poetry

What is life like?

/ Joy Lenton / 8 Comments

Questions on life have preoccupied scholars, theologians and laymen alike for millennia.

There are many and varied responses to this question.

It is rarely the proverbial  ‘bowl of cherries’ of popular myth.

Or if it is, then some get all the sweet succulent ones and others experience sourness and nothing but a mouth full of pips.

My painter/artist/writer friend, Pamela Hodges, is researching this topic for a forthcoming book.

You are invited to participate in the content of her illustrated new work by sharing your thoughts here.

I saw the invitation a couple of months ago and was so bowled over by the idea that I couldn’t contain myself.

Soon I scribbled a few thoughts, then the creative juices ran free.

As I wrote poetry flowed and you can read the result below.

My hope (and Pamela’s) is that you will catch the (writing) bug and send her your ideas.

They don’t have to be perfect, poetic or profound.

All entries will be carefully considered – one line is sufficient, I got rather carried away!  – and the best ones collated into the book with full acknowledgement given.

Plus, if you are a winner you will also receive a free e-copy of the book.

How good is that?

Do check our her lovely blog. She is currently going through a great series on learning to be confident with expressing your creativity.

I hope my post below will initiate the imaginative processes.

‘Life is like…’

A blank page, open book waiting to be written,

mystery of story unfolding with so much to fit in

Awe and wonder of a newborn’s cry,

comfort blanket cuddles and a lover’s sigh

Birdsong at dawn as earth stirs fresh and light,

a continual war zone, battleground, a fight

Heavy storm clouds threatening a sudden downpour

turning of the tide, waves on the shore

A weary trudge up a winding stair, wandering

aimlessly in a maze and getting nowhere

Harmonious melody, music in the air,

watching a movie unroll with popcorn to share

Mud pies and madness, joy beyond measure,

heavy mantle of sadness, merry-go-round of pleasure

Dark and light and every shade between, unfurling of a flower in the

petals of a dream, a silence and a shouting, a whisper and a scream

Kaleidoscope colours converging, finding rainbows through the rain,

pinprick stars of hope emerging through inky velvet stain

Intoxicating, heady champagne and wine, a drumbeat

marching steady, dominoes flat in a line

Mellow sunset rays warming heart and soul,

long hazy summer days doing nothing much at all

Footsteps treading in virgin snow, hesitant

and wary about where to go

Treasure mined in darkness, rich jewels glinting bright,

clouded shade and starkness of a never-ending night

Delicate gossamer thread spun into intricate webs,

songs and sonnets in our head, memory that flows and ebbs

A dandelion clock blowing years away, puffing through

gloom and fog, lost as waif and stray

Water to the thirsty, an unstoppable flow,

a dance filling heart, mind, body and soul

An adventure, journey of discovery, beginnings and birth,

all that lies between despair and dying here on earth

The best gift we’ve ever had, infinitely precious and rare,

which takes time to unwrap and invite others to share

A great vision, an open vista, a laugh, a tear, a song,

a brief spell, just a mist here before all that lies beyond

©JoyLenton2013

This is probably one of the longest poems I’ve ever written, and if you’ve made it all the way through then I thank you for your great patience, my friend.

And as I am taking a little needful break, there is much for you to ponder on here for a while!

Future poetic outpourings will be shorter. Promise 🙂 We’ve made it to day 18 of #poetryforthesoul and I look forward to catching up with you again soon.

Little things count

/ Joy Lenton / 12 Comments

It’s so often the little things that count the most.

A smile at just the right time.

A squeeze of the hand.

A word in due season.

The look in a loved one’s eyes.

A surprise visit or gift.

We value what brings unexpected, unanticipated pleasure, joy and delight.

It’s all the more special for being a surprise.

Or even an everyday occurrence coming into sharper focus for us as we view it anew.

Yet we so often go through our days unheeding the tiny glimmers of grace which God has strewn along our way.

When our eyes are open to the world around us, we can live with a deeper sense of gratitude and praise for all that our Creator God has lovingly fashioned and made.

‘Little things’

Despise not the little things

dew-dappled leaves, hen’s eggs and sparrow’s wings

cumulus cloud now spread thin as entrailed cotton wisps

with no discernible hint of moisture within

Golden patch of sun, scent of rain, a new day begun

as earth shifts into motion once again

with rooster crowing bringing breakfast to mind,

for creatures of every kind clamour to be fed

and given swift their daily bread

Cooling breeze on our extremities as seasons

morph their mosaic coloured hand

upon this ever-changing land

Such things may not amount to much

in mind or eye for you and I

though God keeps careful count

And if we do take note with eyes wide open

to the daily grind we find expectation rise

and cease doing things so much by rote

as we pause afresh in wonder, marvelling

at God’s hand in all we’d cast asunder

when with averted, unconcerned gaze

going blithely dulled, ignorant and unaware

about our moments, hours and days

of all the beauty that little things can bring

to all our thoughts and ways

©JoyLenton2013

Saturday snippets

/ Joy Lenton / 11 Comments

On a Saturday we may sink grateful into slumber, savour a siesta, shop, or see a movie, seek a sport to pursue, or pass a moment or two in reflection.

It  can be a pause in pursuing and an opportunity for Simply Being, a giving over to Sabbath.

Today’s #poetryforthesoul offering is suitably small and minimal as energy is low and rest becomes essential.

Not much to tax the eyes or brain.

Nothing deep or heavy.

Haiku 

 Empty womb-coiled shell ~ a snail trail leaking afresh ~ flowing like my tears

Blustery autumn ~ wind tears at the dew-sodden ~ velvet green-laked grass

 As bulbs lie dormant ~ we sit low in dark places ~ with expectancy

‘Poetic flame’

Sorrow stirs the

sleepy embers

of poetic flame

encircling dampened

recesses of your

heart

curling with gentle

tread

upon your sighs

where deepest pain

lies

a tender fellow of

your deepest powers

your deepest love

in darkest hours

©JoyLenton2013

Getting steamed up

/ Joy Lenton / 6 Comments

When we have a time limit imposed on us it tends to concentrate the mind somewhat.

It’s part of the reason I love to participate in Five Minute Friday.

Though I had no idea what my creative mind would make of this week’s prompt:‘Laundry’

I wish I could report a glowing testimony about how God washes us clean from our sin…or something along those lines at least.

Sadly, no.

My poetic hat seemed steeped in the prosaic.

All I have to offer from my weary M.E brain is a rather ‘tongue-in-cheek’ offering on an everyday reality.

You may be able to relate.

Or at least feel smug that you are on top of your laundry pile – while mine’s big enough to jump off.

START…

‘In a lather’

In a lather

It’s the bane of my life, it is very clear to see

causing stress, strife and some degree of misery

because of  the M.E my husband lends a hand

but  operating the machine is a line in the sand

as far as he’s concerned  (and to be fair he does a lot)

 this one task he will not share at any cost

for although he will iron and carry piles everywhere

he isn’t sure how it works or what makes it disappear

so it droops disconsolately over chair and settee

waiting for activity forthcoming from me

Laundry leers accusingly from the linen basket

spilling forth breezily like coins from a casket

and though I try to do my best with the effort I exert

it still means we live in a state of red alert

where I feel I could be buried by a stinking pile of clothes

and all that would be left of me is my pointing-up toes

Yet I know how low energy stops me from getting any farther

so I’ll try not to worry much or get myself into a lather

perhaps it’s indicative of my life in general where I fail

to attend to all I should, living at the pace of a snail

preferring by far to have eyes glued to a screen as

I write a blog, compose a poem, leaving laundry to steam

©JoyLenton2013

STOP.

Linking here as usual with Lisa-Jo and all the other lovely creative souls who have a go at 5 minutes of free flowing writing on a given topic.

You are very welcome and warmly invited to join in.

The gift of friendship

/ Joy Lenton / 8 Comments

It is said you can choose your friends but not your family.

We are blessed indeed if we not only like those we are related to, but are friends with them as well.

Sadly, it is not always the case.

To have a close friend and to be there for another is one of life’s greatest gifts.

Whenever we count our blessings, friends tend to be top of the list.

And if we have no or few actual close companions on our journey through life,  we can still take comfort from knowing that God is always there for us, our greatest, most reliable and constant Friend.

God is all about relationship. His heart is fine tuned to beat with love for mankind.

He longs for us to know Him intimately. To trust Him with all our concerns. To seek Him and His ways above our own.

Jesus came in order to bridge the gap between heaven and earth, to pave a way to draw us back to the Father’s heart and to become our lifelong Friend above all others.

In so doing, He also shows us the huge benefit of friendship in its manifold expressions.

Today’s #poetryforthesoul micro-poetry offering is a celebration of friendship, written with gratitude for friends old and new.

‘Friends are’

Friends are

companions on our journey

holders of hands and hearts

listeners to pain and fears

bearer’s of God’s goodness

and all His grace imparts

bringers of smiles

wipers of tears

who make life worthwhile

as embracers of all we are

and can be

containers of God’s love

a gift unto eternity

treasure from above

©JoyLenton2013

Safety valves

/ Joy Lenton / 4 Comments

Do you ever get to the point where you feel like exploding?

There are issues which can really make us mad.

Maybe something or someone has touched a nerve.

We feel raw. Wounded. Hurt.

Out of the blue (or so it seems) rage, anger, annoyance or other emotional pain come to the surface.

Feelings rise as steam and we long to vent somehow.

If our nearest and dearest are in range then they may be the unwarranted recipients of our spleen.

Perhaps we need a safe way and place in which to vent our feelings?

A safety valve to allow us to let go without losing full control.

An escape. Outlet.

It may vary greatly depending on the nature, duration and extent of our pain.

And the type of people we are, the resources we have and openings for letting go.

I have found many ways over the years to vent. Not all of them comfortable for others, sad to say.

Over the years, I have tended to rush more eagerly to the phone than the throne of grace.

Counselling gave me the tools to work through pain and see why it was so deep-rooted.

Now, I try to remember that God is always listening, caring, available  and – most important of all – loves us unconditionally.

Loved ones, friends and family can help us up to a point, but only God can truly heal, restore and make us whole again.

The poem below describes how those deep emotions can affect us and how I have found some help and release from mine.

Safety valve

Sometimes our pain

gets buried

deep inside

locked up

inaccessible

in a safe place

where we hide

our true selves

from prying eyes

yet wounds will

fester when left

unattended over years

and seep their poison

through our systems

releasing more

anxiety and fears

We need an outlet

safety valve to

vent within constraints

a catching-place

for leaking holes

where what is

heard is veiled

yet has intent

I express myself

through poetic lament

to pour forth

words as water

releasing mercy drops

that may hit

the spot for other

thirsty souls

©JoyLenton2013

This poem is part of a guest blog post on my friend, Barry Pearman’s site where I’m honoured and delighted to be sharing my thoughts on how poetry helps my mental health. I’d love you to come on over and read the rest there.

No ordinary day

/ Joy Lenton / 20 Comments

When we think about our lives, it is hard sometimes to rise above the mundane activities that shape and define our days.

Yet, even as we go about routines, our hearts can be lifted to places beyond the immediate.

Our eyes can be opened to more than we see.

Our hearts can be touched by glimmers of God’s grace.

And seemingly ordinary moments become a meeting place between heaven and earth.

God whispers close.

We hear Him and know we are in a Holy encounter.

Even with feet rooted firm to earth.

There is more to our lives than the surface and superficial dictate.

With receptive minds and hearts we can be ready for extraordinary moments in an ordinary day.

Today, I am joining in with Lisa-Jo Baker for Five Minute Friday as we write freely, letting words spill as they will, with no worry about over-thinking, marinading or perfection.

The prompt is:‘Ordinary’

START….

‘No ordinary day’

This is no ordinary day

in some extraordinary way

death is dying…

And because of You we are made brand new

because of Your great Love we’re redeemed, restored,

forgiven, healed, children of God above

because of Your grace we have everything we need

to run with joy this earthly race

Ordinary doesn’t begin to describe who we are anymore

each one unique, special, precious, gifted and adored

ordinary people made extraordinary by Your sacrifice

and our response to how You lay down Your own life

Clouds hung heavy and curtain was torn in two

from top to bottom, signalling our lives

are made certain  of spending  eternity with You

We have…

hope for today

blessings always

peace beyond measure

Your favour to treasure

We are…

never alone or forsaken

with sin, shame and guilt all taken

by Your death and dying

so we can dry our tears, still our fears

as we rest in all You are supplying

©JoyLenton2013

STOP

no ordinary day poem image pin

Power of prayer

/ Joy Lenton / 10 Comments

Do you ever wonder if your prayers achieve anything? Me too.

Sometimes it feels as if our words get no further than our lips, laps or living-rooms.

We feel dry inside.

All life and vitality drained out of us.

Going through the motions.

As if praying is a duty rather than a privilege.

Yet, if we stop and think about it, we are partnering up with God in helping to bring about His purposes on the earth.

The Creator, Sustainer and Lord of the Universe actually invites us to come to Him and share in His own heart’s desires.

To hear what moves Him and be moved to participate in bringing it to pass.

To offload all our anxieties, cares and concerns.

To intercede for those in need.

To help, support, encourage and minister to others.

To co-labour in spreading the news of His tremendous love and grace.

What could be more awesome than that?

It doesn’t rest on our words, our feelings, our dryness or liveliness.

It doesn’t rest on how weary or alert we are.

It doesn’t rest on how much time we spend, what physical position we adopt or if we speak, shout, cry or remain silent.

It rests solely on God’s willingness to work with and through His people in a powerful, life-transforming way.

And that’s a huge relief!

The poem/prayer below was written in sympathy and support for all who may feel like inadequate prayer warriors.

As you read it, please remember that our feelings about how we pray are far less important than the fact that we do pray.

Sometimes, just saying, “Help” or “Jesus” is the most powerful prayer you can utter as it reveals total dependence on Him.

Our prayers rise as incense, a fragrant offering to God.

His Father-heart longs to hear us speak to Him about any and everything.

And His greatest desire is to speak to us too.

So remember, my friend, God cares about your life – each and every aspect of it is very important to Him.

“More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of” ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson

‘Simply being’

Lord,

I am ashamed at the paucity of my prayers

so often brief, wandering or barely there

where are the sighs, groans and moans

of a powerful prayer wrestler

or the quiet resting, grace-revealing confidence

of a seasoned intercessor?

Mine slip out unnoticed, arrows weakly fired

just hitting ceiling, dying expired, or spoken by rote

in a bleary state, I feel like they’re not going anywhere

or very appealing to You at any rate

and I must confess it bothers me when clock-watching replaces

the freedom of Simply Being in Your Presence, at ease

resting, trusting, listening, heeding, instead of these

snatched moments racing against time, weariness or schedule

that scarcely please me, never mind You at all

So I come, bearing a burden heavy

to let fall, lay at Your feet

disposing of my shame and guilt

at Your forgiving mercy-seat

and take up another burden to bear

as for my sister and brother

I long to pray and share

as I learn not to be so much

concerned for my own affairs

as I know I should be

and sense the beating of Your heart

for this world’s grief and sorrow

You’re longing to impart to me

so I can join in prayer to bring about

the blessing of Your Healing and Your Peace

for today and for tomorrow

©JoyLenton2013

Looking back and moving forward

/ Joy Lenton / 4 Comments

As someone in the Autumn of her life, there is quite a bit for me to look back and reflect on.

Time is a great healer, or so the saying goes.

Though regrets can be hard to live with.

Wisdom seems to be an advantage of growing older – some compensation perhaps for the gradual loss of other functions or faculties?

Or is it just seeing through the lens of history and experience that gives us a fresh perspective which seems wise?

Maybe it’s seeing with God’s eyes as He opens our vision to His perspective rather than our own.

Hindsight is a great teacher.

Here are a couple of mini Tuesday tidbits to share with you on this subject:

Wishing

I wish I knew then

what I know now

I could have been a better friend

wife and mother somehow

discerning and wise

knowing bad from good

at least in my own eyes

©JoyLenton2013

Hindsight

Hindsight poem pin for Poetry Joy

Hindsight is invaluable

for the insight it imparts

though a residue of regret

may linger in our hearts

maybe I can learn to start

something new today

in accepting it wisdom

without regrets holding sway

©JoyLenton2013

Day 6 of 31 days  writing #poetryforthesoul on love, loss, life and faith

Being framed

/ Joy Lenton / 4 Comments

Although it’s an inescapable reality, I try not to write much about or dwell upon my life as an M.E and chronic illness sufferer.

It can feel intrusive enough already.

Each day brings fresh reminders of pain and limitations.

A life framed by feelings I’d rather not have.

They can make life miserable indeed.

Though sharing misery is not really my goal or mission at all.

My emphasis is more on God’s grace to sustain, strengthen, heal and restore than on how it feels to be sick.

But I am making an exception today by sharing a poem that was originally featured on my other writing place Words of Joy and is mentioned in the current post there.

It was written at a time when society’s impressions were being greatly influenced by governmental views and decisions and is very much a poetic lament in support of all who live with such experiences.

Sadly, there has been no let up since.

It speaks of the unwarranted stigma and shame that sufferers can experience.

I hope you will come away from reading it feeling better informed and aware, with some insight into the lives of those with ‘invisible illnesses’.

Being Framed

I’ve been framed, boxed, categorised,

sifted, found wanting in society’s eyes

I’m not the woman they think they see,

but an inner person that’s really me

Viewing the image the mirror provides

if I dare to risk, turning away with sighs

Decades of illness have left their mark

and it’s hard to bear living in shaded dark

My eyes need rest I urgently seek,

the brain is foggy, body made weak

Pain and deformity cripple the frame

and it’s hard to remember inside I’m the same

A woman with dreams and a heart to express

all that’s buried within, though under duress

I want to be seen as I feel inside

but external appearance causes me to hide

Days without number I face my fears

that grow as hard to scale as our home stairs,

that this won’t go away and I might not be healed

that the inner joy may be forever concealed

For it’s hard to stay cheerful, harder still to be bright

in a world that pushes us out of sight

We’re the invisible people, out of the game

our only identity is pain and shame

Huge in number, if weak of voice,

the nameless ones who cannot rejoice

until labels and badges no longer apply

and we don’t have to keep asking you, “Why?”

Why not believe us, why not accept

this could happen to you, being sick and wrecked

Your body a tomb for a spirit that’s chained,

a livelihood lost, prison sentence gained

Eyes that accuse, hearts that are hard

do nothing but continue marking our card

Treated with scorn, hostility, derision,

our whole future residing on whim of decision

Fear haunts our days and disturbs our nights,

energy drained further to keep fighting our rights

Please, won’t you listen and heed the weak

as you hear our stories of the justice we seek?

Please remember we are people too,

not numbers, statistics, a warped world view

Lives are at stake as bodies fail,

strong in intent, though our hearts quail

Life in the Slow Lane can be no life at all

when it grinds to a halt against a brick wall

If you know someone who has M.E,

please help them and tell them you see,

you witness their pain, you understand the need

and you won’t turn away, you will pay heed

All we ask is for people to see who we are,

recognising this disease will take us far

into a future where compassion can reign

instead of resentment, sadness and shame

©JoyLenton2013

Despite the negative tone in the poem above, I am very much kept positive and hopeful by God’s continual outpouring of endurance, strength and love. Some days may be really challenging but His grace is always sufficient for every need.

This topic is being aired today as I am guest posting on my friend Mia’s site. I’d love you to come on over and read the full post here.

Day 5 of 31 days of #poetryforthesoul