Writing in the present
Recording the past
Looking to the future
For things that may last

Layers of memories
Telling a story
Times of sorrow
Times of glory

Words overlap one another
Unfold to discover
That life in a book
Under lock and key
Is not what life is meant to be

A monolog of thoughts
Baring no response
A one-sided romance
With never a chance

Secret thoughts engaged
Searching for hope on every Page
Every word speaks a narrative
Of
Disappointments
Rejections
Loneliness
Of
Hopes
Dreams
Desires

But hopes and dreams can’t guarantee happiness
You’ve closed the book
And never looked back
When life swallows you up
You’ll remember the days
Your life was so simple
In so many ways
*****************************
“Fill your paper with the
Breathings of your heart”
William Wordsworth

You never listen son
To a word I say
You turn aside
You spurn correction
You change direction

I stretch out my hand
But you reject it
You despise my instruction
Disdain my commands
Refuse my teachings
Scorn my discipline

You never heed my counsel
Truth remains at the door
You ignore and refuse to
Maintain discretion

You have harden your heart
And brought me to tears
You have allowed my words to become
Just noise to your ears

**************
“To have a fool for a son brings grief
There is no joy for the father of a fool”
Proverbs(17:21)

Opportunities pass you by?
Plans never satisfied?
Expectations never fulfilled?
Chances never taken?
Goals set but never met?
Hesitation with regret?
Love promised but never knew?
It would seem your future
Is always behind you

Today I heard loud knocking
I know not where it came
I heard in quiet whisper
The calling of my name

Today I heard a knocking
The same as before
Though not as loud
I simply ignored

Today I heard soft knocking
I know not where it started
I pretended to listen
Then I simply disregarded

Today I heard faint knocking
I could barely make it out
Its distance I could not measure
For it seemed to resemble a round-a-bout

Today I heard no knocking
It seemed to have gone away
The whisper in my ear dolefully
seem to say
There will not be any more
Todays
******************************
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.
If any one hears my voice and opens the door,
I will come in and eat with him and he with me.
Revelation:(4-20)

Every string of black beads one must conclude
Carries a petition of prayer that many bear
One black bead following another until at last
Each bead has been cast

One large bead held tightly in hand
Praying that God would understand
Waiting to see
If He would answer their prayers

Ten small beads in just a fraction
Setting off a chain reaction
Carrying a petition through the air
A pleasant odor of incense
Into the heavenly atmosphere
Falling to His feet
Resting at the mercy seat

There are:
Beads for happiness
Beads for love
Beads for health
Beads for wealth
Beads for a bright tomorrow
Beads to take away sorrow
Beads carried by the wind
Beads to cover one’s sin

But beads are only beads
And are soon dropped back to earth
Broken and shattered having no worth
For one’s petition needs only one condition
To be in His will before He will ever listen
***************************************
‘Loyalty to God is alone fundamental,
feelings. words, deeds be strong
on the string of duty.
Let the world tell you in a hundred ways
what your life is for.
Say you ever and only,
Lo, I come to do the will of God!”

                                                       Maltbie Davenport Babcock  

Destructive words never to be returned
Spread without permission
Revealed secrets
Others learned

Exposing private Affairs
Half-truths that spread doubts
Stealing ones good name
A tongue that controls the mouth
Slanderous
Baseless
Assassinates reputations
Murders character
Evokes hatred
Leads to premature judgment
Destroys confidence

No gossip
No quarrels
No jealousy
No hostilities

It’s from a deceitful heart
These thoughts have sprung
But a mouth that utters lies
Can easily be rectified
Once one has learned to control the tongue

***************************************
“Fire goes out for lack of fuel,
And quarrels disappear when gossip stops”
Proverbs 26:20

“In a false quarrel there is no true valor.”
William Shakespeare

Oh how I’ll hate the longing years
The years counted by drops of my tears
The years ahead that I’ll spend
The years of my life where I’ll pretend
That life has meaning and purpose for me
A life I’ll keep secret that no one will see
The time in my life where I’ll make-believe
Many I’ll fool
Many I’ll deceive
For no one knows what’s locked in my heart
The love I’ve stored
The love I’ve kept
The tears I’ve tasted
The tears I’ve wept
A life I’ll keep silent never to conceal
For no one listens
For no one hears
Oh how I’ll hate the longing years
************************************
“What worries you,
Masters you.”
John Locke
(1632-1704)