Poetry Where You Live

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Dipping our cups – v2

within the sweetness of the smoke – v11 #AshWednesday

The awful cost to Jesus

the cost to Almighty God
in His sacrifice of blood
within the sweetness of the smoke;
The taste of the fire, bitter,
burning Sunday’s palms

Wednesday’s ashes prepared,
burning the sin offering
the darkness of Friday, a cloak;
A foreboding of the season
Christ’s pain and suffering…

Within the sweetness of the smoke,
celebratory palms become ashes
the peoples’ hands upon Him;
God’s fragrant offering
Christ’s sacrifice worthy,
acceptable to God.

----
Edited February 21, 2024
Within the sweetness of the smoke – v11
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/within-sweetness-of-smoke-v10.html
editing version 9
edited March 27, 2020
within the sweetness of the smoke – v10
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2020/03/within-sweetness-of-smoke-v10.html
https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1243558972952641537
stanza 1 – https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1243557753597108232
stanza 2 – https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1243558111484489736
stanza 3 – https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1243558567686344709
(editing version 9)
edited July 15, 2015
within the sweetness of the smoke – v9
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/07/within-sweetness-of-smoke-v9.html
(editing version 5)
edited July 1, 2015
within the sweetness of the smoke – v8
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/07/within-sweetness-of-smoke-v8.html
(editing version 5)
edited March 20, 2014
“within the sweetness of the smoke – v7”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/03/within-sweetness-of-smoke-v6_20.html
edited March 4, 2014
“within the sweetness of the smoke – v6”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/03/within-sweetness-of-smoke-v6.html
Ash Wednesday and Lent
beginning this week
burning of the palms from last year
hymn - “Sunday’s palms are Wednesday’s Ashes”, TFWS #2138
&
Worship Theme – “Ash Wednesday”
Prelude
Unison Prayer
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 (CEB)
Joel 2:12-17a (CEB)
hymn, “Sunday’s Palms Are Wednesday’s Ashes” TFWS #2138
Prayer of Confession
Words of Assurance
Imposition of Ashes
Communion
Lenten poem: ”Changer: A Lenten Poem”
by Adrienne Sparrow Trevathan
https://twitter.com/AdrienneSparrow
my earlier poem, “within the sweetness of the smoke”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/02/within-sweetness-of-smoke.html
by Pastor Ruth Foss
https://twitter.com/PastorRuthFoss
http://www.facebook.com/pastorruthfoss
http://www.pstruthsermons.blogspot.com
sermon blog
http://www.pstrruthfoss.blogspot.com
meditation blog
http://pstrfoss.wordpress.com/
“God’s Whisper” blog
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
March 5, 2014
Ash Wednesday
Lent
&
Edited January 1, 2014
“within the sweetness of the smoke – v5”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/01/within-sweetness-of-smoke-v5.html
(editing version 2)
Edited February 14, 2013
“within the sweetness of the smoke – v4”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/02/within-sweetness-of-smoke-v4.html
Edited February 14, 2013
“within the sweetness of the smoke – v3”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/02/within-sweetness-of-smoke-v3.html
Edited February 6, 2013
“within the sweetness of the smoke – v2”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/02/within-sweetness-of-smoke-v2.html
February 19, 2012
“within the sweetness of the smoke”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/02/within-sweetness-of-smoke.html
&
Worship Theme – “God’s Healing Mercy”
Mark 2:1-12 (NRSV)
Isaiah 43:18-25 (NRSV)
2 Corinthians 1:18-22 (NRSV)
Call to Worship (Psalm 41:1-4, 13 (NRSV Bible))
Unison Prayer
Prayer of Dedication ((GBOD Mark 9:2-9)
and sermon, “How Good of God”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/02/sermon-how-good-of-god-by-pastor-ruth.html
by Pastor Ruth Foss
https://twitter.com/PastorRuthFoss
http://www.facebook.com/pastorruthfoss
http://www.pstruthsermons.blogspot.com
sermon blog
http://www.pstrruthfoss.blogspot.com
meditation blog
http://pstrfoss.wordpress.com/
“God’s Whisper” blog
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
Seventh Sunday of Epiphany
Transfiguration Sunday
February 12, 2012

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, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

poetry, Christ, Faith, God, grace, love, Savior, Pastor Ruth Foss, Spirit, gifts, calling, Lent, Ash Wednesday, Matthew 6, Joel 2, Savior, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss,

#poetry #Faith #God #grace #love #Christ #Spirit #gifts #calling #Lent #AshWednesday #Matthew6 #Joel2 #Savior

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

You know the name of the #Traveler – v5 #speculativepoetry #poetry #sciencefiction

1
A vessel and so much more, a part of him,
glyphs written in His ship’s surface, its skin,
filling empty space, nothing left uncovered,
Words, a prayer of conquest, of sending.

2
A kiss of kinship, of His people, their leaders,
voyaging beyond, into the unknown, the infinite,
weighing anchor, going, traveling, the void,
Crossing celestial planes, eternal seas.

3
Speak truth to us, the mystery, reveal to us,
You know the name of the Traveler,
don't you, you know these markings,
Their meaning, their gravity, their power.

4
What was written about Him in the scrolls,
on the stele, in our history, ancient time,
this image, the symbol, the secrets,
Written on the Traveler's hand…

5
His vessel, his ship, his voyage, his quest,
(I can see Him standing, resolute on the bridge),
harkens back to Captain Nemo, to Verne’s epic,
Drawing us to the Nautilus, frozen in memory.

6
His voyage of discovery, uncharted,
silently exploring, the earth, the oceans,
uncovering mysteries of the deep,
In many ways, a far simpler quest.

7
Ancient words were written, a message,
of His sending, of His destiny, of his mission,
the Promised that was to come, a prayer,
Coming, returning across the galaxies.

8
Across time and space, the void,
a savior, a messenger, a herald,
a name of life, eternity, protection,
Traveler now beckons to everyone...

9
Here He is, as was prophesied, foretold,
a prayer of our people, of history, of time,
now in the void, beyond the heavens,
A vessel, a Traveler, across time and space.

10
Upon the bridge, the helm, standing,
standing resolute, righteous, journeying,
beautiful, powerful, the union of His body,
The vessel, the Traveler, an ancient one.

11
Our prayer, our common longing, unrequited,
so long dormant, waiting, forgotten,
our hopes for this moment, this epiphany,
Many generations in history, our ancient past.

12
Alive now with us, coming, arriving,
a quickening in the heavens, returning,
crossing other oceans, other worlds
To anchor on these shores again.

13
Mysteries come with Him, carrying,
secrets melted to Him, the Traveler,
glyphs carried with Him, a part of Him -
How I wish I could read them all.

14
What other stories will they reveal,
across the galaxies, the markings, our history,
the watery world beyond, immersed,
Alive beyond the pool of Earth…

-------------
Edited February 20, 2024
You know the name of the Traveler – v5

Edited February 11, 2024
You know the name of the Traveler – v4
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/you-know-name-of-traveler-v4.html
Merged February 3, 2024
You know the name of the Traveler – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/you-know-name-of-traveler-v3.html
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/you-know-name-of-traveler-v3_3.html
Edited February 1, 2024
You know the name of the Traveler – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/you-know-name-of-traveler-v2.html
February 1, 2024
You know the name of the Traveler
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/you-know-name-ofthe-traveler.html
&
Edited February 1, 2024
To the Nautilus in our memory – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/to-nautilus-in-our-memory.html
February 1, 2024
To the Nautilus in our memory
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/to-nautilus-in-our-memory-harkening.html
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, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Poetry, fantasy, Science Fiction, art, AI, fiction, reality, traveler, cyborg, artificial intelligence, mystery, time travel, spaceship, vessel, galaxies, universe, space, eye, speculative poetry,

#Poetry #fantasy #AI #Nautilus #CaptainNemo #fiction #reality #Traveler #cyborg #sciencefiction #mystery #mysterious #timetravel #traveler #spaceship #vessel #galaxies #universe #time #space #JulesVerne #speculativepoetry.

Monday, February 19, 2024

You preserve my life – v2

Within my struggles, my trials,
my worries, in the pit,
You preserve my life,
You care for me,
You love me, oh God.

You fight my enemies,
You are by my side,
Your right hand protects me,
You are all I need, Lord,
my Creator, my Savior, my God.

-------------
Edited February 19, 2024
You preserve my life – v2

&
Edited February 19, 2024
I give You my stones
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/i-give-you-my-stones.html
&
February 19, 2024
You preserve my life
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/you-preserve-my-life.html
Psalm 138:7-8
&
Edited February 18, 2024
Giving You my stones – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/giving-you-my-stones-v2.html
February 15, 2024
Giving You my stones
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/giving-you-my-stones.html
1 Peter 5:7

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, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Poetry, God, prayer, burdens, hope, calling, purpose, faith, trust, 1 Peter 5, Psalm 138,

#Poetry #God #prayer #burdens #hope #calling #purpose #faith #trust #1Peter5 #Psalm138

I give You my stones #prayer #poetry #God #hope #poem

They are too heavy, too many,
I cannot hold them, they are too much,
the burden, the trials, the struggle,
Lord, I can’t hold them anymore.

I need to let go, they are too much,
too many to number, too heavy,
I give You my stones, my worries,
My burdens, my struggle, today.

Lord, take them, heal me,
grant me peace, real trust,
release me from my worries,
They are too heavy, too much…

-------------
Edited February 19, 2024
I give You my stones

&
February 19, 2024
You preserve my life
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/you-preserve-my-life.html
Psalm 138:7-8
&
Edited February 18, 2024
Giving You my stones – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/giving-you-my-stones-v2.html
February 15, 2024
Giving You my stones
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/giving-you-my-stones.html
1 Peter 5:7

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, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Poetry, God, prayer, hope, calling, purpose, faith, trust, 1 Peter 5, Psalm 138,

#Poetry #God #prayer #hope #calling #purpose #faith #trust #1Peter5 #Psalm138

You preserve my life - #God #prayer #protection #Psalm138

Amid my struggles, my trials,
my worries, in the pit,
You preserve my life,
You care for me.

You fight my enemies,
You are by my side,
Your right hand protects me,
You are all I need.

-------------
February 19, 2024
You preserve my life
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/you-preserve-my-life.html
Psalm 138:7-8
&
Edited February 18, 2024
Giving You my stones – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/giving-you-my-stones-v2.html
February 15, 2024
Giving You my stones
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/giving-you-my-stones.html
1 Peter 5:7

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, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Poetry, God, prayer, burdens, hope, calling, purpose, faith, trust, 1 Peter 5, Psalm 138,

#Poetry #God #prayer #burdens #hope #calling #purpose #faith #trust #1Peter5 #Psalm138

Sunday, February 18, 2024

His hands will never be clean – v3 #Putin #Navalny #Ukraine #poetry #ArmUkraineNow

His hands are stained with blood, so many, so many,
permanent scars, a gash in his hands, on his body.
Do they haunt him in the night, in the darkness?

So many people, martyrs, innocents, that he has
murdered, a list grows longer, every day.
His hands will never be clean.

He is death, evil, a little Satan, a devil,
a living specter, a terrorist, an embodiment.
He is the worst there is of man, of humanity.

He is stripped of all empathy, of conscience,
hiding in the bunker, with his demons.
Evil’s minions whisper to him, justifying death…

So many martyrs, so many innocents,
cry from their tombs, from the grave.
Their blood will forever be on his hands.

Their blood is burned on this flesh, a scar, a memory,
permanent, that will never fade away.
His hands will never be clean.

---------
Edited February 18, 2024
His hands will never be clean – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/his-hands-will-never-be-clean-v3.html
Edited February 18, 2024
His hands will never be clean – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/his-hands-will-never-be-clean-v2.html
February 16, 2024
His hands will never be clean
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/his-hands-will-never-be-clean.html
For all whose death Putin has caused
February 16, 2024
He was murdered
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/he-was-murdered.html
on the death in prison of Alexei Navalny

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, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

poetry, murdered, killed, Putin, Ukraine, Russia, freedom, democracy, justice, Slava Ukraini, Navalny,

#poetry #Navalny #Putin #Ukraine #Russia

We turn our eyes from their #evil – v2 #Putin #Russia #warcrimes

So many atrocities, so much pain,
too many to number, to fathom,
their pain, this story, this truth,
again and again, too much…

We turn our eyes from their evil,
not wanting to become involved,
feeling we are impotent, unable,
to help, to do anything in this time…

We are too easily distracted, unfocused,
too easy to turn away, to be passive,
to switch the channel, to scroll away,
putting our heads in the sand...

We must cry out, “Enough!”
This madness must end,
crying for the people,
“Russia cannot win!”

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

Edited February 18, 2024

We turn our eyes from their evil – v2

https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/we-turn-our-eyes-from-their-evil-v2.html

Edited February 11, 2024
We turn our eyes from their evil
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/we-turn-our-eyes-from-their-evil.html
February 10, 2024
Turning our eyes from their evil
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/turning-our-eyes-from-their-evil.html
Responding to Twitter post
February 10, 2024
by Lexa lrnt
(link)
“Can someone explain how does one move on with their
Saturday after reading that Russians burned alive an
entire family in Kharkiv last night?
How do they read about it, shrug, and continue existing,
without giving a single fuck?
How can people still be passive at this point?”
And posts by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1756301685226369353
https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1756301900335419599

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, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Poetry, America, Stand with Ukraine, Zaluzhny, Zelensky, prisoners, Mariupol, Bucha, Ukraine, Russia, Slava Ukraini, victory, Tucker Carlson, Kharkiv, Слава Україні!, POTUS, VP,

#America, Stand with #Ukraine, with #Zaluzhny, @ZelenskyyUa, with freed #prisoners of #Mariupol, with the dead of #Bucha, of #Kharkiv. @HouseGOP support #Ukraine today. #ArmUkraineNow #SlavaUkraini #Victory #Ukraine @NATO Слава Україні! @POTUS @VP

-----------
Putin is a War Criminal, Ukraine, victory, prisoners, Slava Ukraini, Russia, Bucha, Zaluzhny, America, Слава Україні!, Zelensky, Tucker Carlson, Kharkiv, Mariupol, poetry,

His hands will never be clean – v2 #Putin #Satan #Death

Stained with blood, so many, so many,
Permanent scars, a gash in his hands, on his body;
(Does it haunt him in the night, in the darkness?),
So many people, martyrs, innocents,
The list grows longer, every day,
His hands will never be clean.

He is death, evil, a little Satan, a devil,
A living specter, a terrorist, an embodiment,
Of the worst there is of man, of humanity,
Stripped of all empathy, of conscience,
Hiding in the bunker, with his demons,
Evil’s minions whispering to him, justifying death…

So many martyrs, so many innocents,
Crying from their tombs, from the grave,
The stain of their blood forever, on his hands,
Burned on this flesh, a scar, a memory,
Permanent, that will never fade away,
His hands will never be clean.

---------
Edited February 18, 2024
His hands will never be clean – v2

February 16, 2024
His hands will never be clean
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/his-hands-will-never-be-clean.html
For all whose death Putin has caused
February 16, 2024
He was murdered
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/he-was-murdered.html
on the death in prison of Alexei Navalny

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, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

poetry, @navalny, murdered, killed, Putin, Justice for Navalny, Ukraine, @ZelenskyyUa, @POTUS, Russia, Russia Is A Terrorist State, freedom, democracy, justice, Slava Ukraini, Putin Is a War Criminal, Navalny,

#poetry @navalny #Navalny #murdered #killed #Putin #JusticeforNavalny #Ukraine @ZelenskyyUa @POTUS #Russia #RussiaIsATerroristState #freedom #democracy #justice #SlavaUkraini #PutinIsaWarCriminal

Giving You my stones – v2 #prayer

They are too heavy, too many,
I cannot hold them, they are too much,
The burden, the trials, the struggle,
Lord, I can’t hold on anymore.

I need to let go of them, they are too much,
Too many to number, too heavy,
I am giving You my stones, my worries,
My burdens, my struggle, today.

Lord, take them, heal me,
Release me from my cares, my worries,
They are too heavy, too much…

-------------
Edited February 18, 2024
Giving You my stones – v2

February 15, 2024
Giving You my stones
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/02/giving-you-my-stones.html
1 Peter 5:7

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, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Poetry, God, prayer, cares, anxiety, burdens, hope, calling, purpose, faith, trust, 1 Peter 5,

#Poetry #God #prayer #cares #anxiety #burdens #hope #calling #purpose #faith #trust #1 Peter5