M o r e C o n n e c t i o n s : poetry

I'm going to continue with the 

"connections" thing--

t h r o u g h    p o e t r y
I've written...

I am often intrigued, inspired,

 and even amused by the persons 

who appear in my life 

Possibilities

I study her

As she sits beside me

A face mapped

With directions

Only she understands

Pain

Loss

A dash of pity

A past

Filled with persons, places, issues

She's chosen not to forget

Disappointment reigns

I take her bony hand in mine

She looks at me surprised

Searching my face

The sun peeks out beneath a cloud

Hope merges

A glimmer in her eye

A tear in mine

and the circumstances that surround our meetings

 and sometimes keep us connected for a lifetime. 

I Remember

My mom left first

   I was only three

My dad married someone else.

   My step-mother; she was not my mom.

They fought--a lot.

   I could not sleep thinking about it.

Then, my dad left.

   I was only six.

   But, I remember.

My step-mom packed my toys and clothes

   And called DHS and sent me to school.

I was naughty all day.

   Yelling, whining, hitting.

   I remember.

My teacher took me in her arms

   And I cried until I thought I would die.

   What will I do? Where will I go?

She stroked my hair and held me tight.

   I remember.

We each have social and professional relationships or connections. 

We also have those persons in our life 

who we feel we have a spiritual connection with

--a heart to heart thing. 

San Francisco

5 a.m.: The Palace Hotel.

Padding down the lushly carpeted hall

I have a plan:

Swim a few laps,

Hot tub,

Shower,

Return to Rm 126.

Dropping my hotel-furnished, plus robe poolside,

I walk to the ceiling-high window

And look four stories below.

On the street, a blanket flutters in the wind.

Curious, I watch a person emerge--

He stands, stretches, gathers his few belongings

And disappears in the early morning darkness.

I swim a few laps,

Soothe my muscle in the hot tub,

Shower,

Return to Rm 126

And hold my just-fed grand daughter in the early morning darkness.

Forever changed.

Sometimes, this connection develops over a period of time; 

sometimes, it is almost instantaneous.

Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many... ...God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose... ... there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need for you." On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable... . If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are all the body of Christ and individual members of it.

The Other Side

After fingering the family portraits upon your apartment wall

You slip on your jacket

And scrawl your name in a notebook--along with the time--

and venture out into the sunshine.

Putzing off in your bright red scooter

We watch the birds scatter

And wild grasses bend with the wind

As I sail behind you.

At the cemetery you find my spot,

Touch the wilted flowers,

And wipe your eyes with the red hanky from your back pocket.

I stay beside you as you hobble back to your scooter

And watch for traffic as your return to your new home.

Sitting on the couch

You take a deep breath and fall asleep.

I watch the rise and fall of your chest

And hold your hand.

Airborne Thoughts

Email
Hotmail
Words typed on a screen
Press "send."
Scattered letters and spaces
Airborne
Gathered together again
Just for you.
Something new?
Or
Have my thoughts
Always been scattered
Airborne
Going from me to you?
You to me?
That's why
When we meet
We already know
So much.

...whatever you did for one of the least of these 
brothers/ sisters/ of mine, you did for me.." 
 Matthew 25:40

..

...consider this when you meet someone today and this week...

and reflect the love He gave you.

A single word or phrase, spoken kindly,

may turn one away from error

or cause one to feel loved and cared for....

for a precious moment...

or for a life time...

 Amen