walterrean salley: Poems

Losing Granny
Was the end of an era
In my life.
But it's been
Many a year now,
With lots of
Fond memories
To help bridge the gap.
Remembering her love,
Strength, patience
And courage,
Helps me to go on.
What a joy it is
To think of her.

#death #granny #healing #sorrow

A Ton of Art

walterrean salley Mar 2018

A Ton of Art

Amazing the field of art.
And 3-D is breathtaking;
Blows the mind—literally.
Insane just for the making.
Although it’s an illusion
That I cannot figure out.
I find it remarkable—
Phenomenal’s the clout.
Perhaps you can check it out
To see what I really mean;
So talented the artists
‘Mongst the best i've ever seen.

3-D artwork where it sits
On Youtube. Or Google it.

A Tribute to Steve Jobs

walterrean salley Jan 2015

A Tribute to Steve Jobs

Singlehandedly, he changed the world
With his giftedness.
And carved his way into our lives
With his geniusness.

And how should we compare
Such fascinating mind?
Indeed he was a genius.
He was one of a kind.

Despite his human flaws,
He made it to the top.
The incredible inventions—
Ambition couldn't be stopped.

Even in his last days,
He pushed, and pushed still,
Until his final work was done.
‘Twas such an incredible will.

And so, thanks to Steve Jobs—
A great mind of the day—
For his contributions
In a prolific way.

-Walterrean Salley

A ‘Wildflower’ Haiku

walterrean salley Mar 2018

A ‘Wildflower’ Haiku

Peeping from beneath
The huge gray rock - a tender,
Yellow wildflower.

A Winter-Swan Song

walterrean salley Feb 2015

A Winter-Swan Song

Tree after tree after tree stood bare
Robbing the landscape of natural ware.
But life for nature soon shall return
To clothe all that is naked and bare.

All things wintry are starting to slip
Sunshine and blue skies are on the mend.
Jack Frost is losing his chilly grip
As the weather pursues a new trend.

Snow upon snow ‘pon snow gently fell
But now it is slowly melting away.
Lovely scenes languishing in the wake,
As pristine white is spun into gray.

Soon the spring comes--glorious and brave,
As the bleak Winter goes to her grave.
(Revised 2/2018.)

A Wish for the Wishing Well

walterrean salley Mar 2018

A Wish for the Wishing Well

Many a coin laid at the bottom–
Resting pon the fountain’s floor.
Large, small. Bronze, silver,
I couldn’t tell, but there were more.
Gazing down into the water,
A longing face stared back at me.
I made a wish right from the heart.
Please, dear Lord, now, let it be.
I cast my coin into the fountain,
’ Mongst all the other wishes there.
It slowly settled pon the floor,
Quiet and still, within its sphere.

(4/7/18 revised)

#coin #well #wishing

Beautiful You

walterrean salley Jan 2015

Beautiful You

Your beautiful heart,
And beautiful soul
And beautiful mind
Make a beautiful you,
Who touches
And inspires others—
Making them
Feel beautiful too.

Beauty of the Cosmos

walterrean salley Jan 2015

Beauty of the Cosmos

I cast my gaze ‘pon the moon at night,
The heavenly stars are like birds in flight.
Ordained to shine in its orbit there—
It lends its light to the atmosphere
And brightens the skies in a fervent way
As the stars twinkle in fair display.
There are no clouds to hide the stars.
I can see Jupiter, and I can see Mars.
But Venus is the fairest of all;
Her brightness shines without a squall.
Poor Pluto is somewhere in the dark.
It bears no light—not even a spark.

Oh the tales the heavens could tell.
And that, the heart knows quite well.

© 2009 W. Salley

Birds in Flight

walterrean salley Jan 2015

Birds in Flight

A flock of birds in flight,
Which had suddenly flown
From a number of trees,
Rose higher and higher
Like departed souls
Borne by gentle breeze—
Transcending the earth
And ever ascending toward
A place of eternal berth.

‘Blackberry’ Haiku

walterrean salley Mar 2018

‘Blackberry’ Haiku

The prized blackberry,
Sweet and delicious - nestled
Amongst painful thorns.

Black Hairs Turned Grey

walterrean salley Mar 2015

Black Hairs Turned Grey

They’ve held my hand and guided my way
And lead me down the pathways of life.
And what a case of  “patience” in truth
As they dealt with my questions in rife.

And now what can I effect for them
In the time of their ripened old age?
The wise who have been pillars in life—
What might be done to comfort such sage?

To pay a fond, warm visit in kind.
A card.  A call.  A letter. A smile.
Take time to hold a wrinkled lil hand,
Or  give a small gift every short while.

All the black hairs are become quite grey
Such folks are a grand treasure on loan.
And in all of our prayers for them—
May God keep them for ever His own.

Bow WOW!

walterrean salley Feb 2018

Bow WOW!

A frightened dog was stranded
Upon a frozen lake,
The fireman then would risk his life
For the lil doggy’s sake.

The dog was coached to safety
But, then, the ice would break.
Fireman plunged to cold waters
Into the icy lake.

The doggy walked to safety
As the fireman was towed
And I was very relieved
As the tension lowered.

And, so, all did turn out well.
Both, man and dog, were saved;
Rescued from the eager grasp
Of an icy, bleak grave.

FOOTNOTE: Wow! This videoed story was well received. And the myriad comments posted were with blessings bestowed -- warming countless hearts as the heaping thoughts flowed.

Bucket of Opportunities

walterrean salley Mar 2018

Bucket of Opportunities

To live another day.
To know God.
And to help someone
Find their way.
These are grand opportunities.

May each have the chance
To climb his Everest
And wave the victor’s banner—
Nabbing the opportunity
To overcome every challenge.

Buckets Full of Water

walterrean salley Feb 2018

Buckets Full of Water

The clouds,
Like milking cows
Are ready to drop down
An abundance of rain by the
Pails full.

California Red

walterrean salley Feb 2018

California Red

Orange, red and yellow
Against the western skies.
No, it’s not Christmas lights
But California fires.

Hot, like a raging bull
Emerging every bend,
Terrorizing one and all
It soars upon the wind.

‘Tis larger than New York
And Boston states combined.
The third largest Cal fire
Has yet to be confined.

The so-called Thomas fire,
Formidable at will,
Sadly has razed life and land,
And yet it rages still.

________________________
Note: Poem written on December 16, 2017, while California's Thomas fire was still raging.
© 2017 Walterrean Salley

Cast Your Bread

walterrean salley Feb 2018

Cast Your Bread

I’d cast some bread upon the waters
More than a decade or so.
And now it has returned to me
From many a year ago.

From many a mile it came floating
Upon the peaceful waters—
At the time I needed it most.
(In chaos, life finds order.)

So ‘cast your bread upon the waters’
If you would so dare.
Somehow it will come back to you—
Some time. Some place. Somewhere.

Be it time, or talent, or finance—
Whatever you’re able to give—
Cast your bread upon the waters,
And trust God as you live.
(Revised 2018.)

Cherishing Life

walterrean salley Mar 2018

Cherishing Life

Life’s sweet
Moments are too
Precious. There’s not an inch
To lose. Blink an eye, and you’re sure
To miss.

Christmas— A Magical Time

walterrean salley Jan 2015

Christmas— A Magical Time

Christmas is but once a year
And what a magical time.
Hymns and kind wishes
As bells begin to chime.

A warm and cozy fire.
Pine scent in the air.
Billowing-chimney smoke,
Sending friendly flares.

Family and friends
Exchanging gifts and cards.
Cooking and Caroling.
Embellished house and yard.

Like the bulbs on Christmas trees,
Spirits are so bright.
‘Tis a time of miracles
As hearts change overnight.

Ballerinas dancing
And twirling all around.
Folk so amused
By the festive sights and sounds.

Then the snowman melts.
And '****! ' All is gone.
Ornaments rest on shelves
As life reverts to norm.

But the hymns and carols
Continue to chime on
With a message that's yet powerful
When the season is long gone.

Walterrean Salley

Christmas and Momma

walterrean salley Feb 2018

Christmas and Momma

Because of Momma I know Christmas
She taught us how to celebrate
And tho’ she is no longer with us,
To be a part and undertake,
I will ever remember Momma
And will always appreciate
Her love for the holiest Season
And sincere zeal to celebrate.

FOOTNOTE: tho’ is the contraction for ‘though.

Christmas Celebration

walterrean salley Feb 2018

Christmas Celebration

‘Tis a gilded history
Of such grand festivity

Garland, tinsel, tree, light,
And the holy hymns of might.

Sounding of the lyrical,
And a time for miracles.

Resounding nostalgia
And crowning regalia.

Island, land and isthmus
Celebrating Christmas.

Christmas Prayer

walterrean salley Jan 2015

Christmas Prayer

Thank you Lord for Christmastime
A season of love and cheer
A time to give and forgive
And hold one’s family dear.

Thank you Lord for Christmastime
A lovely time of the year.
A time to sing and worship
And to cast away all fear.

Thank you Lord for Christmastime
When hope is made so clear.
And faith lights the path anew
With a message for all to hear.

Thank you Lord for Christmastime
And may its truth forever chime.

Christmas Sonnet

walterrean salley Jan 2015

Christmas Sonnet

Somehow, it seems that Christmas
Brings out the best in us.
Its aura and mystic has long
Been the main ******.

The mystery of Santa.
The angels and the elves.
The little Child of Bethlehem.
The presents on the shelves.

The story of the wise men.
The carols, hymns and songs.
The Christmas cards and greetings.
And the peace that comes along.

For, Christmas is so practical—
And yet it is so magical.

-Walterrean Salley

Cold Out—Warm In

walterrean salley Mar 2018

Cold Out—Warm In

Winter.
Thirty degrees.
Inside peering out. ‘Tis
Cold. But warm inside. Thanks for
Shelter.

#cold #warm #winter #shelter

Come Spring—Come

walterrean salley Feb 2018

Come Spring—Come

How disappointing
That spring’s in delay.
Punxsutawney Phil
Saw his shadow today.

The winter’s been harsh
On everything.
I yearn for release
In the mercies of spring.

Brrrrrr. Uggghh!
It's been so cold.
But a tad bit longer,
Then winter shall fold.

Compassion

walterrean salley Feb 2015

Compassion

A flower in my
Garden was afflicted.
Tho’ limp, its color reflected
Some depth and expression.
Feeling pity…
I could not bring me to
Discard of it.  So, lovingly
And patiently I nursed it
Back to health.

Strengthen the weak.
Revive the hurting.

Conscience Guides

walterrean salley Mar 2018

Conscience Guides

Conscience
Guides, teaching the
Heart right from wrong. If defiled,
The conscience malfunctions. So, keep
It good.

(9/16 Revised)

#cinquain #conscience #defile #good

Crows Get a Bad Rap

walterrean salley Feb 2018

Crows Get a Bad Rap

The cawing crow,
Object of strife,
Does have its place
Here in this life.
Its hue is dark
Its numbers rife.
It sounds of caw
And not a fife.
To the farmer
And to his wife,
The crow is but
A fowl most trife.

#footnote #poor #crow

Dawn’s Hallelujah

walterrean salley Feb 2018

Dawn’s Hallelujah

Long nights into nowhere.
The small hours stretch painfully.
Stretching and stretching,
As quiet reflections surface—
Demanding attention
And commanding the mind.
On and on it goes
Till, finally, dawn’s appearing.
Awake my soul and sing.

Deeper Faith

walterrean salley Mar 2018

Deeper Faith

In troubles, faith seems
To grow deeper, as one is
Compelled by that which
Is seen to rely upon
That which is not seen for strength.

Desire and Opportunity

walterrean salley Feb 2018

Desire and Opportunity

New day.
New things.
Night is passed,
Dawn’s now broken.
A new chapter is
Emerging.

Destiny Is Waiting

walterrean salley Jun 2018

Destiny Is Waiting

Destiny awaits all.
Each one.
Whomever enters
Through life's sacred gates,
Has an appointment
With destiny.
She'll not be hindered
Or prevented by anyone.
May all find their way safely
To that sacred path,
Designed especially for them.

As age is realized, destiny becomes more of a factor

#destiny #path #plan

Dichotomy of the Sky

walterrean salley Feb 2018

Dichotomy of the Sky

The sky
That gives us light
By day
Also gives us dark
By night'
Yet, we marvel
For both sights.
A mysterious
Delight.

Divine Promises

walterrean salley Mar 2018

Divine Promises

I have read Your loving letters
Not just once, but time and again.
And, each time, my heart beats wildly:
Oh, Lord, my love—my God and Friend.

Incomparable to all things,
Beautiful, boundless and true—
Always assuring is Your love,
Encompassing every hue.

The Promise of togetherness,
As, longingly, my heart reads on.
For I shall see Your lovely face:
And I pray, ‘twill won’t be long.

For, then, I’ll be safe in Your arms
From this a world, so full of harm.

Door of Opportunity

walterrean salley Jan 2015

Door of Opportunity

An opened door is before you
You have only to walk in
And discover your potentials—
All success to win.

An opened door is before you,
Which no one else can close.
Only you can shut it—
Despite the hindrance posed.

An opened door is before you,
So pick up your stride.
Arise and go forward,
Don’t stop till you’re inside.

-2012 Walterrean Salley

“Downward” Haiku

walterrean salley Mar 2018

“Downward” Haiku

Happy homestead sits
On lofty hillside – hill came
Careening downward.

#mudslide

Embracing Today

walterrean salley Feb 2018

Embracing Today

The only way to
Fully embrace today
Is to let go of yesterday.
One cannot look back,
And at the same time
Successfully move forward.
You cannot be in the present
While simultaneously
Dwelling in the past.

Endless Love

walterrean salley Mar 2018

Endless Love

Oh love so heavenly and true,
How beautiful You are to me.
Fairer than the glistening stars
Or rolling hills, river and sea.
My soul is drawn enchantingly
Oh love to whom my heart belongs.
All mesmerized, and faithfully,
I sing to You this lover‘s song.
A love for all eternity
And not just for a thousand years.
‘Yon life and death—all that befalls
Of sickness, health, joy and fears.
This dowry of a song, so pure,
Is for my love—long to endure.
© 2015 Walterrean Salley

Everyday Miracles

walterrean salley Jan 2015

Everyday Miracles

Miracles happen
Every day
To many a folk
In many a way.
They’re not hidden
Beneath a tree,
But manifested
For all to see.

A mother giving
Sacred birth.
A flower shoots up
From the earth.
A wanderer
Who finds his way.
A survivor
Sees another day.

A beggar gets
His next meal.
A patient that’s
Completely healed.
The ocean with
Its shades of blue.
The sky with
A many hue.

Everywhere
And every day,
Miracles happen
In every way.
You don’t have
To travel far—
Just look around
And there they are.

2012 Walterrean Salley

Exiting the Christmas Arena

walterrean salley Jan 2015

Exiting the Christmas Arena

The highly-charged-festive spirit
Of Christmas all aglow.
Food, garland, gifts and lights
Songs and trees, the whole show.

Orchestras and cantatas.
Heav'nly bells sweetly rung.
Fife, cello, mandolin, violin.
And lovely choruses sung.

But the carolers, now, are silent
The ornaments are on the shelves.
All the gifts are opened
There’s no more need for elves.

The candles are blown out
And the gleaming lights unplugged.
The heavenly bells sit silent;
Gone is the Christmas bug.

Decorations all packed up
And the tinsel taken down.
Stores remove their displays.
Family has left town.

The Christmas Season’s over
The festivities are done.
‘Tis time to leave the Arena,
Ahh. It’s time to move on.

Though life reverts to normal,
Still, keep the Spirit alive;
Remember why we celebrate.
Let Christmas ever thrive.

(Revised 12/2015)

Experientialism

walterrean salley Mar 2018

Experientialism

Some things
We’re bound to know
Experientially,
Tho’ good, bad, happy or sad it
Might be.

#cinquain #experience #life

Fellowship Divine

walterrean salley Mar 2018

Fellowship Divine

'Tis a wonderful fellowship
Sharing things that matter the most.
I am one with the One I love,
And my joy is forever full.

Walking and talking with my Savior
The path emblazoned with His love.
How gloriously radiant;
Footsteps pristine and garments pure.

Hearing His ensuring voice.
Learning of His amazing ways.
Growing deeper in His love,
Savoring such promising days.

And leaning ‘pon Him as we go,
There's so much more I need to know.

‘Ferocious Winds’ Haiku

walterrean salley Mar 2018

‘Ferocious Winds’ Haiku

The ferocious winds
Flew and blew, whirled and howled – then
They gently whistled.

#Wind #Haiku #Storm

First Light

walterrean salley Jan 2015

First Light

Early dawn has opened
her sleepy eyes with the
bright promise of a beautiful
new day.  She peeps over
the hills and touches the sea.
She kisses the flowers with
her sacred light.  She forms
shadows.  And touches the
birds as they awake to sing
a new song.  The first light,
She is dawn.

Floating Iron

walterrean salley Feb 2018

Floating Iron

If I should ask “Does iron float?”
One would reply, Oh no!
But truly, such was the case
Thousands of years ago.
You see, a borrowed axe head
Fell into a river
Down, down. Way down it sank
With no means to deliver.

Prayer was offered for the axe,
Which soon went a floating.
Then some hooked and drew it in
A wonder worth the noting.
And so the axe was returned
To its rightful owner
But only with a twist of fate,
It’d had been a goner.

A biblical account.

‘Flood’ Haiku

walterrean salley Mar 2018

‘Flood’ Haiku

Incoming ocean
Tides. The marshlands enjoyed a swim -
Roads winched with flooding.

Food chain

walterrean salley Mar 2018

Food chain

Tiny little inchworm
Moving right along.
But then came a bird
To rob him of his song.

#bird #food #inchworm

For a Beautiful Sonata

walterrean salley Mar 2015

For a Beautiful Sonata

A beautiful sonata
Comes to mind in much duress.
Winged its way into my heart,
Relieving of no small stress.

‘Tis rhythmic in its affect.
The melodious little bird
Spins such lovely harmony—
The best my heart’s e’er heard.

A calm has swept over me.
And so, to end this cantata—
Kudos in the highest notes
To honor such sonata.