Saturday, December 30, 2006

A Whitening World

Snow continues to fall
young faces pressed against the windows
climb the back of the couch
dream of snowmen, castles,
a volcano of white
crunch of the packing snow in the alley
hint of white filling the treads
every tree a false birch
Calls for scarves, mittens, boots
pull the car sweeper
from the basement
A crown of white
out in the parking spaces
futile sweeping, a mere layer
a dusting returns
as I turn back to the start
A world in whitewash
as the snow continues to fall


December 30, 2006 13:32


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.

I'm Spiderman

Okay, I don't normally do this; but ....

Your results: You are Spider-Man
You are intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and have great power and responsibility.

Spider-Man 70%
Hulk 65%
Catwoman 60%
Superman 55%

Which Superhero are you?
http://www.thesuperheroquiz.com/


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 19,060+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Spirit Inspired

Stumbled on this site, by Micah Noel. It looks promising.

http://a-spirit-inspired.blogspot.com/


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.

Snow in the Air

Snow in the air
long before the first flakes
started their long fall from the heavens
snow in the feel, the smell,
the texture of the air
feeling the falling barometer
the shift in the weather
Falling lightly at first, while
I stood at the sink,
mesmerized, watching
their dance downward
Go upstairs, roust the girls,
hear the excitement, the joy
at the first real snowfall
Accumulating white, flake by flake
on the ground, the cars,
still quiet snow, light and airy
a film of white, cell by cell
cleaning the world
in white


----------
edited December 15, 2015
Smell of Snow – v4
(merging edits to version 3 and version 2)
edited December 9, 2015
Smell of Snow – v3
(editing original)
Edited November 28, 2012
“Smell of Snow – v2”
Friday, December 03, 2004 8:27
“Smell of Snow”
and other poems
December 1, 2012
like sprinkled sugar
&
edited December 9, 2015
Snow in the Air – v6
(editing original)
edited November 27, 2015
Snow in the Air – v5
(merging edits to original and version 4)
edited November 22, 2015
Snow in the air – v4
(editing original)
Edited August 3, 2013
“Snow in the Air – v3
(editing original)
Edited September 20, 2012
“Snow in the Air – v2”
December 30, 2006 12:08
“Snow in the Air”


All of my poems and photographs are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 40,670+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Epiphany

Imprimatur of royalty
with the solemnity of the giving
the opening of the treasure
the bowing before the babe
Holy king of whom the prophets foretold
the Son whose coming the star heralded
accept our gifts


December 30, 2006 8:44
Matthew 2:1-12



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 35,130+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Hooded Hangmen

A stark image on the screen
a cluster of hangmen,
black hoods, hiding their faces
the guilty unhooded,
ready to meet his fate
Hooded to hide from
assassination, retribution
in a land with a skim-coat
of laws, of order
a land in need of healing
of grafting the factions together
one people, one body
for together there is hope
separately only chaos
where the world is blind
from balancing the scales


December 30, 2006 8:39


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.

Descended like a Dove

Touched by the Holy Spirit
descending like a dove,
before the voice of God spoke
identifying him for all
All who would listen;
but first he was touched
a mantle added to his walk
the beginning of his journey
a yoke added; but the yoke
was as a dove, lightly perched
walking with him on his shoulder
Guiding and protecting him
before the intoning of the prophecy
the ministry to come after the testing
but now the wondrous sight
the moment of revelation
confirmation of the fulfillment
of the prophecy of old
when the spirit alighted,
down through the heavens
descended like a dove
onto our Savior


December 30, 2006 8:22
Matthew 3:16
Mark 1:10
Luke 3:21b-22



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 27,380+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Sealed by the Lord

The Lord was the one,
who saved him and his family
the animals, the birds, all creation
from wrath and flood, from the cleansing
the cleaning of the earth
They went according to his will
into the unknown, into the Ark
and were sealed in
by the Lord


December 30, 2006 8:10
Genesis 7:16
“And those who entered [the Ark], male and female of all flesh,
went is as God had commanded him [Noah]; and the Lord shut him in.”


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 19,050+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Christmas Continues

We had another day of Christmas
more family time, more presents,
another big meal, another house full
of squeals for new clothes, new toys
laughter of memories, of old stories
brought back, catching up with family
parents we don’t see that often
rekindling, renewing, enjoying company
Christmas continuing this year
for another day, would that it could,
in all its original glory, beyond
the twelve days, beyond Epiphany
into our every day, into our hearts
all year long


December 27, 2006 20:00


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 19,050+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Hug

A purposeful stride across the room,
a draping of a body across my shoulders,
as I write lines on the page, capture a thought
a legal argument, a bit of facts,
a set of arms wrapping around me,
always without asking, without warning
attempting to change my focus
away from my work, my purposes
Attention grabbing,
attuned to her needs, her timing,
against the grain of my schedule, my focus
attesting to her will, above all
a hug, a hug, my kingdom for a hug
at your service, Miss E


December 27, 2006 19:19



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 19,050+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Healing a Nation

That phrase, “healing a nation”
kept going through my mind this morning
thinking about the legacy, the model, the example
set by Gerald. R. Ford, the 38th President,
being a servant first, understanding perhaps
the cost, to him, of his decisions,
the decisions he made anyway,
closing two long painful chapters
in our nation’s history, two periods,
not of his making,
a Man of the House,
destined instead for the other end
of Pennsylvania Avenue
a different mantle, a different yoke
worn faithful, that is the measure of this man
who lost the Presidency;
by healing a nation


December 27, 2006 12:54
President Gerald R. Ford, 38th President of the United States
who died today at 93 year old, the only unelected President
in our nation's history.


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 19,050+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

A Few Hours of Rest

At the start of the day,
a few hours of rest,
without agenda or timeline,
without to do’s and phones
no computer, no files
full belly from brunch
a warm blanket on the couch
you in my arms
and the beauty of a nap
with you


December 26, 2006 20:46


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 19,050+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Christ-filled

A quick email to family, to friends,
deciding to use the phrase Christ-filled
knowing that not all would believe,
that some would question the inclusion
of that affirmation, that adjective
for Christmas, knowing that some are
not sure of the reality of the King,
of the goodness of God.

Using the words anyway, because I believe
that I want to share that bit of hope,
that language of promise, what we long for
a loving relationship with our brother
our savior, our God incarnate, now sitting
at the right hand of God, the Creator
waiting now for his appointed hour
to return and reap, to claim us for himself
to be our Advocate on the final day
when we will go home.

So I use the words, of faith, of the reason
we celebrate Christmas, not merely a
winter holiday; but the moment of grace
the gift of birth, the choice to live as we do
so long ago, in Bethlehem, in Eqypt,
in Nazareth, in service


December 26, 2006 20:40


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 19,050+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Video for our Christmas Eve service

The attached was the background for one of the Christmas Eve services at our church, as we did the Stations of Christmas... It was authored by zenpilgrim (http://zenpilgrim.blogspot.com/ ).

http://www.esnips.com/doc/166eb19b-1a4c-4a4f-a939-cd0d5f912fe3


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 19,050+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Christmas Dresses






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 19,040+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Five-Year Old Princess






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 19,040+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Dangerous Question

In my trade, you never are to ask these kinds of questions,
questions where you don’t know the answer,
those that can go horribly wrong, alert others to danger,
to culpability, to retribution, to a finding of guilt
No, you don’t ask those kind, their ilk; you avoid them

She knows too, in her line of work, her calling, to serve the Lord
that they are dangerous, unscripted, unnerving, all too prone
to grab the spotlight, grab the wheel or the rudder,
to pilot the plane, or at least her plan, into the ground

Yes, I am talking of a pastor and the children of the congregation
clustered within the expectancy of Christmas Eve, down in the chancel
for the impromptu questioning of a pastor, in “Children’s Time”
Maybe the title of that portion of the bulletin should give a hint,
or give pause; but not this morning

Maybe she felt safe with these children, not quite as secular as the maddening crowd
but they answered in kind, from the tip of the neon reality of Christmas all around.
“Who is coming tonight?” between the Advent wreath lighting and
the reading form Luke Chapter 1.
Naturally, the response was, _______________.
Go ahead, you can fill in the blank as well as I; It was the bearded one
not the swaddled babe in the manger, that was the first retort, almost in unison
With a bit of prompting, they came around; But
She asked again before the prayer, the benediction of the children’s time.
And, … , yes, it was Santa who was coming, once again.
And Jesus too. Thank God. Amen.


December 24, 2006 14:41



All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 26,380+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Sensing His Presence

His mother’s voice
through his mother’s womb
gave away his presence, his nearness
his being, so close, so close
a life not yet breathing air
sensing another prenatal life
growing, living, already divine
already being prepared to sacrifice
one to announce and one to save
two cousins, on a preordained course
to change the face of humanity
greeting long before the Jordan
while yet in the wombs
of a virgin and an old barren soul
conceived miraculously,
two uncommon boys,
long hoped for,
over centuries
to fulfill a prophecy
a promise from God


December 24, 2006 14:27
Luke 1:39-56


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 19,040+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Leaf Fell

a shriveled, curled leaf
fluttered toward the ground
as I stood, still, watching its path
gliding, curling through the December air
falling toward me,
catching on my suit jacket
ever so briefly, falling further
to the ground, lost instantly in the leaves
already there, joining its brethren
in the passage from life to renewed life
in the turning over of itself to the earth


December 24, 2006 13:16
about a moment on 12/21/06 about 2pm


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 19,040+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.