A peaceful calm invades the gloom
Now struggling to control the room
Today I can’t pursue a thought
That is uncouth or seems untaught !
My day is much too important
To entertain sounds dissonant
I’m looking forward to a true
Enjoyment of all I might do.
My life is full of joy and care
Because I’m sure that God is there !
Where sounds of silence fill the air
And winds of time do memory spare
The depth of emptiness will stare
Into a crowd that does not care !
The tiny child is full of grace
Such sweetness and quite fair of face
This peaceful babe that cuddles so
Does warm the heart with inner glow !
I never thought that I would be
Enchanted by each small baby,
How wonderful that God does show
To all the way our love should grow !
Our heroes bold, those men of yore
Brave soldiers who did wage the war
They fought and died to make us free
And won for us our liberty !
They’d come from every walk of life
And served us well in times of strife
They sacrificed both lives and land
To save us from the tyrant’s hand !
These battles waged within the past
We’d hoped would be our very last
Now seems we’ve made a grave mistake
And find our world facing heartache
What shall we do, where will we turn
Who’ll save us now the beast’s returned ?
Old Noah was an honest man
Who followed God’s exact command
It made no sense to build that boat
No one was sure if it would float !
Then after all those tedious years
Rife with derision, jokes and jeers
The day arrived to pack the space
With creatures from just everyplace !
Now if you thought the ark a chore
To fill it would take so much more
Corralling that exotic strife
Would be the effort of his life !
But Noah’s band stuck to their gun
They needed food for everyone,
Almost five thousand years ago
As Genesis has told us so,
His years nine-hundred-fifty were
Thank God for him, our forefather !
I want to know about my dreams
And if they fit into life’s schemes,
How are they meant to pave the way
To help me breach the last relay?
The vigil bell rings loud and clear
Declaring one sojourner here
The task is hard, perhaps too long
To reach God’s ears by evensong !
I’ve cast my lot upon the wind
Forgive me Lord, I know I’ve sinned
There is no time to come again
My visit soon must meet its end !
My life has been a series of
Moments inspired by God and love
Pain and grief weigh-in second best
While peace and joy exceed the rest !
If I could wish one thing for you
To truly last your whole life through
It would be that you’ll find the one
Who’ll be your stars and moon and sun !
Lifetime partners with needs divers
Our God has shown us, verse by verse
This destiny designed for us
With Him it will be glorious !
We thank you Lord for grace and care
And all the blessings that we share
Through times of good and times of bad
Those times we gave it all we had !
Some lifetimes have a slow restart
For many hide a timid heart
Beyond our skills the fear still lurks
One foot before the other works !
The steady pace of trying hard
Should help to keep us on our guard
The path ahead cannot be sure
Pray it will make our way secure !
Do you remember times gone by
When stardust sprinkled evening sky
And silence was a welcome friend
Who visited at each day’s end ?
When words were meant to carry us
Into the twilight’s quiet hush
With thoughts of what is yet to come
To comfort all and solace some ?
This simple task, a wistful one
Recalls how quickly life is done
While all we’ve known does go astray
Soon to become our yesterday !
The coward utters emboldened word
He will repeat what he has heard;
A man of courage will peace prolong
His ethic must be both bold and strong !
The weak man hides his deceptive heart
And covers all with fallacious art
How sad that only time can reveal
The deep dark secret he does conceal !
Oh would that God might give us a sign
That we should each our allegiance find !
I love to see the curtain’s edge
Lift gently from my window ledge
The breeze outside comes pushing in
As lacy fluff lifts in the wind !
The fabric floats into my space
Creating gauzy veils of lace
While visions seem to spin around
Like Venus in her dressing gown !
This has no place now I’ve been told
These styles I chose are just too old
And no one cares or wants to see
Lace panels here except for me !
There was a boy so long ago
Who roamed the hills near Jericho
He had great skill with stone and sling,
Who thought he would become the king ?
But God’s true wisdom knew the best
That David would survive the test
And while exiled, in caves he hid
Saul wished him dead, of course he did !
He stayed the course, he ran the race
And triumphed over his disgrace
A feeling man both wise and good
With frailties that God understood !
My heart seems caught on tethered wings
And shuns the song the siren sings
The wind that whistles through the trees
Echoes soft murmurs on the breeze !
This land I’ve loved for all my life
Is rife with anger, hate and strife
How did we lose our sanctity
What ghostly force have we set free ?
Is this the end of what we’ve known
And fruit of all man’s evil sown ?
The day was warm, the air was sweet
Clouds seemed to waltz on tip toe feet
The waters rippled in the streams
With motions wrapt in eager schemes !
Somewhere apart the world rejoiced
With hope the need for peace was voiced
What victory may we expect,
Will it take long or be direct ?
How much more time must we await,
When is our expiration date ?
We do not know, of this I’m sure
But beg of God help speed the cure !
I like to watch the daylight bloom
Its rays illuminate my room
For who is there bathed in the mist
Upon the walls that moonlight kissed ?
The thought that love will melt away
Beyond the veils of yesterday
While those who tame the heart and mind
Truly believe love is unkind !
There are no rules, no precedent
To help us learn to circumvent
Life’s simple foils or great mistake
None can afford the last heartbreak !
What does one do when dreams are crushed
And turned into a heap of dust
That leaves us all beyond our aim
With broken hearts and vanquished fame ?
Conquistadors and noble knights
You’ve heard their tales of valiant fights
And heroes who rest in their grave
Had visions that they died to save !
While we who are the bottom rung
Have simpler aims and hopes unsung
We beg our Lord to understand
And help us reach the promised land !
I have wandered lost on streets of concrete
Where one accepts the result of defeat
My heart cried out in its journey unknown
And hugged its armor of asphalt and stone.
I have traveled this world hoping to learn
The turn of a phrase or toss of a coin
But discover at last I’ve been undone
And conclude this vision remains unwon !
Time has come and gone and finally flown
And has left me here lamenting alone
Oh would that we’d find a peaceable end
In the comfort of God, angel and friend !
My love for God is not a fad
It took much courage, all I had
I wished that I might inspire you
To see the future as I do !
We need to halt and take a rest
Learn to accept how we are blessed
Observing sea, air, earth and sky
With animals and birds that fly !
These creatures part of God’s invent
Display to us His great intent,
This gift to us, the final prize
That transports all to paradise !
The morn arrives with no surprise
To flush the corners of our eyes
While airborne creatures fill the sky
To welcome day, bid night goodbye.
The streets are clear and fresh with dew
The day begins with chance anew
Pray hear the flutter of the heart
And grant each one a brand new start !
I loved someone so long ago
He couldn’t stay, he had to go
There was another path to take
It mattered not what was at stake !
His rendezvous was preordained
It left no future to be gained
One can’t refute the final score
While knocking on heaven’s front door !
Have you wondered how the angels sleep
With all of the timid souls they keep
Children and babes and the very old
And those enduring grief uncontrolled ?
How do they manage I’d like to ask
To juggle such an enormous task
And will their numbers be large or few
When each nightfall comes what do they do ?
Do angels truly have giant wings
Does anyone hear when an angel sings
With so many facts we’ve yet to know
Will they be there when it’s time to go ?
If there is a God who watches us
He knows we create ungodly fuss
As daily we make our way in life
While threading through all its stress and strife !
If there is a God who reigns above
He is kind and showers us with love
There waiting to perform goodly deeds
To dispel our fears and fill our needs !
If there is a God who rules the earth
He is familiar with each from birth
While observing human growth and care
Help us end our grief and our despair !
What madness here that I can see
With strength that overpowers me
And grows intense as days go by
To watch our freedoms fade and die ?
Where is the world that I once knew
Its courage strong, it’s values true
While shadows fall upon the thieves
And on the streets the poplace grieves ?
This country that we love so much
Suffers greatly from Midas’ touch
When will this deity be gone
Have we the time to wait that long ?
I cannot bear to see your pain
And need to help you heal again
I do not truly understand
But mean to stay close by your hand.
One simple wish I’ll try to fill
To strive to keep you safe until
Angels appear upon the scene
And God has time to intervene !
My mind becomes a time machine
Like Jack, I have this magic bean
It grows and keeps reminding me
Of memories that used to be !
The clarity of where I’ve been
Is clear as I remember when
I wished that I could share this gift
With those who need a mighty lift.
It’s not that truth falls in-between
These cracks that pop-up on the scene
It’s simply that one waits too long
To ponder why good things go wrong !
Perhaps we could retrace our ways
Recalling all those yesterdays
When each of us would stand up tall
Admitting errors great and small !
A lifetime promise I shall keep
To speak with God before I sleep
This vow I took when I was small
The reason now I don’t recall !
It had to do with truth and lies
Seeming foolish and being wise
I can’t be false while pledging true
I’m partial to red, white and blue !
About me here I spy the face
Of many that have earned disgrace
They have small faith in who we are
And won’t enhance our rising star !
I’ve seen the windmills by the sea
I’ve listened as the gulls scold me
The waves that wash the sandy shores
They whisper while the ocean roars.
Like dew that rests upon the rose
Then disappears as mornings close
The sun now rises warming all
After the cool of late nightfall !
Thus it is as our goal proceeds
So much beauty among the weeds
But who can choose what does belong
It is God’s option, right or wrong !
A bandana tied with simple knot
A small bouquet of forget-me-not
A beach blanket set upon the grass
Napkins, utensils and plastic glass !
What do we have here before our eyes
I think it could be picnic surprise
Oh, how romantic and ever sweet
What secret treats and what will we eat ?
I see a basket next to the tree
Must be luncheon meant for you and me
Is that bottled bubbly I can spy
To celebrate the Fourth of July !
Claire V. Bogdanos 