PAD # 30 Bury the ...

Bury the Books

E-reader arise

Sentimental readers weep

While I celebrate

Love the library

In my purse.

PAD # 29 Nobody Knows

Nobody Knows

Does anyone know,

Where do sock mates go?

Why aren’t mismatched socks in style?

Or if we may please

Sent to amputees?

A socks box might bring a smile.

PAD # 28 Matter

The Invisible Matters

Poverty steals, and maims, yet teaches

true substance has no matter—

a tremendous thought and challenge

to a world in love with material possessions.

Water becomes priceless when it’s scarce.

Stuff’s importance fades as focus

shifts to basic necessities. Look around!

Take stock in what’s important.

Rocks last longer than things we work for.

Love is a staple of the soul.

People of brittle bodies and lands

discover quickly non-matter matters.

PAD #27 Looking Back

Looking Back

If I could look back

on all the choices I have made,

like clothes hanging in a closet,

what would I choose to try on?

What would I discard?

I think I’d change them all—

choose something more upbeat,

colorful, stylish.

Something with a little more pizazz.

Something smooth and silky.

But then when I grew old

in that alternate world,

I might wish for the worn
comfortable, faded jeans

I’m wearing now. 

PAD # 26 Words Shakespeare invented

This is an alphabet poem using Shakespeare's words except for k and q. I use ex for x and the title is also Shakespeare's.

Dauntless

Will rain arouse still sleeping buds

Which form small bumps upon thin twigs?

“The weatherman,” a critic claims,

“His status dwindles. He reneges!”

Exposure to white morning frost.

Gray, frugal clouds withhold their store.

Sad, gloomy sky darkens sad sun.

Air hints of rain, but nothing more.

Stale drought impedes the waiting growth,  

Becoming jaded by cold’s strength.

We hope each limb will keep its life,

While lonely from long winter’s length.

Majestic life waits in the wings,

While spring negotiates awhile.

It seems obscene to wait so long,

While winter pukes with evil smile.

How quietly young tulips sleep.

Their radiance anticipates.

With swagger they will burst aflame,

When tranquil sun rushes strong gates.

Spring seems unreal though every year,

Wild varied weather has no date.

Not worthless even if frost bites

And rain brings its excitement late,

Then yields its glory in the sun

And sets life free in zany fun.

PAD #25 across the sea

A Forgotten Name

Across the sea,

somewhere in

Scotland,

Wales,

England,

Ireland

in some dusty books,

perhaps in a church

older than anything

the United States

has ever seen,

my ancestors' names

were scrawled,

just letting people know

they once existed

and I am also proof,

yet, I wonder who they were

and what they were like

and how long it will be

before I am just like them.

PAD # 24 moment

Strength Unseen

I wheeled my eight-year-old son’s chair

out of the consultation room.

His face was so pale that his freckles

across his nose had disappeared.

We had just received potentially bad news.

I felt small in the big children’s hospital.

A line from Job ran through my mind,

“Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.”

At that moment, I knew

regardless of the test results,

God would give us whatever it took

to see us through.

We just celebrated my son’s thirtieth birthday.

PA # 23 Historic

History Class

Mr. Bryson was tall, loud, and mean.

He taught history with a vengeance

as if he loved torturing eighth graders

with dates, battles, and musty facts.

That first summer vacation day,

it was like being able to breathe again

after being buried in a tomb of one those

old generals he tried to resurrect.

PA # 22 nature

World of trees

My dad and I hike

Ferns, rocks, creeks

Sun patches

Him at home like deer and bear

Adventure to me

PA # 21 You are

You are…

You are my

sun

moon

stars

world.

You are my

beauty

brilliance

creativity

inspiration.

You are my

hope

song

joy

all in all.

You are my

strength

reason

challenge

encouragement.

You are my

light

life

goodness

eternity.

PAD # 20 My blank, the blank

My Schedule, the Mission Impossible

As I get up and turn on my computer,

the background music plays

da-daaa-da with the flute trill.

I look at my crowded to-do list.

This is my mission if I wish to accept it.

It I botch it up, no one will take responsibility.

May my laptop not self-destruct in 15 seconds.

PAD # 19 authority

Just Say the Word

The Centurion asked Jesus

to heal his servant, saying,

“I, too, am a man of authority.

I say to my servants,

‘Go here,’ and they go.

‘Do this’ and they do it.

Just say the word,

and my servant will be healed.”

Jesus marveled at the man’s faith

and healed the servant

by just saying the word.

Just say the word, Lord,

I put my trust in You.

Just say the word, Lord,

You will see me through.

Just say the word, Lord.

PAD # 18 two vowels

Fantastic

F antastic

A nd brilliant

N ail-biting

T hrilling

A nd risky

S hining

T antalizing

I nciting

C limax

PAD # 17 Swinging

Swinging

We liked swinging on grapevines

when we were kids,

never mind how easily broken they were

or how far the drop.

As we sailed through the air,

we were Tarzan

and that’s all that mattered. 

PAD # 16 Science

Newton

I remember Newton,

not much about

what he said and did,

something about getting

bonked on the head

by an apple,

(though it’s not a historical fact)

but I named

my hamster after him.

He didn’t care much

for apples,

Newton not Isaac,

but he stuffed

his cheeks so full

of hamster treats

that he couldn’t

get in his Pringles can

in which he slept.

I wonder

if there’s

a theory for that,

something about two objects

not being able to inhabit

the same space.

All I know is

quantum

is a good Scrabble word.

PAD #15 adjective

Crumbled

As a child, whenever I was worried or upset,

like Maria in The Sound of Music, Mom

would tell me to focus on my favorite things.

I’d think of swimming in the creek or lake

eating chicken, pizza, and peanutbutter cups,                         

going every summer to the amusement park.

But with grownup cares and concerns

being positive when all is bleak is difficult.

Instead, I need to focus on who God is.

When I hold up my problems next to His love,

strength, holiness, power, forgiveness, grace,

everlastingness—my cares and concerns crumble.

PAD # 14 Honest

Honesty

H onesty can be like hugs and kisses

O r like knives piercing the soul

N urturing, edifying, encouraging or

E ndlessly causing pain and heartache

S aving or sabotaging, building or destroying

T enderly healing or savagely wounding

Y et, honesty is pure like a mountain river

PA challenge #13 confession

Earning Interest

I don’t remember the first time

I confessed to doing something wrong.

But I remember times I didn’t confess.

Those little wrongs are like money

 in the bank earning interest.

Remember the fresh smell

of clothes hanging out on the line

on a summer day?

Or fresh air after spring rain?

 “Fessed-up” souls are like that.

PAD # 12 Damage

Who is in Your Boat?

The earth was filled with sin and greed

Not one stood for good,

Except Noah and his family

They did just what they should.

So God had them build an ark to drift

Upon the stormy sea.

They made room for all the animals

And in this they did flee.

The storm did rage, the thunder rolled

And lightning split the sky.

Noah and his family

Were safe and did not die.

When the water’s high and your hope is low

And you barely stay afloat,

If you survive, it all depends on

Who is in your boat.

The Apostle Paul a prisoner

Was forced to take a trip.

The storms did rage the waves were high

Threatening the ship.

But an angel stood beside Paul there

To say he wouldn’t die.

Because he must make it clear to Rome

So he could testify.

Paul calmed the men and had them eat

To have a little heart.

He assured them they’d all be safe,

Though the ship would break apart.

When the water’s high and your hope is low

And you barely stay afloat.

If you survive, it all depends on

Who is in your boat.

The disciples followed Jesus

On the land or on the sea.

They watched Him make the lame to walk

And heal folks from disease.

One time they ventured in a boat

Across the Galilee.

When the waves threatened them

Jesus was asleep.

They woke Him up and asked Him then

Don’t you care we’re going to die?

At His words the waves were stilled

No rain fell from the sky.

When the water’s high and your hope is low

And you barely stay afloat.

If you survive it all depends on

Who is in your boat.