Fall

 

Summer is dying.

I hear the voices that thrilled the air fading into chilled echoes that carry farther but leave the listener with a shiver that reminds of the hard seriousness of the near grave.

I see the clouds get thinner and higher as if shrinking back and mixing with the blue of the sky to hide from the cold that is sure to come and grip them with fingers of steel and carry them to the ground to land in piles of pure white upon every lawn and rooftop.

I feel the bite of the fresh wind as it laughs by my ears and whistles through the city streets, catching every blind and deaf fool and tossing their hair like the thoughts of a troubled artist and the leaves that tumble across every road, piling against each dirty curb.

I smell the fruit of harvest, and the fields rotting in the rain that keeps driving and streaming, beating a rhythm that will set the pace for a busy winter of stamping feet and hearts beating harder as if trying to exist through a long cold night.

Call Me Up

Call Me Up

Sitting at your feet in dingy robes

Faded, ripped and torn from life and sin

Without the river, without love or hope

Will it ever flow in me again?

Pressure on my shoulders- bow my head

Shame dripping from my bared dirty mind

What will You say? My heart full of dread.

To kick me as a dog would be as kind.

I wait, and wait for you to speechify

I wait for judgment, hopelessness I feel.

I sense your eyes upon me up so high

So lift my head in silence as I kneel.

But you aren’t angry as I had supposed

Your eyes are kind, shining with your tears.

A wave of subtle hope and sweet repose

And rivers break down walls composed of fears.

Joyous love, I see forgiveness gleam

From your white and shining holy being.

And from your face a blazing glory beam

I can not stand; your face I am seeing.

Now you take my hand- with your hands of steel.

Your strength flows into me with every touch.

You break the barriers and every wound you heal,

You transform me, how could it be you love so much?

My Friend

I knew it would happen, we’d carry apart

The halves of our lives which had not had a start

I knew that I loved you, but wouldn’t admit

Though you always said we were a perfect fit

Someday I will realize the reasons for this,

But right now I only see what went amiss.

I tried to say no, and because you were there

It was always easy to just enough care.

I used your heart badly, for only my good

You pushed me ‘til I began thinking I should.

I told you everything, and you did the same

We tried to be friends but it ended a game.

I miss you already, and I’m sad to say bye.

I guess that we will meet again in the sky.

The seasons will go by, but always I’ll see

Your face in the sunshine, smiling at me

Dawn

 

I never knew the Dawn to be so fine

As when dear Rest and Peace afford their time

To save Ungodly Hour’s disliked repute,

And ember glow to not leave destitute.

 

But should they not appear as so desired,

And leave instead our hearts in fear and tired,

We won’t awake again at break of day,

Instead, we’ll close our eyes; wish Light away.

 

And as the black Night ceases, fades to gray,

As small nocturnal beings fade away,

As silky pre-dawn Mist beholds its end,

As bow the Shadows to Light’s arm extend,

 

When maternal bird maintains her song,

Makes clear her notes to tell of tales long,

'Til when the Sun has climbed to full bright face,

And ill of Sorrow’s night has left no trace,

 

Our sleep will keep an air of sweet sunrise,

And build a bridge of Life to Dreams to Skies,

But Dawn will have no audience to see,

How bright its entrance to the day will be.

The Only Way

Is singing the only way to

Vocalize the harmony

To someone else’s melody?

Is laughing the only way

To vocalize the joy you’ve felt

When someone’s love comes your way?

Is crying the only way

To let the tears flow

Out of your heart, bring healing?

Is asking the only way

To let them know

You’re wondering, and find out?

Is loving the only way

To make their guard come down,

And show them that you care?

Is trying the only way to  

Fail in your misery- then succeed

 And triumph over failure?

Is forgiving the only way

To let it go, bring freedom,

To a lasting friendship?

Is faking the only way

To mask the fear that’s

Hidden in your eyes?

Photo taken by Krystle Morrill



Dewdrop

Someone told me I was a dewdrop-

Hanging off a twig.

I looked at it- It sparkled;

Did a lovely dancing jig.

Someone told me I was a dewdrop,

I heard "you’re just for now.

The shine will last til’ twilight,

Or til’ winds hit the bough."

Someone told me I was a dewdrop,

I saw that I was small,

They told me I was a dewdrop,

And watched me drip and fall.

Someone told me I was a dewdrop

I fell, but landed here.

I may be just a dewdrop

But at least I’m not a tear.

Remind Me

When the currents draw

Warm autumn winds their way

To scatter summer’s leaves

But beg that summer stay,

When simple steps of orphans

Whose lively hearts are cold,

Readily turn grown-up,

To sever from their mold.

When earth itself is trembling

From the sound of soldiers feet

And many more are coming

Mistakes again repeat.

Remind me who I am,

Who this stranger in me was

Remind me of a time

When it was “just because.”

Imagined Love

 

All imagination, she thinks he sees her light,

An image found her mind, and she saw without sight:

“Positively pleasant, her figure graced his mind.

Hatpins dripping hot sauce, a live and burning kind.”

Played a fool and abandoned freedom’s purity,

Dropped her handkerchief, now lives insecurity.

Dappled little countenance, poor embarrassed soul,

Don’t you think that maybe, it was not real at all?

Keep Me Thirsty

Keep me thirsty for water, dear,

Don’t let my head come up too high.

Fresh, to startle my dragging soul,

Brandish your love sword, but stand by.

Don’t kiss my undefiled lips,

Or touch my side to invite thrill

Only take my cold, loving hand

To warm my heart and love instill.



Picture taken by George Osborne III

Cirrus Delight

Catch my eye, cloudy day.

Only you make this beauty stay.

Without, the blue would be alone,

The sky would always stay like stone.

Stay here, wisps of smoke-gray light,

But move to dance in wind’s delight,

Form soft sun-soaked patterns, then,

Resist and sweep, to curl again.

Lift my eyes with your humble soft,

Then break and lift my chin aloft,

Let sunshine pour through white windows,

Then spread again, to make shadows,

Ride on, sail on, fly on,

To where destiny and peace,

Has called your lovely form to dwell,

Til destiny must cease.

Build and storm in

Hasty passion throws,

And leave the sky,

Through winter snows.

Rainy Morning

Woke up in the grey, new summer morning

Lying without worries on my pillow.

Rain leisurely drizzling, renewing life,

I watch and listen through open window.

Heat fallen, rain has cooled the parched earth;

Dust has been beaten down to clear the air.

The fields drink their fill, and still more it rains,

I’d rather it rain than the sky be fair.

I drink, with the fields as still I listen,

Of the incredible freshness renewed

The green is returning, breathing again,

The earth, at last, is with new life imbued.

Thank God for rain and His promises!!!

Tree Poem

If the sun no more shines its golden rays,

And moon no more reflects;

If notes and songs are no more sung;

Life is tears in all aspects,

May this tree stand, still strong and high,

To tell you this one thing:

My love for you reaches above the sky,

To you I’ll forever cling.

I LOVE YOU

Iron Ideas

I’m sorry boy, she has iron ideas

She needs a man whose strength is a support

I’m sorry, strength, you are still not enough,

She needs a man who’ll encourage, exhort.

I’m sorry, you’re still far from winning

She needs a man who has a godly heart.

I’m sorry but there is more I must say,

She needs a man who will never depart.

I’m sorry! Are you tired yet my dear?

She needs a man who will calm her fear.

I’m sorry, have you dropped yet to the ground?

She needs a man who will wipe every tear.

I’m sorry; you must hear these requirements

She needs a place of refuge, submission.

I’m sorry, but this is quite important-

Her heart must be your heart’s ambition.

Wait- I’m not sorry! You must be told.

These are the things in you she must behold.

JUST BECAUSE

Just because-

The sky turned purple in the middle of the day,

And we all thought Summer was going away,

But he stayed.

And we made

Fools of ourselves in the middle of the park trail,

Then tried to make up but the postman kept our mail.

Just because-

The stream's soft rills were red at midday

And Autumn was wondering if she’d be able to stay

But she fell.

And the smell

Of the dandelion chains we used to make,

Will be in the air of my dreams ‘til I wake.

Just because-

The trees were too black when the sun was high,

And Winter never seemed to want to say goodbye,

But he did

And God forbid,

We stay away so long that youth is gone,

Or change the notes to our made-up song.

Just because-

The grass was blue with the cold at noon,

And Spring never figured she’d stay ‘til June,

But was wrong.

And all along

When life made us sad we’d pick up again

In the middle of the story so we’d never hear the end.

But when night came we sang that song

That kept us together all night long.

“Don’t you forget, I love you still,

When we look at silver moon,

Golden hearts feel that thrill.

We will see each other soon.”

Footprints in Concrete

Like old yellowed paper

Or ancient carved tree,

These footprints in concrete

Tell stories to me.

They flit through the fields,

Then wander through mire.

They dance between raindrops,

Then stop to admire.

These footprints are lovely

Here where the sun shines,

But there in the shadow

Their beauty declines.

They plant seeds and harvest,

They lie down to rest,

They are swift in pursuit

Of doing their best.

Though most times these footprints

Are pure; untainted,

Sometimes they slip and fall;

Sometimes they’re painted.

Sometimes they have good friends,

Sometimes they’re lonely.

Then they find a best friend,

Who walks with them only.

These footprints tell of love,

Of hard times and hate;

And when it’s time to go,

They tenderly abate.

Love Waiting

Lying in the fields, where all the wildflowers grow,

Looking up at clouds that never stop nor stay,

Pondering marvels that nearness makes come clear,

Watching her lips move soundlessly, as if to pray.

I’m here because I love her; I want to see her face,

Through which her vernal spirit shines each new- awakened dawn.

Someday I won’t lack courage to go and tell her so,

For now I can’t- but love can wait, if patience isn’t gone.

I turn from her again- as every day I do, and,

Wonder if I’ll ever have that chance to tell my care.

Again the clouds keep parting, again the flowers sway,

And again my heart is aching- but- I will not despair.

Carved

You carved the breath of air in the autumn night.

Its twirls of misty frost barely caught the light.

A sliver of moon- just enough to reveal,

The work of Your hands, and on her arm, Your seal.

Placating treason with outward loveliness

But You shielded his eyes- her lure suppressed.

She is Yours, but her heart is running from You,

He is Yours, but his desire he must subdue.

On that night comes a test when their breath entwines

So close; will they stand before fault undermines?

You carved with care this chance, these hearts, and this night.

And You also know well what story they will write.

Faithful

A voice in the darkness

Struck the silence boldly.

It was strong, reassuring

And though I could not see,

I knew that when He said

“I’ll always be with thee”

He meant with all His heart,

He’d always be with me.

Waves Will Sweep

Mystery’s longing for nothing to find,

But only to wonder forever,

Keeps me awake ‘til daylight reminds;

Life is a waiting endeavor.

Patience it takes to accomplish a goal,

But first an aim must be had.

We’re pacing along, at different speeds;

First walking, now running like mad.

Chances are that in your life, you’ll find

A place to stay, live, and love,

A group of friends you’ll not want to leave;

“Solid” rock you’ve built on top of.

But do not let this outwardly solid rock

Leave wind of change bereft,

But listen for it’s soft whirling call,

‘Cause soon fake friends have left.

Waves will sweep, and rocks molten inside,

Cannot live on forever,

Nor can they stay, without shifting around,

Causing a ruinous tremor.

Just remember, dear, how much He loves you,

And no mountain could be too high,

For Him to push you up and help you to succeed.

Never if you fell, would He just stand by.

My Brother-in-law took this picture. I edited it.

 I wrote this a couple days before the earthquake in Japan... hmmmm.

Elizabeth C. Osborne

Eco4jc@rochseter.rr.com

Copyright 2011

My Calling

My heart is waiting for something more

My soul is aching to do something for

Someone who is suffering, lonely

Someone who’s in need of these things only:

The strength and courage to live like they should,

Perseverance through the bad and the good,

A true big sister; someone who cares,

A faithful friend whose heart she shares,

The love that only mothers can give.

And with that give them reason to live.

In the Graveyard

I’m standing here in the graveyard, looking into space,

Wondering who took your soul and feeling out of place.

A sword sinking into my heart, as I realize you’re gone.

First light was coming before, but now won’t ever be the dawn.

I can’t believe how much I miss you- could you feel the light?

Questions sinking, never stopping, I thought we were all right.

I couldn’t see your hurt or pain at all- I didn’t know.

Was there anything between us that you didn’t show?

Leaving my heart here though I know yours is in heaven;

No one else would take it anyway- nor could I give it again.

The breeze dries my face but nothing could dry the tears of my heart;

I wished to say I love you once more before death tore us apart.

I know I’ve got to cry my tears; try to let you go,

My heart just doesn’t want to believe and break again though.

I’ll remember you, and come see you when I die,

Right now I’ll lay the flowers down and see you through the sky.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal

“No one means everything to me.

Nothing means anything to me.

No distant equation of love

Has ever been able to reach me.”

In space there were these beams

From glowing, illumined stone.

Like diamonds among black pebbles

On a beach so wide they shone.

The ivy climbs the stonewalled house

Twirling slowly it’s tendrils of time

Upward, in liberty unknown

To the flora that does not climb.

The tides go in and out again,

And with them goes your mood,

What was it that I said yesterday?

Was it bad? Don’t try to elude.

Today is yesterday’s hot kettle-

The life inside slowly boiled away.

We’re left with the hard outer shell

Containing nothing but memory’s stay.

Empty halls in well-to-do houses

Left in loneliness, echoes that last

From the crying of newborn babes

To the clinking twenty-first wine glass.

Words, words! Our games we are playing.

We know, they know, but no one knows.

Like Scrabble in a tornado,

They go through our heads undisclosed.