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Best Poems Written by Doug Blair

Below are the all-time best Doug Blair poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

Details | Doug Blair Poem

Ootcast Kirk

Aye and ’tis a bonnie glen

And for us the Laird’s enclave

Dinna fush the soldiers’ menace

‘Tis this moment that He gave.

And we gaither ‘neath the stars

And we tak the wine and bread

And we cleave with benediction

To each Word arr Saviour said.

This is Church

Mind not the dampness

And the laing hike to and fro’

For the Pastor of our choosin’

Meets us here, and helps us grow.

Though he lives just like an ootcast

With a price upon his head

He can still preach Heaven doon t’us

And we treasure all he said.

Sure ’tis hard times we endure

For the One King of our Kirk

Jesus, here, atop this hillside

And His glorious finished work.

And a lark flits kindly by us

And a sheep bleats out content

And we learn through sterling sufferin’

What the hunted Psalmist meant.

Hebrews 11: 38

(well spoken of the Scottish Covenanters of the mid 1600's)

Details | Doug Blair Poem

Sparrow

A sparrow the image
And she lonely seeks out food.
From the bushes and recesses
For a hopeful waiting brood.
And the cosmos spins around her
And she seems a trivial thing
But the Maker of the cosmos
Knows her lot, formed her wing.


A sparrow the image
And the day seems cold as death
But the Keeper gives her wrapping
And a cheerful singing breath.
And she greets the paltry sunshine
Of a birthing winter's day
With assurance that her Keeper
Sees her through to flowering May.


A sparrow the image
The dark days still abound
And tooth and claw and slander
Wait for her on shadowed ground.
But she finds her way to Zion
And a nest within its walls
And quite certain Loving Deity
Knows of each her flights and falls.


(Consider Psalm 84 and Matthew 10)

Details | Doug Blair Poem

Innkeeper

So why did I do it?
It still isn't clear.
The rooms were all taken;
The busiest this year.
And all of them dusty,
And all of them tired.
The trek to their birth-place
By Rome now required.
A census, the issue.
A right royal pain.
And doubtless the purpose
More tribute to gain.

The evening was settling,
The rush nearly o'er.
But still came a knocking
For help at my door.
The couple so tender,
The young girl with child.
The husband imploring
With eyes almost wild.
About to refuse them,
I glanced once at her.
Amazingly peaceful
And patient, demure...

"But wait, there's the stable.
Not much of a spot.
But shelter and bedding;
That's all I have got.
And liquids and lanterns
And clean swaddling fare.
Go quickly, my children,
Your baby comes there!"
(And so near my livestock
Messiah was born. 
The night sky, the shepherds,
The earth-changing morn.)


https://issuu.com/deedub51/docs/bethlehem_king

Details | Doug Blair Poem

Beekeeper

This a grand bright partnership
As the waving clover grows
And my little friends all busy
Gathering swiftly, Heaven knows.
And I slowly pace the hives
Measured help all dressed in mesh
Knowing Beulah Land's rich treasure
Gleams within those combs so fresh.
What a peerless manufacture 
What a mystic searching out
Workers buzz upon the airways
Mapped in magic by the Scout.
And I sense that God is smiling
As He sees me pace the field
With an eagerness to harvest
And to think on Mercy's yield.

https://issuu.com/dewane/docs/marrow_in_monastic_life

Details | Doug Blair Poem

Wesley's Horse

The little creature knew the roads.
From town to town his Friend
Would seek a fitting gathering space
To focus on life’s end.
No burden he, and speaking much
To Someone Fatherly
Then speaking to assembled crowds
Pressed close that they might see.
And some would laugh with rude disdain
And some would nod assent
And some would cry out for relief
As Friend would urge “Repent”.
The creature tethered to one side
Heard thoughts rehearsed in mid-day’s ride
But now with pressing tears.
And folk came forward to the man
Imploring more of Jesus’ Plan.
Been like that now for years.
A horse would think a paddock green
A suiting place for rest
But paths of love, with Friend above
Had suited this horse best.

Details | Doug Blair Poem

Out Shopping

She came in for some groceries
With cane and darkened glasses
Slow the pace and smiling
A Saturday event
Others rushed not knowing
Her need for human comfort
Simple talk and flesh-press
Would keep her smiling yet.
Apartment was a still place
With photos of the loves gone
Figurines of Doulton
Those treasures obsolete
Maidens bright on hilltop
And windswept their long dresses
Eyes that flashed a future
And oh so tiny feet.
But the feet now pained her
And memories came up sketchy
Products in this market
Confusing as of late
Then she saw me shelving
For dairy and for frozen
Felt that here was someone
To listen and relate.

Details | Doug Blair Poem

Relocation

Saw a man at a snowy bus stop

Tall and lean

Black as black can be

Probably in his Sunday best

This Monday morning.

My guess Sudanese.

Here on compassionate grounds

Home country ripped apart

Tribal and religious strife.

What might he have seen Lord?

What atrocities and robbery?

What loved ones abandoned?

With no other apparent choice?

Does he have English

Can he handle this

Awful Waterloo cold

This awful Western smugness

To the new and misunderstood?

Help him Father

If it is a search

In faltering words

For a job

For some needed training

For a place to bed down.

In Jesus’ name.

And I drive by

These careful words and images

My only coins

In the stranger’s cup.

Until perhaps next time…

Details | Doug Blair Poem

Ravening

You want it all.

The lakes and tar sands

Fresh water and fish

Arctic diamonds

Pipelines that confine

The caribou

And make the hunt ridiculous.

Forests for the churning

Of lusty, gossip press

And row houses

Like card houses

In six figure excess.

You set the price

You peg the share return

You fudge prospectus

Upon contingent prospectus.

You eyeball Brazil’s rubber

Argentina’s beef

And the yen’s stability.

Look for bottom line

In a bombshell.

You feed the college factories

With student debt

And prevarication.

You ruin IT marvels of innovation

With the barbs of bribed analysts.

You forestall needful medicines.

Your food franchises gorge your towns

And starve your staffs.

You stuff the sanctuaries

With hype and lifestyle

And trendy powerless slogans.

And dandle politicians

Like Punch and Judy.

But no one is laughing.

Moving jobs like pawns off-shore.

Buying justice by the pound.

You are the ravening

And the implacable.

You kill this place

In increments.

Chanting with pounded fist

“Business is business”.

And the odd one of us

Builds a cabin in the bush

And marvels at the night music

And lights.

Details | Doug Blair Poem

Why Write Doubting

You write simply to baffle
You draw from deep dark pools
You offer tear stained searching eyes
The unbelief of fools.

You have the fetching meter
And choice of words arrests
But Friend no helping hand here
To deal with life's hard tests.

Your readers seek out wisdom
And comfort from rich verse
But witty nihilistic rant
Has left them feeling worse.

You had the chance to uplift
You had the gifted pen
And Christ of course the best resource
To light some fires again.

What if He comes to wake you
With lines you hear sublime
Will you bow, drink and share His link?
Or post froth one more time?


(Yes, a revolt from the present day norm of shadiness, shallowness and godlessness in poems.)

https://sites.google.com/site/stuffthatrhymes/follow-me/blog/poetsevangel

Details | Doug Blair Poem

Again, Alone

It’s hard again
And the loneliness
Abrades the skin and soul
I am yours
With assurance I am whole
But not today
The saints seem
All so far away
And claiming victory
Even in the smallest things
While I doubt much
And fear the strokes
That chastening brings.
But Father this is just
Denial of your love
You feel and touch
And timely send your
Rescue from above
Mine to wait and watch
And speak those words
Of timeless writ
Til I see the joy of it.