How I Came to Love Poetry

I think that poetry came to love me.

I came into this world disgruntled at having to be here. I know that sounds weird and I thought it probably was weird until I read Henry Vaughan's poem The Retreat.

I was validated by those fantastic poetic words.

Poetry came to me as a gift. Not a gift in the sense of it being a talent but a gift because it allows me to feel a connection to something I feel painfully separated from. It is personal. It is a relationship and the things that are whispered to me alone...

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Glynn of Faith, Fiction, Friends offered the chance to receive a copy of InsideOut: Poems for free, along with a free bottle Sineann 2007 Merlot Hillside to all who would write 100 words or less on either of these themes: “Why poetry matters today,” or “How I came to love poetry.”

Good fun...thanks guys!


Photo is "tree of heaven" (google re-use)


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Do You Have a Hankering?

The word for the blog carnival this merry go-round is lust.

Basic beginning - I went and looked the word up in my thesaurus. It made me giggle right off the bat when I noticed the words “hanker for”. What a funny word… hanker.

Looking up hanker, it pointed to want, crave and hunger. Nothing inherently wrong there. I guess it depends on what one is hankering for, right?

Turning my thoughts to the Bible next, these verses came to mind…

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is NOT in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17

Well alrighty then. These verses say that ALL that is in the world that is not of the Father stems from lust and pride. Seems it’s a little more serious than a mere hanker and not very funny at that!

Strong’s defines that word lust like this:

(G1939) a longing (especially for what is forbidden): - concupiscence, desire, lust (after).

If you’re like me at all you’re now wondering what in the world concupiscence means. This is what I found..

An ardent, usually sensuous, longing; a strong sexual desire; lust; a selfish human desire for an object, person, or experience, a desire of the lower appetite contrary to reason; the orientation, inclination or innate tendency of human beings to do evil.

That's quite a definition. The more I find out about our little word lust the more serious it becomes. I honestly don’t think I can expound on what God’s Word so plainly magnifies.

A verse for exhortation though…

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Gal 5:16

That’s what is says!

Photo is "sin" (google re-use)

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Abba Abba Ballet

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in the midst
of every day
every twirl
my life is surrounded
by the liquor amnii
of earth
this womb
these lessons
readying me to be born
a third time

photo is "ballet smoke art" (google re-use)

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Beginning of The End?

I have often remarked that the 60’s were probably the beginning of the end. However, after reading about the Day of Pentecost this morning I have changed my mind.

The day of Pentecost was the day when the apostles and many others received the Holy Spirit in the upper room. When His power came upon them they began speaking in other tongues. As you might guess, a crowd quickly gathered, some being amazed and some mocking. Peter spoke to the excited crowd about what was happening and he made this reference to a prophecy spoken of by the prophet Joel.

AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LAST DAYS, SAYS GOD, THAT I WILL POUR OUT OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL FLESH; YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS. Act. 2:17

I think in the past I’ve always focused on the prophesying, visions and dreams portion when reading this verse, totally missing the last days part.

Peter tells the crowd that this prophecy is referring to what is happening right then and there on the day of Pentecost. So that means the last days actually began on that day, way back then.

Don’t be discouraged though! In the grand scheme of God’s mercy and timing it’s not such a long time from then until now. I do believe we are mentioned in Peter’s Pentecost pronouncement…

Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." Acts 2:38-39

So now I think that even though the 60’s may not have been the beginning of the end I could still say that those of the 60’s and forward truly are the "far out" ones! Cool.


Photo is: Tie Dye Blue (google re-use)