Poetry by My Real Life Friends
LOVE STRONGER THAN DEATH
From Song of Songs - Chapter 8
by Barney
Love stronger than death......
For someone else, but not for me,
Whose kisses are sweeter than wine;
Conceit...self will protests...
So blind to love divine,
Never at rest, nor peacefully blest',
Open thine heart....thou blind.
Wouldst thou claim fully,
Without giving the same;
Wouldst thou have in pretence,
And not in name?
Ne'er can it be,
And perish the thought,
That love such as this
Can be stolen or bought.
Draw me, for I would be thine,
Glad to rejoice in thee;
For thy love is sweeter than wine,
But why shouldst thou care,
Thou fairest of fair,
For one such as lowly as I;
What's this.....Can it be!.....
.....Rise up my love, and come, the plea...
Open thine heart....
.....And know thou me.
ODE TO AN APRON
an original poem by Susan
Aprons - have you thought about them lately?
I have -- nobody much wears them anymore. It's kind of sad, isn't it?
Aprons are so homey and sweet, little girlish and granny.
Put an apron on and you automatically become
Julia child and James Beard all rolled up into one.
Aprons make the best pies, lightest cakes,
And most delicious chocolate chip cookies you ever tasted.
Everybody knows bread won't rise unless you wear an apron!
You can't even begin to hang out a decent wash without an apron.
Where would you put the clothes pins?
And who ever heard of Hollyhocks growing around the back door
Of a girl who doesn't wear an apron?
Back in the 40's when I was a little girl, my Mother wore an apron,
The kind with ruffles of eyelet over the shoulder.
The kind that criss-crossed and tied in the back and you had to iron.
She always wore a fresh house dress,
Combs in her hair, and those darling aprons with little pockets
That could hold more than a shopping bag.
At the end of the day, Mother would sit down and empty the pockets of her apron.
The contents were simply amazing . . .
A penny or two, a hankie, one of my barrettes, a pink baby sock
A broken crayon and half chewed eraser,
A cash register receipt,
A bobby pin (the vacuum cleaner won't pick them up you know),
A button off Becky's sweater,
A licked stamp,
A marble or two,
Some jacks,
And a super sonic decoder ring.
What a marvelous place that apron pocket --
A treasure chest to be opened at the end of the day.
We'd sit by the kitchen table, each child retrieving what belonged to her.
It was almost like Christmas!
Funny isn't it, the things that impress a child.
Aprons, thought much of them lately? I have --
Nobody much wears them anymore.
REST
by Barney
Out of Egypt.....sweetly blessed'
The Red Sea past....a mighty quest;
The brink of Jordan looms ahead,
Swollen Jordan, the heart fears...dreads;
Mighty Jordan's waters roll,
As if the floods would conquer soul;
Crippling doubt....of what's in store....
Lord today....the yonder shore.
Tired of wandering, weary of sin,
O dear Lord, please bring me in,
To Canaan's land...sweet land of quest,
Where God's children find sweet rest.
Now standing still in Jordan's deep
The waters standing in a heap,
The bottoms dry, the dreaded way,
Now turns into a brighter day.
Email: alfie@galstar.com
