In the Hushed Choir Loft

In the dark of the empty sanctuary
he toiled, alone, refining his skill
preparing himself,
by drill and practice
to become a servant, an instrument
God’s hands on the organ’s keys
God’s voice in the purity of the notes
coaxed from the pipes in the chancel
to be ready on Sunday, in worship, in public
to share, to proclaim his praise
to ministry in His church
through his playing
of the familiar hymns
so others too would know God
feel Him, as he surely does
through his faithful service


May 26, 2006 2:08pm
of Hyung-Kyu Yi, practicing alone May 25, 2006.

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 27,490+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

An Angel, a Deacon, and a Eunuch

What was it that the daily reflection asked?
Oh yeah, it was, “If you were set down beside
the carriage of the Ethiopian, what would you ask?”
His response was priceless,
“Hey buddy, could you stop that chariot,
my feet are killing me!”

Okay, so not the mental picture
the writer of Acts had in mind
with the strange story of Philip
and the Ethiopian eunuch.

A funny scene, a scholar
without a clue,
reading the prophets
of a people not his own
Needing an interpreter
finding an agile deacon instead
sent by an angel on a different path

A vision, a sprint, a chat,
a dunking, and poof,
He’s gone
teleported away,
snatched up;
an imponderable moment
like so many in Acts
spreading the word
as the Spirit MOVES you…

May 22, 2006 10:20pm

An Angel, a Deacon, and a Eunuch

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/05/angel-deacon-and-eunuch.html

Based on Acts 8:26-40 and my conversation with the Reverend Joel B. Guillemette on the questions in the Daily Reflections section on Alive Now for May 8, 2006 – “Read the account of Philip and the Ethiopian in Acts 8:26-40. What do you find most amazing about this story? If you were set down beside the carriage of the Ethiopian, what would you say?” He was the only other human in the bible besides Elijah to be moved by God directly as far as we knew.

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 39,310+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Must Consider

What does it mean when we say that
they shall consider or must consider X or Y or Z?
Does it mean that they will use
this information, finding, or recommendation
By no means.
It is our canard,
our obsequiousness,
the hopes of the common folk
hoodwinked by seemingly powerful language
humbled by weasel words
words of choice, by the powers that be
the experts courts and we defer to

They “must consider”
oh, if only they must do more than consider
Because considering can be only
bearing in mind, ponder, think about,
mull over, contemplate
We need to make consider be its other
synonyms – believe, take into account,
judge, respect;
or it will be as its antonym – disregard
An opportunity lost
and a fools errand

May 23, 2006 1:22pm


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 18,760+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Balkans

I often pause to wonder
of the two sides of the
man from the Balkans
who graced my life
with his friendship
and this time
Hours over a glass or
a bowl of salad,
weighed and paid for,
in smoky haze or deep thought
masks worn and parts played
words shared and questions unasked
of unhealed scar tissue,
a life in the jungle,
the struggles of ethnic strife
and the INS.

May 18, 2006 7:40pm


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 18,760+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Between

Between melancholy and disquiet
a brooding cloud
of the restless soul
pacing the floor,
wondering the next steps,
on a road less traveled by
when words do not come
‘tween the good and night
a gap to mend
a breach to heal
on the other side
of restful sleep
for miles to keep
and inner peace

May 18, 2006 7:29pm


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 18,760+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.