Poems from the Past

One of the joys of being back in Indiana was discovering a bunch of letters I had once written to Anna - an ordinary cardboard box holding lots of memories and treasured thoughts. And in the box were a few poems inspired during my Indiana days of love and the land. Here below are some of those poems ... Wes

His Love

And this is how His love moves and acts …

It comes in absolute humility and meekness,
Yet its pulse is strong with truth, conviction
and perseverance.

It is not subversive.

It is direct right up to the point of total commitment,
but it never goes beyond in an effort to dominate.

It is patiently forever in pursuit, and it runs with arms wide open –
over great lengths.

And then it stops …
and stands beside you with arms still opened wide.

And it waits to catch us as we turn and fall and trust –

But we must turn and fall and trust.



Foundations
Luke 23:44-49

Three storms beat against the earth,
Two of them expand their fury –
Forcing the land to roar against itself,
To become restless and to hurry.

And shaken is the tree,
Shaken are the branches.

Then a flash and pierce from the bolt,
Thunder billows the whole tale.
Torn apart in the sky in the day of trial –
The Lord’s plans certain to fail?

Well, shaken is the tree,
Shaken are the branches.

But, lo, look closely to yonder cross.

Thy beams are firm!

Thy Savior not lost!



Embrace

I make my arms a wall
and spread them across your back.

You rest your head against my chest,
and my chin falls favorably onto your crown.

And for a moment
love has ample territory
and intruders have no chance.

This is where I long to be.

As you lift your head from my chest,
the intimacy explodes
into a wild passion in your eyes.

So I pull you close again,
feeling more comfortable in your love
than I do the object of it.



Autumn

It is the time of dry stalks
and autumn leaves
of echoing songs on a crisp Autumn night
and of gatherings,
of community,
the harvest of the many
by the society of the few.

Blades of grass don’t reach quite as high,
and branches undress as colder winds blow.

It is a season of separation –
a division of the crop.
It is a season of frustration –
all is laid bare
as all is humbled and retreats to the ground.

But even here, during these howling months,
the world collects –
gathers again,
bending to the dirt,
Claims nothing but its loss and its gain
to find itself fallen upon its foundation
planted.

And it waits again
for the sweet spring rain
That heaven would call it upward,
and to heaven it would go!


Whisper

Have you ever heard a whisper
that touches the teeth?
Perhaps the lips too are articulate
and speak what is beneath.

Then sweetly a whisp in the air
could mistakenly be a hiss,
But listen more closely with ear –
that whisper is a kiss.



Faith Absorbing Reality
Matthew 14:25-33

Feel much differently,
Reality!
Where love is accompanied
By pain, and hurt
A reality of ghosts past?

Where the strength of many
Is meek in light of
Those who embrace vulnerability.

While those who wish to achieve
Thoughts of bliss
Achieve such things with patience fast.

Feel much differently,
Reality!

As our greatest joys
Bring us nearer to fraitly
And we march with certainty timid.

Oh, few will dare venture
Where love becomes
Life’s greatest chance of divinity.

For love comes from great depths,
But when absent,
Like water – so real and frigid!

So feel much definitely
Uncertainty,‘Til faith absorbs reality!