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Anonymous
(Mystery poet, enter and sign in, please!)
STEERING LESSONS
I'm behind the wheel
feeling the acceleration
as my vehicle careers
along in the Dark.
I am not asking for intellectual
discussion on the operation of
accelerators or braking systems.
Just tell me what you see.
Sometimes the lurching
frightens me. Are there rocks?
Is this a bend to negotiate?
Am I too near the ditch just now?
Does this new Silence mean
freefall or coasting?
Listen. My aim is only to be
centered on the road alive.Written during the Gulf War...
IN THE MIDST OF FEAR AND GRIEVING
A voice calls:
"I will raise up your ruins.
Return to me for I have redeemed you.
Come to me and I will give you rest.
Comfort, comfort my people.
I am with you always.
I am the Beloved and there is no other.
"Do you say to me,
'Your work has no handles'?
'We have no bread'?
Do you imagine that I grieve with you?
"Would that even today you knew
the things that make for peace.
Truly, I have borne your griefs.
Forgive them,
for they know not what they do.
Give them something to eat.
Walk in love.
O that I would find you
Grieving with me,
Toting crosses,
Purchasing fields in Canaan.
~ listener
Howard Empowered Poet
Well, I didn't want to be the first commenter on this thread, but I have a few poems that seem appropriate for this blog. I'll put each in a separate comment.
ReplyDeleteColumbia
ReplyDeleteSTS 107
February 1, 2003
Seven souls released in fire,
Vehicles sublimed between air and Earth,
Their courage and love set free to fill
Our hearts and the universe.
God takes his own in his good way and time,
Not for us to fathom the emptiness behind the taking
Or the mind so vast its love looks like death.
For us is only grief and, looking up,
To reach again for the stars.
A Letter to the Front
ReplyDeleteWritten during "the Gulf Conflict"
Spring 1991
The turning year is passing now through Spring once more,
When melting snows run swift as flowing tears,
For we lay waste the life God gave us evermore,
And use in hate his words that no one hears.
"And love your God above and serve no other.
Love all men - that's the truth that makes men free.
lift not your hand in wrath against your brother,
For when you injure him, the blow crushes me."
The robin sings again outside our window -
The one you nursed, that had a wounded wing.
But then one day you said that we must let it go
Or else it would not live to see the Spring.
And now you're gone, they say to fight for freedom.
But it's the truth, as sharp as truth can be,
A bullet knows no mercy nor no wisdom,
And when he lies dead, how can a man be free?
Prayer after September 11, 2001
ReplyDeleteMay the Lord grant strength
and wisdom to the President
and others in positions of authority
or influence in the U.S. government,
that they may pursue justice swiftly and sternly
yet may not return
distruction for distruction,
unreasoning hatred for unreasoning hatred,
and bloodlust for bloodlust.
May we greive,
yet in our grief let us not confuse
vengence, which belongs to the Lord,
with justice, which belongs to men.
Flight Path
ReplyDeleteA hand lies in the cratered street,
beside a baby, her legs
red jelly, thin scream touching
my ear through the jets' massed thunder,
till lightning megadeath silences her.
I wake, hand pressed to heaving breast;
in the blessed dark and quiet draw relief
through dry lips. "Thank you,
Jesus! It was a dream," drowned
by another C30's departing roar.
Hi listener. You're welcom.
ReplyDelete♥
site i just found:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lmhr.org.uk/events/
stuff to be aware of:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tolerance.org/news/feature/soundtrack_of_hate/
Hi mprov,
ReplyDeleteWow, the material at the last link you left is sobering. Most of the bands listed have names that certainly should raise warning signals in any parent's or friend's mind, but some sound perfectly innocuous. Also, I had no idear the white supremecists had branched into music, though of course it is a logical step. They write books, after all, that sometimes make it into the mainstream. It's logical that they would also sieze upon the power of music.
I almost wish I hadn't read that. Now the enormaty of the task before us, which I dimly grasped before, comes crashing down on me with all its glacial weight. Oh well, we can only do what we can do. And, being as we're Deaniacs, what we can do is a lot.
Just invited three more people; though, disconcertingly, neither Renee nor Oscar has yet acted to accept or reject the invitation. OTOH they are both very busy. I suspect it may be some time before we hear from Demetrius for the same reason. Hopefully, though, Sadie and Subway will be joining us shortly.
don't forget kimmy.
ReplyDeleteAh, thanks, mprov. I wasn't sure about Kimmy. I'll get her now.
ReplyDeleteKimmy is an artist, a musician, a writer, and her candid expression is poetry to my ears.
ReplyDeleteCatreona,
ReplyDeleteactually, they started using thrash metal and punk years ago as recruiting tools for the skinhead movement.
LOL listener. If that doesn't conjer her up, nothing will.
ReplyDeletelistener,
ReplyDeleteif you go back to the main page and click on the "blogger" in the upper left hand corner, it'll lead you to another page with other software. there's a plug-in called hello that easily lets you add photos to any blog here you're capable of posting a thread to. i'll help further if you need it.
actually, then click help. then click posting under basics.
ReplyDeleteWell listener, the only vaguely relevant thing I could find on the Blogger Dashboard was under "Comments," which was a toggle to allow or disallow profile pictures in comments. I turned that on, but don't know that it will effect what you're trying to do. You might ask Puddle. She seems much better checked out on this system than I am.
ReplyDelete