Grace can't grind away the wrinkled gnarls time obeyed,
Nor hide the snarls, ploughed as furrows in the brow.
It carves the knurls for grip that age has disobeyed,
To a shape what decrepit, flailing lovers can still avow.
Grace respects the knurled design that time has hewn,
That's not a flaw, nor fault, but a form that time engraves.
With old branches twisted, scarred, gone too far to prune,
Grace hugs the bumps and twists that life well-spent saves.
It's the gnarls of age that knurls the grip to rage
Against the blight of the coming of the night,
Despite the cranky snarls that ring on anvil swage,
As loved ones bare the brunt of frail days plight.
So let the gnarls knurl the grooves to grip tight.
To fight and rage against the fading of the light.
A flood, my loyal eyes disobeyed me
Tears like fractured glass betrayed me,
Stabbed my face, into a dry oasis,
My body, overthrown by the love of you,
Yet my soul, still untouched by your rain…
If you are lucky and live long enough,
Have learnt some lessons that are tough,
And spent time in the rough,
Along with your accumulated useless information,
You will start leaking words of wisdom,
worth a mention,
That will change the direction,
Of others for the better of the nation.
Of my latest leak,
I now speak,
And write for you to take a peek.
Sometimes rules of law should be obeyed,
And penalties for them being disobeyed,
Displayed,
If time for discussion needs to be delayed,
When the alternative is a plague that brings,
tempers that are frayed,
And information that is arrayed,
To suit those who see red,
Whenever they are asked to stay in bed,
So the plague will not spread,
And the human race will not wake up dead.
Sometimes leaked words of wisdom,
Will give a hint,
A glint,
When rule of law,
Should be against the law,
Of common sense,
Which will require acts of defiance.
To know when to and when not to obey,
Is something for another day,
As words of wisdom have stopped leaking for today,
Even at this advanced, unsettled age
daddy's name still evokes horrible pain,
he wasn't faithful to mom and her rage
never exploded to make us break down:
such an incredible courage was a saint's devoted creed,
she stood very strong protecting us with an iron shield!
My sisters weren't as aware as I was,
they went to school and played games,
I struggled a lot and thrived to prove myself:
I acted differently, never being broken in half!
A dad's duty is to guide his adored kids,
until they have developed a full brain;
to leave them stranded without a specific direction:
is a horrible deed that eventually leaves many scars!
Dad never hugged us, never listened closely but vaguely,
all he wanted was rigid discipline without any disagreement;
if we disobeyed, he would slap us hard without explaining why:
we were sheep under his rule, he used the rod on the innocent!
Times spent with mum were inspiring and insightful,
she taught me the Bible, dad didn't teach me anything;
my strength comes from mother and I revere this feeling:
no greater love has left a mark so mightful and spiritual!
When Satan uttered through the snake
Eve’s faith in God he sought to shake.
His questions circled in a route
that he sure hoped would create doubt.
His wooing words worked like a charm
they did not in Eve stir alarm.
God’s firm command she disobeyed
And then Adam’s pure mind, she swayed.
When Jesus came in Adam’s place
to rescue our fallen race.
The Devil tried his faith to shake
and to His Father’s will forsake.
Jesus prevailed where Adam failed
His faith held when sorely assailed.
When in Gethsemane He prayed
His faith prevailed, in God’s will He stayed.
And as He died upon the cross
His faith was pure and without dross.
Beyond the tomb, He could not see
In His victory, faith was the key.
The ones who would with Jesus stand
when persecution’s flames are fanned
would be those who His faith retains
and faithful to His law remains.
The faith of Jesus is so strong
It helped Him withstand Satan’s throng.
His faith is bestowed as a gift
to help saints stand and never drift.
I miss Judith, for devil that she was,
she would give me a stare each time I pass,
built like a fort on two pillars of stone,
she would glare like I had sins to atone!
she recycled curtains to make her dress,
she tied her hair with old shoe lace, God bless,
her speech was a dragon breathing fire,
if disobeyed, consequences were dire.
I miss Judith for all the things she did,
under toughness, all the goodness she hid,
clean house, good food, love and care she would show,
harsh on surface, deep in, her heart would glow.
my pretty wife’s dear mother Judith was,
if in my house, you would know who was boss,
she would make you feel welcome, serve you tea,
give you roasted cashew, brimming with glee.
judge not your dear ones for how they behave,
we count their faults, forget all good they gave,
not everyone in life trains to show love,
in her falcon, was hid a peaceful dove.
why pretend to be tough, shall never know,
at hint of our suffering, her tears flow,
many like her who glare when mean a kiss,
for the angel she was, Judith, I miss!
How elegant was the world you had made, God, my Father
The sun, the moon, and the stars, as fully alive, functioned.
Herbs, shrubs, plants, trees, flies, birds, beasts, and humans had their honor
Each speck, as though a heavenly gem, by no power, shunned
Eve disobeyed. Cain killed. The list, like a chain, continued.
When will these vices end? Even sages couldn't predict
Prophets, like torchbearers, tried hard to set a flawless mood.
Could they, yet, erase from the earth the good-evil conflict?
Who will I send it to now? O Father, you ask within
Knowing your inner thoughts, the Son willingly says, 'I'll go'
He decided to incarnate to take away the sin.
He knew that, lanb-like, his body would break and blood would flow.
The earth gained a new form, as though waiting for the monsoon.
Nature, with the universe, seemed to compose a new tune.
Her memory is short
She will forget the frightful anger that made her
Growl and snort
Her mood won't last
She'll forget I disobeyed her
Quite fast
The moon
Will persuade her
Soon
Her memory is short
She'll forget I disobeyed her
Soon
In the Book of Genesis, the Creator existed in a void
Miracle after miracle, a heavenly drama of intrigue
Choosing to create flesh rather than an android
On the seventh day, He did not rest out of fatigue
Declaring that He would create humanity in His image
With tender hands, God shaped the clay to create him
The heavens marveled at the execution of his lineage
As wings shielded the eyes of Seraphim and Cherubim
Adam disobeyed, and he experienced a spiritual decline
The Father heard and responded to the man's groan
The Living Word made flesh in the guise of the Divine
Witnessed the holy birth of a prodigy in a shed alone
What of our souls if the Redeemer had not come
A holy envoy was sent to avert a crushing disaster
What audacity that he loved us and sent His Son!
This season is to recall an end to a reign of terror
The infinite Creator oversees an ordained mission
Satanic spirits stayed silent, too impotent to interfere
At his crucifixion, they recalled his prophetic vision
Even unto death, his face retained a glorious veneer
When the first pair, disobeyed God
they fell victim to a fat fraud.
God came searching but the pair fled,
Convinced that He would strike them dead.
But oh, what a pleasant surprise,
God did not their person despise.
Instead, they saw love in His face,
And experienced amazing grace.
God told Noah to build an ark,
The reason was not at all stark.
Noah acted from his faith’s base,
and from God’s hand, he received grace.
Mankind was lost, sinking in sin,
So, God came to live in our skin.
He paid sin’s price, died in our place,
His selfless act purchased us grace.
Each day of life reflects God’s grace,
So, live humbly before His face.
May others through our lives His will trace,
As exhibits of God’s saving grace.
Wife - "Once I kept you locked in my heart
But now I release you like a fart
So that I can have a fresh start"
Husband – "Once I disobeyed God
So, He put on my back a heavy load
Now I pray, take this load off my shoulder, my Lord"
Wife - "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Like Humpty, if ever you have a great fall
I will never come running at your call"
Husband - "Horsey, Horsey, don’t you stop?
Why blabber like an idiot nonstop?
If you have no work, go and mop"
Wife - "Oh! Tut...This is why I strongly say
Dogs like you should be left to stray
How, from men like you, I wish to stay away"
Husband - "Then why linger? You may boldly walk away
How I wish to rid of a 'Donkey' who can only bray"
Wife – "With a man like you, do you think I will again stay?
Never! But for making my life a mess you should pay"
I’m alone and scared lying in my bed
with a cold wet sweat running down my head
In heart pounding fear I will soon be fed
To a big hairy creature of my dread
A green ugly monster with long sharp claws
Yellow spotted teeth and powerful jaws
a long pointed tail and twelve massive paws
Who takes away children that break Mom’s laws
Then Mom comes in with a tuck and a kiss
Switches on the night lamp and fears dismiss
I peek 'neath the bed and find to my bliss
No monster lurks around, nothing's amiss
Now I can go to sleep, all fears allayed
Towards dreamland, I soar, no more dismayed
But I know this giant will not be swayed
And come back if I ever disobeyed.
(10 syllables)
27th March 2023
I’m alone and scared lying in my bed
with a cold wet sweat running down my head
In heart-pounding fear I will soon be fed
To a big hairy creature of my dread
A green ugly monster with long sharp claws
Yellow, spotted teeth and powerful jaws
a long, pointed tail and twelve massive paws
Who takes away children that break Mom’s laws
Then Mom comes in with a tuck and a kiss
Switches on the night lamp and fears dismiss
I peek 'neath the bed and find to my bliss
No monster lurks around, nothing's amiss
Now I can go to sleep, all fears allayed
Towards dreamland, I soar, no more dismayed
But I know this giant will not be swayed
And come back if I ever disobeyed.
Form: Rhyme (10 syllables)
27.03.2023
Darrell Rose and Joanna Daniel
Have you ever climbed a tree?
Paddled rapids? Tamed a flea?
Have you touched a chimpanzee?
At one, I’ve been successful.
Have you dived into a lake?
Baked a cake or held a snake?
Have you used ID that’s fake?
My choice was not too stressful.
Have you ridden on a mule?
Won at pool? Cut some school?
Have you disobeyed a rule?
For one of those, I’m yes-ful.
All of us have things we’ve done
Or haven’t; still, for everyone
To learn the ways we’ve each had fun
Might end up quite impress-ful.
I
Christ-proclaimers are the worst punishers
In self-righteousness, little mercy, no Grace
Should one perchance fall into their "church"
Hindu Gandhi, "terrorist Mandela" compare better
Jesus is not honored by phoney pastors,
Church "leaders" and therapist-advisors!
In Africa, my GURU was hard, but not like them!
Among other "religions" grace shows its face - not here ...
II
Saint D of Adelaide only advised a breakup
Isolating the lovers, adults over 40 years in age
Then groomed the woman as he thought best
She lost her dignity, mind, control
When she disobeyed his least "instruction,"
He recalled her fights with ex-lovers - got his way -
Not the Jesus way: punish them, no let up --
Never reminding couple, forgiveness is step 1
In healing and living like Jesus (or AFRICAN Mandela)
Basic Christianity (John 3:16) exists only for Dean
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