Best Showing Poems
“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch
on the evil and the good.” Proverbs 10:3
For those who don’t know or who adamantly
believe God doesn’t exist,
I must say to you most undoubtedly
God’s eyes upon you are fixed.
It’s we who must fix our eyes on the Lord.
For some this is hard, I know,
I hope I can strike within you a chord
as God I will try to show.
God is in nature; He is all around -
on land, in sky and the sea.
He made every creature that can be found,.
but His best were you and me.
For what are we if we have not a soul?
God’s logic to me is clear.
Heart without soul, and man is not whole,
and all souls to God are dear.
God is in good works that good people do
and in good thoughts we think of.
God is in me and God is in you;
especially God is love.
Though God we can’t see, he hears heart-felt prayer.
You may suffer to the grave,
but earth-time is short and the Lord is fair
since all souls God died to save.
Making amends
on both ends, is
how friends- show love
In a city as big as New Yawk,
There’s so much at which tourists can gawk
But the locals’ fast pace
May be hard to embrace
So if guiding them, slow down your walk.
You can never squeeze everything in,
So pick places they never have been
And of course, be a mensch;*
Let them sit on a bench
Or exhaustion will make their heads spin.
Have them soak up the buzz we provide,
Surely different from where they reside.
They may love it or not
But at least they’ll have got
Just a taste of what fills us with pride.
*an admirable human being
The line of people out the door.
The queue that snaked around the floor.
The building's sleek art deco style.
The carpets' faded plush red pile.
The "Coming Soon" in convex frames.
The "Showing Now" and big star names.
The James Bond pose in poster shots.
The tickets from the kiosk slots.
The heavy doors that often creaked.
The seats on springs that always squeaked.
The fan shaped lights along the side.
The screen that stretched up high and wide.
The smoke that swirled inside the beam.
The shapes and sounds of Pearl And Dean.
The adverts that had overrun.
The trailers for the films to come.
The feature that would come on first.
The sudden pangs of extreme thirst.
The usherette's cool ice cream stint.
The fancy names like Midnight Mint.
The expectations in the place.
The action of the opening chase.
The talking scenes that went nowhere.
The plastic cup beneath my chair.
The glance at watches in poor light.
The stunts and guns and final fight.
The seats that sprung as credits rolled.
The exit doors and night time cold.
Arm-in-arm unspoken is the message received; neither of us is looking to disperse;
Standing parallel, hands held laced, with a kiss to yours averse
I'll look for days at a loss for simple ways to remember each smile you intersperse;
Though our dinner is done, can we still be spoons who can also converse?
I hold your head, and we watch the sky fade to honey-red; day, please reverse!
Be damned the stars playing out the scene of all nights past rehearse
As city lights come on all around us, I'm lifted from a lifetime's blinding curse
On this terrace, while they sparkle in your eyes, you're showing me the universe
Kindness breeds Kindness
Gratitude is the attitude
Go out and spread love today
In doing this, world’s a happy place
Hug yourself is the answer
Someone annoys you, don’t get mad
Say “go hug yourself today”
Then your angers turned to joy
Look, our world is hurting
All we need is a little more love
Stop! What you're doing
Yeah, take time for yourself
In nature you’ll be blessed
Look at trees, even hug a tree
I do that, tranquillity fills my soul
Soar like an eagle, be free.
You can start doing
What you want
At any time.
Don't bind yourself
With age and other things
Age is never the limit
Unless you make it
Difficult for yourself
Add smile to initiate
Others to say hi and hello
To people you meet each day
Life is showing who you are
In and out, showcasing to the world.
People call it a winter wonderland
I call it a lack of green
Not that green's my favourite colour
But it beats keeping driveways clean
As soon as we think our shovelling is over
Another storm hits with a blast
The grass was showing only two days ago
My hopes once more have been dashed
Silly of me to wish for such kindness
I live above the 49th parallel
To entertain such wishful thinking is folly
Keeps turning, this world carousel
Realize the gods have their own agenda
They decide on the weather we'll get
Winter is punishment for all the damn wars
Mother Nature doesn't forget
Don't think this is how it's supposed to be
It should all be sunshine and flowers
We're being punished so let's smarten up
Not worry bout who's got the power!
© Jack Ellison 2015
A fat lip to bust
Blackened eye covered in dust….
We do what we must
A tiny grudge can
grow into rage and make one
very merciless.
To feel peace inside:
one must allow forgiveness
replace unkindness.
Turn around and shake
the hand of your enemy,
undo the vile act.
Who is loved by God:
the hater or forgiver?
Be that one and love.
Selfishness is an
unholy act, but showing
mercy is kindness.
Written on 8/19/2016
Because I'd been good for a very long while,
my parents decided to buy me a crocodile.
Then all the kids on the block
thought I really did rock.
Till two weeks later,
another kid’s parents decided to buy him an alligator!
Shoot! And now some kid’s braggin’
his parents are gonna buy him a Komodo dragon.
Oh, my God! This is way over the top!
Will this neighborhood competition never stop?
(Ode to the Crocus)
Before the bud appears
to trumpet winter's end,
before the robin comes
to bob-head for his worm,
before my heart rebounds
from razor's keening edge;
I walk the hidden path
of garden's withered past,
in search of one who dares
ignore the blizzard's blast
and peek her cheeky nose
up through a snowy nest,
to wink her shining eye,
at me, as I pass by.
Her flame, within itself,
ignites a tiny spark
of joy inside my heart,
on which I now embark.
Published LifeWay Press Magazine,
Mature Living, March, 2010
Actions and hope that may keep us going
And give us some satisfaction knowing
That our care for others is still growing,
And our zest for life continues flowing;
Are people and activities glowing
With their love and inspiration showing
That what we are reaping, we are sowing;
Ensuring we don’t chase what is blowing.
So when our challenges cup is bowing,
And through life’s rough rapids we are rowing,
In our hold is love we could be throwing
And patience and kindness we are towing.
The Showing—2015
(Apropos an Exhibition of the Times)
The hand of time paints
Upon the canvas of fleeing life;
Each stroke, a unique highway traveled.
Choices of both happiness and strife,
Chasing unanswered complaints:
Leaving weary twisted minds raveled.
Faith hangs audaciously on the walls of hope;
The easel of truth wobbles on uninsured slopes.
Gone are the masterpieces of peace. Gone
To rotten fields of shattered dreams;
Unleashed wanton terrors freely roam;
Justice torn apart at its tattered seams;
Yet liberation gestates in the galley of redemption.
Days of injustice are numbered and without exemption.
I’m standing here so nervous, just about to pass out
Terror has it’s grip on me-I’m filled to the brim with doubt
My palms are sweaty and itchy, I’m having trouble holding on,
What in the heck was I thinking, I should’ve just withdrawn;
Now Luck can sense my fear and he’s prancing side to side,
On the outside I might be smiling but my gut is twisting inside;
The judge is getting closer now, should I be on the left or right,
Wracking my brain to remember, no one knows of my plight;
I step around my horse’s nose, he’s finally standing still,
The Judge is looking Luck up and down with terrifying skill;
Things are flashing through my mind, I check them one by one,
Did I clip his ears, Did I paint his hoofs, I refuse to be outdone;
The Judge is almost finished now, he tips his hat to me,
I dip mine back and he moves on-I breathe a sigh of relief;
Now all we have to do is wait for his final judgment call,
I whisper softly to Lucky, “Soon you’ll be back in your stall”;
Waiting now is the hardest part, hoping we did alright,
A top ten would be amazing, if not we gave them a good fight;
A backwoods girl competing in such a prestigious show,
How Luck and me made it this far, I honestly don’t know;
The Judge is handing off his card, the results are about to be read,
My heart is pounding harder now, my body filled with dread;
They start at number 10 then count down to First Place,
10 is called, then 9, then 8-I hang my head in disgrace;
I’m certain now that we didn’t place, my dreams are shattered in two,
I shake my head in disappointment-So much for our debut;
“First Place number 6-6-2 handling Lucky White Star”
I’m sure I didn’t hear him right, A cruel joke by far;
I stand there stunned to silence, then make my way to the gate,
Why on earth did he pick us, My questions will have to wait
I grab the blue and pin it on my Luck Mans haltered head
Truthfully I’d have been happy with Yellow, White, or Red
Shocked and stunned by this happy turn, I show my boy off proud
I was hoping for a top ten but my First place won the crowd!
~For the Top 10 Contest~