Reflections of an Exiled Poet
For some, heaven would be hell.
All actions fall above or below the line of love.
Sacrifice is the measure of love.
Art is the soul of science.
The more words, the less is said.
A sharp tongue is a guillotine.
God shields his eyes from the proud,
but his tears are drink for the broken.
The most malicious tool is anxiety –
it constructs prisons as well as palaces.
A Smile
A smile is like a shiny apple …
beautiful, fragrant, crisp.
At times it hides a rotten core.
On People
Treat all souls as Sparks of God:
Some are destructive,
Some are creative;
All have power in varying degrees.
Treat each gingerly,
Respectfully,
Knowingly.
Snippets of Broken Systems
How fearful when duffers who bogey and rest
are given the job to lead the rest.
Those who chiefly ruminate
rarely ever animate.
The most canny of all dissemblances
is talk that to love bears resemblance.
A gate is to a petard
as a reputation is is to a canard.
Some call living by faith opprobrium –
as if their life were ad infinitum. .
These Things Take Time (TTTT)
A rebel with a cause is a mighty scary thing —
he upsets the order and calls us to think.
‘Tis better if the rebel is firmly kept in line —
all civil folk do recognize these things take time!
A Call
A career is to a calling as an 401-K is to a sacrifice.
In the short term, all four expect you to give. However,
in the mid term, careers and 401-Ks are measured by their reward,
while callings and sacrifices continue to be measured by
their cost. In the long term, you get what you pay for.
A Goal
Orchestrated unity is like a synthesized orchestra, which can
simulate many of the characteristics of the live orchestra.
While synthesized music is easier, more transportable, and fully
responsive to the composer, it is solely dependent on one person.
A live orchestra depends on the full cooperation of 50
highly talented individuals towards a recognized goal; unity is
not the goal, but a result of focusing on the goal together.
Vision
Vision is castrated by those who would seek to manage it.
Management is as far away from true leadership as is a
gelding from a stallion. From a distance, they can look
identical, but up close it is clear that the latter generates
life while the former only lives to keep itself alive.
A Promise
A promise made that’s ever kept is only as good as the promise.
But better still is the promise of hope forever and ever unfolding.
And the promise we’ve kept through sickness and health
is a joyous anniversary.
A Secret
A secret is just like a rumor, only played in reverse.
All melody is lost, and the more times it plays, the less sense it makes.
A Rumor
A rumor is like a mellifluous song.
It can be sung with gusto or heard as background music.
Either way, it can easily be summoned up with only the motif being plucked.
Sometimes the strike of the tonic alone brings it with fullness to mind.
It is the easiest of all Name That Tune games.
Provocative Proverbs
For some, heaven would be hell.
What if God's economy of eternity is one location with two realities? That is, if all go to heaven, for some, it'll be pure hell.
All actions fall above or below the line of love.
Sacrifice is the measure of love.
Art is the soul of science.
The more words, the less is said.
A sharp tongue is a guillotine.
God shields his eyes from the proud, but his tears are drink for the broken.
The most malicious tool is anxiety - it constructs prisons as well as palaces.
A smile is like a shiny apple … beautiful, fragrant, crisp. But at times it hides a rotten core.
Treat all souls as Sparks of God: Some are destructive, Some are creative; All have power in varying degrees. Treat each gingerly, Respectfully, Knowingly.
How fearful when duffers who bogey and rest are given the job to lead the rest.
Those who chiefly ruminate rarely ever animate.
The most canny of all dissemblances is talk that to love bears resemblance.
A gate is to a petard as a reputation is to a canard.
Some call living by faith opprobrium - as if their life were ad infinitum.
A rebel with a cause is a mighty scary thing -- he upsets the order and calls us to think.
'Tis better if the rebel is firmly kept in line -- all civil folk do recognize these things take time!
A lie is often more easily comprehended than the truth; that's what makes them so popular.
A materialistic pastor and a corrupt politician dine together in comfort.
A humble facade rarely covers humility.
Dogs mark territory with pee; people with poo.
The fruit of a proverb's success is the attainment of wisdom.
Wisdom is twofold: knowing the difference between right and wrong, and choosing right.
Adam & Eve
Sons of Adam & Daughters of Eve
how glorious is the morn that breaks
upon your brows when victory from
all selfish ways is finally won.
The desperate battle unto that day
seems like a myth of Sunday School lore
which few, so few, continue to fight —
they struggle, instead, for earthly might.
But for the Brave who’ve answered the call
and lay their wealth, their health, and their name
upon the alter and walk away,
how joyful for them comes Judgement Day.
Sons of Adam & Daughters of Eve,
live on, live on, be ever prepared
to bow your heads when struggle is done —
Your soul is prepared for Kingdom come.
Under the Bridge
Under the Bridge there was such a small hole,
That you could mistake it for home of a mole.
But looking more closely you’ll certainly see,
That hole is a portal to eternity.
‘Tis true – the secret of each soul,
The entrance was made by a heavenly pole.
A Call is Not a Light Thing *
A call, once answered, is not a light thing.
To turn back and give in to worries will bring
nothing but failure on a higher plane
where heavenly angels have written your name.
Perhaps the ploughing hits rock after rock;
the oxen themselves may falter and stop.
But knowing the calling is genuine gives
reason and purpose — the will to live.
A call, once answered, is not a light thing.
But fulfilling the call does make my heart sing.
* Jesus: “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).
The Simple Truth of Easter
The simple truth of Easter
is one we overlook.
It’s evident in springtime
and heard in bubbling brooks.
The smell of each new flower
does open wide our minds
To see the Pascal mystery —
no longer are we blind.
As earlier each morning
the sun begins his climb
unto the place in heaven
where everything is fine;
as all the world is wakening
into another spring,
the simple truth of Easter
gives hope in everything.
30 Drops of Silver *
Thirty drops of silver
is what he received
to betray his mentor;
but Christ was not deceived.
Why the Lord did keep him
is a mystery;
maybe to remind him
of the coming tree?
Thirty drops of silver
reminds us still today:
Some who seem to follow
stand ready to betray.
* Wednesday of Holy Week, Matt. 26:14-25
The Call & Our Call *
Christ was come to bring us back
and save us as God’s own.
For we had strayed so far from him
and made this world our home.
God fashioned Christ into a sword
and hid him in his hand
to let him loose to tell good news
to each and every land.
God hid him till the time was right
to take him from the quiver
to hit the mark in every heart
that drinks of heaven’s river.
And as for those who drink of life.
we hit the selfsame mark:
In others who have strayed from God
we lighten up the dark.
* Tuesday of Holy Week, Isaiah 49:1-6
The Perfumed Oil *
Such extravagance, Oh such wastefulness,
pouring perfume across the floor!
It’s so valuable, it’s worth cold hard cash –
year’s worth of wages out the door!
As Jesus reclined at the table
the week before he would die,
Martha again was serving
as Lazarus sat by his side.
There she goes again, losing sight again,
Mary pours her savings out!
Costly perfumed oil, down on Jesus’ feet –
causing Judas now to shout!
“Why was it not sold for profit
and given out to the poor!”
He said this not from compassion
but because he stole from their store.
“Poor will always be … with you, but not me.
Mary’s perfume now readies me
for the death I face for the human race;
Mary’s aroma strengthens me.
How marvelous, how wonderful
is the love she showed to me!
How marvelous, how wonderful
is selfless love – it sets me free.
* Monday of Holy Week, John 12:1-11
The Miracle of Palm Sunday: The Unridden Colt *
The miracle unrecognized by most upon this day
it the colt that Jesus sat upon was wild in every way.
He’d never been yet sat upon, so he would buck the one
who’d dare to be the first to try – he’d shoot off like a gun.
But unlike nature molded him, the colt instead obeyed
the leading of the ones who Jesus sent out on that day.
The taming calming presence of the Lord upon the colt
is working still in all who put on Jesus’ easy yoke.
* Palm Sunday, Luke 19; Isaiah 50
The Lord is my Shepherd *
How easily people are blinded by power,
so much that what’s sweet is defined now as sour.
The principled ones who are living in light
are chided as weaklings with no will to fight.
And even the one who’s the light of the world
is quoted, but really, his voice is not heard.
“The Lord is my shepherd,” the Psalmist did say,
he guides me in rightness for sake of his name.
I walk through the valley that’s chilling and dark,
as goodness and love on my heart make their mark.
As evil shouts insults, the Lord spreads a feast
anointing my head right in front of the beast.
In safety, forever, I dwell all my days
in the house of the Lord, which shall never decay.
* Monday, 5th Week of Lent, Daniel 13; Psalm 23; John 8
Christ’s Valentine
And what sort of law did Jesus lay down?
Only two things must I do.
The first is by love to God must I cling;
the other’s for me to love you.
Yeast & 3 Measures of Flour *
Each of three measures produced a fine loaf
for three separate households to use as they host
wandering minstrels who gladden the hearts
of all who now gather ’round three separate hearths.
The first band of minstrels have voices like larks
whose powerful whistles shatter the dark.
The next band of singers with song after song,
like mockingbirds show us we all can belong.
But of the three minstrels, the last shows how much
the yeast shared by each loaf has power to touch;
regardless of talent or keeping in tune,
the yeast does empower the mute man to croon.
Each of three measures that feed diverse tastes
share one source of goodness: Our Lord’s loving grace.
– – – – –
* Matthew 13:33 (The Parable of the Yeast). Jesus: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a women took and mixed with three measures of flour until the whole batch was leavened.”
The Words of a Soldier
The words of a soldier
repeated each day
bespeak the way forward
for millions who pray:
“Lord,I am not worthy
for you to come in,
but just say the word and
you’ll cure all within.”
No hypocrite was he
to seek the renown
of Jesus to visit him
in his own town.
Instead he was humble
and sought just the cure
for his paralyzed servant
— his motive was pure.
So in our communion,
with the Lamb of God
who takes away sins,
reflect on the thought
that we are not worthy,
yet he enters in
and covers with love
the stain of our sin.
The words of a soldier
repeated each day,
yes, show the way forward
for me day upon day.
– Matthew 8:8
As moon reflects God’s light *
The quiet of the sunrise
and stirring of the morn
awaken deep inside me
a hope that’s been reborn.
It rustles in my bosom
with expectations high
that eternity’s among us
as noontime fills the sky.
As peace descends with sunset
and rest fast follows night,
I sleep with happy spirit
as moon reflects God’s light.
“A feeling of expectancy had grown among the people …” – Luke 3:15