“Who has ever given to God,
that He should repay them?”
For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things.
To God be the glory forever! Amen."
Romans 11:35-36
Friends, so called, kept me a hermit-of-sorts;
Over-whelming doubts left me alone in the dark.
God helped me break through the peer-pressure fog.
Life burdens a teen with acceptance, approval.
Influenced by “friends” that can’t be trusted,
Fear of being left out is very real and draining.
Time with God taught me grit, grace and gumption.
Salvation is selfless service and sharing.
When facing a wall of fear and pain, I stand.
Laughing, as hope and calm slip from my hand.
I climb tree branches, easily, swiftly and timely.
Each thread a steady beam that holds me upright.
Up in the canopy, I cheer up, and start to sing,
A hymn of praise that only being there can bring.
I rise higher, holding trunk and bough with delight.
Each fork a foothold lifting up into the light.
I rejoice in the chaos of tangled twigs and leaves,
That encases me with living walls, roofs and eaves.
Their whispered voices rustle solace in the breeze.
Bringing peace and joy, untangling my spent unease.
A careless slip — I lose my grip and start to slide.
But the tree clutches me, with a sudden, saving guide.
It breaks my fall and sets me softly onto the ground,
Its roots bear and steady me — till deep peace is found.
It Lifts, Defies Gravity
That great curving line
made of countless droplets
in shades of aquamarine
to showers of foaming white
it creates an opening
a cave where light can spin
then plummets down again
its passion has been spent
rolling gently to the shore
tumbling sand and shells
small remnant lives
then going back for more.
sadness befriends me for life after a friend quits all feelings for me
cotton candy kiss
delicious dessert from lips
broken heart finds lift
The fold lifts - he's there in the mist
And the world tumbles aside.
We come together and meet lips
As Night's stars fill our eyes.
It's a world of two - two in the world.
The rush - the fire of his touch
Enshroud us as a cocoon would
And it's everything we want.
The fold suddenly lifts again -
A secret knowledge now in its stead.
I face the garish morning sun
With a smile - though twisted.
a solitary willow weeps
a babbling brook nearby
deer and fawn present a peaceful scene
the sun begins to glisten
on the dewy grass
field mice run through the meadow
rabbits play hide and seek
bluebirds perched above
on a white pine branch
sudden gunshot echoes
everyone scatters
first day of hunting season
AP: Honorable Mention 2025, Front Page Pick 2024
In pursuit of curves, some choose the lift,
A quest for beauty, a transformative shift.
But amidst the surgeries, a deeper tale,
A journey where self-love might set sail.
No judgment for choices, the paths we take,
Yet ponder the reasons, the risks we undertake.
Society's pressures, perceptions we bear,
A world where self-worth is laid bare.
South African souls, playing a role,
In the pursuit of beauty, losing their goal.
Attachments for love, a side hustle unfolds,
Prostitutes and marriages, tales to be told.
Relationships falter, lost in the void,
A nation sickened, values destroyed.
In African hair, judgment is cast,
Weaves worn proudly, but shadows are cast.
Obsessed with material, souls for sale,
Range Rovers and Mercedes, a tempting tale.
In pursuit of dreams, they trade their core,
Yet later, reflections bring insecurity ashore.
Selling bodies for riches, a path they tread,
But marriages suffer, innocence shed.
In the mirror, they question love's essence,
Forgetting the purpose, losing their innocence.
My God He lifts me up
Jesus has embraced me
Suffered for me such
I will exalt the oh Lord my God provides
All, all my needs oh Lord my God I cry out to thee always
9/8/22
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr © 2022
Roses look redder
Sunflowers sunnier
Chrysanthemums brighter
Queen Anne's lace whiter
Leaves waving like pennants
Puffy clouds sail along
Grass green and refreshed
Birds sing their song
The breeze lifts my spirits
One click saves and submits it
We cowboys on this side of the pond
Get out of bed with boots and spurs on
To ride our bucking bronco golden stallions
As you mount your nags on the weak side of the ocean
Yes, we snicker as you call elevators 'lifts'
And your truckers call a semi a 'lorry'
But daring to call a cop or a smokey a 'bobby' ~
Odds bodkins, bloke! Please say that you're sorry!
As the veil does lift
We feel inner shift
A pulse magnetic
A throb ecstatic
Bliss ineffable
The happening
Enigmatic
Joy spherical
A miracle
Feet and palms
Touch healing
By feeling
Steady
Current
Flows
04-November-2020
I rise before the lift I see before the darkness breath
8/6/20
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr. 2020 ©
disillusionment gathers
like an incoming storm
with impending doom
rainless clouds
become the reigns
of the thunderous rage
toppling statues like trees
along paved walks
where peace one gathered
flags now burn upon the grounds
and those that fought to protect
lie unearthed within the fury
as headstones tumble
like dominos downward
common grounds become trampled
battlegrounds now redrawn
as the world looks onward
through the haze of destruction
awaiting the smoke to lift
yet the storm
rages on
unscathed
June 28, 2019
N-A rerun 9
Sponsored by John Hamilton
Brian Strand new poetry contest 2
Contest judged 6/29,2020
(it's the only n/a I have from this time frame, I don't consider it political but if you do and care not to place it, I understand!)
Have you ever been standing by a lift,
And the door closes prematurely leaving you adrift,
Making you feel a little miffed.
While waiting for the return of the lift,
My mind started to drift,
Has anyone ever got their nose stuck in the door of a lift,
I wondered to myself while waiting for the return of the lift.
Now every time I see a person with a plaster on their nose,
I wonder if they, to the lift got too close,
Before they could make a safer pose,
But I put too much value on my nose,
To ask if that is why they have a plaster on their nose.
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