Ere the morning dew rises through
stems of sleepy flowers
Peter Sellers mounts his comely steed
heads for the red and white tower
Relief for the night watch he provides
all these years, where no one’s died
or even been injured in the slightest
Tonight though Peter has a premonition
Clouds are circling, winds howling
Birds twitter in mass confusion
The sky crackles ~ truth or illusion
He hearkens back to Ancient Rome
when Ides of March
upended the great Caesar
Would those of August today eliminate him?
Sellers sallied forth, insecurely secured in the saddle
when his steed suddenly bolted
far into the woods where he could be free
from the tyranny of waiting for a ship to drown
since 1963
Said the TV’s weatherman,
a bright bloke on grey suit,
and with weeping eyeglasses,
“There’s probability of precipitation.
It’s going to rain from coast to coast.
Umbrellas, raincoats and rain boots
Are cheaper on Ebay.
Order from Amazon . . . galoshes and
calabashes...
It shall rain from Jerusalem to Jericho.
And no one shall be spared from the
sprinkles — be they Republicans
or Democrats.
Blonde or raven-haired.
So plan your wedding when a spell of
sunshine borrowed from Africa
falls on one and all, like the bright light
on the road to Tarsus.
Pray against a jealous tornado
which plans to disrupt graduation ceremonies
across wayward universities.
If you cannot pray, tweet.
Heaven also hearkens to tweets.
If you doubt it,
ask the birds
whom the Lord feeds".
A collector of wisdom is he
finds it in all he can see
From vagabonds to royalty
Charlie Chaplin to Grace Kelly
in trailer parks and gated communities
He stops, senses, hearkens, reviews
always learns a thing or two
He is wise who learns from all men
~ what goes around comes back again
T'was eighty two wonderful years,
Before you departed to leave me in tears,
My loneliness hearkens to the fears left by the hearse,
Even the harmattan couldn't dry my streams of tears,
Because I know now you are no more near.
You left through the corridors of November,
Twenty eight is a number I will forever remember,
It can't even be withered by any winter,
As long as the sun shines and the stars twinkle,
I will remember you even after my cheeks wrinkle.
I came out first under your big umbrella,
You rhymed my name and I became a Cinderella,
You left me on a path illuminated in high candela,
You decorated my life with beautiful chandeliers,
You poured wisdom full into my many tumblers.
Before God made all the angels your trumpeters.
Now with God your soul now forever stays,
Your demise messaged more things than you could say,
To your honour I shall live my days,
May God almighty continue to guide my ways,
Rest on dad, till we shall meet at the heavenly quays.
April 24 Praises to God Bible Meditations Based on 2Kings 12-14
Key Verse – 2Kings 12:2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
PRAISE BE TO GOD WHO ENABLES US TO DO THAT WHICH IS RIGHT IN HIS SIGHT
Praise be to God for enabling us to do that which is right in His sight:
Guided with good motive
Geared by His granted mercy
Gripped amidst gracious mirth
Girded through His great miracles
Governed along His gentle movement
2Kings 13:4 Praise be to the Lord
Who hearkens to us when we beseech Him:
Constantly with redemption’s faith
Consciously with refreshed faithfulness
Circumspectly with restored firmness
Courageously with revival-fervency
Consistently with replenished fruitfulness
2Kings 14:26 Praise be to the Saviour for
seeing our afflictions, and helping us:
Abide in His will
Abound in His work
Adhere to His worth
Assert His winning
Accomplish by His ways. Amen!
April 24, 2024
April 21 Praises to God Bible Meditations Based on 2Kings 4-5
Key Verse – 2Kings 4:43 And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.
PRAISE BE TO GOD WHO PROVIDES THAT WE MAY EAT
Praise be to God for providing us that we may eat:
Enjoying His blessings
Exposed to His benefits
Experiencing His bountifulness
Expressing His bonuses with bliss
Empowered by His building-up braces
2Kings 5:1 Praise be to the Lord Who gives us to deliverance;
thus; we should always:
Seek His will
Search His way
Stay in His work
Salute His wisdom
Serve Him worshipfully
2Kings 5:18 Praise be to the Saviour for
granting to us His pardon that:
Heals us from our hopelessness
Honours our honesty
Humbles our haughtiness
Hearkens to our helplessness
Hallows our hearts by His holiness. Amen!
April 21, 2024
February 20 Praises to God Bible Meditations Based on Numbers 21-22
Key Verse– Numbers 21:3 And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah.
PRAISE BE TO GOD WHO HEARKENS TO OUR PRAYER VOICE
Praise be to God for hearkening to our prayer voice:
Delivering us mightily
Dealing with us mercifully
Defending us majestically
Driving us meaningfully
Directing us manageably
Numbers 21:34 Praise be to the Lord for delivering us by His:
Guarding hands toward triumphant servanthood
Guiding holiness of true sanctification
Girding hope along tenacious standards
Goading help with trustworthy strength
Gripping hoisting up against terrible selfishness
Numbers 22:38 Praise be to the Saviour Who puts
in our mouth what we must speak about, which is His:
Word upon prevailing truth
Ways midst powerful teaching
Will along profitable testimony
Work of perfect task
Worth so peaceful against trials. Amen.
February 20, 2024
“Follow me” is the Lord’s wondrous command
My heart hearkens to with willingness’ glow
Being my privilege, divinely grand
As God’s dear child enjoying blessings’ flow.
Called to serve Christ by faith with willing mind
“Follow me” is the Lord’s wondrous command
I yield to since it’s sublimely designed
Marked by supreme compassionate demand.
Despite tests challenging tenacious stand
Faith clings to the Saviour Who props by His grace
“Follow me” is the Lord’s wondrous command
Gripping my soul around His sweet embrace.
Toward praise-filled triumphant reaching-out
My spirit is led toward promised land
While this truth I believe, devoid of doubt
“Follow me”* is the Lord’s wondrous command.
*Matthew 8:22 ... Jesus said unto him, Follow me...
September 17, 2023
Honorable Mention, "This or That, Vol 20" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh; judged on 9/20/2023
2nd place, "Any Topic Any Form" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Sotto Poet; judged on 9/21/2023
each room bright
well lit I find
myself switching off
a light that’s not on
it’s off it’s bright
feast to the sight
walls are textured white
the moon looms
when the brightness dims
on shadowed limbs
outside-in and inside-out
and upside-down the lids
close and darkness hearkens
dreams and nightmares
and in betweens
til morning sits up
in its time and frolics
in my stead
I believe prayer is a messenger
and Heaven hearkens to take note –
for we are born with a Cardinal Yoke:
the Garden's Fruits revisited
throughout our ripening ages – God's Grace
confounded by the Devil's enticing
cloak....
I know that science rejects such mystery
as do atheists with whom I have spoke
their finely ground lenses
seeing no reflective evidence
of those jewels
called Spiritual Mastery
while embracing the
many mental gymnastics
of an equally obscure
but fashionable
Modern Woke –
penning their Earth Religions
inhaling copious clouds
of seemingly far less mystical
while to me
nonetheless
SMOKE....
Autumn chills clear windowpane
Hearkens dread of a cold wet rain
Rare hot sun hard to explain.
We observe the first morning frost
The cloud-blossom of cold exhaust
Footprints left on grass we crossed.
Covering up the backyard pool
Layers of clothing become the rule
Time kiddos return to school.
Fresh fireplace log crackles and burns
A pot of soup simmers and churns
Season depression returns.
SECOND PLACE WINNER
Written January 10, 2021
For Attention to Detail Contest
Syllables counted with PS counter
Hiding behind the clouds while crawling stealthily
The lady in white visits every window jovially
Her smoky white freckles smile surreptitiously
Infusing love in the air invisibly.
She whitens and brightens the darkest path
With her snowy aura, she unravels the mysterious earth's heart
With every ray, she delves deeper
And embarks on her journey to liven earth's interior
The lady in white is the most sought after
By lovers and loners, in evenings and thereafter
For she hearkens to every word of heart
And plays the consort without falling short.
A lovely lady beguiles a luckless lad
Of unwitting others she might have had
The fairest face may be foul of heart
Deft deceit is how now it shall start
Like fated moths drawn to the light
Novices can't tell wrong from right
This lady then connives confusing witch's what
Spins spells that do convince what is not
She conjures him to shirk sacred duty
So sure he's blinded by her beauty
She coyly coddles this beamish boy
His twisted thinking in frabjous joy
He peers deeply down into her soul
Seeing darkness finding blackest coal
It hearkens back to Eden's first sin
Stirs silent shadows sunk long within
Beware that all's not as it seems
Beauty's illusion can change what it means
Purpose or pulchritude which will impress
When next we witness a damsel's distress
Joy* midst Scriptures’ meditation
Communing with God during moments of devotion
Listening to His voice for divine instruction
While drawing nigh to Him plight’s intention
Cognizant that He hearkens to sincere supplication
Geared toward worshipful dedication…
Oh, strengthening gladness of the Lord in action
Empowers my faith for work fruition
Along His gracious constraining motion
Subduing slothfulness’ perdition.
*Nehemiah 8:10 … the joy of the LORD is your strength.
August 4, 2019
Pause, ponder as much as you can,
Freed from mind's prison, what-if's pall,
Know, heaven hails a happy man.
Right things do happen to one when
He hearkens to soul's silent call,
Pause, ponder as much as you can.
Do take a panoramic pan,
View that the world's no hospice hall,
High time, it hails a happy man.
Enough of this ill-gotten tan,
Stop chasing Sun, goals getting tall,
And pause to ponder as man can.
Pray, all that ye have to do then—
To bridge a gulf and fell a wall,
Be cosy in a happy den.
This done, soar free as bird again,
Dawn’s dawn not when night’s shadows fall,
Feel happy, much as mortal can,
For heaven hails such happy men.
_______________________
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