Fishing with Father

Fishing with Father

Quiet river; babbling brook,

A man; his boy must bait the hook,

And, find the finest rippled run,

A matchless joy for father; son!

Watch a bobber; draw the lure,

Wafting waves in water pure,

Taut the tethered line is reeled,

Until the tug in hand revealed!

The heart will race with inward rush,

The sports-boy gripped in silent hush,

A broken line he only fears,

As fish beneath the surface nears.

He draws the fish and starts to smile,

His Dad applauding all the while,

A memory caught; the fish set free,

To swim once more within its sea.

Now, summer days have just begun,

With bonded joy a father; son,

With tales to joyful Mom relay,

And, thoughts to fish another day!

Peter Lowell Paulson

June 24, 2017

My Father’s Hands

My Father’s Hands

My father was a minister; his father was one, too,

So often seated reading in his studies to pursue,

One day I saw him looking down, with wonder he commands,

“Come look at these”, with outstretched arms, “These are my father’s hands!”

I looked at them, now older, but I pondered what he saw,

His face was filled with wonder, and his eyes were filled with awe,

His father lived so far away, yet this he would avow,

“I only have to look at these; I feel he’s here right now.”

So many years come and gone since Dad has passed away,

In Heaven with my dearest Mom within God’s love they stay,

And, now I look through Father’s eyes, one finally understands,

My Father’s not so far away; I see my Father’s hands!

Peter Lowell Paulson

June 18, 2017

Truly Free

Truly Free

How spirit moves within the mind,

The rational will never find,

Nor ever feel the wind love,

Of heaven’s power descending dove.

Upon the Christ and only He,

Jesus transcends all history,

Some live within a binding box,

And, tether it with man-made locks.

The knowing man is so much more,

Than what his senses have in store,

There’s body, mind and searching soul,

To fill the empty; make it whole.

Yes! Jesus came to make it right,

To heal the lame; give blind men sight,

With faith in Him, and only He,

Each person may be truly free!

Peter Lowell Paulson

June 17, 2017

Dan’s New Day

Dan’s New Day

Soaring mountain sunrise,

Inescapable,

Profound,

All-consuming,

Infused with every red,

Crimson dusted,

Perfused with pinks,

And, bound in scarlet,

Majestic sun,

A band of gold beneath,

Rising,

Rising,

To assume all space above,

Until,

Morning melts into memory,

As reds are carried away,

I will await,

The next new day!

Dedicated to Dan Mandli and his mountain sunrise!

Peter Lowell Paulson

June 4, 2017

Honesty

Honesty

Honest to self,

Honest to you,

Honest to God,

Which comes first,

I can easily lie to myself,

I can easily believe it, too,

Untamed blaming,

Shaming,

Gaming my behavior,

Into acceptable thought and countenance,

And, action,

I can easily lie to you,

This one cuts a bit,

Marred and marring,

Tarnishing truth,

As if I am varnishing a rusty nail,

As trust erodes beneath the veneer,

In all of it,

I cannot lie to God,

And, it is only in God,

That salvation can be sought,

Turned,

Redirected,

Into a truthful existence,

A better life,

For me,

For you,

Honest to God!

Peter Lowell Paulson

June 3, 2017