Saturday, August 05, 2006

Two and a Half Years

Today marks 2 and a half years of this blog. There are now 654 of my poems and a total of 822 posts to this site. Thanks to all who have visited so far. Hope you continue to like what I post here.



=================
November 3, 2017
the cadence of the words
&
===================
edited January 13, 2016
A Calling to Write – v4
(editing version 3)
edited November 4, 2015
A Calling to Write – v3
(editing version 2)
July 6, 2015
A Calling to Write – v2
August 30, 2011
Hearing Your Words
written after looking up the earlier poem,
“A Calling to Write”
February 4, 2010
A Calling to Write
Habakkuk 2:2
Habakkuk 1
Habakkuk 2:1-3
and Day 138, “Write the Revelation”, in
 “Daily Mediations: On Golden Texts of the Bible”,
by Henry Gariepy
read 2/4/10
&
==================
edited January 13, 2016
Inspiration Poetry – v6
(merging edits to version 3, version 4, and version 5)
(I know, this is part of the craft thing…)
edited  November 17, 2015
Inspiration Poetry – v5
(editing version 3)
edited  November 5, 2015
Inspiration Poetry – v4
(editing version 3)
edited November 4, 2015
Inspiration Poetry – v3
(merging version 2 and original)
Edited September 4, 2012
“Inspiration Poetry – v2”
May 24, 2009
“Inspiration Poetry”
&
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merged / edited January 9, 2016
Seeing the Words – v29
(merging edits to version 28, version 15, version 16, version 17,
version 18, version 19, version 20, version 21 version 22, version 23,
version 24, version 25, version 26, and version 27)
==============
edits of individual poems
edited January 9, 2016
Seeing the Words – v28
(editing version 14)
edited January 9, 2016
Seeing the Words – v27
(editing version 13)
edited January 9, 2016
Seeing the Words – v26
(editing version 12)
edited January 9, 2016
Seeing the Words – v25
(editing version 10)
edited January 9, 2016
Seeing the Words – v24
(editing version 9)
edited January 9, 2016
Seeing the Words – v23
(editing version 8)
edited January 9, 2016
Seeing the Words – v22
(editing version 7)
edited January 9, 2016
Seeing the Words – v21
(editing version 6)
edited January 9, 2016
Seeing the Words – v20
(editing version 5)
edited January 9, 2016
Seeing the Words – v19
(editing version 4)
edited January 9, 2016
Seeing the Words – v18
(editing version 3)
edited January 9, 2016
seeing the words – v17
(editing version 2)
edited January 9, 2016
Seeing the Words – v16
(editing original)
edited January 9, 2016
Seeing the Words – v15
(editing version 11)
edited April 10, 2015
seeing the words – v14
(editing version 10)
edited January 31, 2015
seeing the words – v13
(editing original)
edited January 31, 2015
Seeing the Words – v12
(editing original and version 11)
edited May 28, 2014
“Seeing the Words – v11
edited February 15, 2014
“seeing the words – v10”
(editing version 4)
Edited October 26, 2013
“seeing the words – v9”
(editing version 7)
Edited October 25, 2013
“seeing the words – v8”
(editing version 3 again)
Edited October 23, 2013
“seeing the words – v7”
(editing version 3)
Edited October 19, 2013
“seeing the words – v6”
(editing version 3)
Edited October 12, 2013
“seeing the words – v5”
(editing version 4)
Edited October 11, 2013
“seeing the words – v4”
(editing version 3)
Edited October 5, 2013
“seeing the words – v3”
(editing the original again)
Edited July 22, 2013
“seeing the words – v2”
December 4, 2007 12:25pm
“seeing the words”
about writing poetry, when it is a gift of God,
transcribing the words God already wrote
&
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edited January 7, 2016
Personal Poetry – v2
posted February 21, 2004
February 3, 2004 16:45
Personal Poetry
&
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edited January 3, 2016
Rewriting – v3
(editing original)
edited July 11, 2014
Rewriting – v2
September 28, 2001 05:33
Rewriting
&
==================
edited December 17, 2015
Poetry – revised – v2
posting 2/5/2004 – 1st posting to blog
last edit 8/13/2000
edit 5/24/2000
Poetry – revised
&
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edited June 29, 2015
Nouns Verbs and Adjectives – v5
(editing version 3)
edited April 11, 2015
Nouns Verbs and Adjectives – v4
(editing version 2)
edited March 2, 2015
Nouns Verbs and Adjectives – v3
(editing version 2)
Edited April 24, 2013
“Nouns Verbs and Adjectives – v2”
September 5, 2008
“Nouns Verbs and Adjectives”
written at the Agape Café coffeehouse
Wesley United Methodist Church
(one of 24 written there that night)
writing poetry with third grade classes
Barrington Elementary School
Spring 2001
&
===============
edited May 19, 2015
Poetry – haiku – 2 – v2
November 1, 2009
Poetry – haiku - 2
&
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edited March 23, 2015
Sounds of Scribbles – v3
(editing version 2)
edited January 31, 2015
Sounds of Scribbles – v2
August 18, 2004 21:58
Sounds of Scribbles
&






September 24, 2006 16:39
A Year in Words
This poem marks 365 poems in the last 365 days – 9/24/05 to 9/24/06
&
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September 22, 2006 20:47
A Waterfall of Words
&
September 21, 2006 22:58
Hope in the Words
&
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&
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edited March 21, 2015
Flash of Joy – v5
(editing version 3)
edited January 14, 2015
Into Being – v2
edited January 14, 2015
Flash of Joy – v4
(editing version 2)
edited January 14, 2015
Flash of Joy – v3
(editing original)
edited May 24, 2012
Flash of Joy – v2
February 2, 2004 11:44
Flash of Joy
– Written in reaction to the response to the poem “Into Being”
by Roberta Woods –
“Love it!  You've captured the essence of writing not as a discipline but as joy.  And it is because it is pure joy (the agony comes later during revision) it is not a discipline in the sense of having rigid edges.  All doing from joy is a gift to the doer as well as the recipient whether cooking, writing, gardening or any other activity.  My joy activities are writing and carpentry.  All the rest require me to have discipline to get them done. –Roberta”
&
January 31, 2004 19:28-19:36
Into Being
– About the process of writing as merely writing down the words, suggested by Roberta Woods earlier in the day. I see her point, based on the way my writing often comes quickly. Even when I edit it as I write, it is more to get it right/write. We had been talking about “one-book wonders” and had segwayed into a discussion of how she writes daily and how, when she starts writing a story, it often is prolific.

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 45,330 of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

blessing, body, Christ, creator, Faith, gifts, God, love, joy, grace, purpose, calling, hope, Methodist, NEUMC, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, work, Writing Poetry, praise poetry,

#blessing #body #Christ #creator #Faith #gifts #God #love #joy #grace #purpose #calling #hope #Methodist #NEUMC #writing #praise

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God, faith, Methodist, United Methodist, Habakkuk 2, God’s will, free will, path, way, purpose, plan, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, love, disciples, scripture, calling, God’s purpose, law,

#God #Christ #faith #Methodist #Habakkuk2 #freewill #path #way #purpose #plan #love #disciples #scripture #calling #poetry #law #gift

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craft, inspiration, poetry, writing poetry, editing, new, original, revision, God, gift, changed, growth, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, rejection, perfection, beauty, quality, gossamer, magic,

#craft #inspiration #poetry #writing #editing #new #original #revision #God #gift #changed #growth #rejection #perfection #beauty #quality #gossamer #magic

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Agape Cafe, christian, church, coffee, creator, Faith, Family, forest, God, grace, hope, house, laugh, love, National Poetry Month, New Hampshire, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, schools, Writing Poetry,

#Christ #Christian #church #creator #Faith #Family #God #Spirit #grace #hope #love #Poetry #schools #WritingPoetry #words

Barbs on the Heart

A monument, long in coming
of some open scar tissue
a stain on our lives
chapter of evil
when we jailed Americans
because they were different
a crane with barbed wire in its bill
a pool of water
tears spill off the rim
a memorial to our shame
their loss, at American hands
sanctioned by President,
by Congress,
by Korematsu
a stain that endured, echoes
in Abu Ghraib
and Guantanamo.


August 5, 2006 18:12
http://www.njamf.com/memorial.htm
http://www.tourolaw.edu/patch/Korematsu/
http://www.myhero.com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=Korematsu

































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 29,950+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Makeshift Memorials



Instant monuments
makeshift memorials
of senseless tragedies
all across America
flowers, stuffed animals,
candles, messages
of instant grief
sudden shock
horror at lives cut so short
moments of uncommon
loss, on our streets
on the anonymous highways
skid marks, scarred trees
new telephone poles
looking for reason
in random loss


August 5, 2006 18:08

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 18,840+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Left at the Wall

Pieces, shards
broken fragments
of your story
their stories
of their lives
without you
so many young men
so many women alone
comrades with guilt,
nightmares of that place
so far away
from all we know
so alien
in the jungle
in Vietnam


August 5, 2006 18:05

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 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Open Doors

A neighborhood
on their front stoops
open doors
for those who can’t afford
don’t have fans, air conditioners
foreign tongues, multi-racial
poor neighborhoods
ready for the 5th
the day the food stamps come
hungry neighborhoods
landlord neighborhoods
young children in the streets
growing too soon
in the neighborhood
alone too often


August 5, 2006 18:02

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 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

The Kaleidoscope Museum

If you are in the Concord, NH area, check out the Kaleidoscope Children's Museum at 8 South Main Street - http://www.kaleidoscopechildrensmuseum.net/. It is well worth a visit.







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 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Friday, August 04, 2006

Getting Ready to Bloom




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 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Summer Rain

A break in the heat
away from the front
no thunder, no lightning,
just rain, warm rain
falling near dusk
falling on eager ground
steaming blacktop
hungry plants
thirsty
turning toward the clouds
cooling, soothing rain
splashing in sudden puddles
catching in open screens
that certain smell
of summer rain


August 4, 2006 8:35
edited 10:57

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 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Rain on Vacation

It was raining when they awoke
hear it tapping on the air conditioner
on the bulkhead below the kitchen window
as I get my second cup of coffee
no pool in the yard in the sun like yesterday
cartoons and coffeecake on the living room rug
stay in pajamas a little longer girls
lounge in the gray of today
linger by the open window
touch the rain on the wet screen
breath the damp of the morning
indoor fun, crafts and snacks later
rain on summer vacation


August 4, 2006 8:48am


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 20,820+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Secondary Rain

Huge droplets explode in the puddles
small lakes in the uneven surface
craters in the alley, rivulets connecting them
giant bubbles bursting in great pops
Rain falling from above, not reaching the ground
secondary rain drops swell,
coalesce on the oak branches, the broad leaves
on acorns and wires
turgid droplets, bombs
hurl themselves to earth
erupt in final glory


August 4, 2006 9:26am


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 18,790+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Clothes on the Line



a simple, elegant scene
framed out the kitchen window
a load of wash
hung in the still August air
drying quickly as the steam rises
mixes and mingles with the scent of pine
the sweets smells of summer hay
nostalgic and serene
slower time
up at camp


August 3, 2006 18:38

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 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Clovers of the Field



A burst of pink, or a little purple
in a field of shades of green
a bee oasis
a camera tease
small bristles on the stem
pretty delicate flowers in the bloom
sweet flower in the hay field
stay awhile


August 3, 2006 18:35


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 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Shanequa by Shyanne - under the tent




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 19,730+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Wool Coat

The heat wrapped me
hung heavy on my
like a wet wool coat
thrown on the hot old radiator
scorched a bit but not yet dry
thick, scratchy, applying gravity
a little bit more than normal
Barometric pressure
humidity, like a fog
air like a hot iron
blast of steam to crease the collar
of a stiff new white dress shirt
freshly bleached and starched
heavy, oppressive air
weighing me down


August 2, 2006 21:20


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 18,790+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Pushing Through

Up through the leaf litter
through the dust, the twigs
a mushroom grows
in the quiet off the parking lot
in the shade of the old oak
a small cap and sturdy stalk
grows into the light
willing itself up
through the weight
the ground and clutter above
keeping it in the dark


August 2, 2006 13:01


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 18,790+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Pushing Through



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 18,790+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Hands in the Air

I couldn’t see
whether they were for a boy or a girl
never had that chance
all I saw was hands in the air
catching the breeze,
up above the side of the
new Mustang
Dad and mom,
beautiful people
sunning themselves
in the open convertible
He was on the phone
she had her head back
enjoying the August heat
but it was the hands of the toddler
no sign of the car seat
the clothes they wore
just hands held high
fingers reaching
in the August air


August 2, 2006 11:44


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 18,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

A Will to Live

A heavy husk
thick dark shell
no obstacle for
one with a will to live
a need to grow,
warm in the sun
dig into the rich sandy soil
drink the sunlight
warmth of midday
the subtle Windward breeze
soothing, salt in the air
a tropical garden
a good place to plant roots
and grow


August 1, 2006 21:15



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 20,820+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Reminder of Cod

Cod cakes, handmade
with her hands
butter, egg, potato
and cod, in wooden boxes
salted and saved
for our dinner
a memory of those meals
long ago in my past
echoed through today
as another cook, another mother
prepared comfort food
in her kitchen
different food, but the same smell
of the hot grease,
the cooked breadcrumbs
hanging heavy in the summer air
leftover scent memories
rekindled so easily
with cooking


August 1, 2006 21:04



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 18,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Dragonfly on our tree




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 18,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Sunday, July 30, 2006

Elementary School Ferns

They were the ferns
we could draw
when we were little
like turkeys made from hand stencils
elementary school ferns
simple, roughly drawn
without the intricacies
of more skilled artists
simple blunt lines
no shading, no flourish
as is ferns
elementary school ferns


July 30, 2006 13:45


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 18,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Beauty that Graced Our Day





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 18,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Sunflower Grows

Day by day
the seed grows
taller and taller
climbing toward the sun
ants and beetles
nibble, shred the leaves
but it grows, it still grows
bright green, vibrant green
needing the sky, the sun
four feet and more still
a single head, ready to unfurl
to burst forth, in glory
triumphant in blooming
vivid yellow
like the sun


July 29, 2006 21:15
edited July 30, 2006 9:33


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 18,790+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Rustic Cathedral

A small sacred, holy space
cloistered in the edge of the woods
a place for reflection, meditation
for fellowship and calming
settling into the arms of the creation
the quiet of the pines
the smell of blueberry and moss
of birth, flowering, decay
the cycle of life
ordered and balanced
stilling our spirits
in the subtle tranquility
centering us
so we can hear God


July 30, 2006 7:04
Arthur W. Sargent Woodland Chapel, Bow Mills United Methodist Church


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 20,810+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.