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"Seasons of Change"


Prologue
Prologue

By JLR

 
There is a cycle to
mind, body, and soul,
Cycles, like the seasons seen.

How thoughts and feelings
affect the physical well-being,
much like spring rains,
nourishing the grand scene
or missing the dry plains completely.

That impacts our thinking process.

As in an unspoken wonder;
like that feeling thunder
brings as we look toward
the ever-graying sky
thinking,
"Should I run for cover?"
 
 
I intend to create thirty poems. One per day in the month of April. My theme is about changes. My objective is to write about changes we experience in our lifetime. The seasons are in four specific areas of life. The seasons in nature. The seasons of love and marriage. The seasons of faith. The seasons of mind, body, and soul.    JLR

Author Notes These poems will be presented a many poetic formats, with an emphasis in my favorite poetic style in free verse.

thanks for the use of The Four Seasons by seshadri_sreenivasan on FanArtReview.com


Chapter 1
Seasons of Change

By JLR

 
SEASONS OF CHANGE
 
        Chapter      1
 
Seasons in Nature
 
           I
 
Each second binds united to create time.
Sixty minutes bound together makes an hour.
Hours we count as twenty-four gives us one day.
 
While seasons flow from sublime springtime
into crazy hazy days of summer with heat often dour,
until yielding to the arrival of autumn's archway.
 
I'd prefer these seasons had more playtime.
Much more than winter's death grip power
straining life, slowing the steps of life's ballet.
 
But every second, minute, hour is prime.
Such balance of power, nature will never cower.
Bringing all our senses into play every day.
 
 

Author Notes NaPoWriMo April Poetry Contest Poem 1 -

Thanks for the use of Change of Seasons by Brady Nielson on FanArtReview.com


Chapter 2
Seasons in Nature - II

By JLR

Seasons of Nature

            II

Darkness resists the change.
Struggling to shroud growth in shadows,
yet, unable to stave off the light of day.

While winter lingers longer in shadows
a bright new flower, clutches firmly,
like a strong magnet,
to a single streaming glow from above.

Slowly, gracefully, proudly,
screaming in a robust color
the flowers begin to replicate themselves,
and the shadows yield.

Spring feeds Mother nature's
powerful need to nurture new growth.
Thus, day by day, driving back the shadows,
the light gives nature a needed boost,
and the flowers thrive.
 
 

Author Notes Poem 2 - free verse NaPoWriMo April Poetry Contest contest entry

thanks for the use of annie-spratt-wsME7A6EhE0-unsplash


Chapter 3
Seasons of Nature - III

By JLR

 
Seasons of Nature

           III

Hidden from view,
just beyond the trees,
lies the real gem.
The shimmering lake,
where summer days seem to
make time come to a complete stop.

Overhead the broken clouds slowly
loosen the blanket of yesterday's
heat, letting the still hot air,
at last, dissipate.
Creating a slight shimmering,
seen to the eye like waves of energy
climbing upward from grassy ground
to billowing clouds and bright sky.

Many summers have been spent
taking this trek along this well-worn
earthen path, hard-packed over time.
A trail that never yields to Mother nature's
urging of the meadow to shrink away the route.

My nostrils flare.
As I inhale and smell the
sweet fragrances of flowering petals
reaching toward the baby blue sky,
I thank Him above for providing me
another long summer's day.
 
Then, as if I hear the whisper
of the sirens beckoning me,
I pick up my pace toward the
embrace of the water spirits
forever tugging at my soul.

Author Notes Poem III NaPoWriMo April Poetry Contest
Free Verse


Chapter 4
Seasons of Nature - IV

By JLR

Seasons of Nature

              IV

My mind, body, and spirit are still.
Still, as the water that lies motionless.
Even more still than the movement of air.
Therefore, I find, I am at peace this fall day.

Deep from within,
my eyes see more than bountiful,
vibrant colors in the leaves leaning
gracefully in a majestic shower of
light streaming from the autumn sun's rays.
I am taking in the miracle of a season in transition.

Within this scene,
a reverie of timelessness deepens,
much like the mirroring of the stately trees
aglow on the pond's surface.
This place where my Being is enveloped
in a sudden sense of unfathomable awe,
which transcends words.

Can such be seen entirely undisturbed?

My heart implores this place,
this time, this moment
to remain an immutable object
that teases all the senses like
when I experience a cool,
crisp mid-autumn morn, locked forever,
frozen in time, in one's memory.

My mind, body, and spirit are still.
Still, as the water that lies motionless.
Even more still than the movement of air.
Therefore, I find, I am at peace this fall day.

 

Author Notes Poem IV NaPoWriMo April Poetry Contest
a free verse poem

thanks for the use of lucas-calloch-P-yzuyWFEIk-unsplash


Chapter 5
Seasons of Nature - V

By JLR

Seasons of Nature

            V

As I cast my gaze out the cabin window
my body gives off a natural shudder,
at the scene of the overnight transition.

Near to the warmth of my abode
even the marsh grasses seem to
bow down to the arrival of Kheimon,
my least favored of the handmaidens
of the seasons, who brings
hoary winter shivers to the land.


My mind is not yet prepared,
to yield my grasp of Phthinoporon,
the goddess of autumn,
where I can still envision Her holding
a basket of fruits harvested,
over and again,
across the valley floor.

When I look at the reflection
mirroring the craggy sentinels
of the changing meadow,
my heart yearns to feel
the radiant beams of sunrays
which sustained the goddess Theros,
as She claimed dominion over
those who labored in the summertime,
tilling the corn and grains,
preparing for harvest.

However, as harsh as Kheimon can be,
in the coming long dark days of winter,
when the grip of death
causes the fruits of the land to die,
my soul rebounds!

For I have learned that Eiar comes again.
Bringing, once again, life to that which dies.
My heartbeat strengthens with this,
knowing there will be the coming of Spring,
where in a short space of time,
Eiar will be seen crowned with flowers,
holding either a kid or a sheep,
and having near to her a budding flower.

Author Notes Poem 5 NaPoWroMo contest - Free Verse

As lifetime fan of Greek Gods. I have developed this tribute to the Greek handmaidens of the Seasons, Nonnus in his Dionysiaca mentions a distinct set of four Horae, the daughters of Helios.
Name Personified
Eiar Spring
Theros Summer
Phthinoporon Autumn
Kheimon Winter

thank you for the use of eberhard-grossgasteiger-Ug6-kbJjy9k-unsplash


Chapter 6
Seasons of Nature - VI

By JLR


Seasons of Nature

             VI

The emergence of a new spring day,
as early sun’s glow warms the way.
Transparency will go away.
Thick cloak of fog retreats today.

Meadowlarks warble and whistle
flying around the prickly thistle,
and sound like a great epistle
as the frogs croak their dismissal.

Just hearing nature sing, I smile
and watch the trees stretch up a mile.
Life leans onto the sun in style
I want to linger here awhile.

Alas, I must make my retreat,
I walk toward a busy street.
Where I will find those I can greet
while I still cling to natures' beat.
 

Author Notes Poem 6- NaPoMoWriMo contest

Four momo rhymed quatrains

thanks for the use of wolfgang-hasselmann-ylYB3QS1dqU-unsplash


Chapter 7
Seasons of Love and Marriage - I

By JLR

 
Seasons of Love & Marriage

                 I

Puppy dog tail wagging ...

Yes, that's the first thing
that comes to this aging mind
reflecting on a bygone time.

A time when young boys
began seeing girls in pigtails,
through a different lens.

That moment when taking,
an extra bath and slicking down the hair,
with special care to wash
extra hard behind the ears
was, one thought, wise.

Because, just by chance, she would dance.

Man, oh, man! When one got to
twirl the girl; there be some whooping,
and hollering all the way back to the farm.

Lordy, if you got a peck on the cheek,
Well, heck! You'd likely not wash your
face for a month.

Lifetimes ago, it now seems!

When this young boy suddenly
became a man and experienced,
the pain of his first rejection,
when the girl of his tender
dreams chose his best friend ...

then, he realized, deep down,
that puppy love was going to come and go,
and just like the four seasons,
some seasons would be sweet;
others would be bitter.
 
 

Author Notes Poem 7 NaPoWriMo contest
Free Verse write

thanks for the use of Photo by Ardian Lumi on Unsplash


Chapter 8
Seasons of Love and Marriage - 2

By JLR

 
Seasons of Love and Marriage

                 II

The summer of '67 turned into a bummer,
although, it seemed to start out
as a hummer of a year,
when I got my first wheels.

She was a pretty Chevy,
that had been driven pretty heavy.
But, lots of elbow grease, some sweat
and several cans of Dynaglaze polish
made the old girl truly shiny.

I met Barbara Jean one day.
She was a senior at Shadle Park
I was senior at John Rogers,
She lived in the high brow part of town,
I lived in the blue collar hood.
 
We were volunteering at the local hospital.
She was there to do good works,
I was there to meet girls.

After a few lunch breaks
and an occasional phone call
as boys would do,
I asked Barbara to go to
a nearby lake to swim and hike.

So, a Saturday date was set,
and I packed up a basket of
sweet treats and ice-cold drinks
and drove across town around noon.

Barbara Jean was ready to go,
my eyes beamed seeing her
wearing a perky blue blouse
and denim shorts,
and quick as lark she hopped
into my Chevy.

We said our standard pleasantries,
I proudly turned the key to start,
only to hear the starter grind and grind,
and grind and grind some more.

Then her dad pops out of the house
hands-on hips, with a frown
that I swore touched the ground,
as he said, to me, "I called you a tow,
and Barbara, you're not going
with him in that car!"

So, the moral of this story is
My Chevy was a beauty,
as was Barbara Jean,
who after this I seldom saw.

But, she will never know
if she would have enjoyed
a summer fling with
the guy from across town.

Author Notes Poem 8 - NaPoMoWri contest

A free verse poem


Chapter 9
Seasons of Love and Marriage - 3

By JLR

 
Seasons of Love and Marriage

                 III

She answered the Priest's question,
"Why do you want to get married?"
She instantly responded,
"So that we can sleep together legally."
He blushed!

His early days home from Nam
were riddled with ups and downs,
with more downs than ups.
Until they met on a Sunday,
in the canteen in the VA.

She came through the doorway,
tall and buxom, with a confident air,
wearing a happy face,
and the fact is,
he felt his heart pick up the pace.

Dressed in his finest hospital blues,
with both legs bound in bandages,
sticking out straight from the wheelchair,
JR felt like a sign hung around his neck,
that screamed in red, Caution!
Approach at your own risk.

But she came round every Sunday.
Week after week, Ginny came.
She talked, JR listened, and slowly,
like a turtle keeping his head buried
he started to come out of his shell.

A few months came and went
when JR was finally released from
the hospital, having graduated to
crutches and braces, and with a can of
WD-40 for the squeaks that sounded
like a rusty faucet, reminding him to go slow.

As he got back into the civilian thing
JR got into the habit of being
with Ginny, but he wasn't certain
about the times being alone,
when demons crept up,
like Charlie in the Jungle.

Every vet JR knew who wasn't yet married,
was hitching up, making babies,
and closing the chapter in life's book.

     ------------------------

Even though JR could not get down
on bended knees, he asked her,
"Please, will you marry me?
Will you have my babies?"

So, the Priest blessed his union with
a High Mass affair and off into the
blessed blue, they left the church
as love doves do, not one but two.

But there came a lesson about love
JR did not yet even know.
In order to love someone else
One must love yourself first.

----------------------------

Ginny gave her very best,
including a daughter and son.
But demons lurking in the
shadows, from which JR could
never outrun, made her life
anything but fun.

So, as seasons ebbed and flowed
Ginny sought the comfort of
another beau who was able to
love her more than this man.

She'd say JR took from her
the best years of her life,
He'd did say, "Thanks, you were
a good wife, I did the best I could.

Author Notes Author's Note:
From the National Center for PTSD
The National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study (NVVRS) compared Veterans with PTSD to those without PTSD.
The findings showed that Vietnam Veterans with PTSD:
Got divorced twice as much
Were three times more likely to divorce two or more times
Tended to have shorter relationships

Thanks for the use of ptsd by MKFlood


Chapter 10
Seasons of Love and Marriage - 4

By JLR

 
Seasons of Love and Marriage

                 IV

A handful of seasons
cycling through time has helped.
As the past recedes, life rebounds
and like a daffodil stands tall even
though the crusty snow remains,
the flower is nourished,
as the last snow melts away,
so, time also heals the soul.

 ------------------------

Bonnie burst forth like a
rushing snow melt cascading
down a mountain crevasse.

When we met, it was all business.
She owned her own a blossoming
Public relations agency.
Her firm contracted our company
for some advisory work on a project.

I was assigned as the company liaison
and over several months of meetings,
handful of lunches and hours of revisions and
decision making meetings,
we came to a comfortable place
to begin talking about our personal lives.

She was a single parent with a 13-year-old daughter
who had tried making, a one-sided, marriage work for ten years.
I was a divorced man in recovery and had two children
from a failed ten-year-long marriage.
If one believed in warning signs, this would have been plenty.

----------------------------------------

We liked working with each other.
When our contract concluded,
she asked me out for a thank-you dinner.

I eagerly accepted this invitation and
we spent the whole evening,
telling one another why marriage
doesn't work.

But then, for months, we dated.

I felt like a young stallion galloping with a cautious gait
but focused on a one-of-a-kind mare
running free in the spring meadow,

Bonnie brought a warm heart,
ears that heard every word I tried to impart
some still filled with pangs of pain and guilt.
.
She possessed a heart that was yearning
for a tender touch that spoke without words;
it is you, I love.

In the fall of '83,
as the leaves of trees shouted in unison,
the vibrations in every color were felt.
While we went bursting forth, married.
Carrying our new love, new hopes,
and new dreams in lockstep with nature's rhythms.
 
 

Author Notes A poem for NaPoWriPo contest

Free Verse


Chapter 11
Season of Love and Marriage - 5

By JLR

 
Seasons of Love and Marriage

                   V

Love builds over the span of time.
like a large oak grows rings each year,
passions growth, like nature, is sublime.
When devoted, there is much to cheer.
_________________

As with the seasons, change is common.
While we 'oft think better of concentric
cycles that feel like a safe harbor in a storm,
the bedrock of a strong marriage is
knowing there will be stormy days,
Keeping your marriage a safe harbor.

___________________

When in a lifeboat, the two that keep rowing in unison,
with all life's stuff stowed on the marriage raft,
does descend into a rough trough, they will remain seagoing,
then again, sail afloat on smooth seas, with the wind abaft.
_____________________

Most certainly, deep affection drives Intense feelings.
A passion that kindles tenderness,
creates warmth and intimacy that instills
a complete commitment to making a marriage work.
When both partners hold firm to an allegiance
built from the trust of fidelity ...
Love becomes timeless.
_____________________

Over the span of time, like the tree's roots growing deep
So do the roots bind the young at heart's tender minds.
As a tree bends when winds blow across a forested steep,
learning to bend, not break, makes you both wunderkinds.

Author Notes A Poem for NaPoWriPo contest

A grandfathers wisdoms, shared in rhyme and free verse

Authors Notes:
abaft: in or behind the stern of a ship.
wunderkinds: two who achieves great success when relatively young

Thanks for the use of South Wind by cleo85 on FanArtReview.com


Chapter 12
Seasons of Love and Marriage - 6

By JLR

 
 Seasons of Love and Marriage

                    VI

I look into the mirror, and my head shakes.
seeing the wrinkles that crinkle in waves,
with a smirk staring or possibly glaring back.

If I feel that time has been stolen from me
seeing what I see, well, Lordy me, what
do you see when you set your
pearlescent eyes upon the likes of me.
 
   ----------------------

In '83, my shoulders were square,
and I had locks of curly red hair,
and you ... oh, by golly, Molly me!
You were the prettiest thing
that ever could be.
 
 ------------------------

In '03, my shoulders were still square
but my belly was beginning to round.
But you could still wear that heart-stopper
of a wedding dress, still looking better
then all the rest.
 
  ------------------------

In '13, my shoulders .... Well, let's not
talk about these in a crowd, please.
But I caught that guy giving
you a second look, I smiled,
knowing that fellow
had great taste in my book.
 
 --------------------------

In '23, we'll have been married,
coming upon a big forty years.
Still with my wrinkles, warps, scars
twice repaired shoulders,
and yes, gimpy leg ,
you hold my hand as we stroll
in the park.
 
 ---------------------------

Yes, even at our age, holding hands ...

because I know you know
when I look into your eyes,
seeing clear to the bottom of
your loving heart,
I see the gal I wed in '83,
gazing right back,
whom I knew on day one,
I would never part.

Author Notes Contest entry for NaPoWriPo contest

Free Verse

Thanks for the use of Photo by Nina Hill on Unsplash


Chapter 13
Seasons of Faith - I

By JLR

Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light... Genesis 1:3

Seasons of Faith

              I

So, upon the initial breath drawn,
began mankind's life of firsts.
First-year, whether in high gear
or low gear; little does everyone
know they will be doted on
as the premiere object of His love.

... And God saw the light, that it was good:

and that very same light,
His love is held in the soul's
of each and every child born.
Insuring salvation with each breath drawn.
Light so bright, even Satan can't fight,
this claim of God and salvation goals.

...and God divided the light from darkness He called night ...

Because an unbroken bond is formed
in the heart of God from the very first day,
even as man travels in the Light, then so,
as in the darkness of night,
lives will be transformed.

...and the evening and the morning were the first day.

Even with the very first day, entered "free will"
a universal law that God gave mankind.
He sent His highest and best; His goodwill
so that His Light would shine,
and humanity not become blind.

_______________________________________________

Author Notes Poem 13 - NaPoWriMO contest


Chapter 14
Seasons of Faith - II

By JLR

 
"And God blessed them. And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.'" Genesis 1:28
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Seasons of Faith

II

From the beginning,
mankind was to stand as kings,
and have dominion over all things
God so Divinely brought to the earth.

As men and women were fruitful and multiplied,
they attempted to establish dominion over nature.
Being faithful that all needs would be fully met
for eons and eons they did multiply.


God filled the creeks, streams, rivers, and oceans
with an abundance of fishes.
Birds of all colors and song filled the heavens.
And every animal, beast of burden, and bugs
were made plentiful to sustain mankind.

But man's fall was made manifest
and under Universal law "free will"
 
was laid on the backs of man.
Choices to do good or evil were born,
causing many to suffer and has driven some mad.

Greed came like locusts to a new field of corn.
Driven by an intense and selfish desire for something,
especially wealth, power, or food,
and this brought about famine.

Far too many lands were raped of their fruits,
Oceans have been overfished,
and too many animals were slain for sport.
More often valued as trophies, not food.

Mother Nature has nearly fallen upon her knees.
Bleeding the sweet nectar of life from the wounds
inflicted, and her response to man's dominion on earth,
has been to unleash Her anger across the four seasons.

Bringing a rage to the four corners of the globe;
violent winds, destructive rain, out-of-control fires and air so foul
it then causes lungs to burn.
Earth quakes under man's very feet and shame should
fill every man's heart.

A Good and Gracious God has been slow to anger,
who sent his Son, who offers mankind the opportunity
seek salvation, to be redeemed from our mistakes.

Finally, it seems, mankind is realizing the danger
caused by this unquenchable lust and greed,
and this is Good!
Before God steps in and intercedes!

-----------------------------------------------------------

Author Notes Poem 14 for NaPoWriMo

Free verse

Thanks for the use of His Love Touched Earth by helvi2 on FanArtReview.com


Chapter 15
Seasons of Faith III

By JLR

 
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Ecclesiastes 3:1


Seasons of Faith

III

So, it was my time to be born,
a son to them. I was born!
Having been taught His words to be Pure,
I know there will be a time to die for sure.
While along the way, from season to season,
I will make time to plant when there is a good reason.
Frolicking in fields, I'll find rocks for chucking
but when comes time for plucking
up that which is planted,
I hope to harvest all that God has granted.
 
****************************************

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace,
and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; Ecclesiastes 3:6


My eyes have teared, and I have clung to every laugh and felt
the celebration of this life, and each dance has been heartfelt.
Over the ebb and flow of these events, I found it best to cast away
stones of the past and make time to crush them into clay.

Given the blessing of years of time to feel God's embrace,
I grew to refrain from affirming the bad things I would chase.
Much time I worked to get, and learned over time, what to lose;
On bent knees, I made time to be prayerful to cast away the blues,

**********************************************
 
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." Ecclesiastes 7:8


So many autumns, winters, springs, and summers
I have plied toward salvation, my heart beating like a drummer,
while Satan tried to rend my good "free will" to shreds,
but always host of Angels stood ready, to sew me new threads.

In the silence of my sleep, I prayed to the Lord my soul He'd keep
and with the dawn of a new day, I was given God's love to speak,
in a brave voice, loud and clear,
there is a choice; I plead, "please hear."

Go! Make this a time of love; it's not too late!
Put away the clock's steady chime of hate.
God would prefer we waste no more time on war.
But have us ring bells for peace and war no more.
 
********************************************
 
 

Author Notes Poem 15 NaPoWriMo contest
Free Verse


Chapter 16
Seasons of Faith - IV

By JLR

"An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge."
Proverbs 18:15
 
 
Seasons of Faith  -  IV
 
Oh, to unburden the mind of every mundane thought.
Deleting the “I would”, “they should”, “he could”, and “I ought”,
it still seems infinitely infeasible to acquire,
the volumes of knowledge with an impulsive desire.

I think, perhaps, it might be best to follow one's heart.
We are, you see, fully intelligent from the start,
Hidden in the depths of every heart, fashioned by God,
holds all knowledge that He intended us to unfold.

Be silent! It is said, "Use ears to hear, eyes to see."
Then, might it be that therein lies the great mystery,
To hear the words of old spoken by the wise, that is sought,
for God's knowledge to be acquired, silence must be taught.

I sit In reflection, remembering it is the heart
that fuels the body and has, from the very start,
made it possible for mind to hold an infinite space.
But, I think it is the soul containing all of God's Grace.

Author Notes Poem 16 - NaPoWriMo entry
Four Quatrains aa/bb

Thanks for the use of With a Heart for 2014 by avmurray on FanArtReview.com


Chapter 17
Seasons of Faith - V

By JLR


"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness".
1 John 1:9

Season of Faith - V

If he only knew then, what he knows
now ...

Through steamy hot days and stormy nights
very few slept soundly during boot camp,
Little did they know their days
would become hellishly steamier,
and those storms would be manmade,
self-made; by madmen.

Sadly he admits, during those dark days
he rolled God up, like a picture on
a canvas, stored on the shelf.
Along with memories of football camp,
pretty girls in bobby socks and
plaid pleated skirts.

In September, when, back on the farm,
the wheat was nearly all cut and the
games on the gridiron, under the lights
were being played, he strayed from
the righteous path he had been taught.

It was then he should've prayed,
But instead, in desperation took
a drink of rotgut whiskey.

Knowing from the very first sip
with a mind tattered and a heart
filled swith childhood pain and
spiritually broken he became numb,
to self, everyone, and everything.
Thinking, surely, God was not nearby.

There came the time,
from the weight of his sins,
that his bottom collapsed.
Into the depths of a dark abyss,
he fell, screaming, "Oh my God, let me die!
Or change me, so that I can really live."

This lost sheep cried a plea,
that sounded like a tumult of voices,
echoing from the peaks of every mountaintop,
My God, oh my God, forgive me!

Instantly, his heart softened,
his mind became tame.
The rigor mortis brought by shame
was unwound.

His soul was made pure, once again.
A righteous life was made certain.
While God, who was never truly gone,
embraced this lost sheep into His arms,
Salvation given, by His Grace, forgiven.
 
 

Author Notes POEM 17 NaPoWriMo contest

Thanks for the use of Contortion by Raoul D'Harmental on FanArtReview.com


Chapter 18
Seasons of Faith - VI

By JLR

 
 
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths". Proverbs 3:5-6

Seasons of Faith   VI

With Spring every year, I re-affirm my reason,
to believe there is a God, while I never see Him.
But this I know~ the new leaves on oak branches glow
from the warm sun rays shimmering on all below.
Sound of a babbling brook, the songs of birds on wings,
instills my trust in the Lord, and with all my heart, I sing.

Whenever the shadows have fallen on my soul,
over the strife of life that no man can console
or my troubled mind held in the woes of sorrow,
that's felt so deeply, a dull ache in my marrow,
the voluminous agony felt from the loss
of every single loved one who has gone across,
or when the body fails and doctors caring words
strikes fear, and you feel your heart slow by two-thirds.
All these reasons, and much more, across every season,
brings to mind that abandoning God would be treason.

As I enter the winter of this lifetime
I praise His Glory each day, as my lifeline.
For I have known the change that comes with His Grace
during the worst events of the human race.
Know that His ever-lasting promise of steadfastness
is Love, given to everything; in all its vastness.

When even seeing the painful dark side of life
that which is raw, where there is far too much strife,
people broken and hopeless quake, bathed in sadness...
suffering beyond all human understanding, this madness.

It is at these times that I must re-double
my grasp of Faith and question, not the trouble,
that simply passes all human understanding.
But, trust in God, every trial notwithstanding.

By knowing and trusting with every beat of my heart
God will make straight my path, if and when I do my part!
 
 

Author Notes Poem 18 NAPoWriMo contest

Ryming poem

Thank you for the use of Gods handiwork by willie on FanArtReview.com


Chapter 19
Seasons of Faith - VII

By JLR

 
"Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.." Proverbs 17:6 KJV

Season of Faith Poem VII

Grandad was my rock.
Fifty years later,
the void he left is still felt.

He cast a long shadow, and his hands,
my gosh! His hands were like those of a giant,
but then in my mind, he was a giant of a man.

His lessons were pure; his life was simple,
He carried the worker's New Testament
In his well-worn shirt pocket
and on nearly every page,
with a pencil, he had underlined
his favorite verses.

Grandfather was slow to anger, quick to praise.
Especially God, for the crops that did flourish,
making sweet his small victory over the land.
Sweet like the peppermint candy in his
sweater-vest pocket to take when I asked, "Please."

The things he taught, his father had taught.
So, I made mental notes, hearing the words he prayed
and seeing after each supplication
he smiled a lot and said, Thank you, God."

I know today that so many of the
steppingstones that paved my way,
were placed by his hands, one by one,
as the years, he shared verse after verse
prayer after prayer and smile after smile,

Today, I, too, thank God!
I can carry on Grandad's simple life.
Placing that same bible, now very worn,
in my shirt pocket, my inheritance, his Legacy.
 
And every one of my eight grandchildren knows
they can reach in my sweater-vest pocket
and can take a peppermint candy,
when they look with those precious eyes.
And ask, "Please."

My world is so complete on those occasions,
when I get to read them a verse or two
and tell them about my grandfather,
and the God that he knew,
and that they know too.
 
 
********************************************
 
 

Author Notes Poem 19 NaPoWriMo contest


Chapter 20
Seasons of Mind - I

By JLR


Seasons of the Mind

                  I

I sit with nothing but my thoughts.
Dredged up so often from those oughts.
Those that stir a heap more wonder.
Why did society fall asunder?

What about that forbidden fruit up high?
It is too sad that "good fruit" caught Eve's eye.
Was it a lemon, lime or date, or peach?
What if those apples had been out of reach?

Centered in the garden was the Tree of Life,
the fruit which gave humanity a lifetime forever
That other trees' fruit would bring death to man.
Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Sin began.


Thus, the first act of disobedience
that they committed brought expedience
Because God said, "Do not eat the fruit of these."
and this is where "free will" started, you see.

So, I ponder this as I sit still.
Praying in the presence of God, until
I came to a place of utter knowing,
As I lean into a fruit tree growing.
 


 

Author Notes Poem 20 NaPoWriMo contest

Thanks for the use of Tree Spirits by Cindy Sue Truman on FanArtReview.com


Chapter 21
Seasons of the Mind - II

By JLR


Seasons of the Mind

              II

I am called an old man now,
having enjoyed seventy-three
cycles of another springtime.
Plenty of seasons in which,
I have had the opportunity,
to express joy and happiness,
instead of the bad pill of sadness
and woe.

Everywhere I go,
I try to plant more seeds of joy.
Being ever so mindful
of the present moment... right now!

Surrounding me is this vast land of opportunity.
I could spend a lifetime making it a job,
to fertilize the soil, killing the weeds
of sadness and woe.
Simply by sharing a smile.

During my elder years, I celebrate having had
more days that are richly spent peacefully and serenely.
Free of fear and those other unwholesome emotions of
hurry and worry.
Free, knowing, with a capital K,
that this freedom comes from within my soul,
and not from those burdensome
material possessions,
now, too heavy to carry.

As I look in the mirror at the old man
staring back, I chuckle; for surely the
days have long since passed when he
frolicked in the fields of new spring flowers.

But as I stroll in the park,
watching people with children
and playful dogs friskily fleet afoot,
their very presence is like an elixir.
Nourishment that I need to grow
more loving, kind, and compassionate
further along the cycles of springs, I have left to go.

Humbly, I thank my Higher Power
for the seasons that interconnect our existence.
Remaining mindful of how dependent
humans, animals, and plants are on each other.

For certain, it has taken me far too many cycles of spring
to set aside my beliefs and intuitions and replace all manner
of actions, words, and deeds with patience and clarity of vision.
Understanding the challenges brought by learning,
growing or becoming enlightened so that,
I don't waste a single present moment on the blame game.

So, before my final spring
gives over to winter crippled with strife,
I want to harvest the fruits of this life!
Ever mindful that my inner peace,
inner strength, my inner voice,
remembers to say, "Thank you, Abba/Father,"
for the wisdom that comes to this simple old man.
 
 

Author Notes Poem 21 NaPoWriMO

Free verse format

Thanks for the use of Photo by Srdjan Popovic on Unsplash


Chapter 22
Seasons of the Mind - III

By JLR


Seasons of the Mind

            III
 
As I trekked along the winding trail,
the final call of the nightingale
has caused my busy mind to still
and slowed my stride along the hill.
 
The air of Spring is crisp and clear.
I realize that morning’s here.
The sunlight rays project aloft
with hues of azure and bloodstone soft.
 
This moment I become aware
of a musty smell upon the air.
It’s nectar from dew upon wet Earth,
which shimmers too on flowering birth.
 
I hope there’s never a time of year
when I would fear appearing here—
a place where I feel closest to God
who looks upon the sod I’ve trod.
 
 

Author Notes Poem 22 NaPoWriMo
Rhyming quatrains

thanks for the use of Tis Spring in Them Thar Hills by MoonWillow on FanArtReview.com


Chapter 23
Seasons of the Mind - IV

By JLR

 
Seasons of the Mind - IV
 
 
The booms and flash of light last night
made short his sleep beyond midnight.
His mind enslaved by old events.
Each one is known to cause lament.
 
What must one do besides shout out
a plea. "My God, forgive this lout."
Then comes the dawn. The rains have ceased
Again his mind released the beast.
 
The sun grows bright; the air smells fresh
once more, he thrives alive, afresh.
The day unfolds, his mind unspoiled.
His peace and calm seem quite well-oiled.
 
But now shadows grow long once more.
the weight of sleep brings on his snore,
Beneath clear skies returns those booms
A flash of war at night, his doom.
 

Author Notes Poem 23 - NaPoWritMO

Four quatrains in iambic quadrameter
dit-da: jw, thank you...


Thanks for the use of Memorial Day 2013 by lynnkah on FanArtReview.com


Chapter 24
Seasons of the Body - I

By JLR


Seasons of the Body I

He twisted a knee; you clearly can see
His poor limb was bent like an old tree branch.
Save for his sore, numb bum, he was carefree,
except bright red blood was making him blanch.

Round and round, his bike wheel spun, both tires flat.
The handlebars were bent; his seat was torn.
The deep cliff's edge was too near where he sat.
For sure, a foot or two, he'd been airborne.

His buddy came back with help real quick,
and with some luck, got his bike to their truck.
The rescuer's task wasn't such an easy trick.
Put in the chopper, he felt like a schmuck.

Of course, his fun on his bike was over.
So his pals gifted him a pogo stick
and suggested he play in the clover,
because he'd be safer with a broomstick.
 
 

Author Notes Poem 24 NaPoWriMo

Four qautrains, abab rhymne


Chapter 25
Seasons of the Body - II

By JLR


Seasons of the Body - II

Oh, those telltale bulges under your eye.
Little wrinkles crinkle, hinting, head up.
Forays not brisk, shorter cutbacks you try.
Coffee only during the morn, one cup.

Head up, great friend. Nighttime, daytime; Trusted
Sometimes dented, broken, ailing, just tired.
Clearly treasured, like old cars, but rusted.
Wintry morns bring warnings; old bones retired.
 
Springtime fancies flashback. Somewhere screenplays
bushwhacked teen days soundtrack of  their laughter
while thoughts cutback, lifetimes move on, crossways
ever onward humbly fore-and-after.

Friend, my friend, what awesome journeys we've had.
Many long years, some roads not so mellow,
you have carried my bones well, I am glad.
So thanks! You're no quitter, my good fellow.

 
 

Author Notes Poem 25 - NaPoWriMo entry

Quantrain, trochaic pentatmeter

Author Note: My Friend, is what I call my body physical.

thanks for the use of Photo by Ricardas Brogys on Unsplash


Chapter 26
Seasons of the Body - III

By JLR

 
Seasons of the Body - III

The aged man sat with hunched back.
Bent like the trunk of the willow,
he was leaning against.
The weight of his swirling thoughts,
spiraled his spiritual being,
into a deep vortex of inquiry.

Around his bone-weary body,
seemingly mocking him,
nature danced with merriment,
as birds' songs trilled
in rhythm with the gentle breeze,
with the sweet fragrance of flowers
reaching toward the heavens,
teasing his nose.

But, here sat he...

with a withering look,
feeling physically dry and shriveled.

One profound thought
absorbed this greatness of life.
That which was unmasked, palpable.
Laid out before his very eyes.
Co-creating with a Higher Power.

He mused, have I attained my destiny?

Surrounded by this display of Mother Nature
brought into focus by God's intent,
angst viscerally was heartfelt,
knowing the works of men
and works of God are so different.

Mindful of his defects,
those nasty imperfections -
he felt flummoxed about
the nagging question,
"What is my destiny?"

Then he swore he heard these words,
"My Son, you have arrived!
Be not afraid, but be glad of heart,
you have chosen to live a long life.
 
Your presence here,
in this very garden,
reflects that you have made this place,
a place to repose in God's sovereignty.
You have arrived at your destination.
 
 

Author Notes Poem 26 NaPaWriMo entry

A free verse entry


Chapter 27
Seasons of Mind, Body, Spirit I

By JLR

 
Seasons of Mind, Body, Spirit

                 I
 
To find peace within your soul and mind,
one needs to look beyond the worldly noise
and seek the source of love that is Divine.
The one that fills your heart with grace and joy.
 
To nourish your spirit, one must learn
to meditate and pray with gratitude.
Then listen to the wisdom that you earn,
from those who share your faith and attitude.
 
To grow in your spiritual well being
You have to practice kindness every day.
And serve the ones who need your help and caring.
And spread the light of hope along the way
 
Faith is more than just a word we say.
It is trusting in the Lord each day.
He who made the earth and sky and sea.
He who gave His life to set us free.
 
 
 

Author Notes Poem 27 NaPoWriMo

Free Verse

Thanks for the use of Photo by Kelli McClintock on Unsplash


Chapter 28
Seasons of Mind, Body, Soul II

By JLR


Seasons of the Mind, Body, Soul

                 II

Each child is born,
coming in three parts
not highborn nor lowborn
with God in their hearts.

              Mind, body, and soul.
              Three parts of a whole.
              Each with a role.
              To make us feel whole.

Then a thought comes,
as the mind whirls
this babe becomes a seeker,
of life's precious pearls.

Mind is the thinker.
The planner, the seeker.
It helps us to learn.
To reason and discern.

These seeking minds have needs.
To eat, to sleep, to tinker.
To crawl, then walk, and plant seeds.
Seeking more, becoming a thinker.

The body is the doer.
The mover, the shaper.
It helps us to act.
To sense and interact.

As long as time has dawned,
across the ages, each soul
develops the feel, the bond,
to share God's love, to extol.

The soul is the feeler,
the lover, the healer.
It helps us to love.
To connect and evolve.

             Mind, body, and soul.
             Three parts of a whole!
             Each with a role,
             to make us feel whole.
 

Author Notes Poem 28 NaPoWriMo

Rhyming poem mixed meter with a refrain


Chapter 29
Seasons of Mind, Body, Soul III

By JLR

Seasons of Mind, Body, Soul

III

The soul of man is strong and bright.
It shines through sorrow, pain, and plight.
It seeks the source of truth and light.
The soul of man is strong and bright.

The soul of man is pure and free.
It soars above the land and sea.
It knows the power of harmony.
The soul of man is pure and free.

The soul of man is wise and kind.
It guides the heart and shapes the mind.
It finds the Grace in humankind.
The soul of man is wise and kind.

The soul of man is brave and bold.
It faces fear with faith untold.
It holds the hope of ages old.
The soul of man is brave and bold.

The soul of man is linked with God.
It brings sinners to Him unflawed.
It stays true, consistently awed.
The soul of man is linked with God.

Author Notes Poem 29 NaPoWriMo

Five Quatrains, with AaaA format


Thanks for the use of Faith--The Pierless Bridge by seshadri_sreenivasan on FanArtReview.com


Chapter 30
Seasons of Mind, Body, Spirit IV

By JLR

 

Ecce vel baculo torto fidelis rectam invenire potest angustum iter... JLR                   

 Lo, even with a crooked stick, a believer can find the straight, narrow path.
 
 
Seasons of Mind, Body, Soul

                 IV

Starting life with a crooked stick in my hand,
with no plans, I traveled many crooked miles.
Trekking along dusty, winding country roads
over green-scaped meadows with many trials.

Sometimes by chance, that worn stick supported me.
When the path I took was too dark, steep, or rough.
Oftentimes, that crooked stick tripped me over.
Causing me to think, okay, I'd had enough.

But I kept walking onward every season.
With a crooked stick and worry on my face.
For some reason, I knew the stick was faithful,
to steady my pace, knowing life wasn't a race.

My soulish path was just like a crooked stick,
bending and twisting in unexpected ways.
Taking me places I never thought I'd seek.
It spurred the spirit in me to bellow Praise.

I had sleepless times when I felt lost or stuck,
whether this crooked stick my path forsake.
But I tested the process and tried my luck,
Trusting that this stick would never fail me.

My Spiritual path wasn’t like a straight stick,
But showed me the beauty of diversity.
It taught me to be humble and not too slick
It helped me embrace my true identity.

-------------finis-------------------

Author Notes Poem 30 NaPoWriMo

Six quatrains, abab,

thanks for the use of Photo by Andy Watkins on Unsplash

A special thank you to every FS reviewer for your unwavering support of these past thirty days and thirty poems.



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