Tuesday, December 31, 2013

The New Year

The New Year
 
I celebrate life,
Prayers for those who cling to life,
The older I become,
Less numb, to those afflicted,
They are my contemporaries,
My adversaries,
Become less adversary,
More friends,
I wish to love more,
This year,
I wish to pray more,
This year,
I wish to give more,
This year,
I wish to change-
Wishes to realities,
Whether you are a believer,
Or non-believer,
(And, if a non-believer I could rattle your cage)
But, we ALL believe,
In what Jesus believed,
And, He believed in,
LOVE!
 
Peter Lowell Paulson
January 1, 2014

Imagine Red

 
Imagine Red
 
It’s always red,
Our evening walks by rivers edge,
A softer red upon the water,
Ripples turn the reds to rose
And as the sunset grows,
Full glory fills the sky,
A blaze of ruby reds-
Amidst black onyx clouds,
Wild ebony below,
Spikes of grasses, and treed horizons-
Pierce the sanguine sky,
And, you and I are home,
Passionate red,
Hearts aflame,
Imagine Red,
Tonight,
My Love.
 Peter Lowell Paulson
December 31, 2013


Sunday, December 29, 2013

Grandparent and Grandchild

 
Grandparent and Grandchild
A baby girl in fur,
Not fur, really,
A Santa’s red cap and the white cotton fluffy roll,
She has made it into the world of cute,
She may be the next president of the country,
Or any company,
Who cares at this moment?
Because, right now, cute applies,
A baby boy his toes engaging a step-
Too soon maybe,
One soft drop,
A plop upon a diapered bottom,
And, claps and cheers from his parents,
Grandparents travel miles,
To see these little smiles,
The little wins,
A development,
A trial shared,
The soft and tender hugs,
The cries of despair when nighttime nears,
The laughter shared,
“Grandpa and Grandma have to go ‘nigh-night’, too!”
Each grandchild smiles,
They know that on some level,
Grandparent and grandchild are equals.
Smile!
 Peter Lowell Paulson
December 29, 2013

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Heaven
 
As I awoke my head above the foam,
My arms all flailing; terrified and scared,
My Grandpa took my hand, and his eyes glared,
“You’re safe with me, and I will take you home.”
 
Peter Lowell Paulson
December 18, 2013


Monday, December 16, 2013

 
You
Yes, you,
I married you,
You married me,
Fun as kids, and we were kids,
Walks down to the pond,
Walks on every country lane,
Talking, talking, talking,
We’ve never stopped talking,
Even though you are quiet,
You talk a lot to me,
That always makes me smile,
About Everything, God and Universe,
Biology, Chemistry,
Mathematics, Piano, Cinema, and Us,
Naughty stuff, of course,
Drawn within, important, but for us only,
Children, Two Boys, a Girl,
A tree of life
Continued,
Merry Christmas!
I love you,
Sweetheart!
 
Peter Lowell Paulson
December 17, 2013

 
Remember this beyond all else
 
Remember this beyond all else,
We know little else beyond what we are told,
Or what we read, and experience,
Small slights; and big slights,
Waves and breakers
Alter courses of our little boats,
Capsized and drowning,
Picked up (Hopefully),
By the big steamers,
Going in opposite directions,
And, I hope to God,
Like Earth,
It is a BIG circle,
Then we will,
One day,
Collide into the same conclusion…
Serious and sober,
Comical and farcical,
Combined into a wondrous,
Peace.
Until then that point must be God,
My hope is that the answer is not nothing (‘anything’, as Mrs. Wright would say),
And, Mrs. Wright WAS always right,
A double negative by anyone’s definition is wrong,
So God,
So GOD,
And, for now,
I thank you God!
 
 Peter Lowell Paulson
December 16, 2013
 
PS  Mrs. Marcia Wright was my English Literature teacher in High School.  She taught all of us to write correctly.  She would give us a quiz every day on our assignment from the previous day.  She would give us an “F” on our written test in we ever put a comma in the wrong place.  I received an “A” in both semesters!  Mrs. Wright is a friend to this day!
Old Santa brought a bag of goodies to the kids at church,
The pastor brought perspective about St. Nick and our search-
For the Christ child received such gifts from three kings wandering,
Their modern day, our prophecy; about a foretold King.
 
Today no one has touched the hem of Him who leads us now,
Our Christmas tree the ornaments and lights before Him bow,
Round ornaments upon the tree remind us of the earth,
And, of the love of God and Christ who loved us from his birth.
 
Each string of lights; these star-like lights from tree top to the base,
Will draw us in to lose our sin, and former life erase,
Yet, at the very top an angel or a star we see,
Just pray this Christmas to our Christ; forgiveness you will see.
 
 We are the creatures here on earth; we try to be profound,
All reason and all logic leave us on unsettled ground,
ear Christ, who wrote the book of love please capture us once more,
With strength of mind and heart and soul to Heaven we will soar!
 
 
 
Peter Lowell Paulson
December 16, 2013