For You

For You

Do you remember our first kiss,

Do you remember our first promise,

Do you remember our first apartment,

One bedroom,

Two hearts,

Three children,

More than a hundred seasons in love,

Spring, summer, fall and winters,

Come and go,

But, love is constant,

Love grows,

Love deepens,

In all of it the same girl remains,

Grownup,

Mature,

Wise,

Yes,

But, the same,

The twinkling eyes,

The bright smile,

And, that thing,

That indefinable thing,

That draws me every second of everyday,

To you,

You’ve got me,

You’ve got me, girl!

Thank God,

For you!

Peter Lowell Paulson

March 16, 2017

Been watching This is Us series together. It takes you back to the beginning. Highly recommend it. (Watch it from the beginning)

Mom, On Her Birthday

Mom, On Her Birthday

Heaven not so far away,

I see your smile,

I hear your laughter,

I still sense your tears when I’ve been bad,

That’s not so bad,

It always told me you loved me,

Because you rarely ever cried,

No, you took me in hand,

By listening,

I remember the days you told me to skip school,

Because you wanted to spend some time with me,

Only me,

We sat at the kitchen table,

We talked,

We chatted (there is a difference),

We laughed out loud,

I was your poet, and actor,

You went to every one of my plays,

You took me into the city to see Second City Theater,

We went downtown to see the movies,

Peter O’Toole, Katherine Hepburn, Jason Robards,

You were discerning,

You loved art,

You taught me the love of art,

We had different politics,

We would scream at each other,

(We had a loud family),

But, we loved each other,

I love you, Mom,

Heaven not so far away,

You’re smiling now,

You probably see my tears,

I love you, Mom!

Peter Lowell Paulson

March 11, 2017

Dedicated to Vina Violet (nee Penn) Paulson who would have been 90 years old today

Family Gathering in Dalton City

February 19, 2017

Family Gathering in Dalton City

After a family lunch with a combined birthday celebration of two grandkids (one in each family grouping) I decided to slip over to the couch to close my eyes while the grandkids played. Occasionally one, or another grandchild would ask me to “open this”, or “find that”, but mostly I (Grandpa) “rested with my eyes closed”. Finally my four year-old granddaughter McKenna said loudly, “Grandpa, it’s time for you to wake up and go home for a nap!” I smiled and asked her, “Was I snoring?” My four year-old grandson, Reid, who was standing looking at me on the other side of my lap (while smiling) reported, “No! You were boring!!”

Pacem, Pacem

Pacem, Pacem

Amid the roar, disquiet and din,

This rumbling world of war within,

Our civil union yearns to bear,

A solemn peace for all to share.

Oh, chasm wide and deeply cleft,

Has left the soul of peace bereft,

She seemingly has set to sea,

In search of calmer shores to be.

Oh, greater nation turn the cheek,

Seek out the least, the lame the meek,

Forgive to melt all inner frost,

And, lend a hand to those who’ve lost.

Amid the roar, disquiet and din,

This rumbling world of war within,

Our civil union yearns to soar,

With peace and love forevermore.

Peter Lowell Paulson

February 5, 2017

Only Love

Only Love

Where is love,

It is in God the source of it,

If love is expressed,

Then God is in us,

Love’s expression manifests itself,

In love to others,

To those who hate and despise,

Love is the only answer,

To evil,

To sin,

To despair,

It is in forgiving,

That we are forgiven,

Love is what cures,

Love is what remains,

Love is what endures,

A heart filled with love,

Is pleasing to God,

Only love,

Only love!

Peter Lowell Paulson

January 23, 2017

Rainy Winter Scene

Rainy Winter Scene

Confluence of light,

Gathered on puddled rain,

Dark shadows,

Absorbing as much as night will allow,

Its night’s morning time,

It holds every power,

Tenacious in capacity,

Unyielding,

Voracious,

Still fomenting light pursues its dark captor,

And, dances,

In rippled delight,

It holds me, too,

This light,

I love this time of night morning,

Especially in the rainy cold of winter,

It frees my soul,

Light will win the battle,

Darkness pervades,

But, it forgets,

It forgets that,

Light brings life,

Light brings laughter,

And,

Light brings love!

Peter Lowell Paulson

January 12, 2017