days stack up
like pancake plates
of postponed ease
and delayed dates
and time continues
while children grow
and weekends pass
and don’t you know
that all the bounty
collecting dust
is waiting for
our cores to trust
that God is with us
and knows our woe
no need to spin
and labor so
the weeks accrue
and grace keeps on
patient for
a braver dawn
when we’ll let go
of task and hurry
and clear the heart
without the worry
for when the years
are memory
and grind and gig
mere history
the busy living
outside in
will pale against
what might have been
so let’s release
and dare to be
abundant in
simplicity

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:38-42

This poem was inspired by and written for Beth, and for all of us.

image: original painting by Diane Whitehead

October’s flushing hues beguile sense
as sun plays favor to what burns and lights;
the zigs and zags of leaf and wind commence,
and all about is mum and maple bright.
and what more knowing God would grant us fall
to ease the death of summer’s lengthy day?
distracted children notice not at all
along the autumn plum and pumpkin way.
and though the loss will reach our earthly scope,
as color turns to bare and quiet limb,
oh what more loving Lord would grant us hope
with blanket white to warm the soul within?
the winning gifts of season lift and mend
because His perfect will and care transcend.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: – Ecclesiastes 3:1

image: painting by Randall David Tipton

we’ve known you Jacob
your peers all our lives
your picture, your grin
your glad carefree eyes
we’ve known you Jacob
your lighthearted lip
your yellow yarn sweater
and video clips
our brother, our cousin
our neighbor and friend
our lights have all glowed
awaiting the end
of all the unknowing
and yet though it’s come
it’s surely not true
that the hoping is done
for you brought us closer
this state, with your light
and it beams and beams on
in the face of the night

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  Matt 5:4

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  1 John 1:5

image: Jacob Wetterling 1989, 11 years old

Lord, we part
the days and hours
when space in sync
was sweetly ours
a gift we know
this tide imprints
a lasting mark
of heaven hint
the joy and mirth
authentic scenes
abridge the miles
that stretch between
and when the years
away add up
return our minds
and fill our cups
to all the buds
this span allowed
the green and growth
of what is bound
and ever true
Your promise soars
we’re each of us
chosen,
Yours.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. – Numbers 6:24-26

image: shutterstock

come home kin
from far or close
back to roots
and tribe He chose
for dawn to break
in each our lives
or source of seed
for grooms and brides
come home kin
to humor same
and allied knowing
and once again
we will laugh
and eat, and sing
and conversate
of God’s good things
come home kin
for years have brought
both loss and death
not near forgot
yet life alights
when we converge
and healing tears
of peace emerge
so come home kin
oh awesome clan
to place where line
and house began
and we’ll renew
restore, remind
with Father’s Love
the tie that binds.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. – Hebrews 10:24-25

This poem was inspired by and written for the Awes Family, who gathered, stirred, loved and encouraged each other in July. All LOVE to you, my kin. 🙂

image: custom reunion drawing by the talented Rachel Awes: www.rachelawes.com

a truth of being broke
or in debt as tall as towers
is still the rich remains
to uplift in tested hours
if you can find your breath
reject distrust, and tempting woe
sweet salvations runneth
brimming cups to overflow
a job is lost or ended
and soon the sea surrounds
but still the speckled sun
perches path and grassy ground
the morning breaks anew
and with it often, troubled thought
but waking thanks of day’s embrace
will loosen restless knots
I know the bills are ceaseless
unbending dates and posts
but comfort can alight
in even buttered crannied toast
small nutritious capsules
of grace to charge your soul
swallow as your energy
your battery, your coal
for someday is the last day
the great end of appetence
and hours are but wasted
in disquiet extravagance

Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation. Selah
Psalm 68:19

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:19

image: letseatcupcakes on tumblr.

go go weeks
prepping, packing
a lengthy index
list and check
run run days
detaching us all
so we could unwind
but my mind
was forgot in the busy
and in bed
in the quiet
in the tropical air
no-see-ums arrived
to my wnreadyied head
pestering doze
and dream
go go away awake
run run away the ache
clear my heart
be still
and soon I would sleep
and even release
and wake
after-all
in Florida

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. – Mark 4:39

(a repost from March 2015)

palm procession
Hosanna sing
a road of robes
for colt and King
the people praise
He’s here! He’s come!
our saving grace
triumphant one
the figless tree
is cursed and dead
the time of temple
is at its end
and we will eat
with Christ, a last
before our treason
comes to pass
for come it does
with blood and bruise
denied and mocked
the King of Jews
and when He dies
on nail and wood
the tapestry
is torn for good
centurion
in witness, awed
proclaims the man
the Son of God

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. Isaiah 53:3-7

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. John 12:3

image: image; Anointing His Feet by Wayne Fort

planning your party
is open windows
in March
awakening
designs pop
against daily tasks
and winning ideas
gaily splash about
like happy puddles
beneath your boots
vision is unclouded
creativity unlocked
and you,
mon chou
are the breeze

And your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts. – Jeremiah 15:16

image: illustration by Richard Scarry, I am a Bunny

hand in hand
I walked, she skipped
we wove around the park
and came upon
the orange flash
and all its winsome parts
a caterpillar
tangerine
a track of seafoam green
the start and stop
two stories up
a wonderment machine
the platform ran
just three turns deep
the seekers two per shift
and on her face
expectancy
of all life’s happy gifts
mechanically
(and finally)
the coaster met our time
and in we stepped
with no unease
assured of thrill sublime

“Expectancy is the atmosphere for miracles.” – Edwin Louis Cole

image: Rollercoasters by Susie Anderson