Saturday, November 18, 2006

A Lawyerly Question

It always seems, wherever I turn
we are the bad guys, the ones in the way
the ones asking Him questions, pressing for
the new law, testing the assertions,
learning the edges, the words,
“Who is our neighbor”, a logical question
Hardly worth casting aspersions over.
It was just the definition of the term of art,
the nuanced word thrown by Him into the mix
a new test of faith, of living the law of Moses,
of living the good life, the life well blessed
earning passage from Sheol, beyond the grave
the end of their days. It wasn’t a test so much
as a questioning for knowledge, learning what
He meant by the two commandments, replacing
the older ten and the laws, regulations, rules
for life, layer on layer, parsed and teased,
as they are still. Rabbinical interpretation,
the lawyers, the scribes, just doing their best
to live the life of a religious man
asking to know, the bargain, the balance,
the other side of the equation
words to live by, words of power


=================
edited August 7, 2019
A Lawerly Question – v2

November 18, 2006 22:28
A Lawyerly Question
Luke 10:35-37

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 51,300+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

brother, Faith, Family, God, Good Samaritan, Law, life, Luke 10, Moses, neighbor, sing, sister, Ten Commandments, the word, way,


#brother #Faith #Family #God #GoodSamaritan #Law #life #Luke10 #Moses #neighbor #sing #sister #TenCommandments #theword #way

A Hard Winter

Well, they talk of woolly-bear caterpillars
which is it, wide brown or wide orange stripes
or maybe it is when we have a lot of rain
something warns us, tells us that there
will be a hard winter
I’m worried about the squirrels in our yard
They are far too fat, far too ready for a long,
long cold white winter, ready for hibernation
Sitting in the yard, not going up on the table
any longer. No, they don’t run for the peanuts
They look at us, and demand to be fed,
saunter over, dare us to come over,
they are the signals, the indicators, for me
Oh it is going to be a hard winter
The squirrels are fat and surly.


November 18, 2006 21:08

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 19,010+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Friday, November 17, 2006

Places of Refuge

Places of solace,
of sanctuary,
isolation,
of refuge

Places out alone
alone in spaces
places in nature
by the still waters of the lake
walking deep in the winter wood
in contemplation by the sea
under a moonlit star filled sky
beneath the colored canopy of fall
in the smaller places
the smaller spaces
captured by the lens

Each a place of refuge
of reflection, of renewal
of regeneration
of saving grace


November 17, 2006 20:48



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 28,720+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live. 

A Valley of Pine

Southbound this morning
a valley of pine
perpendicular and
far down below on my right
over the bridge, beside the canopy
the treetops
Ancient pines, framing a
meandering brook, hidden
in the morning fog
Black water, grey green
walls of the valley
a picture captured
as I drive by



November 16, 2006 21:50, edited 11/17/06 13:19
The view from the Merrill’s Marauders’ Bridge
http://www.marauder.org/marauder.htm



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 34,500+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.


Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Sharing Verses

We were there for another,
very different purpose,
An attorney telling a client,
jailed and separate from family,
from friends, from the world
Telling her the change in plan
the court case dropped
the move complete
We talked easy, freely, about faith
about the word, about reading
the word, finding passages we share
in the Psalms, in Ephesians,
She getting more freedom,
to worship, me seeing more words
feeling drawn to write, both
because of spending time
in the words of God, of the prophets
of the apostles, the words that
strengthen us, guide us, lead us
to different paths. Glad to share
to enjoy a moment of grace
even inside the walls, thick,
the heavy doors, the confinement
But He is there with us
in the sharing of the verses
and the comfort in the words.


November 15, 2006 21:18


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 19,830+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Not What He Asked For

We walked from court,
attorney and client,
He had a big grin on his face
good thing, since he didn’t get
no he didn’t get what he asked for
He got what he wanted
Someone to be his champion,
a judge to hear his plea
an ex ready to work with him
and his kids will get what they need
No he didn’t get what he wanted;
but he said I knocked it out of the park
So he was happy and so was I
He was off to have a beer
I was off to court again


November 15, 2006 18:52



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 19,830+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Being Known in the Gate

Meeting, greeting, knowing the crowd
the adversaries, the allies, the seemingly neutrals
the advocates, the prosecutors, the clerks
the officers of the court, the sentries at the gate
Being known in the arena, in the meeting rooms,
in the court; at ease among the denizens,
the players, each with their part on this small stage
Bantering, expanding the circle, sharing,
enjoying the familial feel, being known


November 15, 2006 13:47
Proverbs 31:23

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 20,790+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Her Words

Her words were for me
the reason I do this, why I care
go into the ring, fight
Because I can help, stitch the bonds
broken by neglect, by accusation,
by overreach, by excess.
By her words, of thanks,
of acknowledgement, forcing me to hear
I knew I had done the right
Stood beside her,
made a difference, for her,
for them, for all of them
Gave them another chance
to be a family, again


November 14, 2006 22:46


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 19,010+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Withdrawn

Petitions withdrawn
no hearing, just gone
a family can breath
again, move on
with their lives,
spend time together
without intrusion,
without bending
to other wills
heal the wounds
of the family tree
laugh and cry
and protect
those kids


November 14, 2006 22:40


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 19,830+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Call Affirmed

They heard His call through her
Knowing she was asked, by the Creator
to follow this path, at this time in her life
this season to grow, in faith and commitment
to pursue the ministry, the pulpit, the servanthood
another affirmation, like in the class, in the chapel
in the words of the congregants, knowing too
that the words she shared were His, that the voice
speaking was one speaking through her, using her
a vessel, a body in service, doing the work, the urgent
the necessary work of the kingdom, now, in this place
She shared herself and they saw her faith, her joy
Questions asked and answered, concerns allayed
Moving forward, another step farther from the boat
out onto the cold water of the North Atlantic
At least Peter was in the Sea of Galilee
and his sight was on the living word
But stride she does, being His feet
following his path, being the servant,
the teacher, the shepherd, already
Preparing for the next day of her life
Now that she doesn’t have to change course
Because they heard her call too


November 14, 2006 22:28


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 20,770+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Sitting at my Desk

The girls at school, the coffee finished
the news scanned, the day begun
papers in folders, in piles, ready for review
to find the words, the language,
the winning arguments, the fine details
that make the difference for one client,
one client at a time, one issue, one claim
one knitting of the pieces into a story
the story of their lives
compelling and convincing, the judge


November 14, 2006 8:37


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 19,830+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Monday, November 13, 2006

Before the Committee

She will be there, standing before the committee
telling her story, the path that brought her there
before those who would sit in judgment, elders
leaders of the faith in our place, those
called to the path before her, those asked
to represent the laity, sitting judging the call
the still small voice she heard, and answered
Choose me, Lord, I will go
So here she is, another hurdle, another step
on the path laid out before her
Stepping through the threshold
up over the gunnels, out onto the water
staring straight ahead, at Him
knowing she can walk where he tread
feel the waves between her toes
wearing the teachers sandals,
walking in His footsteps
being His feet


November 13, 2006 22:23


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 19,830+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Gray Day

Driving in town, between the drops of rain
watch the people scurry, trudge, dash, between
the buildings, hunker down at the crosswalks
eyes the passing cars, the growing puddles
avoid the splash, the spray, bend to the will
of the weather a bit, respect the rain, this late fall
feel the cold, the damp, ooze into you, bleed heat
drench the sweatshirt, the dead leaf litter
ponder the hamsters on their treadmills,
their appointed rounds, their daily grind
race to court, to bank, to the office
dry again inside, but a gray day


November 13, 2006 13:25


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 20,790+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Feeling the Ancient Words

Urging a blessing on a humble table
using the litany we know so well,
the words He used, the night
He shared that table,
with the first twelve,
That Holy Thursday
The bread, the wine,
Symbols of the harvest,
the fruits of the soil
Symbols too of His body, His blood
The Passover Lamb a human sacrifice
Given on the cross for us
The words of remembrance, they hurt
Hurt when I consider my sin, His pain
But the words heal too
Heal when I listen, hear the words –
“Broken for you”.
For me, to save me,
A smile grows on my face as
I dip the bread, Eat the feast
In His House this night
His offering
saves me


November 12, 2006 22:27


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 19,010+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Loyalty and Goodness

Naomi, Boaz, and Ruth
Three who together give us a lesson,
a teaching, an example
of loyalty and goodness,
of covenant and sacrament,
of sacrifice and service.
Of doing the right thing, the just,
to redeem the Bitter
back to Pleasant.
To give hope,
where there was despair
to redeem by faith


November 12, 2006 22:20
The Book of Ruth


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 19,800+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Faith of a Mustard Tree

She wonders if I believe the words I write
about her faith, her beliefs, her love of God
Her submission to the call she feels, deep within
Still small voice speaking to her, directly,
in the wee hours of the morning,
before the house awakes, before the distractions
of the day, of daily life, create a din to drown out
quiet guiding words of calling, calling her now
still small voice, nudging her from complacency
to schooling, to inquiry, to speaking, to proclaiming
to ministry, in the church, in the half-way house,
into the hearts of family, of friends, of strangers
in school, on the street, in the words I write and share
throughout the web,
the connectedness of the modern age
Sharing the story, the truth, of her boundless faith
the courage to walk in that faith into the world
into the future with certainty of purpose
and even when not, to continue on the path
laid out before her, to walk in faith
Faith like a mustard tree


November 12, 2006 14:17, edited 14:35
Matthew 17:19-20 & Luke 17:5-6

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 19,800+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Single Sin Sacrifice

We all sin, we all fall short, we all need grace
grace boundless and unending, grace to redeem
to bring us back to our creator, to our God
from whom we are estranged, by the nature of man
the way we were wired, it would seem
Free will to make bad choices, century on century,
age on age we have, made the same bad choices,
breaking covenant after covenant with the most high
the One who has kept faith,
has honored each covenant made
The law required a sacrifice, the priest into the
holy of holies, behind the curtain, blood spilt for another year
another season of sin, of falling short as a person, as a people
as peoples of God, repenting for what we had done,
for what we would do again, an endless cycle of atonement
A new covenant, by the Word Made Flesh, a single offering,
the priest and lamb as one, offering himself, pure and white
blazing, brilliant, as on the Mountain, spilling his own offering
his own blood, for those would could not, redeeming all
with a single act of sacrifice, of atonement, of offering
Once and for all time, from the foundation to the end of the age
Until he returns in Glory, at the trumpet call
We wait still, eagerly, by faith


November 12, 2006 14:00
Hebrews 8-11:4


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 19,800+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Husband for Ruth

She needed to be protected,
provided for, to provide for Naomi,
to be the best example of the converted;
how better, how fitting, the grandmother
the ancestor of a King, a King for the people
the people of God, who needed a King
because they could not follow God as their King
She was the transitional figure,
the foreign covenant maker
the human who offered all, like the creator
to be of her blood, their people would be her people
their god her God
She would turn from her people, her lands
She would follow in the fields,
gleaning behind the reapers;
She would lay down with a stranger
she would bear a son
She would bring honor in the gate
and a King for her new people
A King that would be the dynasty,
the line from which the Lamb
would come,
with a new covenant
for all


November 12, 2006 13:29
The Book of Ruth 1-4


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 19,800+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.