God tells Joshua
Meditating on His Word—
Still crucial today
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Being born of God
Overcoming life’s trials—
By our faith alone
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Tough times approaching
Trusting, now and forever—
Depending on God
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Hearing a far, distant whisper
Delicately spoken
Soothing words
Speaking in a special voice
Familiar sounding
Decades ago
Whispering over and over again
Barely audible
Peacefully said
Taking one on a journey
Distant city
Tranquil feeling
Listening for the whisper again
Silence now
Returning when?
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Our Heavenly Father, we rejoice and humbly receive your precious gift of a new day. Our hopes burn brighter as we give thanks for your blessing of this gift. Amen.
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Emerging each morning, a new dawn
Waiting outside our door, neatly wrapped
Walking next to us, God understands
Bringing us love, never feeling trapped
Designing His gift, a new day calls
Witnessing God’s deeds, each day unfolds
Allowing us, to live out each day
Feeling His Grace, hearts never grow old
Guarding us during times of trouble
Opening gates each day, His stronghold
Trusting in God, never forsaken
Singing His praises, humble yet bold
Kneeling and praying, as this day ends
Rejoicing, in all our Father sends
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From Psalm 9:10: “And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”
Writer
Mississippi River
Tom and Huck
Classics of American literature
Humorist
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Microbiologist
French born
Researcher of vaccinations
Saving thousands of lives
Remarkable
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Actor
“Stagecoach” fame
“The Quiet Man”
Saddles up “True Grit”
Legendary
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Discovering words with something to say
Penning poems and stories every day
Draining cups of coffee, right on cue
Feeling emptiness, like singing the blues
Holding on to thoughts, waiting to give birth
Sailing onward, words waiting to unearth
Painting with dazzling textures, shapes, and hues
Viewing sketches, filling these eyes with clues
Searching for future poems, like twinkling stars
Linking verses while traveling to Mars
Crafting words, really not science you see
Navigating this writer’s mind, feeling free
Seeking prose, lost deep in this writer’s soul
Uncovering a few, making each day full
Looking for stories, over each rainbow
Finding inspiring words, eager to flow
Drinking more coffee, than one should consume
Creating endless text, now ready to bloom
Grasping this pen, creating one more tune
Drafting a masterpiece, ready by Noon
Writing encounters monumental quests
Hoping these words will always pass all tests
Honoring these writing moments, so sweet
Dreaming of fashioning each splendid treat
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Eve Conant interviews her mother, who was born in 1934. Her National Geographic article, “Caught between Hitler’s troops and Stalin’s: How one family escaped,” captures vivid memories of her mother living in Kiev when Germans invaded the Ukraine in 1941. This poem attempts to capture the darkness of war, then ending with the light of freedom. This May marks the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
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Memories of war, never fading
Dreadful darkness, haunting many lives
Living as refugees, now homeless
Caught between nations, bloody war thrives
Millions facing harsh deportation
Never to return to their homelands
Surviving in freezing factories
Providing labor in foreign lands
Escaping from a train, fate calling
Always moving, life stays on the run
Sleeping outdoors, sometimes in cold barns
Blistered, painful feet for everyone
Witnessing death, in deserted fields
Scars of war, visions never ending
Eyes and ears skyward, fearing warplanes
On the run, danger not pretending
Surviving life’s dark, brutal escape
Recalling this journey’s final trek
Arriving on American soil
Drawing freedom’s card, from life’s new deck
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Monday morning blast
Inundated, overwhelmed—
Is it Friday yet?
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Blissful morning dreams
Road closure . . . detour ahead—
Alarm clock ringing
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Businesses open
Light traffic, just a few sales—
Most staying at home
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Many of my teaching years were spent in Montana where the entire community took pride in their schools, and everyone shared responsibility in raising and educating their children. Some of my stops included Plevna, Corvallis, and Circle.
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A child is born into a world foreign and new
Arriving today with a brighter future to view
Long before a child enters school year number one
Blessings come from many for a daughter or a son
Parents bring the beginning of learning home each day
Offering nurturing love and teaching with plenty of play
Others step in to provide valued assistance along the way
Teaching from grandparents and others with much to say
A book becomes a timely, precious, and vital gift
Learning to read will open up a life—never adrift
The pre-school years finally arrive and go
Seeking ways to seek, discover, and grow
A Sunday school teacher speaks of God’s love
Enriching a young heart with Spirit from above
Kindergarten and elementary school now await
Inspiring and faithful teachers remain at its gate
Yes, it always takes an entire village to teach a child
Educating a young mind each day, makes God smile
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From 1 Peter 2:25: “For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
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Like sheep, we wander astray
Turning away from our Lord
Feeling harassed and helpless
Sheep lost, by our own accord
God lays a new cornerstone
Our Good Shepherd, Holy Son
Calling us, hearing His voice
His work will never be done
Leading us, on this right path
Following His voice, love flows
With Him, we shall never want
Restoring souls, we all grow
Good Shepherd, loving His sheep
Bringing comfort, rod and staff
Green pastures, nourishing us
Still waters, on our behalf
Jesus, loving Good Shepherd
Unblemished, Lamb of God casts
Body and blood on that Cross
Risen Savior, His hope lasts
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From Christian author, W. Phillip Keller: “It takes some of us a lifetime to learn that Christ, our Good Shepherd, knows exactly what He is doing with us.”
I read The Columbus Dispatch every Sunday, and I appreciate its objective reporting and coverage of local and state issues as well as national news. Using some headlines from the past couple of weeks, this poem is crafted to give you a glimpse of life. A similar post, New Flash, was posted about a year ago.
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Learning to survive, food cart vendor relocates to new place
Sights, sounds, smell–remaining the same at his new space
Playing accordion from his apartment’s stoop
Neighbors appreciate, spirits no longer droop
Growing a family’s vegetable garden this spring
Fresh air, saving money with a harvest to bring
Parking silent airplanes at far too many airports
Not so friendly skies viewed in shocking reports
Scheduling virtual medical appointments for next week
Telemedicine brings seismic shift with new techniques
Facing uncertain fall semester, colleges standing by
Hiring freezes and furloughs deliver agony and cries
Adopting distance learning challenges America’s schools
Some students missing special help and technology tools
Switching over to virtual college visits this summer
Zoom becomes social distancing’s new drummer
Appreciating entertainment from comedy superstars
Virtual comedy shows now sharing laughs from afar
Missing daily routines, spring sports coaches feel sidelined
Life without athletics, coaches alone and missing the grind
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Big Sky Buckeye 