Winterberries
Winterberries.
To a famished man any bitter thing is sweet…
Love and love longed for-
Looking past a cold early spring
That offers nothing
But the wait.
In times of loneliness, I’ve wanted to steal
Winterberries: this bitter, pretty food
To satisfy hunger.
Suddenly
I heard my Master’s voice,
His Majesty’s command;
I leaned upon his arm
I took his hand
As He kindly led me away
In repentance and rest
I was saved.
With His arm of truth I defiled
These images of bitter fruit.
Broken down before His face,
In the kindness of His Grace
We behold His surpassing worth
Longing to be pure…
In his word and on our knees we’ve seen
These molten images for what they really were.
If left alone,
I would feed on poison
As bitter as a shining red
Winterberry
With its promises as dead
As any image I would marry.
Children, hope in your God
For only He
Can bring summer-sweet ripened fruits of love.
He will supply from His wealth
This God Who has carried us
Through winters and springs
Always promising better things
Than we could feed ourselves.
“Wait for the LORD;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for the LORD.”
Suddenly today
On this unexpected sunset walk
The air is sweet and warm
And joy arises in my heart.
A summer promise weaves in and out of every spring-warmed breeze
Promising
Sun-ripened afternoons of summer fruit to come;
True food, good food,
Warmed sweet in mid-summer sun.
Then I will eat freely
And with joy
I will wait for love’s yield,
The produce of God’s field.
Proverbs 27:7
Psalm 27:14
LILACS
In winter resignation
I lost my expectation
Of spring.
Yet suddenly spring appeared.
I was surprised by the lilacs this year.
Gathered, withered, discarded
In such a short time.
Since I am turning 40 I took unexpected walks
To admire the lilacs this year.
The sight and scent of lilacs
Gathered, withered, discarded, yet
I have deliberately enjoyed
The lilacs this year.
My Sister & Child-song
Amidst midsummer heat and traffic noise
On a humid New York City afternoon…
Wisps of child-song
Ineffable tunes
Tiny sparrow sang.
Baby sister wore little red shoes
That buttoned on the side.
This tiny sparrow singing
Wisp of child-song
Ineffable tunes
A tenement song to the streets below.
“Look out the window and see
Look out the window and see.”
Tiny sparrow child
In her white nightgown
Her tiny songs rise
Above the tenement ground.
To My Friend
My dear friend, this sacred clown*
Forever riding backwards in a hostile town.
Your endless hunger devours bitter for the sweet
Bereft within the void of unmet need.
How treacherous your lovers have been.
Loving you selfishly only now and then.
As you grow older they leave you
Bereft within the void of your unmet need.
Lonely clown
Forever riding backwards in a hostile town.
Jesus Christ can satisfy and fill
The lonely void of your unmet need
He can be the Physician of your soul.
* from Hopi tradition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pueblo_clown
Isaiah 5:20
Proverbs 27:7
CYCLOPS PSALM
Dissipating images
Mirage across my mind
Giving birth to barren hopes
Miscarried upon time.
In chasing after emptiness
I’m becoming empty too.
Please turn my eyes from my TV
And turn my gaze to You.
S.T.R.O.N.G. Women 