Christmas Poems: Peace on Earth

The world was filled with chaos 2000 years ago

The power struggles of the Roman world

seem much the same as the power struggles of our day

Men have fought and died in bloody wars for what they believe in

Many have died a martyr’s death, were tortured and burned alive

Still the atrocities of “being right” continue to divide and alienate us

We still have not learned from history that fighting only bring chaos

On this Christmas day 2023 men, women, and children are still dying

as collateral damage resulting from long standing hatreds

An eye for an eye has turned into a thousand eyes for an eye

Revenge brings little satisfaction leaving us empty and defensive

creating a new generation who will rise up and repeat our actions

Jesus came calling for peace in the midst of the chaos of his day

Love in the face of abuse and oppression

Forgiveness instead of revenge and hatred

Acceptance in the place of exclusion

It is the peacemakers who will inherit the earth

On this Christmas Day let us raise our voices

calling for an end to conflict, death, and destruction

And let peace begin within each of us this coming year

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Christmas Poems: Piercing the Darkness

                           Piercing the Darkness – Theological Implications 

John 1:14 “ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”  NKJV

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Jesus the light that pierces the darkness

brings light and life to all mankind with

hope for a world filled with darkness and oppression

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The birth of Jesus carries with it the anticipation

of his future suffering and death on the cross

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The veil in the temple splits in two, from top to bottom,

symbolically giving all of us access to the Holy of Holies

and a direct personal relationship by faith to God

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Jesus is born in the usual way…

not with a halo or supernatural appearance,

but most likely in a stable, built against a hillside,

and laid in a stone manger

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Mary, in awe of her new baby, reflects on

what the angel told her he would become…

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John tells us:

“The Word made flesh who will dwell among us…

full of Grace and Truth…”

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Painting: Dwight L. Roth

Christmas Poems: Christmas Grace

Posting past Christmas poems this week.

What do you want for Christmas she asked?

A chemistry set would be a real blast

When Christmas came, this angel of grace

Was at our door with every gift in place

We were just poor preacher’s kids, our die was cast

Waiting for Christmas was always a great task

But we knew our selected gift of choice

Would make us shout from the top of our voice

What do you want for Christmas this year?

She would get it no need to fear

Just a hammer of my very own

Would make my day when you come to my home

Money was scarce and gifts were few

But, at our house we always knew

That no matter what the circumstance

We need not worry about chance

What do you want for Christmas this time?

A Louisville slugger would suit me just fine

Then I could be like Henry and Don

A bat of my own yes, that’s the one

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Ruth and Edgar were one of a kind

No children of their own they did not mind

Bringing smiles and joy to their preacher’s kids

And that helmet they brought me surely did

What do you want for Christmas, she asked?

She never let a Christmas pass

Every year until I left home

My gift of choice would become my own

I will never forget that act of grace

And the joy and smiles she brought to my face

I learned of God’s love and his saving grace

And his only son Jesus who took my place

And now each Christmas I hear that voice

“What do you want for Christmas… it’s your choice?”

There is nothing I need that will bring me more joy

Than the gift of God’s Grace to a little boy

*

(Written as a tribute to Ruth and Edgar Honsaker,

who helped make our Christmases a little brighter.)

• I still use the hammer they gave me over sixty years ago!

Snow Angel

Irresistible urges call out to little girls

when snow mixes with dead leaves

Perfect spot to lay down in the snow

Flailing hands and legs send white powder flying

leaving the perfect impression

of a beautiful angel wings

Little angel creating a snow angel

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Bjorn gave us a Quadrille prompt, snow!

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com  

The Evolution of a Painting

Back in the middle of August a friend from my hometown asked me to paint her family’s store. She sent me the first photo below to paint from. I shared this story in my post Painting Memories (Sept.10th).  I did a 16 x 20 acrylic on canvas for her.

Since then, her cousin asked me to paint the broader view of the store shown in the second photo photo below. I did hers in watercolor on 8 1/2 x 11 watercolor paper. Well, the first friend wanted one like that as well, so I did a second one, shown in the set at the bottom. This was in the middle of September.

Not long after that, another cousin wanted a painting as well. So, I did one for her. A week or two ago, another cousin wanted one as well. I don’t know where this will end!

I found it very interesting to look at the paintings I did. Each one was done on their own using the original photo. They turned out similar, but different from each other.  They were very pleased with the paintings, so for me that is all that matters. In the process of painting them I found I liked having the pen and ink more defined. I think I will continue doing my watercolors this way.

Grasping at memories

Wanting things to stay the same

Reliving the past

Click on the pictures to enlarge…

Painting Memories

Manageable or Extreme

What ever happened to the small farmstead

The hundred acres that kept a family fed

With twenty-five cows to milk and hens laying eggs

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What has become of small towns and village streets

Where one could walk with neighbors to greet

As populations grow more demands are made

Thoughts turn to extremes as new streets are laid

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No room spread out we’re all crowded together

And it looks like it’s not going to get any better

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Co-operate agriculture now feeds our world’s populations

With animals in cages and foods beyond recognition

Acres of Nature // razed // turned into developments

Land stripped bare, covered with concrete and pavement

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“Little boxes on the hillside, Little boxes made of ticky-tack

Little boxes, Little boxes and they all look just the same” *

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Is the world sustainable with our growing demands

For rights to water, boarders, and lands

What will become of us when we are all packed in

Tighter and tighter like sardines in a can?

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Posting for d’Verse Poets Pub open link night.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Afterglow

With love unfolding the celebration ends

Wedding guests gone, the clean-up begins

Folding chairs packed up in a truck

The tent comes down in the soggy wet muck

While in love’s afterglow the bride and groom share…

and smile as they fold their memories with care

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, De Jackson asked us to write a Quadrille using a form of the word fold. Since we celebrated my granddaughter’s wedding this past rainy weekend, I chose that as my subject.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com 

Bean Soup and Moon Pies

In Big Valley, Pennsylvania, where many of my ancestors lived, bean soup and moon pies were a favorite meal. Moon pies were made from dried apples, called shnitz, wrapped in pie crust and shaped into a half moon. They are much like an apple turnover.

As I recall, one group of Amish met at one of their farms for their Sunday church service. They sat on long wooden benches. When the service finally ended, a meal of bean soup and moon pies was served. Everyone ate their fill and then got in their buggies and rode on back home. The locals sometimes referred to this group as beanies!

You can still buy homemade moon pies at Peight’s store in Belleville and Mount Union. They can also be found at smaller farm stands and bakeries throughout the Valley and beyond.

Bean soup and Moon pies;

Always a treat // a great delight

among Amish and Mennonites alike.

Home made pie dough rolled out thin;

Cut in circles to put fillng in.

Filled with apple schnitz

baked golden brown;

They’re always delicious

After bean soup slides down

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Apple Schnitz Pie Recipe, Amish Pie

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Merril gave us the prompt Soup. I am sharing one I revised from an earlier prompt that shares a little of the heritage I came from in Pennsylvania.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Dark Light of Morning or Mourning

Sunrise // a sliver of light across rippled water

Creeping up over the horizon like a cat chasing its tail

Or a bird seeing its own reflected image

Dark light of mourning leaves an erie stillness // waiting

for a hint of color to show itself

*

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

Today at d’Verse, Kim asked us to use the word sliver in a Quadrille poem of only 44 words.

Join us at: https://dversepoets.com

Wounded Beauty

I saw this beauty, as I was eating my dinner, having its dinner on my butterfly bush. Drawn by the nectar of the purple blossoms it went from flower to flower posing for me to get my shots. Somewhere along the way it appears a bird took a chunk out of its tail. It did not seem to affect the Yellow Swallowtail at all.

Wounded beauty flits

Drinking deeply from flowers

Nature’s fine wine