PA let's blank

Instead of using the rope

to play tug of war,

let’s build a swinging bridge.

PA Let's blank

Let’s be friends,

forgetting about our differences

and thinking about the things

we have in common.

PA Let's blank

Let’s write poems

and see what kind of fun

tumbles from our fingertips. 

PA let's blank

Let’s move forward

and not look back.

Yes, we made mistakes

and we wounded each other

with words. Let’s try to use

healing words this time.

PA let's blank

Let’s forgive each other

and start anew,

clean and unsullied,

looking ahead

to a bright future.

I know we’ll hurt

each other again.

But for now,

let’s begin fresh.

PA let's blank

Let’s forget

about that trip

where we wound up

hating each other

and let’s go on

from where we left off,

not letting evil

get the last laugh.

PA let's blank

Let’s have tea and a chat

and mull over warm memories

and laugh at the funny things of life

and forget about the mess

the world is in. 

Poetic Asides Let's Blank

Let’s Dance

Let’s get off our duffs

and tappity-tap

sway, shimmy,

leap and whirl

in rhythm

to some upbeat music

and feel alive.

Poetic Asides Let's Blank

Let’s Praise the Lord

He is worthy

and it gets our heads

out of the mullygrubs

and causes us to compare

our problems

with His greatness,

so then they don’t

seem so bad.

PA Nothing Better Than

Nothing better

than sitting around a table

with a group of friends

critiquing your work

and who care where you

put your commas.

PA Nothing Better Than

Nothing Better

Being on a worship team

and worshipping all night long,

literally feeling God’s presence.

One of the best experience

I have ever had in my life,

but I’ve only done it once.

PA Nothing Better Than

Holding a brand new baby

in my arms, looking into her dark eyes,

imagining a one-of-a-kind friendship.

PA Nothing Better Than

Nothing Like

Riding electric bikes through Victoria,

Canada, zipping and pedaling along past

a park full of peacocks, posies and

totem poles, and by horse-drawn carriages

full of tourists not as adventurous as me.

Poetic Asides a dream

Dreaming of Charlie

Growing up, outside our house,

across from the turn-around-spot

stood a massive oak.

We named it Charlie.

Whenever visitors left,

we reminded them

as they backed out

to not hit Charlie.

The other night, I dreamed

that while visiting my parents

I ran into Charlie. It cracked

right down the middle.

I took a piece of the bark

 to take back home with me

as a souvenir, and then

 the whole thing fell down.

I felt embarrassed

that after telling everyone

to not hit Charlie,

I hit Charlie. 

PA something new

New Year

Hello 2017, I welcome you.

I hope you’re as good to me

as your brother, 2016.

In you, I plan to graduate from college,

vacation in Hawaii,

and celebrate my nephew’s marriage.

In you, I plan to publish my novel,

poetry and devotions,

and submit my work more.

In you, I’ll renew my attempt to lose weight,

keep my house clean,

and get outdoors and be adventurous.

In you, I plan to get to know God a little better,

for you yourself are taking me one step closer.

Poetic Asides An Unsuitable blank for a blank

An Unsuitable Name for a Baby

A little innocent

comes into the world.

Peaceful and sweet,

he or she lies there

unaware of the

brewing storm

as parents come up

with names like

Anoush, Atara, Behan,

Cormac, Cosima, Cotton,

Ebo, Ecru, Elspeth,

Fable, Herbert, Isolde,

Jaguar, Keziah, Lo,

Ono, Merrigan, Mucia,

Primus, Uilleam, Waldo,

Wilder, Zeus, or Ziggy,

They might be singing songs

patterned from

A Boy Named Sue.

PA Winter

A Day’s Drive

“Shoveling sunshine,”

that’s what some say in Phoenix.

Eight-hour drive

to southwest Colorado.

From summer-like weather

to 32 degrees, ice,

the world painted white.

Shoveling snow.

PA Reflection Poem

Reflecting

I love sitting on a log

dangling my legs over the creek

listening to the water gurgle

as my thoughts flow along

turning this way and that

like the leaves rushing by.

PA pop

Pop

Some call it soda

Some call it pop

Some call it cola

You may need a mop

Sometimes it explodes

When shaken for a while

Then it’s afizzin’

Over all the kitchen tile

Some call it soda

Some call it pop

Some call it cola

You  may need a mop

On Paul's birthday cake

Paul’s 100^th Birthday

P raise the Lord!

A nd happy 100^th!

U ndoubtedly you are a

L egendary blessing!

PAD 30 Last Chance

Temptation’s Last Chance

L et’s do it now, or we may regret it

A nd obey the voices who say don’t

S weat it. Love jumps at the chance.

T omorrow may never

C ome.

H ow can people say we’re dumb?

A dvancing quickly, I do

N ot want to miss you.

C ome closer now that I may kiss you,

E ven though you’re married. Footsteps!

                    I may soon be buried. 

PAD 30 Last Chance

Fleeting

So many times

I’ve passed up opportunities

to photograph a person or some scenery

thinking I’ll take it next time I see them

or on the return trip,

but for some reason it doesn’t work out.

I’ve come to view those photographic opportunities

as last chances.

PAD 30 Last Chance

Salesman

Don’t miss this

once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Lay your money down.

If you don’t, next week

I’ll give you another last chance.

PAD 29 love

Love is like water

poured into various bottles

taking on different shapes and colors.

PAD 29 love poem

Emmanuel, God with Us.

The lover of our souls

sings over us

and looks into our eyes and smiles.

He can be our song, hope, joy,

strength and peace.

PAD 29 love poem

Lover

Thank You Lord, for being the lover of my soul.

You smile over me. You sing over me.

You are good and know how to give good things to Your children.

Thank You that You want me to spend time with You in prayer.

And You desire my worship in song.

I love singing to You.

The old hymns.

The modern choruses.

My very own new songs to You.

Thank You Lord, You are my hope, my joy, my song, my strength my peace.

You are it for me. You are all I want and need.

You are my goal. You are my treasure.

You not only complete me but remake me.

I want to be infused with You like a baby in the womb.

Lord, take me over body, soul, and mind. 

PAD 28 I Want

I Want

I want everyone

to be conformed  

to God’s Son

and go to Heaven.

I want all to be well.

I want peace on earth.

I want sickness to be gone.

and eternal life with God.

I want to travel the world.

I want to be more like Jesus.

I want to do something lasting

and productive and pleasing to Him.

I want to create beauty.

I want to be in harmony with God.

I want to sing, write, draw, paint,

make music and dance to God’s glory.

PAD 28 I Want

Partners

Lord, I want to partner with You,

in all I think, say, write and do.

Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit

and drive all evil thoughts away.

I want to be wholly in tune with You

each and every day. I love You.

I want Your heart and desires

to accomplish Your will.