pop's poetry

Category: philosophy

  • contentment is the key

    To unlock the chains
That have me fettered
To this complicated life

If only I had searched
Many years ago
I would have found this key
Where I have been

Under a rock near the shore
Or in a tree on the hillside
In the middle of a grassy plain
Or on the path leading to the park
Inside one of my children’s books
Or held in my mother’s hand
Inserted in the lock on my front door
Ready to be turned

I could have seen so much
Of life that has passed me by
As I rushed headlong
In my race to become

All the time, I was
And I didn’t know it
Underneath it all was
The life simple

  • how do i love you…

    ...let me count the ways:
I love you by listening more and talking less.
I love you by giving more and taking less.
I love you by whispering more and yelling less.
I love you by serving more and lounging less.
I love you by smiling more and frowning less.
I love you by praising more and mocking less.
I love you by playing more and working less.
I love you by agreeing more and arguing less.
I love you by trusting more and fearing less.
How do I love you, let me count the ways...all my days.

  • conversing with god on love

    God: “Love is patient.”
Me: “Check.”
God: “Love is kind.”
Me:“Check.”
God: “It does not envy.”
Me: “Check.”
God: “It does not boast.”
Me: “Check.”
God: “It is not proud.”
Me: “Check.”
God: “It is not rude.”
Me: “Check.  So far, so good.”
God: “It is not self-seeking.”
Me: “Check.”
God: “It is not easily angered.”
Me: “Check.”
God: “It keeps no record of wrongs.”
Me: “check…hold on, no record of wrongs?  None?  You mean I can’t bring up that time when my wife did….  No record of wrongs?  Let's...let’s start again.”
God: “Love is patient”
Me: “Well…most of the time.”
God: “Love is kind”
Me: “Yeah, pretty kind.”
God: “It does not envy.”
Me: “Hmmm….”
God: “It does not boast.”
Me: “Gulp.”
God: “It is not proud.”
Me: “Ouch.”
God: “It is not rude.”
Me: “OK, I give up – this is way too hard.”
God: “Just let it go.”
Me: “But it’s too hard.”
God: “Let it go.”
Me: “I’ll try harder, I really will.”
God: “Listen.”
Me: “I will.”
God: “No, listen…let it go.”
Me: “I will.”
God: “No, listen.  Let it go.”
Me: “I am.”
God: “Let it go.”
Me: “Help me.”
God: “You keep on seeing, but don’t see.”
Me: “Seeing what?”
God: “You keep on hearing, but don’t hear.”
Me: “Hearing what?”
God: “It’s not about you – it’s about Me.  This is My love, dear one, not yours.”
Me: “Oh, God.”
God: “One more time through.”
God: “Love is patient.”
Me: “Always so patient.”
God: “Love is kind.”
Me: ”Undeservedly kind.”
God: “It does not envy.”
Me: “I have nothing to give.”
God: “It does not boast.”
Me: “Careful with my fragile ego.”
God: “It is not proud.”
Me: “Compassionate with my state of nothingness.”
God: “It is not rude”
Me: “Gentle beyond belief.”
God: “It is not self-seeking.”
Me: “All things work together for good.”
God: “It is not easily angered.”
Me: “Though I am easily sidetracked.”
God: “It keeps no record of wrongs.”
Me: “For Your sacrifice has covered them all.”
God: “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." 
Me: “And truth brings trust.”
God: “It always protects.”
Me: “Though I stray.”
God: “Always trusts.”
Me: “Though I often fail.”
God: “Always hopes.”
Me: “Though I often doubt.”
God: “Always perseveres.”
Me: “Though I often give up.”
God: “Love never fails.” 
Me: “Never fails, ever.”
Me: “Thank you God.”
God: “I love you.”
  • Wendell’s Trees

    Wendell’s Trees

    Wendell Berry helped open my eyes
    when I could not see
    the trees for the forest

    where the collective gratitude of the woods
    cannot be stacked
    up against the individual

    gift of praise from every sentinel
    which is more powerful
    and ultimately more palpable

    because each is together, yet separate
    as I am with you
    and we are in the universe.