Best Tend Poems
Tend Thy Orchard, Its Bad Limbs Prune
Shall thee let hope hold firmest sway,
Live life well now, without delay;
Enjoy the beach and its cool nights
Walk under moon's soft beaming lights.
Remember sorrow comes with grey,
Relief shall come if one but prays:
Yet thy heart must seek, stay in tune,
Tend thy orchard, its bad limbs prune.
Hold thee deep, virtues that are good,
Rarely say, if only I could;
Be given more, my days are hard
Life now deals me very bad cards.
Send me more, I deserve it all:
I bow and answer thy hard call,
Reward me for my greater work,
For my duty I never shirk.
Tis' best to in a humble way,
Sacrifice more, asking no pay;
Enjoy hard tasks, thee are blessed,
With those unseen hands that caressed,
Faithful Hearts and Souls from the start,
Joined in truth that which never parts.
Embrace the favors in Truth's Light,
Fear not demons of darkest night.
Robert J. Lindley, 5-25-2018
RHYME, ( Tribute to Christina Rossetti )
Private Joshua Bronson wrote this letter by the camp fire where he lay,
Nigh a place called Gettysburg where a great battle loomed next day.
He'd bid farewell to Jenny and his children at their humble cabin door,
Nearly two years ago to join his regiment to do battle in the Civil War.
"My dear Jenny", he wrote, "How I miss you and the children tonight.
My sarjint is a-gittin' us ready to face Johnny Reb fer another fight.
I jes wanted to write a few lines to let you know I love ya'all,
And that I'll be alright and be home to tend the crops this fall."
I'm a-thankin' ye fer the pies and chicken you sent the other day.
That shore beats the hardtack and rancid bacon which is our mainstay.
Jenny, I don't want you and the children a-worrin' about me a-tall.
Jes pray fer me 'cause I'm a-fixin' to be home to tend the crops this fall."
"I jes want you to know I read my Bible, 'specially the Twenty-third Psalm.
It rests my weary soul and when things git rough it gives me calm.
I hope the wheat and corn is gittin' lots of rain and is a-growin' tall.
How I look forward to comin' home to tend the crops this fall."
"I reckon I'll git some rest 'cause I hear rebel cannons a-startin' to roar.
My love to you and the children 'til we next embrace at our cabin door."
Sadly, the Scythe of Death reaped Private Bronson in that awful brawl.
Alas, he won't be coming home to tend the crops this fall.
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
Oh when I was a child I loved Popeye cartoons,
Guess there’s no real accounting for any kid’s taste,
But you always knew spinach was up Popeye’s sleeve,
And that bullies like Brutus would soon be disgraced.
“Just deserts!” to all thugs what the world hungers for,
“In the kisser!” whatever their color or stripe,
“Missing spinach” like kryptonite something to fear,
Till at last Popeye sucks in its green through his pipe.
But it’s Popeye’s resourcefulness that saves the day
And the vegetable really a means to an end,
For the spinach is mindless, along for the ride,
So though green stuff is “good”, maybe “best” is a friend!
Brian Johnston
September 23, 2015
Doctors told the old farmer his soul was soon to be his Makers!
"Spare me, Lord", he pled, "I must farm these hundred-forty acres!
My wife ain't able to hoe or mow or handle the old John Deere!
The place will go to hell (er, 'scuse me, Lord), that is what I fear!"
"The threshin' crew is comin' next week to reap the wheat and oats.
Grain prices will plunge, the radio man says in his daily quotes.
The barn needs paintin' and the roof needs repairin' too.
All this and the mortgage on the old place is way overdue!"
"In the garden there's taters, termaters and carrots to weed.
It's hay makin' time and I fear the alfalfa will go to seed.
Them thievin' birds and squirrels will rob me of my apple crop.
I ain't a drinkin' man, Lord, but right now I could use a drop!"
"The punkins is ripe for pickin' and the corn's ready for shuckin'.
The cattle stalls is heaped full and they really need a muckin'.
My chicken coops need fixin' and a real good cleanin' out.
Lord, I'm in a heap of trouble, of that there ain't no doubt!"
"There's twenty guernseys to milk, who's gonna take care of that?
There's them hogs to fatten up to sell and I want 'em good and fat.
The sheep needs shearin' and a dozen goats need milkin' too.
Lord, have mercy! I just ain't ready yet to rendezvous with You!"
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired
© All Rights Reserved
Tend your garden
the seeds for planting a lot in Africa
you roast and eat in comfort
planting time you are filled up
as you wait for other gardeners
The seeds you get from good will
go to your hot ovens
you plant them in the garden
of your hot and dry stomach
where air, water and warmth
do not exist for germination
As your children go hungry
they loot to avoid dying of hunger
wife’s left in wonder
as to why she opened her ovary
to germinate children for
for a tricky, sick, lazy man!
Tend your garden
your children scatter everywhere
begging when food is ripening
begging when food is in store
begging during planting times
Let neighbors have a break
from the begging hands
of your fleet of children
the chaotic begging looters!
Things get done
With grace and virtue beyond
The usual dregs camping out
Virtuosity ceases to be priority
As it yields to tone-setting and methodical fleecing
Of the willing patrons searching for
Deeds and reasons to come their way
A warm stare is launched
Caught by gazes more magical than they need to be
And doused with sunshine which flogs each lip upon receipt
Message, meaning unnecessary
Now that gorgeous is control and behind the wheel
Taking us all on a journey we never meant to see
And going blind in the process.
(8/9/10)
A broken heat tends to mend itself back together.
It won’t take forever, only a while.
Leaving you is like walking the mile.
Didn’t think that this would happen…
Just take that sharp needle, along with the thin thread
And mend…
My heart is delicate, just like fabric.
It’s easy to tear, yet easy to repair.
I know this is the right thing to do,
But I just can’t think of leaving you,
After all that we have been through….
You were my first love, peaceful as a dove.
You were my first kiss, which now becomes my first diss…
You said you loved me, I said it too.
But sadly I don’t think it was ever true.
I will say one thing; I’m going to miss you.
You were my first, but not my last.
The both of us have to move on.
You have got to be strong,
You can do so much better than me…
Find someone that will fill your heart,
And I’ll runaway, flee.
I’ll be somebody else’s girlfriend to be.
Though ill have to fight to fend,
My broken heart will tend to mend.
Manifestation,
a glimpse into the future;
Just like deja vu;
Pen pulling moments,
spelling them out on paper
charged with blood red ink;
Fireworks exploding
light my words up as they fall;
Stardust interlude;
It starts with a smile,
hope becomes reality;
Abracadabra!
My poems tend to come true,
it’s kind of a thing I do.
I only want to be noticed "maybe" a little bit everyday,
To be told I'm beautiful without my words having to say.
I only ask for less than enough to brighten my path that i walk,
and I only say just enough to conceal my troubles in talk.
I feel like an animal that's been locked away,
So much aggression and plenty to say.
Still afraid to speak the words my mind replays,
so here I am writing another hopeless mindless says.
What is hidden behind the covers is only for one to know,
What is scared to speak the truth but continues with the flow.
The tears for years of hiding and running also cowering behind hope
the word that has yet to show me the gripping of the bloody rope
why hold strong when so many fail to even hold
Like your life has been pulled and pushed as silly putty or mold.
I guess for the reason everything happens in-deed
everything happens for a reason and I believe that's my plea
Things tend to have a deeper meaning
But, we see selectively
The direction is there
It is not used completely
We are often confused
As a result of the ambiguity
Pain and darkness walk in
Nothing but a clouded scenery
Tend your lad with kindness and love,
For he is as innocent as a turtle dove,
Afford him toys though he does break,
But keep bottles, blades high or above.
He must be bold, and he must be told,
That an honest character is the real gold,
He must learn to waddle with patience,
Through the waters either hot or cold.
Let him happily do whatever he may like,
Teach him to ride a horse or a motorbike,
Taunt him no more, nor use words harsh,
Let him enjoy well while he goes for a hike.
Coax him not when the school bells ring,
When he sleeps let him embrace and cling,
You feed his mouth with the lawful bread,
Then expect him to rise heights of a king.
Sow seed of love and harvest lovely corn,
Kindness bears a rose, harshness a thorn,
Friends! Argue not, it is undoubtedly true,
The cat has neither any hoof nor any horn.
Going to get a “haircut” today
Actually getting all of them cut
Cutting just one would hardly be noticed
Now I'm being quite a silly nut
There's many other sayings similar to this
English is overloaded I find
Wanna hear others that I've discovered
Well stay tuned it'll “blow your mind”
“Keep your nose to the grindstone”
Now THAT'S gotta smart I'd say
See what I mean, don't follow this advice
You'll feel pain from here to Sunday
How about this one, “eye candy”
It certainly has me bamboozled
“Less is more” is another that's confusing
Looking for others for your perusal
Here's another, “left in the lurch”
Pretty sure they meant left in the “church”
“Dead as a doornail” as dead as you can be
Gonna do a little more research
To “peter out” means to dwindle away
Has a certain sexual connotation
Put it back in, it's a public place
You'll be arrested for excessive potation
“I rest my case”, now here's another one
Wasn't even carrying a case
Okay gonna “put this thing to bed”
Yikes! Can't wipe this grin from my face!
POTATION
• the action of drinking something
esp. Alcohol: I intend to abstain from potation.
• (often potations) a drinking bout:
the dreadful potations of his youth
Sleep washes ere and yore in sands
as Lands of Kip unfold before
and tear the seams of old demands.
I trust my soul to me once more.
Who can I charge to nurse the sores
when living fades to weary sighs
if I reject my dream-tide chores,
who'll see my soul uncompromised?
What captioned strands will dreams supply?
What threads will tie or tear away?
Who'll sort the spools as truth or lie
as sleep sews dreams to other days?
As thoughts unwind; some fool, some wise
my absence bids nightmares to shore.
Bewildered threads in knots, taut tied;
my mind unrested, tangled, worn.
~...~
My mind unrested, tangled, worn,
bewildered threads in knots, taut tied.
My absence bids nightmares to shore
as thoughts unwind; some fool, some wise
As sleep sews dreams to other days,
who'll sort the spools as truth or lie?
What threads will tie or tear away?
What captioned strands will dreams supply?
Who'll see my soul uncompromised
if I reject my dream-tide chores?
When living fades to weary sighs
who can I charge to nurse the sores?
I trust my soul to me once more
and tear the seams of old demands
as Lands of Kip unfold before
sleep washes ere and yore in sands.
The flower bed needs weeding -
Before it is overgrown.
The tree branches have fallen -
Rotting, as they lie in the sun.
The grass is growing brown before our very eyes -
As we watch silently and do not move.
Too soon come the crabgrass and dandelions
The only color on this otherwise bleak scene.
SO TOO...THE SPIRIT WITHIN
The flowers cannot blossom -
Lest we pull the weeds that choke them.
The branches when cleared -
Allow the sun's radiance to bask the earth.
The grass must be watered and fertilized -
Stoppping the dandelions before they grow.
Only then, can we but see the beauty within us.
Be mindful of how God's love can and will -
Color the landscape of our soul,
When we are willing to cultivate it...
TEND THE GARDEN !
tend to lean towards a
negatively influenced
mind set seemed
to have been
hard wired from
youth to perceive
life within the most
negative terms possible
rewiring seems to be an
impossible task to undertake
it has proven to be a life long
journey towards the unknown
with no end insight