Linda M. Crate- Three Poems

thank You

thank You for being the
friend that never turns
Your back on me
even when i'm being crazy,
and when i've lost
my cool
You're still standing there with
open arms to embrace
me in Your warmth and love and
wisdom;
thank You for being the friend
i don't always appreciate as well as i should
yet still remains
to love me imperfect as i am—
You are the alpha and the omega
the beginning and the end
everything starts with You.



my best friend

even when i resist
Your pull You've never
given up on me,
and even when i think i'm
lost to the wolves
You are the Shepard that
finds me and carries
me back home in His arms;
thank You for being there
when i am impossible
and when everyone else has
turned their backs
when i really need a friend and
everyone has turned their
back on me
or are just too busy
thank You for brushing away my tears
and thank You for showing me
what true love was and the person i should
aspire to be, Lord.



always there

i can never walk where You
cannot find me,
and though sometimes i try
i'm glad You don't
give up on me
no matter how difficult i am to deal
with or love
You always forgive me;
and You've always provided when
things have looked dire
and dim—
thank You for always being there
even when i don't deserve it.

Donal Mahoney- A Poem

A Different New Year’s Eve

An ancient couple,

he's a hunchback, 

she's a gnome, 

in the kitchen play

a game of dominoes,

drink hot cocoa, eat

warm bread dripping 

with apricot jam, then 

off to bed at eight 

and up again at five

for the winding drive

down the mountainside

snowy miles to church 

on New Year’s Day,

there to sing and praise  

God for everything.

Donal Mahoney

—————————————————

Donal Mahoney lives in St. Louis, Missouri.

Anne Babson- A Poem

TRIBULATION LYRIC # 8

Do you remember the Cage film?

Do you know why the caged film sings?

You see that slick preacher still slim

On the screen, his rambling rantings

About a day yet to come, but the nuns

Left the cloister, while the Pope sits in Rome?

The church camp youths seem to have run,

But where?  The night clerk left the phone

Off the hook.  That daycare lady

Disappeared.  That drunk got sober,

Followed steps, but text him – maybe

His phone is dead.  It clobbers

You, doesn’t it, boggles the mind

Now to redownload Left Behind.  

Charles Burgess- A Poem

God makes things better

Whenever you may be sad turn to god he will make things better

Whenever you are down take his hand he is with you until the end

God is good and god is great he will take away all of your pain

God makes things better this I know the bible tells me so

God makes things better for me and you know it’s true

God makes the cancer go away god makes the darkest day become bright

God makes my day better he makes the bad go away

God makes our fears go away

God tells you everything will be ok

God wipes my tears away I know its true

God makes my life so much better listen to the words I speak

I think of what the lord went through my knees go weak

I know true love because of him he sent me an angel from up above

I put my hands together and I pray

I pray for those who are lost they might find their way

God is with me good times and bad lord allow me to take your hand

Climb up on the white horse and take the lords hand

I will end this with I love you lord and amen

Peter C. Venable- A Poem

12-2014

In this world that spins too fast—

Where news glorifies carnage vast—
As bullets plunge their startled mark—
Mad bombers set another blast;

Voices carol “Emmanuel”—

Pine scent enchants with zesty spell.
Eons ago, swaddled in flesh,
The Almighty came to earth to dwell.  

Donal Mahoney- A Poem

A New Yo-Yo on Christmas Day

I took grandson Jack

for a walk in the park

high noon on Christmas Day.

He wanted to see 

his yo-yo dance

but his parents said

no yo-yo tricks

in a crowded house

with a Christmas tree.

So after Mass

they wrapped Jack up 

in a snowsuit worn

by the Michelin Man

when he was a child.

And Jack and I 

strolled off, laughing 

through the snow.

The park was empty 

when I showed Jack 

yo-yo tricks I’d learned

many decades ago.

I told him he would

soon be tall enough 

to do these tricks

on his own.

Jack laughed and asked

if we could come back

to the park that night

and watch the comets.

I asked him why. 

That’s when I learned 

comets are yo-yos and 

God swings their strings

on the other side

of the moon.

 

 

Donal Mahoney lives in St. Louis, Missouri. 

Cristian Flores- A Poem

Around the block

Walk with me

Walk with me until you step no longer

Walk with me in patience

Lets walk together

Walk with me

Walk with me in the light of day and of night

Walking with me is credence, leading is guidance

Walk away from the pain, the hate of this world, and of others

Enjoy taking a stroll

Walk with me today, and I shall walk with you tomorrow

If you can’t walk, I will carry you to rest

As if it was forever

 

Walk with me

 

 

Cristian Flores is who he is; a student, lyricist, and more than a conqueror who lives in Seaside, California. He is currently working on his vision of producing his own music for Hip Hop, that includes creating his own beats and lyrics. He is studying for a major in philosophy but has also been considering on majoring in music production or poetry. Cristian will always have his passion for music; he enjoys most types of genres but he prefers Hip Hop. Very soon he will establish his own unique independent record label and continue to pursue his dreams that are not just for him, but for God and you.

Peter C. Venable- A Poem

Cristes Maesse

At a limestone wall a Hebrew and two sons

hewed and shoveled out livestock space
a generation after first Hanukkah.

During his last winter, his son jammed

timber and nailed stalls for their migrations.

His great-great grandson and boy camped

with an ass, goats and sheep below roosting pigeons.
He grimaced, remembering his father
among 2,000 Hebrews spiked to gibbets in one day
a generation ago.

This night a couple begged for space in the stall.

Starlight unveiled her swollen belly. Her face grimaced like his.
The couple collapsed on straw, dung, and droppings.

His dreams were rocked with groans like hers.

Finally, their baby cried with him.

Wiping his eyes, he saw his boy’s waking eyes—

pale hazel dots staring outward. He kissed his cheek.
Rising, he dragged an empty feeding trough to the couple
and folded his mantle inside.

Glancing outside, what was this glimmering shaft

aiming at the cave’s maw?

Donal Mahoney- A Poem

New Pickle on Christmas Eve

Paddy stops at Rosen's Deli

and orders brisket 

on a Kaiser roll, a dab 

of horseradish, a new 

pickle on the side.

"Latke, too, Sol. Coffee later. 

No dinner tonight.

Maggie's not feeling well.

I'll eat here and take a tub

of noodle soup to go."

Paddy eats and meets Sol

wrestling with his register.

"How's Mrs. Rosen, Sol?

Haven't seen her in 

a month of Sundays."

"Could be cancer, Paddy.

They operate next week.

Things don't look good.

Doc says everything depends 

on what they find inside."

Paddy has no idea what to say.

He knows Minerva Rosen better 

than he knows old Sol.

Years ago she handed him 

his first new pickle.

"At church tomorrow, Sol,

Maggie and I will pray hard.

I hope to God it works.

At times, praying's all 

anyone can do."

 

Donal Mahoney lives in St. Louis, Missouri. 

Peter C. Venable- A Poem

Who is this King of Glory?

Pianissimo to Fortissimo,

Diminuendo into crescendo,

Handel’s ink, deep from his mind’s reservoir

Note by note by note—began to flow.

Across the world: voices, stings and horns play

In December’s perennial bouquet.

Beauty for the ears—melodious sounds—

The Messiah flowers this winter’s day. 

Linda M. Crate- Three Poems

save us from ourselves

You are my light,
my strength and defender
protecting me from
my enemies
even when the foe is
myself and my own foolish
thoughts or actions;
and You are my ray of hope
when darkness
descends it's cold shroud around
me—
You are the great I am
the alpha and omega
beginning and the end,
and i pray Lord that You protect
us all from all the anger and wrath and
injustices wrapping us in their
arms because hate cannot drive out hate
and darkness cannot drive out darkness
only love and light can do that
and You are the possessor of the greatest
strength and love i have ever known.



grant me strength to do Your will

You overcame death so i
can overcome,
and it seems so hard with all these
walls constricting around me
to keep dreaming and believing that You
are the one in control;
but You remind me that i must have
endurance and patience—
You tell me not to
fear, and that it will be all right that i
can trust You;
sometimes, Lord, this world is a scary
place but You are my Savior
You can walk on water,
and so i remind myself not to be troubled
to trust in Your holy name—
You've dried my tears and chase away all
my fears,
and Lord i ask You give me the strength
to do Your purpose because it's hard to
sparkle like Your star when i feel
as if i am not strong enough to gaze upon the
beauty of Your grace.



separation

i am sorry for the times i've
done evil because i know
it breaks Your heart,
and it shatters mine as well;
but You forgive me
even in this broken, ugly state
so please Lord teach me
to forgive as You do because heaven
only knows how hard i can hold
a grudge against my enemies, and You've
commanded i forgive them just as
You forgave me—
i am always the girl that loves more,
but You tell me that i can't
keep track no matter how much they hurt me;
but it's hard and i can't do it alone
so teach me Lord to follow
Your voice when this
humanity in me pulls and jerks away from
Your truth
because the greatest pain is
separation from You.

Lela Marie De La Garza- A Poem

     ADVENT CANDLES

Advent candles burning bright,

Sending out a Christmas  light;

Never let their glory dim,

You who wait and watch for Him.