Nostalgia

 

Nostalgia

 

Nostalgia at this time of year, the younger boy in me,

Of Halloween, Thanksgiving and the coming Christmas tree,

Of fishing holes abandoned with advancing autumn chill,

And, wonders of all golds and reds in trees upon the hill.

 

It takes me back to Mom and Dad while raking leaves in piles,

To let their sons dive into them with hearty laughs and smiles,

And, the old sled, with steel rails, was from the attic drawn,

Anticipating soon enough a snowy winter’s dawn.

 

The camping gear all stowed away, in basement it is placed,

Recalling every frog or snake in summer we had chased,

The logs ablaze in fire pits, on sticks the hotdogs turn,

How sweet the tastes of summers known, as embers they now burn.

 

It floods within, and haunting some, it is the haunting time,

With gaiety I welcome them in memory sublime,

With grandkids now, new eyes they see the wonders of it all,

Nostalgia waits, one day for them, when summer turns to fall!

 

Peter Lowell Paulson

October 22, 2020

New Friends

New Friends

 

I heard a poem,

From a new friend,

A friend in need,

Calling,

In desperation of want,

A desire to be heard,

Lean in,

Listen,

Learn,

A black brother,

Who has a son,

One,

Who is a child of God,

Who sees oppression,

Who, when he hears his father,

Knows that he is a king,

Who has a smile of gold,

And, a crown of glory,

A good father,

A loving father,

When I lean in,

Listen,

Learn,

I hear,

To first repent,

Turn around,

And, believe,

In Christ,

Not by words,

Not by “checking that verbal box”,

Not by intellectual ascent,

But, investment,

Totality of faith,

Body, mind and soul commitment,

All in with Christ,

His words not mine,

For it is by Christ alone,

Through Christ alone,

That Christ,

Moving in,

Moving through,

And, then expressed,

Genuinely,

With eyes that see,

Ears that hear,

And, lame feet that move,

Forward,

Can begin to express,

Can begin to establish,

The Kingdom of God on earth,

As it is in heaven,

It begins,

With Christ,

It begins,

In conversation,

With a new friend,

Bound together in Christ,

I love my new friend!

 

Peter Lowell Paulson

September 26, 2020

Old Friends

 

Old Friends

 

Old age a blessing counted on,

Old friends a blessing, too,

New trials throughout a life you don,

Old friends they see you through.

 

A myriad folks may come and go,

Old friends, oh, they are few,

Each chink or flaw about you know,

And, what may make you blue.

 

A million miles may separate,

Old friends, though out of view,

One word, one smile will dissipate,

And, you begin anew.

 

So, drop a line, or text or phone,

Old friends, as if on cue,

Would drop the world for you alone,

To say, “Hello”, to you.

 

One mystery in life resolved,

Old friends solve every clue,

Through thick and thin they’ve been involved,

Old friends are always true!

 

Peter Lowell Paulson

September 25, 2020