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Tag: Poetry (Page 1 of 9)

Penitent Eyes

Seems like each year I come back to this place,

looking for that quiet grace,

that can only be found by much water laid out

in front of penitent eyes,

that despise such things as

schedules

and alarm clocks.

 

anthony forrest

summer storm

A heavy fall of rain dots my hearing

Awake to the tiny dashes against the night

My sleep-sodden mind fights with all might

But these tired eyes open to the dark-sky storm

Born of heat

Summer rain

Like pent up pain released upon the Earth

 

anthony forrest

Meeting Him in the Wild

Whether desert or jungle or lost upon

a range of mountains,

where there is no clean water or fountain

(or anything at all),

those places most forgotten or barren

and filled with the wild things of this life,

rife with beauty

and trees

and seas

all lonely and wonderful;

here, in the quietness, is found the works of the maker

(every bit savored).

And if you hold very still,

He will come to you like a breeze—

and meet you in that jungle of trees.

 

anthony forrest

A Narnia Reference

“Further up and further in!” Lewis instructed—

              So we begin:

Steadily and readily

We go

And bring hope

Of God

To a people who know nothing of Lewis…

 

anthony forrest

Steps

We never stop the steps forward

Crossing borders

To a place—meet a person—tell of a thing

A string

Of ideas

Of this truth held together

Like adhesive

We believe this

Good news of a Man who is God

Sent from abroad

And cross-ed His own border

To end strife

Bring life

To the unliving soul of the lost

And all it costs

Is a few steps

Forward

 

anthony forrest

Fading

Teary-eyed, we drive into the sun

Ending day rays

Begun

Simply to end in a grey-dark brooding night

Sunlight gone now

As quick as it started

 

Teary-eyed, we watched as the sun set

Sat down below

The road

In front of us

Bright day behind and our tire tracks

Leading West

Trying our best

To chase the final vestige

Of a light always fading

 

Clear-eyed, we drive into the night

This nighttime-reflection

Introspection

We can only assume this darkness

This darkness

A gift

 

anthony forrest

Prayer of Gratitude and Blessing

To be spoken to God upon the celebration of a birthday

Great Father and keeper of Time:

I raise my heart and hands
to you who
understands,
and commands
another year.

I come to you
in Gratitude
and celebrate this date
of my start.

I cry thanks also
for the time since you
found me,
rescued me,
reclaimed me,
resurrected me;
and how you breathed life into my soul.

I am now whole,
and my life not a dull
dim death.

Grant me now
another year of closeness to you.

And may the passing of
time be but
sign that
reminds me
of the ever-present
care
of our Lord.

anthony forrest

Sleep and the Stations of the Cross

There are nights when fitful sleep comes with frightful,

uneasy grins,

“mums the word,” he whispers—hand over my mouth—then artful dreams

he spins.

Images and situations

flash in a dash

—like the Cross Stations—

(in broken cathedrals unused,

unworshipped in:

an unspoken confession)

spoken in the tired mind of one tossing,

turning.

 

Then there are mornings, ah, mornings!

When sleep ends his reign, no matter the night,

or the frights

of the nights.

Sunlight rays pierce

all clouds dark and fierce,

even on overcast days.

Images, situations,

terrifying Cross Stations

still weave tales of

life

then death

then life again.

Evil cannot mix or spin

the goodness out of that story—

hope of day—a ray—during darkest night.

 

anthony forrest

break the night

Should the summer sun break the night

and rise silently in the eastern sky;

bringing hues of reds and golds,

peeking through the trees and folds

of leaves,

then I shall be there

in the morning,

when the birds cry

their morning-warning.

And sitting on the deck

in the New Light

I shall watch the summer sun

break my night.

Hope of day begins.

 

anthony forrest 

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