entry for Constance La France's contest:
Write a Beautiful Terza Rima
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation,
a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him
who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; 1 Peter 2:9
The very hairs of our heads are numbered
and Jesus has called us to be faithful.
Forgiven, with fear I am no longer encumbered.
Is it so peculiar to render the choice
to praise our Prince of Peace for deliverance
from darkness? His Spirit strengthens my voice.
I'm grateful, yet with restraint, to have the chance
to share my faith with those who spurn God’s good grace,
not deterred by their questioning glance.
Beforehand, without onslaught upon their space
I ask the Lord to lead in my approach.
Sometimes I sense, “Wait, don’t speak face to face.”
“Lighten up! This is not the time to encroach,
Show, don’t tell,” counsels my Coach.
Oh, where is His cloud in this desert?
And where is His flame in this night?
I yearn for His shelter and comfort
The guidance and warmth of His light
"Where is He, since He has not left me?"
In pity I selfishly say
"Did Yahweh not say He would give me
A fire by night—cloud by day?"
I look for His cloud and His fire
But often my eyes can not see
Encumbered by fear and desire
The things He is doing in me
While looking around, could I find them?
On earth—filled with weakness and sin?
By flesh could I ever perceive them?
Through Spirit we look upon Him!
Oh, where is the cloud of His presence?
Is it not within my own soul?
And what is the light of His guidance?
Is it not His love's gentle pull?
Oh, where is the flame of His passion?
Does it not within me abide?
My heart shall be His habitation
Where His cloud and flame shall reside
The treasures lie within the ancient divine words,
Often encumbered by perplexities and complexities.
Sometimes we fail to recognize this trove,
Overlooking its pricelessness.
The treasures are found in the hymns and songs,
Composed by the inspired.
At times we sing, focusing only on the surface,
Neglecting to delve into the depths of their brilliance.
The majesty of His presence heralds these treasures,
Yet we often overlook their essence.
We may not consider it necessary to strive for it,
But His treasures are revealed in our close walk with Him.
The jewel of Jesus shines through the stygian night,
Its light pierces through layers of deep darkness.
This jewel is a timeless mystery,
An ever-luminous treasure.
The jewel of Jesus is the quest of those seeking its hidden light.
They search deeply in the silence of their hearts,
Listening and being guided to the jewel.
Knowing Jesus is the doorway to His jewel,
Trusting Him leads us along the path to its trove.
Tenacity and resilience bring us to its chamber,
And redemption teaches us that no other jewel is worthy of our pursuit.
April 12, 2025.
I’m ushered into a new day,
I walk along its path,
As I long to be embraced by its elements,
I pray to find the door to the light of redemption.
Nothing is within my strength to accomplish,
I’m like a turbulent sea,
Hoping to find tranquillity in the day I’m privileged to see,
I pray, Lord, for rest from my chaotic thoughts.
How do I know if my devotion carries a worthy fragrance?
I’m just clay seeking acceptance from the Potter,
I’m only dust yearning for a place in the palm of the Immortal One,
I desire to drink from the river of Your pleasure, O Lord.
How can I change the tide?
I’m encumbered, entangled, and entwined,
O Lord, hear my deepest cries,
Bring me into Your light as I draw close to You.
March 14, 2025.
“The strange is the inscription on the wall seen by the gifted. It’s the enigma they run from.”
- Quote by Poet
Losing sight of the light,
Encumbered by the night,
The daylight is not freedom’s way,
There’s a strange for each day.
March 10, 2025.
Opression
Too oppressive for comfort, the proximity
Life with its array of shades, hues and shadows
Encumbered by words said and unsaid
Sentiments unspoken, muffled and silenced
Confusion vine like, slowly and surely rooting, sprouting to spread tentacles wide
Deadweights holding back the soul..too many
From floating onwards to free falling,
Like castaways, entwined and entangled by spiders, nets, not of the earthly kind
Webs carelessly conceived and constructed
An elaborate facade of untruths
All consuming darkness, of the immoderate quality,
Enthralled in its own gloominess, the absence of light, subsumed by madness
The creator and those who ceaselessly perpetuate, vacuously
This fine lady was both beautiful and funny.
What a rare combination for an actress to see.
We will always remember her for "Young Frankenstein" and "Tootsie".
Many other performances increased her popularity.
Teri became encumbered with multiple sclerosis, unfortunately.
This ended her life very recently.
However, Teri's screen performances gave her immortality.
Teri Garr
(1945-2024)
from a news story found on aol.com
Number! Number!
The man awakes from his slumber
Hearing his bird shout
Number! Number!
He thinks it’s time to go cut lumber
He returns and finds the bird in a pout
Number! Number!
No way to escape feeling encumbered
Flapping his wings and jumping all about
Number! Number!
The man looks across the room and sees the tumbler
Did he feed the bird he starts to doubt
Number! Number!
How could he forget he feels like a bumbler
This is what it’s been all about
Number! Number!
Now he can return back to his slumber
the dream therapist put out his shingle
for a mere sixty dollars he will interpret your dream
If you dream of a turtle, it means life is slowing down
If you dream of a fish, you are trying to be free and encumbered
an oak tree in your dream can mean a variety of things
It might mean you are the oak in your family
or it could mean you admire the oak in your family
I read the brochure and thought I would have a go.
He looked like a normal man.
I offered him the sixty dollars up front.
We can take care of that later, he told me.
It is actually $67.98 with tax.
I would have to use a credit card.
Tell me about your dream, the therapist said.
I was cozy in an orange chair.
I told him that I never dream.
He argued this with me.
I left without paying him sixty dollars
or sixty seven dollars and ninety-eight cents.
I think we were both disappointed.
Midst the flit wandered mist of lame Autumn
tethered vestige suns, seas a riverbed
failed wanton seasons a whole third it saved
absence to course unforgiving outcome
to no avail, tooth and nail have they none
in favored sway Summer's full weight reversed
subtle eve of Earth's slumbered leaves embraced
whilst silhouette's danse, scales seized near bottom.
The flicker of light dew quench the needy
flora and fauna famished and focused
tour past the befallen qualm in despair
flits a blue, grey encumbered white-knotty,
the beaten lain quietude art dye cast
Wicket's Gate, windswept free ... Winter is here.
You are made of dreams I had forgotten
long ago when perhaps I was foolish,
and quite naive, still young enough to wish
upon fleurs in a field not yet trodden,
and asking favors from a shooting star;
I grew up waiting answers from afar.
I chose a road of curiosity
and sweet adventure traveling solo
lest I become encumbered and so slow
that mundane life would gain velocity,
leave me in a mire of ordinary;
so it did when I became unwary.
Now suddenly you reappear: my dream,
my wish, my favor from a shooting star.
(a poem in Senryus)
They say that you should
never follow whisky with
beer - but my new rhyme
is - never follow
several martinis with
two more martinis
Ladies, please take my
advice, you can’t focus your
eyes in the morning
When your roommates rude
little sister runs the loud
vacuum around noon
Who gets up before
noon in the summer? It’s not
right, if you ask me.
“Mom told me too?” That’s
an excuse reminiscent
of old Nuremberg
I have feels for her
as encumbered as she is
by parental yoke.
.
.
A song for this (please play it low):
Hangovers with You by Big B & Dirty Heads Rock
Based on Psalm 23 NIV
Placed Second
Modern Version Psalm 23 Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Miranda Hawley
A Voyager
The Lord is my captain; I`ve faith in Him.
He asks me to sit down in the stateroom,
He steers the vessel away from rocks,
He comforts my spirits.
He leads me along the right routes
To spare distress.
Even though I cross
the deepest oceans,
No fear assails me,
As He`s my captain;
His shine and His brain
Enhance my faith.
He steers amidst stifling stormy waves
Without being encumbered by them.
He fills the ship with fuel;
I am delighted.
I pray that His grace and mercy rest with me
As long as breath I heave,
and I will be the Lord`s humble servant
forever.
April showers may dampen Dallas Texas torrents glooming deluge on path way
Priceless zooming presence; shrouds blend violets and daisies blooming in May
Rain forecast an encumbered view; stubborn clouds cause distressing delay
Isn’t raining rain you know, it’s raining diamonds vrooming diamond souffle
Look expectantly skyward, your Ray Bans don, for the Solar Eclipse it's today!
Can you hear what I'm hearing?
I hear a cry, loud and clear,
blowing across the nation from sea
to shining sea; from the lowlands
and valleys in the east to the
highlands and mountains of the west.
It is the CRY OF THE SOUL!
From New York City to San Francisco,
Miss Liberty feels a threat. Her bell rings
out far less Bill of Rights. I hear cries
of agony dressed in fear and protest.
It is the CRY OF THE SOUL!
Such a cry can only be sounded by those who.
have tasted the sweetness of freedom and would
rather die than live without its liberty.
It is the CRY OF THE SOUL!
Such is not a cry encumbered with a thirst for
things material, but rather one from the soul,
bleeding red, white, and blue tears enough to
fill the nation's lakes, rivers, and reservoirs.
It is the CRY OF THE SOUL!
Hear ye well, every social class, rich or poor,
educated, elites, or commoners. We do well to listen
to the soul's cry. Such a cry cannot be bought or sold,
will never go on vacation, be placated, or evaded.
It is the CRY OF THE SOUL!
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