fluid free form- Thanks RR - ><>

…Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself, who is the head.
Ephesians 4

 

[Roadrunner3]

Who Will Heal Our Brokenness?

Who will heal our brokenness,
Suture separation,
Abate foul stench of bigotry,
Begin sweet reparations?

Who will stem gross swell of hate
Or soften stiffened hearts,
Neuter fear and bitterness,
Enlighten passions darked?

Perhaps the answer lives as close
As noose to sinner's neck,
Strangled lives receive reprieve
Atop a dropping deck.

Dawn can break quite differently
For those whose lives are saved,
Our road to hoped community
Is with repentance paved.

Poem inspired by reading from Desmond Tutu, "Crying in the Wilderness",
(Mowbray 1990), pp.6-7.

 

[afishamongmany]

RR - the penultimate verse is great, an antidote to the 'sugar gospel'.

But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5

 

[Roadrunner3]

Prevenient Grace

I envy facility in spiritual ability,
Impressed by the ones who, quite pure in heart,
Seemingly float on a cloud of tranquility,
Nought seems to dent where their presence imparts.

Looking internally, parsing infernally,
Vexed I despair at my obvious lack
Of faith and resolve to anchor lucidity,
Helplessly blown by chance winds of my wrath.

I wonder, if possibly, key to serenity
Harbors instead in climes closer, akin
To finding a pearl in my pocket, Fortuity’s
Kernel implanted, my compass to Him.

 

[Bsign24]

A beautiful piece. Your words truly colored the contrast between the void before creation and the vibrant color and warmth which God infused upon everything in this universe.

 

[afishamongmany]

Prevenient Grace

I envy facility in spiritual ability,
Impressed by the ones who, quite pure in heart,
Seemingly float on a cloud of tranquility,
Nought seems to dent where their presence imparts.

Looking internally, parsing infernally,
Vexed I despair at my obvious lack
Of faith and resolve to anchor lucidity,
Helplessly blown by chance winds of my wrath.

I wonder, if possibly, key to serenity
Harbors instead in climes closer, akin
To finding a pearl in my pocket, Fortuity’s
Kernel implanted, my compass to Him.

Hi RR, happy autumn/fall to you!
Honesty - psychology - theology, deftly packaged in poetry.
Sometimes it's good to parse and ponder.
><>

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.
Galatians 6:2-5

 

[Roadrunner3]

A beautiful piece. Your words truly colored the contrast between the void before creation and the vibrant color and warmth which God infused upon everything in this universe.

Thanks Bsign24!

 

[Roadrunner3]

Hi RR, happy autumn/fall to you!
Honesty - psychology - theology, deftly packaged in poetry.
Sometimes it's good to parse and ponder.
><>

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.
Galatians 6:2-5

Thanks for these verses, afish. I think, in the end, if I have to choose, I prefer Peace over understanding.
Happy Autumn to you!

RR

 

[Roadrunner3]

Ecclesiastes Chapter 1

I thought it might be nice to see
If somehow I could wiser be,
If I could clear away the rust
That had accrued and also dust
That laid so thick on dreams of yore
When younger thoughts had dreamed of more
Than rote attendance to demands
That daily called 'til days were crammed.

I set about to read some books,
Contemplate in garden nooks,
Smoke a pipe and wear a robe
In slippers next an ancient globe,
Sip on blended Asian teas,
Daily dive in homilies,
Smell the roses, drink in dawn,
Lay for hours on the lawn.

While eating diet rich in herbs
And catching up on Latin verbs,
Keeping indie incense lit
From pretzeled yoga posture quick
It came to me as in a flash
Like Solomon, "In vain we dash",
All was chasing after wind...
I bowed my head and let God in.

 

[Greatcloud]

When the time comes for the big change I want to have a place next to you in heaven RR and afishamoungmany.

So RR and fish how are you doing ? How did you come to know you were assigned to this training camp, Christian Forums .

 

[Greatcloud]

Say rather Christian showcase then training camp. My Captian !

 

[afishamongmany]

Ecclesiastes Chapter 1

I thought it might be nice to see
If somehow I could wiser be,
If I could clear away the rust
That had accrued and also dust
That laid so thick on dreams of yore
When younger thoughts had dreamed of more
Than rote attendance to demands
That daily called 'til days were crammed.

I set about to read some books,
Contemplate in garden nooks,
Smoke a pipe and wear a robe
In slippers next an ancient globe,
Sip on blended Asian teas,
Daily dive in homilies,
Smell the roses, drink in dawn,
Lay for hours on the lawn.

While eating diet rich in herbs
And catching up on Latin verbs,
Keeping indie incense lit
From pretzeled yoga posture quick
It came to me as in a flash
Like Solomon, "In vain we dash",
All was chasing after wind...
I bowed my head and let God in.

Hey RR, I'll never be able to read Ecclesiastes again without seeing you sipping tea in your gown and slippers
There is a time to run and there is a time to just let things run
The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.
John 3
The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
Ecclesiastes 12

 

[Roadrunner3]

Hey Greatcloud, I think a very wise person once said, "Do not seek to be who your elders are, seek what your elders seek." There happen to be a great many ways to express our deep personal search for a more meaningful/complete connection to God.

Hey afish, thanks for the verses and I hope that muse of yours gets a little shot of espresso soon.

 

[Roadrunner3]

The Sun Proclaimed

The sun proclaimed to all alive,
“Another day has dawned,
And I will warm your hopeless Five
Until the evensong.”

“First for faith that flags beneath
Dark evil of the times,
I’ve sent a ray whose joy bequeaths
An ever-nourishing vine.”

“And also for the faint of Heart
Who mourn a simpler road,
I’ve lit, in love, a path apart
For easing of the load.”

“Third, for those who long to see
A promise, future-framed,
I raise from death a panoply
Of blooms that praise My name.”

“Fourth, for those who’ve never chanced
To marvel at My verve,
I stand in bright magnificence
Their deepest need to serve.”

“And lastly for the broken, old,
Whom Time will wash away,
I am the sip for thirsty souls
Who wait the brighter day.”

 

[afishamongmany]

The Sun Proclaimed

The sun proclaimed to all alive,
“Another day has dawned,
And I will warm your hopeless Five
Until the evensong.”

“First for faith that flags beneath
Dark evil of the times,
I’ve sent a ray whose joy bequeaths
An ever-nourishing vine.”

“And also for the faint of Heart
Who mourn a simpler road,
I’ve lit, in love, a path apart
For easing of the load.”

“Third, for those who long to see
A promise, future-framed,
I raise from death a panoply
Of blooms that praise My name.”

“Fourth, for those who’ve never chanced
To marvel at My verve,
I stand in bright magnificence
Their deepest need to serve.”

“And lastly for the broken, old,
Whom Time will wash away,
I am the sip for thirsty souls
Who wait the brighter day.”

Thank you RR - Muchly therapeutic.
Keep giving the good medicine
><>

 

[Roadrunner3]

Thanksgiving

As life is unfolding and I’m folded in,
Blended and battered and skewered and skinned,
While I'm yet alive and these galaxies spin,
I stop and give thanks to my Savior, again.

While mysteries float in every surround
And buoy the boat where my living abounds,
Carrying me pilgrim-like Providence-gowned,
I bow to his Presence, His Essence astounds.

Feasting is granted us daily, our eyes
Have only to see that around us, disguised,
Are hints of our Maker, our banqueting Lord,
We sup on His Peace, give thanks, one accord.