Songs of Joy

A Story Of An Apricot

2011-08-06T13:06:00.001-07:00

by Joy, age three years and seven months.

I like to see the apricot.
I like to eat the apricot.

The end.

Lament

2011-01-18T06:58:00.000-08:00

I hate ants
and the ants, they hate me.
Why won't they stay where they belong?
Outside, scurrying in the grass
or under a tree.

In the Mist

2010-10-26T05:36:00.001-07:00

I exist in a world of silver
Shot through with flashes of crimson
Occasionally gold
Through the gauzy curtain I see
Beauty just beyond
Beckoning me.

Autumn Haiku

2010-10-18T10:01:00.001-07:00

Sunshine streaming through
Leaves of orange, red, and gold
Fill the heart with Joy

Sympathy

2010-09-09T06:50:00.000-07:00

When friends hurt I ache with them
For them
I want to say the right words to show my heart
But everything seems so inadequate
So helpless
And so all I can do is cry with them
Pray for them
Love them
And hope that it is enough

Summer Rain

2010-07-23T09:27:00.001-07:00

Glorious, beautiful, steady rain.
Washing away
All our troubles and trials
Leaving
A clean world behind.

Rambling

2010-04-15T07:17:00.000-07:00

I wander through a thicket of words
My mind know the map,
Knows the destination
But my feet take me hither
And thither
To and fro
'Round and 'round

I will get there eventually
But it seems
I must always take
The long way 'round

Isn't that
sometimes
More fun?

Or maybe just lazy and irritating
Depending on who
is asked.

Country Dreams

2010-04-13T06:48:00.000-07:00

I yearn for the country in ways
I didn't even
know
were possible before I left it. My heart aches
as I walk down these hard
cold
impersonal paved streets and I dream of
green grass
or fields white with snow
or bursting with wildflowers
colors everywhere.
And as my daughter trips and
falls
again on the road
I see her
and her sister
running free through the woods and fields
As I did when I was young
And I wish
Oh how I wish
For them to experience the same
joy
and freedom that I had. But we are
here
and now, and so I help her up and kiss
her scrapes
and we walk some more
and I thank God that at least we have a place
to walk
at all.

exhaustion

2010-04-05T10:12:00.000-07:00

if people

would only

leave me

alone

maybe i

could find

a little

peace

some rest

would be

so very

nice

but nobody

ever stops

needing me

always

and i

am weary

and tired

today

Three poems

2010-04-03T05:16:00.000-07:00

I have done rather (okay, quite) poorly thus far at writing a poem every day in April. April 3, and not a poem to be found! To remedy that, here are three in one day:

Robins
Fighting
Biting
Scratching
Catching [worms]
Scrappy little birds
Meanest I have [ever] heard

Potty-Training
O Child Dear, O Woe is Me!
Your diaper has spilled, O can't you see?
Mess, mess, everywhere
I am tearing out my hair
O how much longer will you be,
In these devices of misery?

Spring Psalm
Liquid gold of the sun
Praise him
Fierce blue of the sky
Praise him
Flying creatures of the air
Praise him
Creeping creatures of the ground
Praise him
Green of grass growing
Praise him
Smell of rich dark earth
Praise him
Trees bursting with new life
Praise him
Stars and moon and clouds at night
Praise him
All the earth
Praise him
All that live
Praise him
With every breath
Praise to our God

Poetry Month Self-Challenge

2010-03-26T05:22:00.001-07:00

April is National Poetry Month ... I am going to try to write one poem a day this month, even if it is just a couple lines. Anyone want to join me?

Grace's Tale

2010-03-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

There before our eyes

Lying on the grass

Heralding the spring

A wee faerie lass

How did you get here

Faerie child of spring?

I don’t see your dust

Nor yet any wings

“My wings are all gone

Now that I am here

No more a fairy

I’m now your child dear.”

Valiant

2010-03-04T09:13:00.000-08:00

Wasn't it just
Yesterday?
Your sister stood in the
same
place

And you were cuddled tight in my womb
Still a hope and a
Prayer

Now here you are
So tall and strong
Looking out
Exploring
Your world

Brave and
Fearless

Growing so fast

So much to
See
And learn

Your bright blue eyes
And bold smile
Face the world

Like your sister

My two
Brave
Girls

Go forth
Face the world

And know that you always
Always
Have a home to return to

And love

Olympic Gold

2010-02-19T10:56:00.000-08:00

Blades
cut
Crisp, clean edges

Arm to toe
Lines are pure

Every note of music
heard and felt
breathed
lived

Sheer power
Raw beauty
Eyes are focused
Dream is clear

This moment
The triumph

Yes

Yes

Winter's End

2010-02-06T08:24:00.000-08:00

Snow flakes lazily
drift through the air
twisting and dropping
And melt
Before
They touch the ground

Autumn Weeping

2009-11-20T04:59:00.000-08:00

Water drips
Like jewel-bright tears
Off the sullen, sodden
Black limbs of trees

Joy-Seekers

2009-10-15T06:07:00.000-07:00

Eyes full of wonder, discovering the world
Everything is new, all is joy
So much to see, so much to learn
Innocent eyes, still so new

Eyes full of delight, growing every day
Starting to understand, yet still young
Joy and sorrow, you have known both
Innocent eyes, begin to know

Eyes full of weariness, life too busy
Full days and nights, no time for wonder
Stop a moment, breathe in and out
Tired eyes, find joy again

Rainy Sunday

2009-08-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

The air is heavy
Like an old sponge
It leaks water
Which it is too full to hold

Summer Memories

2009-08-17T09:40:00.001-07:00

It is hot, and I melt like the stick of butter on the dish, puddling into exhaustion, and then I remember ...

I remember summers of my childhood, floating on the cool, brown water, thinking of nothing at all.

I remember jumping in the lake with my sundress on, returning to camp after a long, hot walk.

I remember swimming after my grandparents' dog, swimming after some ducks ... none of us catching the other.

I remember laying on a cot in the screened-in porch with cucumbers on my sunburnt eyelids, listening to Mom's voice read from "Wind in the Willows."

I remember rambling through the woods, climbing on rocks, picking berries ripened under a scorching sun.

I remember early morning fishing trips with Dad and Lis, watching the mist rise from the lake, floating in a sea of cool white.

I remember tracking dirt and sand into the camp and never getting scolded.

I remember careening down the playground slide-turned water slide, to land with a resounding splash.

I remember squelching through the mud picking elderberries ... picking up a leech as well and quivering as Gram suggested burning it off, trying to be brave ... the relief when it fell off without the use of flame.

I remember weeks at the ocean, getting pounded by waves, trying to body surf, returning to the hotel covered in sand and salt.

I remember raking up mown grass, dripping sweat under the merciless sun.

I remember picking beans, wishing Mom had planted a few less rows.

I remember riding on the bow of a boat in the Caribbean, looking down through the clear water, thinking nothing would ever feel hot again after this.

And with all these memories floating through my mind, I empty out a plastic tub to turn into an impromptu swimming pool for a sticky hot toddler ... set up on the porch where splashes won't hurt anything ...

And I hope that this becomes a summer memory she clings to when she is grown.

It will remain tucked away with mine, I know.

My Prayer Today

2009-04-06T08:40:00.000-07:00

May God give us grace
Each and every day
To praise Him

When the rain falls
Or the snow comes
Or the sun shines

When we're feeling down
Or anger stirs
Or happiness reigns

When times are tough
Or days are discouraging
Or life is looking up

Regardless of our circumstances
Be they bad
Or sad, Or good

God is still God
Seated on the throne
Loving and gracious

If we are secure in His love
What do circumstances matter?
He is Enough

Spring Song

2009-03-08T13:45:00.000-07:00

Grass is Greening
Trees are Leafing
Peepers are Peeping
Birds are Cheeping

Spring is Springing!

(Yes, this was inspired both by the weather and Tolkein's elf song about "to leave would be folly, to stay would be jolly, oh! tra la la lally, down in the valley." Or something like that.)

Rainy Joy

2009-03-06T05:11:00.000-08:00

When the sky is grey outside
We make our own sunshine

Happy hearts
Warm giggles
Soft cuddles

Songs of praise
Word meditations
Heart prayers

Never mind the rain
Joy comes from within

"A joyful heart is good medicine ..." (Proverbs 17:22a)

Heart Song

2009-03-05T11:21:00.001-08:00

Wordless praise
Heart of gratitude
Sometimes,
Language is unnecessary

Monday Morning

2009-01-26T07:28:00.001-08:00

House needs cleaning
Baby is fussing
Mamma's so tired
Just want to sleep

What to make for supper?
Do I shower or not?
Do sheets really need changing?
When can I nap?

Take a moment
Prioritize
Breathe
Pray

Time with God comes first
All else will follow
What doesn't get done today
Will get done tomorrow

Bad Day

2009-01-22T09:14:00.000-08:00

Frustration builds
As baby whines
Headache forms
Angry words arise

Choke them back
Fight them down
Trust to God

He can turn this day around
Give you peace
Give you rest
Comfort hearts
End this test

No rhythm or rhyme scheme at all to this poem--just words poured from the heart.

Snowflake Dance

2009-01-21T05:59:00.000-08:00

Snowflakes dancing in the wind
Flutter, whirl and swirl
Catching Light
Dazzling bright
Elusive bits of joy