She quickly readies
The food for quest
Silent in movement
Lest others guess
...I don't belong
He stands at the bar
Eating oatmeal and whey
His wife readies the luggage
As they operate the day
...trying to belong
She gets the phone
And orders maintenance
He sits, without a word
Enduring her boss, with patience
...belonging isn't necessary
He stumbles around
Trying to find his seat
There's a secluded corner
Where he and his friend retreat
...we will NEVER belong
The signal that drives
Every soul to connect
Is the self same vibration
That brings the soul to reject
...belonging
Written by Trudy Schrader on 09-26-2026
APOTHEOSIS
I found her in a dream
Of beauty, she did share
The winds eternal song
Lost, to love somewhere
Providence she was
An answer to a prayer
The Willow's weep at dawn
Loose ribbons in her hair
Patchouli softly hung
Fore-spake, a gentle air
Her fan, a rising Sun
She opened to despair
A wish, be the one
With patience, brings her here
No flower, hand, her arm
Lost, to love somewhere
Shall I never wake
Sleep take me to that place
Waters curl endless
A Lady, watches, waits
A ship which never harbours
A storm, has no escape
No letter, forward onwards
A secret, kept by fate
Still, she stares the waters
Every sailor's gait
Every face she bothers
Haunts, and hesitates
Her fan, falling, falters
The Sun, another day
Her love, forever honoured
A Lady, watches, waits
Once upon his signet ring
a maxim true and wise,
Which, Gave him counsel,
for every change or chance:
'Even this shall pass away!'
II.
Trains through the sand
Brought gems
Fleets
Brought pearls
But Treasures wealth?
the King would say;
'Even this shall pass away.'
III.
In his court, the sport,
When the palms
Burned with clapping
He, Cried, O loving friends of mine!
'Even this shall pass away.'
IV.
Lady fairest his queen.Pillowed
Whispering to his soul,
Mortal flesh must come to clay:
'Even this shall pass away.'
V.
Fighting on Soldiers bleeding
Groaning Pain is hard to bear,
But with patience day by day,
'Even this shall pass away.'
VI.
Towering Twenty cubits in the air,
Rose statue carved in stone.
Gazing Asked
what is fame?
Fame is but a slow decay:
'Even this shall pass away.'
VII.
at the Gates of Gold,
Spake he
Life is done, but what is Death?
Fell a sunbeam on his ring,
Showing by a heavenly ray --
Even this shall pass away'
(Blackout of The King's Ring by Theodore Tilton)
Some days the weight isn't heavy or loud,
just a fog that settles behind the eyes,
a persistent, low-hanging winter cloud
that blurs the shape of the morning skies.
We ask ourselves why we are tired or slow,
as if healing moves in a straight, clear line,
forgetting the seed buried under the snow
is working in secret before its design.
It takes courage to rest when the world demands speed,
to sit with the storm till the thunder subsides,
to listen with patience to what the heart needs,
instead of the pressure that daily decides.
You do not need to be cured by tonight,
nor prove that you’re whole to be worthy of space;
just stay in the room, let yourself see the light,
and meet your own spirit with unconditional grace.
Flowers to tea
Just my mama and me
Spending the day together
Making wonderful memories.
The glow from the lamps
Cast shadows on the wall
As evening creeps in
And the moon rises tall.
Little hands learning
Under mama's watchful eye
With Patience and understanding
She gives a proud sigh.
Oh little one
You have so much to learn
But mama's here beside you
With every step and every turn.
(Written for an animation reel)
To me she is grace, a radiant light,
Turning grayest mornings into luminous bright.
Her laughter is music, a sweet, ringing chime,
That lingers and dances a lovely warm rhyme.
With a spirit so cheerful, she scatters away
The shadows and clouds of a difficult day.
Her empathy runs deep, as a crystal stream,
A comforting anchor, a beautiful dream.
She knows every word that is healing and true,
And says what is needed for comfort to you.
No awkward missteps or regret in her phrase,
Just wisdom and warmth to embolden your days.
Her heart is so pure, benevolently gleams,
The truest of treasures, the best of my dreams.
She’d go to great lengths to whisk away tears,
And quiet the doubts and anxieties and fears.
For nothing brings more to her gentle-eyed view,
Than seeing a smile gently blossom in you.
She’d do most anything, wondrous and grand,
To offer a laugh while holding her hand.
So cherish this lady, so lovely and rare,
Who meets every moment with patience and care.
A heart made of gold and a spirit so true,
She lives for the joy that she brings unto you.
Through midnight's strong storm, truth's lantern still glows
It pierces illuminous light where sea blows
Every weary sailor its soft vow knows
And that light, though faint through darkness shows
Sea's waves may rise in tempest's cruel throes
Yet, truth's tower signals with patience disclose
A thread of light truth, where a lost soul goes
Hopes that at least one will grab and just knows
The flame keeper works all hours up-close
To make dangers less appealing; transpose
Rocks, reefs that are hidden come to light, shows
Light diminishes dangerous shadows.
When the tide of life's dark night, at last slows
In eastern sky an apricot ball does pose
Lighthouse's lantern still beams, mercy knows
Our hope endures, where one true light flows
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
I wanted to bake
banana bread would be great
So,in the oven it went
Then, I lost power
with patience to start over
Bad timing, it was lost again
Heidi Sands
5/5/26
(C)opyright
They set up organizations
Geared to helping the poor
How on earth does the CEO
End up having more
Buying agreement with votes
To secure a name in time
Money, always shifting
To bring comfort to the bind
Funny how giving what you got
Is very different among the lowly
Every connection that arises
Ebbs and flows, with patience, very slowly
Relief comes as compassion
Rather than a leftover gift of disdain
Resources are sacred and shared
Without a thought of personal gain
It is the heartbeat of eternity
That sets the flow of giving
Those who engage in benevolent B.M.'s
Well, those chaps, they aren't among the living
Written by Trudy Schrader on 05-03-2026
two sisters started
not knowing
who and what waits.
then met one who came alone
and other two who were friends since long
and they waited
not with patience.
got in a car complaining
about the heat, the path
and the lack of space.
then joined a group of three:
two brothers and their neighbour.
and they all went up the mountain
driven by Tamang.
when joined the one
who knows the most,
the others were already friends.
a glimpse of their journey
climbing mountains
yet to unfold.
they climbed for 5 days
led by the elder Tamang.
each day had its own
stories, colours and shenanigans.
each day each one faced something new;
of the journey
and of themselves.
each day the knit became tighter.
finally they came back together
not complaining
about the rain, the way back
or the lack of space.
holding on to
their breaths and the last few days .
then the two , who started together
separated first.
the beginning was uncertain
and the ending came fast.
and I close my eyes
trying to relive it again.
What you wanted
arrived quietly in my room
and began rearranging the furniture.
The books I once praised
closed themselves without protest.
I learned new songs
simply because they lived in your mouth.
Even the rain changed accent.
It knocked softer,
as if afraid to wake
the version of me that came before you.
I started choosing mornings
the way you choose flowers—
with patience,
with unnecessary tenderness.
Your laughter taught my silence
how to open its windows.
Your happiness became the weather
I checked before stepping outside.
Now when I say I like this,
I hear your footsteps inside the sentence.
What I call preference
is only love after it has settled in.
I send you strength
In its finest form, resilience in nature, wisdom of sight , forgiveness of self and sleep in the night
Delivered with patience
To release what hexes
A guide to your truth
with pure intent .
This moves with haste
With no consequence
To any of a kind those I hold in my mind , myself included protected by the now of time
I banish what grips me
And darkens my sight
I now walk in my truth, and my truth is in light
I release what binds me to unfulfilling pleasure
I summon my truth,
bring onto me my true treasures
I call it by name for it is not my own
I burn it in flame … ashes upon ashes …
Set to the wind I release its hold
I shout to the masses
I choose light over darkness love over fear.. no more will you whisper in my ear
These are my words, and my words are my power
My strength my resolve grows hour by hour times this by three
so I stated so it shall be
I honour as always my true deity
O Israel,
greatness hides in humility.
The proud sword shines briefly.
The quiet hand rules longer.
An African proverb whispers:
a king who governs by violence
shortens his own reign.
Aggression summons aggression.
Blood remembers blood.
If you seek to lead
the Middle East,
do not conquer with fire.
Conquer with patience.
Water defeats stone
not by force
but by persistence.
Soft power is the unseen army.
Humility is its shield.
Through war
you carve memory
into the hearts of generations.
Victory today
can plant rebellion tomorrow.
Pain travels through time.
Children inherit it.
If peace is desired,
let wisdom speak.
Two peoples
must breathe the same horizon.
Brotherhood and sisterhood
build what armies cannot.
A nation becomes greater
when it learns restraint.
The soft heart
moves mountains
the sword cannot touch.
Remember this:
Empires endure
not by fear alone
but by the consent
of those who live beside them.
And the universe itself
leans toward those
who choose wisdom
over conquest.
"Alas", I sighed.
There, before my eyes,
a shiny bird did bide.
A raven's appetite,
with patience, and time,
is satisfied.
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