In the News

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.

man sitting reading newspaper

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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

finance news newspaper stocks

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Elfchen Series #15 (Life)

One of a Kind

Ford

Fastback pony

Classic sports car

Steve McQueen drives “Bullitt”

Mustang

selective focus photography of black ford mustang car

Photo by Adrian Dorobantu on Pexels.com

 

Never Forget

Memory

Which file?

What’s his name?

Calling secretary for help

Fallible

man wearing brown suit jacket mocking on white telephone

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Celebrate

Losing

Stubborn pounds

Clothes too big

Time for shopping spree

Winning

woman in white long sleeve shirt holding paper bags

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An Elfchen is a German-inspired form of poetry.  A total of eleven words are contained in the poem with a pattern using one, two, three, four, and one.

Witnessing a Foretaste

Looking outside from the kitchen table offers a view each morning of how our Lord presents each day as a precious gift.  Here is a mini sonnet which witnesses a foretaste of the feast to come.

photo of red flowering trees beside body of water

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Viewing the early morning

Welcoming each libation

Peering from kitchen’s window

Witnessing God’s creation

 

Growing greener, grass below

Blooming, flowers spelling love

Witnessing creative hands

Working each day from above

 

Taking in this peaceful scene

Witnessing each day’s foretaste

Blessing each feast, more to come

Tasting moments, without haste

 

Witnessing God’s daily Grace

Making life a happy place

wood light vacation picnic

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From Lutheran Communion liturgy, Christ’s people sing:  “Grace our table with Your presence, and give us a foretaste of the Feast to come.”

 

 

Infinite Road

This poem is inspired from viewing one of the posts from Alex Markovich Art.  His Watercolor Sketch 43 stopped me in my writing tracks.  Check out his site for further watercolor sketches, Russian postcards, and much more.  There are plenty of incredible images.

person wearing white shirt walking on dirt road

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Walking this lonely road

Losing count of each step

Packing life’s hefty load

Careful not to misstep

 

Miles of infinite road

Where will it finally end?

Life scanned, like some bar code

What lies around the bend?

 

Few answers on this road

Walking day after day

Needing life to reload

Feeling like nature’s prey

 

Danger lurks on this road

Always staying alert

Life delayed in safe mode

Old, worn boots kicking dirt

 

Life resembles this road

Challenges come and go

Heavy, infinite load

Never walking too slow

alone autumn mood forest cold countryside

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Haiku Series #75 (Nature)

Morning

In the dawn twilight

Windows open, nature wakes up—

Chorus of song birds

close up of wheat field against sky at sunset

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

 

 

Nature’s Calendar

Beautiful city

Welcoming flowering trees—

Spring’s barometer

close up photography of cherry blossom tree

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Waking Up

Geese flying overhead

Echoing in morning dawn—

Nature’s alarm clock

silhouette of flying birds

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Monday Memories: Nighttime Rain

water drop

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Lying wide awake during a lonely, rainy night

Hearing the moisture-rich drops taking flight

 

Trying to return to a dreamy sleep, without much pause

Failing because of music, those steady drops will cause

 

Remembering Eddie Rabbitt’s song of a beautiful sight

Declaring once again, he truly loves another rainy night

 

Imagining each rainy drop bouncing about

Wetting the ground with its showery clout

 

Rolling eyes over walls of a darkened room

Realizing morning light will arrive very soon

 

Recalling rainy mirages, memories hidden in the past

Hoping this precious rain shower will continue to last

 

Thinking of growing puddles, continuing to flow about

Watching rapid flash flooding, with creeks spilling out

 

Driving down a wet, shiny road with lights burning bright

Blinding radiance bounces back to impair one’s eyesight

 

Wondering where seldom-used umbrella went

Requiring it now, despite being twisted and bent

 

Smelling the soft fragrance of a summer rain

Realizing its sweet fullness will slowly wane

 

Allowing the steady patter of rain to sing

Falling asleep before the new day brings

 

Dreaming of future adventures in a drizzle so wet

Knowing it will offer more than anything seen yet

 

Here is a link to the unforgettable Eddie Rabbit singing “I Love a Rainy Night.”

Speaking to Thee

This short poem is inspired from two different hymns:  “Lord, Speak to Me, That I May Speak” and “I Love to Tell the Story.”

sea on a stormy weather

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Telling His true story

Jesus, His glory reigns

Unseen, heaven above

Breaking sinful chains

 

Hungering and thirsting

Weary, endless despair

Message of Salvation

Answering these prayers

 

Firm rock, speaking to thee

Living echoes of hope

Children, lost and alone

Faith walking life’s tightrope

 

Hidden depths, troubled sea

Precious wisdom fills thee

Hearing His glowing words

Loving hand calms the sea

low angle photo grayscale of person tightrope walking

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One of my favorite hymns is “Earth and All Stars” which we sang many times at my former church in Montana.  Here is a link for the hymn:

Do you have a favorite hymn (an old favorite or a more current one)?  Let’s have a discussion in the comments.  

Haiku Series #74 (With God)

Answers

Facing life’s harshness

Putting our Lord always first—

Asking for His help

high angle photo of woman on ladder

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Top Priority

Our Lord’s commandments

Foundation of true wisdom—

Put God in first place

photo of led signage on the wall

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Listen

Hearing our Savior

Good Shepherd’s reassuring voice—

Following Jesus

white sheep on farm

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Father’s Identity

man in black leather jacket wearing black framed eyeglasses

Photo by Katie E on Pexels.com

Beautiful melodies

Cellos and violins

Stirring memories

New lives, set to begin

 

Father with daughters

Growing up with each one

Precious treasures to bless

Through Father, Holy Son

 

Music playing, forevermore

Images of each step

Laughter filling their rooms

Love knocks at our doorstep

 

Afternoon tea parties

Playing games, singing songs

Favorite storybooks

Life perfect, never wrong

 

Seeing their eager eyes

Savoring school’s first day

Playing in autumn’s leaves

Days never seem too gray

 

Watching each girl mature

Life’s incredible ride

Graduation moments

Wedding days at their side

 

Playing in the background

Peaceful serenity

Past, special moments

Father’s identity

My life has been blessed with a splendid and loving trio of daughters who have made fatherhood a true blessing.  I was listening to a rendition of Johann Pachelbel’s “Canon in D Major” as I wrote this poem.  I especially enjoy strings or piano (all three of my daughters are accomplished piano players).  Here is a sample of the music.  Enjoy!

 

Walking with Us

This poem is inspired from a post from Jan Beek, based upon a recent Sunday message from her church.  The message enlightened me with some wonderful applications to “The Walk to Emmaus.”  Visit her post for this wonderful message, complemented with some great hymns.

empty highway overlooking mountain under dark skies

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Empty, very little hope

Weary, walking this grim road

Lonely, life hides in darkness

Misery, each step feels slowed

 

Believing, He would be king

Remembering, life seemed alive

Listening, His words brought hope

Blessing, barren lives would thrive

 

Ignored, a bloody Cross stands

Vanquished, His tomb sitting hushed

Restored, hope rises again

Conquered, sin and death now crushed

 

Raised, Savior walking with us

Transformed, our hope now restored

Energized, with daily steps

Saved, by our Lord’s new accord

green leafed plant on sand

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From Luke 24:13-16:  “Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.  While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.”