Saturday, September 23, 2006

Closer to the Fire

A summer, long ago
a different sleepover,
out under the stars, in
the Berkshire woods
when summer camp
meant the YMCA
We arrived late,
what a surprise,
my age group
already at the campsite,
long past dusk
find a spot to roll the sleeping bag
on the ground, look for roots,
for rocks underneath
see the sparks of the campfire
yards off, spiraling upward
toward the white pines above
creating strange orange silhouettes
in the June air
Nearer to the overflowing trash can
than the fire pit, a few of us stragglers
A sudden rustling nearby, freeze
for the family of skunks
were out for a snack
lay still in the sleeping bags
boys, for we dread a mistake
made more real
this far from the fire


September 23, 2006 21:22


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.

Pocahontas-ed

I can hear them now,
squabbling a bit, not settling
wrapped in Pocahontas
downstairs on the pull-out couch
Gramma and the two girls
sheets, comforter, pillow cases too
Indian princess covering ours
a sleepover in the living room
fitfully quieting for the night
past her bedtime, approaching theirs
on the weekend,
pushing for more time
before slumber wins out


---------------
edited September 26, 2019
Pocahontas-ed – v2

&
edited September 26, 2019
Focused on My Family – v3

&
Edited January 7, 2014
Focused on My Family - v2
&
edited September 26, 2019
Closer to the Fire – v4

editing original and version 3
edited April 7, 2015
Closer to the Fire – v3
(editing version 2)
Camp Shepard
edited July 22, 2012
“Closer to the Fire – v2
&
part of a series of poems written the same night
&
September 23, 2006 21:07
Focused on My Family
note 9/26/19 –
not sure the basis of the change in plans,
Erica was 10, Shyanne 6, Shanequa 4;
but I wrote the poem Pocahontas-ed
at September 23, 2006 21:12, about 5 minutes later
about the girls sleeping downstairs with gramma
and about 15 minutes later I wrote the poem
Closer to the Fire at September 23, 2006 21:22
about YMCA summer camp years before

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com)  for usage. See all 52,080+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

christian poems, christian poetry, Concord NH, creator, daughter, faith poetry, Family, God, New Hampshire, poem, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Shanequa, Shyanne,


#christianpoems #christianpoetry #ConcordNH #creator #daughter #faithpoetry #Family #God #NewHampshire #poem #poetry #Shanequa #Shyanne

Focused on My Family

A night out, cut short
needing to go back home
to put them to bed, to give her rest
time to mend and heal,
no regrets of the change
the redirection home
where we needed to be
resting when we needed to
no regrets at all


September 23, 2006 21:07



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 27,270+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Friday, September 22, 2006

Whiskey Tasting

It was the dark chocolate
and the thirty-year old scotch
that was the one, so smooth
silk sliding down my throat
in the darkened pub in the capital city
the banter of the Scottish barker
the Serbian imp, the Yankee
kindred spirits all, soaking up
the fill of it, tasting whiskey
while the band played, the crowd
rising to the level of the song
clinking glasses, tall tales
in the smoky bar
one night near three years ago


September 22, 2006 21:31


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.

Advocate

Being the advocate
striving to do good
while being loyal, working
within the part I play
for the plaintiff, the respondent,
petitioner, defender,
parent, the child
the best interest
the will of the client
the role of the court
the dance of litigation
the season of storm
clinging to the mast in the gale
wishing for a clear path
in complex lives


September 22, 2006 20:53

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.

A Waterfall of Words

Sometimes, I wonder of the source
the wellspring of the words
the lines on the pages
that flow ever more
like rivers to the sea
filling the pool of the web
with the musings, the phrasing
the utterances of my mind
fertile fields of language
ripe orchards of songs
rich forests of whispers
murmurs in the dark
proclamation in the light
joys and sorrows
finding voice
in the story of my life
written in prose poems


the cadence of the words

the cadence of the words
maybe without rhyme or meter
but a movement, an urging
to go on to read further

a movement, a motion
in the words coming together
singing a song, a whisper
a hope, a prayer, a lyric,
that was already written

=================
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”
&
-----
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
&
----------------
edited January 7, 2016
Personal Poetry – v2
posted February 21, 2004
February 3, 2004 16:45
Personal Poetry
&
------------------
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
&
--------
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
&
-----
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
&
-----------
September 22, 2006 20:47
A Waterfall of Words


&
---
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

----

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

----------------

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

---------------------------

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

Orange




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.

Waiting

Paneled walls,
formal distances, raised dais
bifurcated space, Hatfields and McCoys,
bride and groom
Peculiar pews, wide oak
masculine pews,
held rows, clusters really
of suits, pin-stripes,
conservative ties, white
and blues pressed shirts
waiting furtively, false patience
ritual space, defined roles
players on this solemn stage
billed hourly, justice meted out
in starched words, by black-robed pens
if it pleases the court


September 22, 2006 13:45
Hillsborough County Superior Court, Courtroom 2


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.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Hope in the Words

There is Hope in the words
of my poems, your words
shared with me, my fingers on the keyboard
flowing from them onto the screen, the page
Faith in my walk in the world
in the knowledge of you, your presence
Your abundant Grace
Love in my heart because of the ways
You touch my life
giving me a family, a household of faith
to share my days
Together faith, hope and love
They are a force to mend the world.



-----------------
edited September 26, 2019
Hope in the Words – v2

&
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”
&
-----
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
&
----------------
edited January 7, 2016
Personal Poetry – v2
posted February 21, 2004
February 3, 2004 16:45
Personal Poetry
&
------------------
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
&
--------
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
&
-----
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
&
-----------
September 22, 2006 20:47
A Waterfall of Words
&
September 21, 2006 22:58
Hope in the Words
&
---
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, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com)  for usage. See all 52,080+ 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, 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 #writing #praise

----

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

----------------

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

---------------------------

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