There are three stages along the path
Of realization and accomplishment.
The first involves outer form,
Keeping the discipline, persevering
Even when there is no light.
The second begins when awareness dawns,
A glimpse of our true nature
Like a shy fish looking up out of the pond.
This is the stage of true faith and devotion
As this insight of inner light becomes the center.
The third stage is just more of the second,
A repeated familiarity with our basic nature
Through direct experience and awareness.
With familiarity comes a softening of the edges
A loosening at the core.
As the sublime becomes the everyday,
The shy fish now a flock of starlings
Confident in their numbers
Fluid and graceful in their murmuration,
A cloud of unknowing for all to see.
(9/22/26)
Back to the Mount of Olives
Back to prayer and surrender.
Back to the feet of Jesus
Back to repentance rendered.
Back to a place of brokeness
Back to earnest pleading.
Back to our faces to the ground
Back to see Jesus bleeding.
Back to new consecration
Back to submission and tears.
Back to persevering prayer
Back to reverent fear.
Back to praying against temptation
Back to one hour of prayer.
Back to appalled by a misused kiss
Back to commitment there.
Back to a solitary place
Back to review what your call is.
Back to "fervently seek first His kingdom"
Back to the Mount of Olives.
A field of blue
For who?
US or you
If I red, this right
About the American white
Knight's
Field of blue
Seeking justice true
Using a vigilant eagle eye
Persevering every try
Proudly raising the flag high
It flies
Message sent
Throughout the forging valley's tent
Watching old glory touch the stars
Blue field defends its red, white bars
Healing any freedom scars
Fifty or thirteen
It all means
The same
When one claims
An independent life
While piping the fife
And banging a drum
Feeling welcome
Under the blue sky
Where the American flag flies
High
Sounding the call
Down at the mall
Holiday sale all
Month long
Playing patriotic songs
Before debating what is wrong
Making us blue
Wondering exactly what is true?
That is how we act
And if you do not like it, go pack
Tye dye in July
60s shirt now revised
Bellbottom jeans hug backside
Long lean with dreamy eyes
Colorful fireworks in night sky
Red white blue patriotic pride
America so cool despite it’s lies
Many come find new life new tries
They’ll find joy they’ll find peach pain
Surprised by the voids and green games
How annoyed that money allows gains
Lady Liberty can see but can she change
Change the fuchsia fallacy creating a coup
Verify violet validity unveiling turquoise truth
Retiring old men fat of old money old dreams
Inspiring future generations keep persevering
Living long with gratitude mirth
my heart prays to abide in God against hope's dearth
sharing warm bond with family of loving worth
enjoying home-paradise in our heaven on earth
while serving upon ministerial fortress-berth...
Indeed, longevity as gift of the Lord by His grace
is a blessing against rigorous survival race*
since it shows divine mercy with compassion ways
propelling faith in persevering along worshipful praise
while delighting in life of triumphant, vibrant and radiant days.
*Hebrews 12:1-2 12 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
May 21, 2026
Honorable Mention, "1483" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Brian Strand; judged on 6/26/2026
Mother, I saw the bewildered eyes that couldn't tell their neighborhood from
Gaza, and ears tuned to the whining bombs and drones that whirl above incessantly,
wreak, burn, decimate, with scientific precision. And then someone showed me the CNN
headline news "Collateral damage," our new unsavory adjective.
Oh mother, I saw you cheering above the clouds our brave citizens, defying the bombs, marching with fists of iron, homage to the majesty of Iran, marking a new mythology.
And now I hear your voice: Give them a helping hand, and lift them beyond their sorrow and grief, above this raging smoke of fire engulfing the city. The rain shall come and washes the smoke and the tears.
I employ your faith mother, wounded by the shattered windows, yet persevering, and proud.
Beware of charcoal cheats creeps and liars
Slippery sloape speech of energy vampires
They do not mean well
With green envy they swell
Back handed compliments
Full of red fire from hell
Protect yourself stay prayed up
Broken spells defeat with love
Not that you have to be weak and meek
But like an arch angel bring it with speech
No need to try to win them over at all
God has your back He won’t let you fall
But dear heart you must recognize
Fraudulent “friends” who envy your light
Keep on persevering shine on
No need in fearing sing your song
Blind them with the goodness of God
Pray He slays or saves dear heart
Kinetic kiss delivered by winter’s wind
Pushing past oceans and blasting through
Limber limbs of various tree breeds
Fleeing amber apathy
In search of love hugs and hope
Embracing ghosts of past
Presenting a future fast forming
With ideals and dreams
Shining like sunbeams
A magnetic moment of light
As a map of kinds to guide
To encourage and support
All a heart desires despite life’s voids
Keep persevering and flying
Luke’s Take: Couplets
Amidst the gathered throng all who contemplate
A farmer wandered forth to sow with agrarian gait
Some seeds were trampled, snatched by birds in flight
Others met the rocky ground and withered from the light
Among the thorns, hope struggled, choked by worldly care
While on good soil, faith blossomed, life fertile and rare
Each heart receives The Word, its journey has begun
By holding fast and persevering it, a harvest is won
Mark’s Take: A Limerick
A man scattered seed as He fanned’em
Always knowing whose growth’s in tandem
The stalk, then the head
And the grain is ripe and spread
The harvests appear just as He’s planned’em
Matthew’s Take: Haikus
Seeds fall on the path
Birds swoop down without a root
Message snatched away
Rocky ground, quick joy
Sun scorches shallow roots fast
Withers in trouble
Among the sharp thorns
Worries choke the growing Word
Fruitless riches fade
Good soil receives seed
Understanding yields a crop
Abundance in heart
Wheat and weeds both grow
Harvest sorts what is sown here
Truth’s spread by our God
Epilogue:
A Tender Shoot springs
Wonderful Counselor He
Succors to His kin
Endearing Ms Eilish not willy nilly a silly Billie got her wish despite the stares
Crys of why guys are there any let alone so many glutton button billionaires?
Not adhering to age old sage adage share if you've enough stuff to spare
Uncouth domineering untruths sold smearing sleuths as society tears
Sneering about profiteering mining shining spiting climate crisis scares
Cheering racketeering careering all about that flocks stocks & shares
Leering snares creatives gold left bereft fearing they're not their flair heirs
Persevering with cold jeering at hearing protests that then fold no one cares
Scold civic critics nearing the facts spearing by acts.. pacts & unfair flares
Cost of disappearing rare species now just pieces of faeces in their lost lairs
Searing temperatures rearing still somehow our despairs never even airs
Gearing up for the veering apocalypse peering as the sun stun gun glares
Must be bold steering pioneering derring do clearing these nightmares
Who dares volunteering to stop the interfering engineering by the billionaires?
When conscious of who I was and who I am delivered,
A sense of giving all my all, where previously I quivered.
I tried my best in all I did, through challenges diverse,
While others walked on smoother paths — for better, or for worse.
Though they had their problems, I watched them on the quest,
And when they died, it’s said of them, they truly did their best.
It puzzled me each time they passed, where silently I fell,
Pondering their journey — to heaven through a hell?
Guess so many try their best in everything they do,
Persevering and persisting, primely pushing through.
This unpredictable life with challenges, driven by mere hope,
And hope is hard to hold, down that shifty slope.
However, we're not good enough if we do not aim;
To float along should be wrong, such a shabby shame.
However, when my angel comes and carries me in rest,
I understand myself: they'll brand, “She did her very best.”
— Rest in Peace
Know the stakes before the Show.
Risk all; let it go!
Courageously make that climb
Bring your spark in time
Life is much more than a walk,
A picnic or a jog in the park.
There's a Duty-Call from Above
With Truth, Life and to trust.
It's The Essence; the core to the crust
"But I don't understand!" you say,
"What would be the cost to pay?"
Authenticity: be faithful and true
With just the glimpse of happiness in you
Like fireworks bursting in air
Reveals The Essence: that we care!
Life and changes are hard
But fight regrets and fear retard
Be on an expert and responsible team
Persevering, sharing God's dream
Like a child inquisitive,
Learning, initiating and sensitive.
The Essence is also like a mother
Jumping up to help another,
Being sweet, kind and genuinely you,
Making others better too,
Bringing out the Best, no doubt,
With no time to "Chicken-Out!"
So live in the Essence
By your heart, in every sense,
Sophisticated, elaborate and extravagant!
Covering over us God's Love is bent.
You will see a new and better plan
If only to be still and listen you can!?
Not succumbing to eternity
at a death bed, but at the cross
My Saviour and Lord gave up the ghost…
According to the Scriptures in John 19:30,
“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar,
he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”
Yes, at His crucifixion, He declared, “It is finished.”
Such was and is always a statement of great triumph
Reverberating God’s compassion toward every human
Offering His gift of eternal life to sinners like you and me.
Indeed, He uttered, “It is finished.”
Such is His assurance of everlasting redemption
Reaching-out to those who believe His sacrificial work
By faith… believing Him as the way, the truth, and the life.
Gloriously, He proclaimed, “It is finished.”
Such is now my vibrant hope as I strive and persist
To share the Gospel, testifying of His loving kindness
And by His grace, cheering others with His peace and joy.
With His omnipotence, He asserted, “It is finished.”
Such keeps me going on, persevering to do my best
Maximizing opportunities for functional role-performance
So that when I face Him, I’ll say, “By Your mercy, I finished the race.”
“TOPTOMIST”
* Word Created by P. Romios *
T- they walk with a smile, in a negative world,
O-Oracles of Free Speech for everyone!
P-Persevering their truth~despite overt ,persecution?
T- They know so well, when one door closes, another opens!.
O-Omens of those, who respect your great individuality.
M-Mentors, they, your soul’s leaders, listen to their wisdom.
I- Independence, freedom, yes. poets Toptomists, fight for thee?
S-Silencing any poetic voice, is like a heart gnawed to pieces by ticks,
T-Terror is only a dictator’s trick, dressed in righteousness,with no glow!
8/23/2025
if it were up to me
i wouldn't be here.
i would have left
a long time ago.
but others expect things of me.
things that i have to do.
and so i do them.
and i'm not dead yet.
from the minute we are born,
we are treated like clay.
carefully handled,
molded by the hands
of each person we come
in contact with.
so i'm sorry that i can't
undo the dents and imperfections
but they aren't my fault.
blame the girls who made me feel
useless.
blame the guys who made me feel
unlovable.
blame the teachers who made me feel like a
failure.
but i'm not dead yet.
i keep pushing, persevering,
praying.
praying that someone will see the
strain in my smile.
the way my leg shakes
under the desk.
the way i pick at my fingernail beds
the way i pull out my hair
the way i hold the knife to my skin.
i pray.
and i pray.
no one ever helps.
no one ever comes.
but i'm not dead yet.
and you can thank me for that.
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