Condor rises high
Above churning ocean waves
Others ride strong swells
*****
Rise above life’s ebb and flow
Find your true perspective there
Painting: Dwight L. Roth
Rise Above
Perspective
The Tree of Life
Today I am sharing a poem from a dear friend, Ike Glick, who lives in Edmonton, Alberta. He sent this poem with his Christmas Letter, and I thought it was very creative and well written. The word Sophia is a feminine name which means wisdom. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
The Tree of Life
Sophia *
‘God’s wisdom’
The essence of Being
Even before creation, “I Am”
“On the heights” for life perspective
“Along the way” in unexpected places
Confronting, “On the path I take my stand”
I may be found outside the gates of power
I am ubiquitous
I am available
I am optional
Most free are they who choose my ways
“Those who find me find Life.”
As they follow the star . . . *
Echoes of Prov.8, Mt.2, Luke.2 Isaac Glick 12/2020
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
A Gathering of the Dead
What do you see as you come to the emergence of Winter?
Lying together
Some see death others see hope
Death waiting for life
***
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
This came to me this morning as I was reading through the collection of Jisei poems from Frank Tassone’s prompt on d’Verse. We are to write a death poem or a Jisei. Jisei poems were of Japanese origins, and were often written in waka (tanka) or haiku, but death poems are not restricted to those forms. What is essential is the expression of both imminent death and the significance of life in the face of it. In this sense, Jisei is the poetry of both memorial and celebration.
Join us at: https://dversepoets.com and click on the Mr. Linkey link to read more interesting Jisei poems.
The God Perspective
“You know,” he mused, “Some folks don’t believe there is a God. They get all tangled up with religion and theological arguments about who is right and who is wrong, and miss the bigger picture.”
Grandpa always did have a unique perspective on life. He was wise beyond his years, but only shared his wisdom if asked.
“Aren’t your afraid of catching Covid and dying,” I asked?
“You know son, there are a lot worse things in living than in dying. Death is knocking on all of our doors!”
“I believe there is a God who is the source of all life, and that my life will continue on long after this old pain-ridden body is gone.”
I thought about what he said, as he continued, ‘We look at him through the wrong end of the long telescope of Time’.
“God’s Love is eternal!”
***********
Painting By Dwight L. Roth
Today at d’Verse, Kim is having us do Prosery. This is when we write a prose piece of flash fiction (144 words) that includes a random line form a poem she chooses for us. She gave us this line from the D. H. Lawerence poem, Hummingbird: ‘We look at him through the wrong end of the long telescope of Time’. I decided to write my piece as a conversation.
Join us at: https://dversepoets.com
Our Own Truth
Perhaps I should have added this as an addendum to my Selfie poem yesterday, on d’Verse! It is not hard to become jaded as we grow older, especially in the political climate of today. I can identify with many of the attitudes shown here.
Seems the only room we have for truth
is for our own
We know we are right
with answers to change the world
Through biased eyes we look // we judge
unable to understand any divergent thinking
Even when reality stares us in the face
we close our mind’s eyes and fail to listen
We lash out proclaiming our kindness
while demanding others believe our truth
How could they not // after all we are right
Seems so clear to us
Why do they not see and fall in line
How could they possibly question our truth
especially when we are demanding care
and compassion in the name of love
Why would we listen to a second opinion
When we know we are right
**********
Self-portrait: Dwight L. Roth
Seeing Clearly
Looking in mind’s mirror of cracked broken glass
I see myself as cracked and broken as well
Peering through hammered glass, I see
images and shapes through cataracts clouded
Looking out through tinted windows, I see
The world around me clearly // unglaring
“Carrying on” as usual, as it cycles on and on
As though looking in a mirror of clear glass
reflecting my image in true perspective…
Whole // an eternal soul in an aging body
Created in the image of God!
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
A View From My Window
Perspective is everything when it comes to a buying a home.
We said we wanted a house with trees // but there was only one on our lot
When we walked in, it was the window view out the back that sold us
A woods filled with trees reaching for the sky joined our barren lot
Since then, much was added to the ever changing seen.
Two wild willows, now thirty feet tall, shade our Shangri-La
There’s a lilac and a crape myrtle, and a garden lush and green
The bird feeder entertains me all day long it seems
and not just the birds, but squirrels and chipmunks too
So when I look out the window my heart thrills with the view
Now in this summer heat, I’ll go back to my reclining chair
Drink some ice tea, prop up my feet, and enjoy the view from there!
The view of our back yard in February 2011 when we saw it for the first time. We knew it had potential to become something more than this!!
Photos: Dwight L. Roth
Today at d’Verse, Peter asked to to take a photo from our window and then write a poem about it. When I look at the early photos of our back yard, and then at the ones I took this evening, It is amazing how much the view changed. Vision and perspective change everything.
Join us at: https://dversepoets.com
Ant Universe
The first spring flowers appear yellow gold along the creek. As I looked closer, I saw a tiny ant crawling on a petals. I wonder what drives ants. Is it simply instinct or do they actually think about what they are doing. Are they just robots of the creator, or do they like we, think beyond themselves and wonder, “What else is out there?”
Tiny ant explores
its own little universe
Spring flower petals
***
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Feeling Rejected
On Good Friday Christians reflect on the death of Christ on the cross, and what his sacrifice means for us. The human side of Jesus suffered unspeakable physical pain. Some say that God will give you strength in your time of need. But it is my experience that when that time comes, it is very difficult to feel that presence. Even Jesus cried out on the cross, wondering why God had forsaken him in his darkest hour. Pain and rejection seem to be Siamese Twins! It is very hard to have your whole world collapse and not feel rejected. This is why it is so important to have persons who will walk with you and help you regain your perspective once more, understanding that God loves you even when you don’t feel it.
Dark night of the soul
Feelings rejection’s pain
Forsaken // alone
Stretched out on life’s cruel cross
Has God turned his face from us?
In His pain he cried
“My God, my God, why have
you forsaken me!?”
Feeling rejection’s pain
In that dark night of the soul
*****
Painting: Dwight L. Roth
Plague
How quickly our perspective changes;
Like fighting children on the playground
arguing over insolent remarks;
Now lined up before the school master
waiting to be disciplined;
Wondering if // and when…
How hard // or how little?
Who even remembers
what the fuss was about?
When we are facing the chalk board
with our life written on it
our past…
our present…
our future…
For now the plague has come.
We all are Egyptians
with no blood on our doorposts;
Waiting to see
if the death angel
will pass us by…
And when this dark night is past
we have a Red Sea to cross.
The promised land awaits
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
At d’Verse, Bjorn asked us to face our present reality of quarantine along with our reflection of past epidemics and the Black Plague of years gone by. Today we are writing a poem using the prompt plague!
Join us at: https://dversepoets.com
