Hate, Doubt
Uncertainty, Fear
Has crept in the hearts
Of many this year

Spirits have weakened
Love has grown cold
As we watch, with defeat
Revelations unfold

'One nation under God'
Now torn and divided
The 'States of America'
But no longer 'United'

Let us not place our faith
In the 'red' or the 'blue'
But instead on God's promise
Which we know to be true

Let us speak, unafraid
To be shunned or oppressed
For it's time that our faith
Be put to the test

Let God be our hope
And our refuge in fear
Let our hearts be made ready
For His coming is near!

When my thoughts are too heavy,
My feelings - too numb,
When my heart is unsteady,
And the tears start to come,

I put on my running shoes.
Tonight I can't hide.
I pace myself, breathing,
Letting go with every stride.

The melody of my footsteps,
The rhythm of my breaths,
Have synchronized into nothing;
A calm stillness inside my head.

I'm light  as a feather.
I let myself fly.
The world is a blur, but tonight,
... I'm alive.

Once upon a special day,
Twenty years ago,
God placed a legend on this earth:
Anzhelika Van Gogh.

She's the epitome of art,
Her curls are a sculpture.
Even the coffee that she spills
Creates an abstract picture.

When she walks into a room,
All eyes turn to stare.
It may or may not be because
She overturned a chair.

Eating healthy is a chore,
Water just won't do.
She'll wash down her chicken wings
With a Mountain Dew.

Her fashion inspiration
Is any mom of four.
All outfits are determined by
The options on the floor.

She's wild and chaotic.
But often, so is art.
The more you get to know her,
The more you see her heart.

Fellas, are you hearing this?
She's beauty AND she's brains.
But bring umbrellas with you
'Cause in her life, Christ reigns.

She'll leave an impact on your life,
And shower you with love.
Happy birthday to the gift
God sent us from above.

The light fades and the day drains;
Its secrets left untold
And whether the sun will rise again,
Is not by us foretold.

Today has been a gift to you
Despite its aches and sorrows;
Another chance for you to claim
Unlimited tomorrows.

So do what you can, with what you have
And give thanks to the One above.
Give more than you get, and leave more than you take,
And do all these things in love.

in the vast, blue sea
a ripple is born.

it churns,
rises,
pulls,
ascends,
intensifies,

breaks
onto the shore.

Let’s go way back
To a simpler time.
To our very first chapter:
The summer we were nine.

You were too cool,
And I was too shy.
You didn’t really like me,
Sometimes you made me cry.

It didn’t take long
To outgrow that phase.
We developed a bond
In what seemed like two days.

From hiking adventures
To countless sleepovers,
We conquered the world
And saved snapping turtles.

When times became tough,
You knew just what to say.
My pain was your pain,
You made things okay.

You knew my whole heart;
All the grief, all the joys.
We shared endless phone calls
and complained about boys.

Fast forward to now:
We’re on year twenty-two.
Some things may have changed
But our friendship stayed true.

We’re secure on our own
But we’re stronger together.
I thank God for you,
You’re my best friend forever.

Thick, heavy raindrops beat against the window, reflecting the moonbeams as they chased each other down the window pane.
I watched, fixating my gaze on one rivulet at a time as it joined with another, and another, and another.
It was midnight, and I sat wrapped up in a fleece blanket by the window.  The steam rising from my mug mingled with my warm breath. My mind was blank, with only the steady rhythm of rain in the distance.

the difference between seeking to find me and seeking to stumble into me is the guarantee of only one of those.

Today I watched you fall again.
I felt your weary heart.
The burden you've been carrying
Was tearing you apart.

I longed to take your pain away,
I longed to make you whole.
If you would just look up at Me,
I'd surely mend your soul.

But you continued steadily,
Relying on yourself.
Pushing every thought of Me
Onto the farthest shelf.

You thought you had everyone fooled,
You put up a facade.
But you can’t hide even one tear
From the Almighty God.

My child, why are you ashamed?
Why do you hide, unspoken?
My job is not to heal the whole,
I’ve come to mend the broken.

it's not
the fear
that stunts
your growth,
it's the
choice

a world of cotton
lies above
white puffs
s c a t t e r e d into the blue.
I watch them move
from a world below
and wonder
if they’re watching me too.

I cannot help but think of you
And though it’s been a while,
When I remember times with you,
I cannot help but smile.

I know I’m just a friend to you
And that’s okay with me.
But still it makes me sad to think
That’s all we’ll ever be.

I overthink each move you do
And every word you say.
Looking for the smallest hint
That you feel the same way.

I’m driving myself crazy here
And you don’t have a clue.
One question keeps me up at night:
Would you care if you knew..

I’m crazy about you?

My dearest Prince Charming, have you lost your way?
The road that you took must’ve led you astray.

You missed a few turns, now your horse wants to drink.
“Was it this way or that way?” And you sit down to think.

Your throat is too dry and your leg has a cramp.
It’s getting too dark, you’ve decided to camp.

The bonfire’s blazing, you’re feeling alright.
You’ll continue your journey when you see the sun light.

Many weeks have gone by and you’re still in no hurry.
I’ve been waiting for you, now I’m starting to worry.

Did you fall off a cliff or drown in the lake?
Did you catch a disease or get bitten by a snake?

My love is still waiting, all gift-wrapped and ready.
It’ll soon collect dust so come claim it already.

We have places to go, and people to see.
Oh how happy together we’ll be, you and me.

Every day I’ll wake up as the sun is still rising.
And I’ll watch till I see you ride up the horizon.

My dearest Prince Charming, am I being stood up?
It's starting to look like you'll never show up.

There's thoughts in my head that are hard to ignore;
Like you showing up to another front door.

Maybe you're hurt, bleeding out on the ground,
Or worse - you've decided to just turn around.

Your horse will not ride, it's dying of hunger,
Or maybe you've met someone else that is younger.

I wish you would send me your current location,
I'd order a faster mode of transportation.

And if you're asleep in the shades of a tree,
I hope that you're dreaming a sweet dream of me.

Keep moving, dear prince, clear the path with your sword,
At the end of this journey will be a reward.

It will be you and me, together at last,
And it can happen soon, if you ride very fast.

But no matter how long your painful endeavor
I pray that you get here, better late than never.

Dear younger me, where have you gone?
It saddens me to think it’s been so long.

I miss your smile, the way your eyes lit up.
The happiness that overfilled your cup.

You were carefree, your heart untouched by sorrow.
At peace with yesterday, today, tomorrow.

When did it start? the whispers made of lead;
The lies that swarmed like flies inside your head.

They told you what you were wasn’t enough.
They touched your creamy soft skin and made it tough.

You clung to every whisper, every lie.
Believed you weren’t enough, with just one try.

I’m sorry for not sticking up for you.
For not reminding you of what was true.

Instead, I hurt you more, destroyed your pride.
Made you forget the girl you were inside.

I pity you, your heart was so naïve.
I’m sorry for what I made you believe.

I didn’t mean to speak to you so rough.
I’m sorry for not loving you enough.

Try to remember who you were, for me.
Before the world told you who you should be.

how can I sit still when the world
just outside my window is
bending, twisting,
changing,
shedding its skin in a beautiful array of colors;
becoming more alive
with each passing moment...?
i long to be a part of its every sunrise and sunset,
to explore the depth of each mountain, to fill my lungs with its crisp, fresh air,
and to dance on its
soft green carpet
with my head turned up
to meet the rain.

We all know of someone who's tougher than nails
     Amid sorrow and failure, whose courage prevails
The one who is down but denies his defeat
     The one who will rise back up on his feet,

The one whose voice is as strong as it's steady
     The one whose knees don't feel like spaghetti
Upon whose shoulder we often have cried
     The one who is fearless...
     But shaking inside.

a blanket of white
descends slowly and steadily,
pausing
only to weave silky threads
through the evergreens.
it resides gently
upon its terminal resting place,
muting the muddy earth
with a barely audible "shh.."
and the finality
of an icy embrace.

when you perceive God's grace,
you simultaneously uncover
it's reward: flawless,
untainted Love
and the moment you begin
to understand the substance of it,
you can't help but
cease resisting the current
and allowing grace
to pull you to the surface
where you can float
in perfect peace

and
just like
   tree buds
    in the
  spring,
i have been
     granted
  a season
     to grow

they met
online
he was
so fine
his words
were sweet
she wished
they'd meet
he was
on guard
she still
fell hard
and then
one day
he did
not stay
he led
her on
just to
be gone
after
goodbye
she had
a cry
but now
with time
she is
just fine
his messages
have been erased
his memory
has been replaced.

The last golden rays of sun
Caress the trees
Before slipping over the horizon,
Leaving a peacefulness in their wake;
A quiet stillness.
Nothing moves except my eyes
As they close, and
There’s a feeling in my chest
I can’t explain
I think it’s happiness.


The heavy sound of rain
Pounding on the rooftop
Comforts me as I sit
Wrapped in a blanket on the porch,
A cup of coffee in my hand,
And just the thoughts inside my head.
I close my eyes
And give in to the feeling
I can’t explain,
I think it’s happiness.

It's way too hot
Call 911
Write out a ticket
To the sun

I may have died
Can someone check?
I need a beverage
Past my neck

I'm breathing in
Somebody's sweat
I'd pat your back
But it looks wet

My last brain cell
Has over-heated
I might combust
If left untreated

I needed that vent
No pun intended
Let's hope this summer’s
Not extended

I am the sun
when it is night
I am the autumn
when it's spring
I am a cello
in its case
I am a star
in early daylight
I am July
when it's November

I am
hidden
patiently waiting for
my time
to be beautiful.

There is a place deep in the woods
To everyone else unknown.
My own secluded hideaway;
A home away from home.

It’s there I feel the most myself,
No part of me to hide.
It’s there I feel the presence of God,
He’s right there by my side.

The trees have heard my deepest thought
And birds have sung my song.
Under the golden rays of sun
Is right where I belong.

It’s moments when I’m by myself
That I feel less alone.
There, in the silence of the woods
Is where I’ve truly grown.

My family's gone, there's no one home;
It's only me - who's home alone.
I should not hear a single squeak,
There shouldn't even be a creak,

So what's that thumping that I hear?
It must mean one thing: death is near.
"You're an adult, you'll be just fine",
I tell myself as I dial "nine"..

Was that a knock upon the door?
My heart beats faster than before.
I know it's closed, I've checked the lock,
At least my killer knows to knock.

I cannot sleep, though I'm in bed,
I've made amends with God instead.
If He decides that it's my time,
Then this will be my very last rhyme.

I hear a bang, and then a break,
My head shoots up; there's no mistake!
I turn my music volume high
So I won't hear the way I die.

I run upstairs, desk lamp in hand
Over my head, ready to land..
And right before it did just that,
I remembered: I have a cat.

If only you could see
The way your eyes light up
As you share your passionate dreams.
Your smile
When it reaches up
And forms a crease around your eyes,
The way you throw your head back
When you laugh,
And the sound of it
Is a beautiful song,
A wonderful symphony.

If only you could see
What you can’t see
When you look in the mirror,
You’d believe me when I say
You’re beautiful.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably asking
Me to share some things about myself.
But before I answer, you should know this:
I hate this question more than life itself.

Now, how do I begin; where do I start?
I think I have forgotten who I am.
You see, I live an uneventful life,
So I’ll just exaggerate the best I can.

I have a desk job at a doctor’s office.
A foot clinic - to be exact.
Come in to see us if you’ve got a bone spur,
Or toenail fungus, or if your heels have
cracked.

Sometimes I can be funny, when I try.
But if you have to try, then you’re not funny..
How is it that I work 5 days a week
And still feel like I don’t have enough money?

I enjoy running, reading, writing poetry,
And going out for breakfast on days off.
I used to get embarrassed pretty easily,
But now I’ve learned to simply laugh things off.

That’s all I can come up with as of now.
By now, you’re probably sorry that you asked.
I wrote this poem to make myself feel interesting
And I thank you for helping with this task.

Let’s wrap ourselves in blankets
And watch the sun come up.
I’ll brew a *** of coffee
And pour us both a cup.

Let’s rewatch our favorite shows,
And munch on ginger snaps.
You’ll brush my hair back from my face
As I sleep in your lap.

Let’s walk down the moonlit shore,
Our fingers intertwined.
I’ll tell you about my family,
You’ll share what’s on your mind.

Let’s go driving in the night,
With no destination.
We’ll sing along to songs we know,
Forgetting our location.

You’ll take me to your secret spot
And I’ll take you to mine.
We’ll slow dance to the crickets’ song
And lose all track of time.

So hurry up and cross my path,
I’d love to share it with you.
Let’s fall helplessly in love
And make this poem true.

It's the cool autumn breeze that smells of earth and new beginnings.
It's that one country song that makes me feel nostalgic.
It's the ominous clouds and heavy air before a thunderstorm.
It's that moment of bittersweet emotion after reading the last word of a really good book.
It's watching the sun slant in through my bedroom window and create a mural on my wall.
It's rolling my windows down as we near the shore, and breathing in the salty air.
It's hearing my mom's contagious belly laugh.
It's that tired-happy feeling after a productive day.
It's when the Ferris wheel pauses and I'm at the very top, admiring the lighted world below.
It's the lump in my throat and tears in my eyes during a heartfelt prayer.
It's my niece wrapping her chubby little arms around my neck and putting her head on my shoulder.
It's laughing uncontrollably with my best friend at the grocery store, and not caring what people are thinking.
It's lying on the trampoline and watching the stars on a summer night.
It's the adrenaline running through my veins after a run.
It's listening to the sound of rain pounding on my window as I'm tucked under the covers.

It's the little things that impact me in the biggest way.

A candle flickering with light -
The comfort of a lonely night,
Where melancholy shades of me
Blur with the raindrops perfectly
And where my soul, seeking to nest,
On scribbled page discovers rest.
The air is thick with scent of pine,
The heart is merry with a rhyme,
The storm outside keeps on, despite,
The comfort of my lonely night.

the sun is a warm
blanket draped across
your shoulders

you pedal faster
letting the salty wind
break on your face

the boardwalk
stretches for miles
and you catch sight
of him, pedaling ahead,
a red blur against
endless blue

he stops and looks
back over his shoulder,
waiting for you
to close the distance

and as you pull up beside
him, your hair
tangled, your heart racing,
you smile
because you're
home

She watches me
as I illuminate her
head on the pillow,
still cornering the daylight
into the rear window.

She lays, outstretched,
filling the back seat of the car
with unwrapped thoughts,
too deep;
my rays can only reach so far.

Her sleepy eyelids blink
at me in question.
A suggestion?
I hide my face behind a cloud.
"'till soon," I whisper.
I'm only just a surface moon.