Purple, Blue, and White

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 19,440+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

1,300 Poems

Another milestone


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 19,420+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Wisdom was a Girl

She was so smart
wisdom was a girl
a different image, thought
than the Proverbs 31 girl,
the one who started it all,
the women of the bible
with issues and challenges
No Wisdom was a girl
of a whole different sort
elusive and fast moving
never quite caught
by a man


June 9, 2007
Started June 4, based on the
Alive Now daily devotional for
“Thursday, May 31. Read Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31.
In the book of Proverbs, Wisdom is personified as a woman
present with God from the beginning of creation, a being
who is also active in the world. What do you think of this
idea? What does the woman look like standing at the gates
of the town? What does Wisdom have to teach you about
being part of God's creation?”


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 19,440+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

The Other Side of the Desk

A different vantage,
different view
seeing the office
from the other side
of the desk
Familiar, in a way,
when he sat there, working
my father, at his desk,
but different now
as it is mine
my things on its surface
covering more of its area
without the order
he maintained
all those years ago


June 6, 2007 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 19,440+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Walk to the Bank

Her little hand in mine
at least while I could hold her
as she giggled free of my grip
a chase down the sidewalk
onto the grass and clover
down the bank, the slope
to the pathway, the parking lot
laughing over her shoulder
hurtling forward a few feet
in front of her daddy
safe before the crosswalk
the crossing of the busy street
my little girl and I
a mid-morning walk to the bank


June 6, 2007 21:05


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 19,440+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

The Certainty of the Kingdom

It will surely come
growing in ways mysterious
unknowable, how the seed
becomes the grain
hidden first underground
then in the hidden work
within the living tissue
roots deeper in the rich soil,
body growing upward, upright
yearning heavenward, skyward
inevitably growing, in its season
harvest when ripe, at once
when it is time
when the seed has become
the ripe grain



June 6, 2007 6:00am
Mark 5:26-29


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 19,440+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

A Mighty Seed

Hidden in the small kernel,
the collection of a few cells,
the whole of a tree, a mighty shrub,
a home for birds, or more
a metaphor of faith, of hope, of life
growing within us
within each beating heart
potential to be so much more
than our beginnings, vulnerable,
mute, small, babies
in time, with love, care, nurture
as with the seed, with water, soil, sunlight
a chance to be so much more
than the seedling at the birth
the birthing from soil or womb
to stand tall and move mountains
to walk humbly and serve our neighbor
to be sheep and shepherd
to herald His message,
our good, good news
A mighty seed indeed
within each one of us



June 6, 2007 6:10am
Mark 4:30-32


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 19,440+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Sovereign

Powerful, supreme and independent
Creator, ruler
eternal father, mother, sustainer
The one who conjured all from the void
in grand design, and physical laws
heavens and earth, cell and mountain,
beating hearts, and mouths to sing

Gifts you give, give to us
dominion, responsibility
to tend your handiwork
in the brief season
when we, like the plant,
grow, flower, bloom, and die.


June 6, 2007 7:14
Began draft June 4, 2007 21:51
Psalm 8
inspired by sermon, "Dominion and Sovereignty"
by the Reverend Peter A. Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH 6/3/07


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 19,410+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Boast in Our Suffering

We are to boast in our suffering,
or so Paul said, so long ago
boast for the presence of the sustainer
creator, by our side, ready to comfort
answer our prayers

Easier said than done, are these words
of the apostle, the reformed prophet
For we do not want the tests, the trials
The pain of our suffering
No we do not ask for these
And, when they come,
we want them gone, over, done

Suffering, endurance, character and hope
a pathway to a faith, a faith in the love
that would help in seeing suffering
as Paul suggests we must,
as part of the that cyclical logic
so we too may boast
in our own suffering


June 6, 2007 7:02
began draft June 4, 2007 22:01
Romans 5:1-5


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 19,440+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

After the Shower

In the late afternoon, early evening
moments before the dusk
mist falling in the still courtyard
of the busy church
doorway open, to the sounds within
sounds of the pipe organ
from the darkened sanctuary
bright song from the children’s choir
murmur of a worship planning meeting
just down the hall
pearls and jewels of water on the blooms
life giving water on the petals, the leaves,
the stems of the iris, the wet rich soil
drink it all in
after the shower



June 6, 2007 6:50


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 20,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Adam and Christ

Sin and redemption
breach and healing
two ends of the same continuum
from the start to the new beginning
the primordial man, the risen son
each playing a part in creation,
in our story
of the fall and the rising
from sin to heaven
From heaven to earth
and back again
Witness to creation
and created
Two sons
of God

June 5, 2007 20:38
Began draft June 4, 2007 22:03
Romans 5:12-21


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 20,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Broken for Us

We stood in a circle
around Your table
heads bowed, hands clasped
we waited
She began to speak
of the meal, the meaning,
the words again from his lips
but the words struck home
hit me differently
standing around the table
watching the act of the breaking
of the bread, symbolic
But she said it differently
or so it seemed for me
Broken for Us, not for you, for many
No, His body was broken for us
all of us, who need the healing
left from the breach
the humanness of our lives
the frailty, the temptation, the sin
Broken for us. Amen

June 4, 2007 22:08


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 20,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

An Unexpected Subject

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 20,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Dominion

Over all the land, the sea, the skies
the things that creeps, walks, swims, flies
we were given dominion
Groundkeepers, caretakers, stewards
of the living world, the earth
still servants, under the Master’s eye
Responsibility to pick up the mess
when the tree falls on the house
No real control of the storm,
the rot, the ants
who made it tip

June 4, 2007 21:46
Psalm 8
Genesis


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 20,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Poppy Bursting 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 20,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

www.NothingButNets.net

Last night in our Rejuvenation worship service, our worship leader shared a message of hope for the people of sub-Saharan Africa. www.NothingButNets.net is a program to try to get mosquito nets to the people of this region to help stop the tragedy of Malaria in that continent. Right now, a child dies of this disease every 30 seconds. You can help, even with a small donation.Take a look at the site and see. Thank you.


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 20,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Bejeweled

Encrusted with jewels,
diamonds, pearls, clear rubies,
bedazzled with sequins,
pearls of ever size and shape
anointed and adorned
the beauty of the iris, the rhododendron,
the lily, the bud, the bloom
drawing eye and lens
to capture the purity of the scene
the flower festooned
bejeweled with rain

June 6, 2007 6:53

Bejeweled

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2007/06/bejeweled.html

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 35,350+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Drenched

Limp, heavy,

droopy
blooms,
thin skinned irises
translucent, in the rain
a gauze blouse exposing
the skin underneath

bejeweled rhododendron

radiant even in shadow
warm water wash
over them,
nourish, renew
revive them
When the sun rises
once more

June 9, 2007 12:48
started June 5, 2007 20:57

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 19,420+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Trinity

Creator, Savior, Sustainer
Triune, eternal living God
Father, Son, Holy Spirit
three in one
Mother, Brother, Friend
Alpha and Omega
Lion, Lamb, the great I Am

Protector of my life
Faces of the King
the God of my fathers
fellow heir with me
of the promise
the still small voice
the word written
on my beating heart

The oldest story
New and continuing
Good News
In triplicate


June 3, 2007 19:40
Trinity Sunday

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 19,420+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Poppy, Iris, and Lily

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.

In the Dark Places Where She Dwell

So much sadness
years of suffering
A long night of pain
She struggled for rapture
for something to cling to
something to hold dear
Alone in her torment
no refuge from the hurting
anywhere in sight
inner turmoil she fled
heavy heart full of dread
demons aplenty
stalked her each day
found her in darkness
where she lay
A plan to find comfort
in ending her days
so brief a climax
may she have found rest
from her long light of pain
and the dark places
where she dwelled


June 3, 2007 14:06
thought of the death of a friend
on the release of Dr. Jack Kevorkian


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 20,780+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.