pop's poetry

Category: Religion

  • betty june

    A cruel thief slipped in so suddenly
And took a precious part of me away.
It left behind a shell of what used to be,
Now it’s hard to know just what to say.
But the memories of the times I listened at your feet
And the wonder of your faith so strong and free,
Give me pearls of wisdom from God’s own heart,
No thief can ever take those pearls from me.
I see you when my children smile.
When they laugh sometimes I hear your voice.
It’s hard to see the purpose in the pain I feel right now
Breathing in and breathing out is now a choice.
But I’ll just sit here and talk to you a while.
You taught me what it meant to live by faith alone
And to search for the purpose in my pain.
I listened while you dealt with others patiently,
Looking for the wisdom I could gain.
It’s hard for me to be the one I want to be,
Sometimes I feel I just get in the way.
I don’t claim to understand God’s purpose,
I just pray for the strength to face each day
I see you when my children smile.
When they laugh sometimes I hear your voice.
It’s hard to see the purpose in the pain I feel right now,
Breathing in and breathing out is now a choice.
But I’ll just sit here and dream of you for a while.
The day has finally come to let go of you
May the peace you seek be the place you find.
The person that you were left many years ago,
When the dawning of demise rose in your mind.
After all the years of knowing that this day would come,
I’m unprepared to let these feelings free.
But the tears will flow every time I think of you,
And the tender way you gave your love to me.
I see you when my children smile.
When they laugh sometimes I hear your voice.
It’s hard to see the purpose in the pain I feel right now
Breathing in and breathing out is now a choice.
But I’ll just sit here and think of you a while.

  • 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.”

  • jesus in the front yard

    A man’s house is huge
As is his truck
His job is steady
As are his paychecks
His equity is growing
As is his waistline

His life reeks of success.
A smell others loathe

He’s over housed
Over booked
Over taught
Over read
Over sold
And almost dead
To what is really going on
And that which really matters

It’s not one more hundred in his wallet
Given hastily as the plate passes.
It’s not one more check mailed away
To some foreign country he won’t visit
Much less pronounce
Or touch
Or really affect

Jesus was in the man’s front yard this morning
And the man asked Jesus why he let people suffer
Jesus looked at his house
At his truck
At his wallet
At his waistline
Smiled a sad smile
And walked away