Death and Life

Mourning the loss of an uncle today

Everyone gathered to say goodbye

A sad occasion yet a celebration of life

Reviewing a life well lived and too soon gone

A reunion of sorts where the family gathers

Not only to say goodbye but to say hello

Many years of disconnect come together

Childhood cousins now grown break bread

Speak of their Uncle with stories to tell of their own

Following the funeral a long ride in the country

Enjoying corn fields and bubbling creeks

Looking for pieces of history finding some

At Great Grandpa’s millpond next to the Snavely Mill

A beautiful gift rises into the air

A great white heron with spreading wings

A reminder that along with history and reconnections

Life goes on

Life is beautiful

Life is still worth living

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

 

 

 

 

Things That are Gone

Old murals painted on brick walls are always a great find. While traveling in Pennsylavania we stayed in Manheim, a small town north of Lancaster. The front desk person at our motel recommended we check out a little out of the way restaurant with fine food in the middle of town.

It was called the Cat’s Meow and was decorated in the Roaring Twenties Flappper style.

It was upstairs in a brick house across from the Beer Distributer’s warehouse.  The food was really great and the décor was enchanting.

We could not find a parking space on the street, so we parked in the warehouse parking lot. When I got out I saw this beautifully painted old sign on the brick wall.  Although we were very tired from traveling all day, this really made it all worthwhile!

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

 

Seabones

Shipwreck
Old ship bones lie buried and rotten
Reflecting a story that’s long forgotten
Symbol of strength
Pride of the ocean
An ill fate soon to be gotten
Flag blowing from the high mast
White billowing sails
Long days on the wide open ocean
Casting their fates t’will soon be too late
As the sun goes to sleep without motion

*
Port of call on islands across the Caribbean
With many wild stories to tell
Rum and Sugar and maybe some gold
With pirates hot on their tail
Drinking sweet rum in the late evening sun
Singing songs of women with assets
Dead heads in the morning pounding their skulls
Trying to find a way to get past it

*
Red sky that morning gave an ominous warning
Of danger north of Hatteras
Straight into the gale without any quale
She drove as the storm came at us
If they’d been there before we don’t know for sure
They surely did not remember
Since they rode without fear on this ghost ship of death
Into the ill-fated storm of September
Gargantuan waves crashed over the bow
Drowning out the sailors’ last cry
Cargo and ship sank into the dip
As the cane of September swept by

Pounded and broken the ship in a swoon
Without sailor or cargo or sail
Everything had been cast the ship heaved its last
To lie in its grave in the dunes

For the next hundred years entombed in the sand
It took its rest without moving
Until a cane of October came washing over
Leaving open its coffin for viewing
Now families with children climb high on the dunes
Assuming but never knowing
Ships’ bones tell no tales
That’s left to me
And my imagination’s still growing

Nags Head, NC Shipwreck photo: Dwight L. Roth

Painting – All is Lost: Dwight L. Roth

Light of Life

Reach for the Light

Living in darkness

Trees reach for the light

Following the sun

As it reclines on the edge of the world

Knowing that without light

There is no life

My soul rises toward the light

In a world filled with darkness

Evil pressing in to overwhelm

Terrors for one who dwells below

Let your spirit rise with mine

Reach for the Son

The source of Light and Life

Always shining never hiding

Spirit touching spirit

Reflecting the Light of Love

My escape

From the eternal darkness around me

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Reposted

Wild Ride

With President Trump, every day is roller coaster ride. We never know what the next loop or dip will bring. During the campaign the Republicans thought he could never win. The Democrats were sure he would not win. But as the campaign coaster climbed higher and higher, they all were crying let me off!! Now the endless ride continues and like the movie “Ground Hog Day” with a never ending run up and down, over and over again. The poem applied then and I think it applies now even more. See what you think.

Suicide Ride

Climbing to the top

Thrill ride challenge

Maneuvered the small ones

Just crested the arch

Highest of highs

Rushing into weightless freefall

Everyone screaming

At the top of their lungs

I want off!!!!!

Will the coaster jump the tracks

Suicide for everyone onboard

Or sail up to the next loop

Rolling on into the booth

Adrenalin pumping

All grins and thumbs up

Hair a little mussed

Thrill ride of a lifetime

A heart attack waiting to happen

Stay on for the ride

And we do it all over again

What a wild ride!!

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Clip art thanks to:  picgifs.com532 x 513 jpeg

Spirit Rising

When My Spirit Rises

When my spirit rises

Unencumbered and free

No weight or worry accompanies me

Interesting that I value things

When in the end the spirit flies

Leaving them all behind

How much I worry and fret

But this too shall pass when I am gone

My spirit rises out of this shell

A virtual butterfly reborn

From caterpillar to chrysalis

Reborn in the image of God

Spirit Creator Redeemer Savior

Knowing there is no place for the earthly

In the spirit world beyond

I can’t take it with me

But then again… Why would I want to

When my spirit rises

Leaving it all behind

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Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Reposted~

Wounds

My squirrel saga continues. After two months of no squirrels showing up at my feeder, one started coming back. The other day when I looked out I saw him eating and was surprised to see what looked like pretty severe flesh wound on his back. As you can see, it was deeper than just a surface scratch. My guess is he is part cat and has used up one of his nine lives. I think he more likely escaped from a hawk that had him in its talons. It did not seem to slow him down. He acted like nothing had happened.

Lesson to be learned from a wounded Squirrel:

Don’t let your wounds slow you down

or keep you from moving toward your goal in life.

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

 

Edit:  After posting a reader suggested it may be a wound from a bot fly whose larva uses the squirrel as its host. Check it out on YouTube.com

 

 

 

 

 

Life and Death

 

I heard someone once say, “Life happens when we have other plans…”

The same is true of death, “Death happens when we have other plans…”

Always prepare for the unexpected!

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

 

 

 

 

Leaf

via Daily Prompt:

I figured since Fall starts today, it would be a good day to start thinking about leaves. The prompt for today was the one word Leaf so this worked out very well. Enjoy my personification of the insignificant leaf!

To Be a Leaf

Oh… to be a leaf, t’would be a delight

High in a tree on a warm summer’s night

Poking my head out the door

Warm seduction of spring calls me fore

 

Coming out half dressed in the morning light

A red bathing beauty all shiny and bright

Stretching extending my fingers unfurl

Semi-frosty nights will nip at the curl

 

Turning green without envy my hands open wide

No jealousy here I’m filled with pride

Ever expanding to the size of a hand

Not to be shaken by woman or man

 

Blown in the wind by breeze and ‘cane

Hands lifted in praise then baptized by rain

Waving high over lovers’ joy without end

Old folks and children consider me their friend

 

Enduring the heat of hot summer’s blast

Knowing all too soon it will be past

Blushing with color… yellow, orange, and red

My crowning glory before I land with the dead

 

Photographed by families, travelers, and friends

A model’s envy we all join hands

Waving our boughs and then were gone

Floating to the earth but I’m not alone

 

Lying with friends we await our fate

Raked in piles while the children wait

Jumping and squealing they all roll and tumble

All in a pile as big brothers grumble

 

Bagged and stacked on the curb for recycling

Back to the garden it’s not really frightening.

Or perhaps simply falling staying were we lite

Putting roots to bed for the long winter’s night

The Image of God

In our world life is valued above everything else. We protect our children in their formative years only to let them go on their own as they get older. We grow old and wonder what we have accomplished in life. Then we look at our children and grandchildren and we know. They are our legacy. Our love and care is reflected in them just as the creators love and care is reflected in us. And our life goes on.

My Life Goes On
If I should find this my last day
Looking back on my work and play
Life is the place where joy and sorrow meet
A roller coaster ride of ups and downs
Struggles pain and joys abound
Making me stronger standing my ground
Becoming the man who bears my name
The image of my creator reflected in my face
Not perfect but full of love and amazing grace
A shadow of the divine embracing a much better place
Life goes on be it here or there
In our children in their children
His face is everywhere
Reflections of love immeasurable power
Strength for today and hope for each hour
Passing on down through the thread of life
So fragile so dear so full of strife
If this were to be my last day
With sorrow’s leaving I would surely say
I’m not gone I’m here to stay

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Photo: Dwight & Ruth