Another Year

Another year has gone by--

Nearly a blur

Full of triumphs and failures,

Heartache and victory.

It's been a year of transition.

Change has been a constant;

As the year progressed,

Something I could count on--

Because everything else?

More changed than remained.

The Year of Question Marks,

I could call it--for that's 

Exactly what it was:

What? and Why? When?

Not a lot made much sense.

Here I am in late December,

Wondering if I accomplished much--

Did I contribute anything?

Did any of this year make sense?

Late December musings, I suppose.

Another year is days away,

Not sure if I'm ready or not;

But here it comes, as always,

Welcomed or not:  The Future.

Is it just The Future or My Future?

Whether or not I take ownership

Is completely up to ME.

It's coming, whatever I decide;

I must make a determination.

I suppose I'll make it mine.

She wore Grief

She wore Grief for weeks:
-----hardened mask, heavy burden,
-----visage of stone
Pain came to live on the surface
Seeped into her pores
Coursed through her blood
And we were witnesses, all,
To the Damage it was doing.


Grief had stolen her Essence:
-----sweet smile, warm nature,
-----joyous spirit
Traipsed around pompously in surmised Victory
Accompanied by sounds of whimpering
Shrouded in dark clouds of tears
And we were witnesses, all,
To what seemed to be the Inevitable Decline.


And yet, today, I saw her, peering from beneath the mask:
-----kind eyes, forgiving heart
-----quintessence of tranquility
Caught a glimpse of The Woman She Is
The Woman She Was, The Woman She Will Always Be
No longer buried or trapped in Darkness
And we are witnesses, all,
To her reemergence into the Glorious Light of Day.


------------------------------------
This poem is dedicated to Vickie Thompson.

Musings on The Planet

Allow me to beat you to the punch: "What do I know about anything?
I'm just a school-teacher who has degrees in English and Communications.
What do I know about this Round Ball which hangs precariously in the universe?
(And why do I even feel thusly, that I would use this word, precariously?)"

Let me assure you: we are most certainly on the same page, Friend.
I suppose I find it strange to discover that I am an Advocate for This Planet.
Yes, Advocate. Not a "Go Green" Nazi, but a Rational Human Being
Who thinks it's dastardly to so blatantly disregard this human home we've been given.

Who cares what I think about it--I'm no physicist, no Einstein, no theoretician;
Just an Arm-Chair Appreciator of all things Nature.
I realize nothing has to last forever, and I see the waste and abuse of this Earth and think,
"We've been given such fabulous gifts!"...which we take for granted.

Call me crazy, but I am flabbergasted by the utter lack of concern
For our Earth, for the Nature God has gifted us with, for our Earth's Core,
And I wonder if it even matters that this total disregard for the Universe in Balance
Is due to Ignorance and Self-Absorbance and Ego-Centrism.

Some of us are still convinced that the Sun rotates around the Earth,
And/or that the Earth rotates around our human form: my life, my wife, my child, my concerns.
Surely THAT is the reason that makes people ignore what we are doing to our planet:
Poisoning Earth and Sky and Sea and Core...Somehow believing it doesn't impact us.

Yet one day, One Day, Friends, it will affect us all--every single one of us,
As our descendants, with our very own DNA in their bodies, struggle to breathe
And battle the carcinogens we are responsible for unleashing into their environment.
We lived for today so they can die for tomorrow.

"Drink this bitter cup with pride, my children," says our letter to their World;
"We did what we wanted and when, with little to no regard for you.
We never thought you'd live to see that day, anyway. Damned, from the get-go."
Our Legacy to them all: Fatalism in lieu of Altered Consciousness.

The Unwelcome Visitor: Death (Based on A True Story)

Death sometimes arrives with zero forewarning,
Shows up on your doorstep without invitation--
Sometimes with bags, to stay for a while,
Sometimes with a box to carry you away.

That happened, yesterday, to you, Friend.
There you were, on your merry way,
Minding your own business, embracing Life itself,
Looking forward to time spent with family...

And it came, then, awful Death, beating on your door,
Welcomed or not, making its entrance into your world.
It seized your presence of mind, threw you to the floor,
Rattled your vision and tore apart every filament of your existence.

I can't imagine what biology did then--did it respond?
On a cellular level, did you fight Death's advance?
Had you the strength to combat its fiery darts
And resist its all-too-sudden full-scale attack?

This Unwelcome Visitor no doubt thought it had defeated you;
There you were, frail human, lying in a pool of your own blood,
Facedown, the portrait of mankind succumbing to the inevitable.
"I am the Powerful One," Death laughed and scorned.

But someone had forgotten to tell Death about you.

While Death cheered its seemingly easy victory,
Watched your body reel and cripple at its merciless attack,
Something else was rising up in you, standing strong in you,
The most intrinsic part of you: your very Soul.

One thing The Unwelcome Visitor had failed to realize, yet again,
Is that we are more than our mere molecular construction.
What this Death could not comprehend was what was happening
On the inside of you, the Real You, the Redeemed You:

Shaking off the numbness, the sharp pains and the confusion,
The Soul within you cried out as it had never done before:
"Freeeeeedom!" It sang, repeated, as it stretched upward, for once,
To its full height--ten times taller than any human that ever lived.

Death faltered, for the first time since he had embarked
On this miserable mission: he sputtered, he twisted, he frowned.
"What is this?" he spat to the shadows that surrounded him,
"This thing," he coughed, "This thing is not human."

"Not anymore," rang a voice that at once shook the foundation of Death.
"You have just freed a Child of God!" Angels appeared, then,
An army surrounding you. You stood among them, tall and strong.
"This one is Mine," said the One whose voice sounded like many waters.

There was no mistaking that Voice. There was no mistaking that Authority.
Death fell face down to the ground, smelling the blood that was not yours.
It was Jesus. The Redeemer. The One they called the Lamb.
And He had come at once for you--because you belong to Him.

Oh, the futility of Death to a Child of the Most High God!
Oh, the wonder all of darkness must have at the Reality of Redemption!
Death could not overcome Him--and it could not overcome you.
You, my Friend, were and are and always will be His.


"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"
I Corinthians 15:55


--Written October 7, 2015, in honor of Grandpa Ray Yandell

Where to Go from Here

North? South? East? West?
Where to go from here?

Next step: I know it's coming.
Ready or not, I'll take it.

Close my eyes, clinch my teeth--
Hoping this isn't a ledge.

Here has been my home for so long
That I'm afraid to bid it adieu.

I've loved it here, I really have.
It's so final, that farewell.

But I must get my bags together,
Pack sparingly, efficiently--

This next trip will not be easy;
But it is time. It is time.

Done

That feeling that you get
When the world is not all it should be
That reality you sense
When you realize it's time for a change.

Like it or Love it,
Despair or Despise it,
This Thing is really happening:
The change is impending.

It's been inevitable, hasn't it?
Why is anyone shocked?
(Or was this their intent all along?)
This place is not my home, I sing.

How does the song go...?
Yes, this place is not my home,
I'm just-a passing through...
Through--from This to That.

If only I could see the That.
If only I could know it for myself.
Where am I headed, what shall I do?
Now that it's official: I'm Done.

Blessed Earth

Blessed Earth, 

   You have endured much hardship.

   We have damaged your surface,

   And sucked the life out of you 

   With no apologies for our wrong-doing.

Blessed Earth,

   Our Lord commanded us to

   Tend to you...and we have, instead,

   Abused you with no regard 

   For your future--or our own.

Blessed Earth,

   I'm no philosopher or geologist,

   But I'm certain we are killing you

   And ourselves when we haphazardly

   Poison your waters, your soil, your sky.

Blessed Earth,

   I am but one voice, yet often I pray

   Almighty God will give us mercy

   When He asks us to give an account

   Of how we cared for you.

Blessed Earth,

   I know what we have done to you

   Will not be overlooked...Eventually,

   Even you will not be able to sustain 

   This life as we know it now.

Blessed Earth,

   I will not blame you for what's to come,

   For earthquakes and shortage and war.

   It is not your fault that we are short-sighted.

   You are not the selfish one.

Until All Changed: A Prophecy

They sent their children

To be educated; then,

Those who were able,

Took them elsewhere--

They left in droves;

One family in a hundred,

Then five, then ten.

Many of them went.

And no one said a word.

They left for the traditional--

Schooling as it had been

For multiple generations;

They wanted that for theirs.

Payment for said education

Could not be afforded by all--

So those who could took theirs

And taught them at home.

And no one said a word.

These exoduses costing millions,

One would think there'd be alarm;

Yet on and on they went, no contest,

Not a word from those in charge.

"Miraculously," they were allowed

To segregate themselves

From the rest of society

To preserve their ideologies.

And no one said a word.

Such vacancies allowed them to

Make universal changes they'd desired;

Now no one cared to question

What was being learned and forgotten.

All the while the great schism

Became more pronounced;

Bolder moves were made,

Laws passed, agendas reinforced.

And no one said a word.

Until...All was set in place--

And actions taken, then,

To avenge the defectors--

They were prepared:

Those who didn't return and comply

Were fined, then jailed.  

Those who were vocal died.

And this went on until All Changed.

And no one said a word.

Happy New Year, Brothers!

Happy New Year, Brothers!

If I had a bee hive, I'd dip my

Red, delicious apple in its bounty

And take a bite to honor you.

     Blessed are You, Lord, our God, 

     Sovereign of the universe.

     Who creates the fruit of the vine,

     Who made all things exist through His Word.

Happy New Year, Sisters!

If I could don an apron and

Assist you in the kitchen

On this Holy Day, I would!

    

     Blessed are You, Lord, our God,

     Sovereign of the universe.

     Who has chosen us from among all the people,

     And exalted us above every tongue.

Happy New Year, Siblings!

I think of you on this day,

The day you honor Our Father,

And I pray for your coming year!

     And sanctified us with His commandments, 

     You gave us, Lord our God, with love,

     With love this day of remembrance,

     A day of shofar blowing with love.

Happy New Year, Chosen Ones!

Your steps are Blessed, Forever;

Because your Fathers honored Him.

You are Blessed, Forever, Amen!

     A holy convocation,

     A memorial of the exodus from Egypt.

     Indeed, You have chosen us and 

     Made us holy from all peoples.

Happy New Year, Promised Ones!

He will never forget His Words to you, 

And you have naught to fear 

Because He goes before you.

     And Your Word is true 

     And established for ever.

     Blessed are You, Lord, our God, 

     King over all the world.

Happy New Year, My Family!

Every bright light reminds me

Of your Holy Candles lit now

To remind us of His Light on Earth!

     Who sanctifies the Sabbath and Israel 

     And the Day of Remembrance.  Amen.

-------------------------------

In honor of His people and their celebration:

Rosh Hashanah, 2015

Wizard's Chess: A Song about IMF

Shall we play a game, my friend,

La-le-la-le-la?

Listen to my words, my friend,

La-ee-la-ee-ee:

These are those casting spells 

From anonymity, world class accountants

Meeting on foreign shores to ensure

That they win this horrific game

When it comes to its bitter end.

La-le-la-le-la....

They've come for our Queen.

"Time to change the world," they say;

"Time for all we know to be upended."

And when the markets fail 

(And they will fail, my friend)

We will sing together:

We are the Pawns.

La-ee-la-ee-ee.

There goes the Pawn,

There goes the Rook.

Here come the Master Gamers

To kill our precious Queen.

Now no one's singing

La-le-la-le-la.

Now the haunted chorus, friends:

La-ee-la-ee-ee

The 40s--I've Noticed a Difference or Two

As I'm going through this fourth decade of my life, I have noticed a few changes, a few startling differences. Some of them are comical, and some of them not-so comical.

I thought I'd share some of my thoughts:

1. My tolerance for poor customer service has sharply declined.

I don't know if I just notice it more, if this generation has not been taught HOW to properly give customer service, or if "I'm just getting old and crotchety," but I've got to tell you: I have little patience for poor service.

2. I feel obligated to point out poor customer service.

Tonight, Psalm and I visited Olive Garden (at her request), and within minutes of being seated, I found myself telling the waitress that I needed new menus--the ones I'd been given had pieces of food on them. (And then I wondered: Is this because I'm in my 40's, that I'm noticing this? ...And actually SAYING something about it? Or is it just a serious decline in work ethic and professionalism...and cleanliness?)

3. I can say "No" now.

In the previous decades, I found myself signing up for anything and everything, every opportunity that came my way. Now, I realize I only have so much energy and I must be selective on how I am going to expend that energy. I find myself saying "no" to things I would not have said no to before. For example? Being in plays. Taking on another job--even when it does NOT pay enough. Signing up for added duties. Nope. Not me, not anymore.

4. When people are talking and they annoy me, I feel completely comfortable with exiting the conversation without making some sort of excuse.

Yes, this means that I will turn and walk away from a conversation that I don't enjoy. For whatever reason. I have realized that life is too short. (I should have been doing this years ago. I've finally come to my senses.)

5. Paying more money for moisturizers is totally worth it.

No more junk stuff, no more two dollar moisturizers. This body is in serious need of The Good Stuff. I make no apologies. :)

6. ?

I will leave this list incomplete for now, and update it as other items occur to me.

I will say this, though: This decade of my life has been a real eye-opener. It is very different from the ones that have preceded it!

Beautiful, Beautiful Day

I can feel the sunshine on my bare skin,
The breeze, the sound of free birds in tree tops,
I can hear the sounds of our sweet earth,
Feel its living vibrations under my fingertips.

I close my eyes and let it speak to me,
Renew my core with its universal secrets:
I can hear the Master Creator's creations
Reaching out to me, calling me back...

"This is what it's all about," I say,
To no one in particular (I am alone);
And my words of revelatory knowledge
Are carried off in the warm winds of spring.

I open my eyes and stare at the forest
Of trees upon yonder mountain: I
Imagine my spirit lifted up, soaring,
Over them, feeling their vibrancy.

I lift up and chase a paint-stroke cloud;
It's much farther away than I estimate,
I laugh gleefully, I am who I was meant to be--
Woman soaring high like a free bird.

It's a beautiful, beautiful day, and I
Am feeling the most beautiful part of me,
Eternal me, breathing in this beautiful day:
THIS is who I truly am, Me Free.

What I See Trending: Thought Control

I spent over an hour last night

Reading news headlines

Since I've been too busy, lately,

To watch even a sunset.

My God, what a world

This world has become;

Frightening headlines,

Terrorism sweeping nations.

Reading those headlines,

Seeing what is happening,

I am struck with how freedom

Rings so rarely on this planet.

Freedom, Liberty, Self-Awareness--

Personal Expression, Personal Thought.

Why is this such a threat 

To the Powers-That-Be?

Many people around the globe

Policing, convincing one another

That it is in our collective best interest

For our Thoughts to be controlled.

This is what keeps me up at night

This is what makes my skin crawl--

When human forces overtly attempt

To overthrow our inalienable right to Thought.

I was created to think.  We all were.

Our minds are precious commodities:

Not to be bought or sold. And yet,

Thoughts come with a high price today.

Your Thoughts could cost you your life

Today--if they are allowed to spill over

Onto page or screen or even in

The most innocent of conversations.

Dare to disagree, dare to question

What someone thinks or says?

Prepare to suffer the consequences:

You will be made an example of.

Why do they feel they have a right

To invade my most private Thoughts?

How on earth do they intend

To police my brain in such a way?

The truth is:  Thoughts can be dangerous.

Thinking people can see through the ruse

Of political corruption and fallacy--

Thinking people recognize ignorance.

Shall I dare to think, then, and dream?

Or will I allow their brutal tactics

To enslave my Thoughts--binding them

So they are not properly exercised.

And then, when slow and lethargic,

They will be less likely to hinder

The sinister plans of the Powerful:

As we eat from the palm of their hands.

Time is ticking, and I must decide.

(You must decide, as well).

What we are going to do about 

This invasion on our Minds:

Will we let them have them, then?

Or shall we resist until it happens:

The Death of Thought?

(Resist, my friends. Resist.)

---------------------------------------

A response to news headlines