My story started when my will
decided it would have its way.
A pleasure boat I bought that day.
I fixed it up with dreams until
I felt my future fatten, fill.
Then came more sin. Then came more fear.
The promised shores did not appear.
I struggled, fought against the knot
that held me sinking with my yacht.
It’s only by God’s grace I’m here.
Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “knot” to be used in the D line of a décima for this week’s Décima Poetry Challenge with rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC.
Wealth or wits aren’t what it takes
to stop that giant, curse and all.
God alone transcends and shakes:
One river stone, one sling, one fall.
Eugenia offers “champion” for this week’s prompt. I am thinking of 1 Samuel 17.
The water in the coffee’s hot.
The sand upon the beach is too.
When simple duty will not do
temptations offer what they’ve got.
So, should I stray or should I not?
A vortex has much snow to hurl.
With stormy wrath the wind will whirl
me where I do not want to go.
I see the signs. They tell me: “No.
Rejoice and stay. Let faith unfurl.”
Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “whirl” to be used a C line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s Décima Poetry Challenge.
Love comes when the mountains ring
and valleys rise to roar.
They rang, I fear.
Oh, can’t you hear?
I love you more and more.
The prompt for Chel Owens’ A Mused Poetry Contest is to write “a funny love poem inside a greeting card”. Eugenia’s Weekly Prompt is “romance”. It is Valentine’s Day. I am only hoping the above is romantic and funny enough.
A very short story of mine, “Moon Walk”, was published in Whispers and Echoes. It also has a Valentine’s Day theme. I am grateful to the editor for selecting it.
Around deception there is stealth.
It covers up the root word steal.
Deceivers hope we won’t reveal
that there is more than earthly health.
Behold the idol. See its wealth?
It rots. It burns. It turns to dust.
Without true change those dying must
resettle with the trash of hell.
Look down with dread. That dropping well
grows deep with lies betraying trust.
Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “steal” to be used in a B line of a décima for this week’s Décima Poetry Challenge.
I was thinking of Revelation 21:8. The photos are an attempt to hint at what’s still available should one change one’s mind if one hasn’t already.
Behold the snow. Behold the tree.
It’s getting old this mystery
of why stuff likes to stay so cold.
Away! Begone! Let spring unfold.
Eugenia offers “winter” for this week’s prompt.
The devil gets no peace. To sing
for him is more a punishment.
His time is short. It goes. It went,
but wrath remains a fearful thing.
We’re confident. Each coming spring
is but rehearsal for the end
when death is done and life can mend.
We can’t cling to an evil heart.
Please, make it new. Now let us start.
Tomorrow we’ll be home, my friend.
Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “spring” to be used in an A line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge.
Was it the tree? Was it our choice
to be like gods that day?
That fruit, recall, did not agree.
Perhaps it really was the tree
when we did not obey.
Chelsea Owens challenges us to write a rant for this month’s A Mused Poetry Contest. Ranting gives me a chance to blame someone besides myself.
I was thinking of Genesis 3. Imagine what Adam and Eve might have said to each other after eating from the tree that gave them the knowledge of good and evil along with the realization, to their surprise, that they weren’t good enough to be gods.
I don’t recall that they actually blamed the tree in Genesis, but they might as well have. I wonder what God would have done if they repented then and there, broke their rant, and blamed themselves?
Regardless, were I in their place given my own history of messing things up, I shudder to think what would have happened.
Looking up I know that I
am blessed to see this full wolf moon.
Without a word I hear the sky,
Maranatha. Coming soon.
Eugenia offers the prompt “wolf moon” for this week’s challenge. I was thinking of Psalm 19 when writing this.
“It will be Biblical,” I’ve read.
My hope embraces all the change
and challenges. I’ll rearrange
ignoring fear, rejecting dread.
In truth good news has long been spread.
I sacrifice my sinful heart.
Create it pure. Renew each part.
I’ll trust the warmth and saving care.
I’ll wait in silence anywhere
then praise whatever You might start.
Ronovan Hester challenges us to use the rhyme word “care” in a D line of a décima having the rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC. I was mostly thinking of Psalm 51.
Poetry, Short Prose and Walking 