Xapa to the World

Category: Poetry

  • Poem: A Glimpse of Romance

    Here’s one of my cheesy poems.  It is based on a sonnet by Shakespeare…Sonnet XLIII (43).  But my poem is an expectant poem, at best.  Enjoy! (Oh, read to the punctuation…it will help you in understanding it.)

    12/26/05

    My beating heart.
    It beats twice to each breath.
    It quickens at just one thought that rings through my mind.
    The thought is electrifying,
    Passing through each part of my body and makes me cold.
    Oh how I long to see him,
    The one who walks in my dreams to meet me.
    With baited breath I wait for him,
    As one waits to see the ocean a first time.
    She doesn’t know the waves and sounds,
    Or how the sunlight dances on the waters.
    She only knows it is something that her heart yearns for
    Even if the sight is in passing;
    It is something she must lay her eyes on.
    Yes, the eyes which sparkle with as many stars as her own,
    Reflecting the lights of midnight in the sky.
    Van Gogh has naught to compare with their brilliance.
    She knows that in his heart is a dream
    As vibrant as the one planted in hers.
    This dream surrounds her in his thoughts and consumes him
    To a point where he dare not try to escape.
    To leave would mean certain death in his mind –
    Death to his heart, his life, and the dream luminous in his eyes.
    Without her in his life, he would be dead to the world
    And any passion that life could bring would shadow
    In the dark that her leaving would bring him.
    I know he’ll be here, even if I only meet him in my dreams.
    For a dream makes my night brighter than the day
    When he is with me.

     – Sarah ><>

  • Poem: Loneliness Vs. Truth

    November 30th, 2005

    I don’t know why
    Every time Christmas rolls around
    Why I’m reminded of a solitude
    Which habitually hangs over me.
    Of all things to think about
    It’s my least favorite.
    Give me anything else,
    Even natural disasters, and I’ll be fine.
    This feeling is not just my own,
    But shared by the whole of humanity.
    A nagging feeling inside that
    Whatever the circumstance, situation,
    We are alone.
    Yet, I know I’m not alone!
    This pain that creeps into my heart each winter
    Is not brought by Truth.
    It is an attempt to supplant my hope.
    It is a tactic by one who terrorizes the night
    Who seeks to take our focus off of
    The One Who is forever with us
    And put it on us,
    Sinners stuck in a sinful world.
    This is loneliness, but it is not Truth.

    Sarah ><>

  • Poem: I Remember

    So, a couple of years ago, my college group was sitting down for its Bible Study on September 11th.  I forget which day of the week it was…seems like Sunday…and earlier that week, I had printed out a list of all the guys from Ohio who had been killed in the war.  We sat and read through each name and then had a moment of silence.  It was really moving…at least for me.  And then I wrote another poem…per norm.  Here it is:

    I Remember


    September 11th, 2005

    I remember how it felt –
    The disbelief, the awe –
    With the smoke pouring out
    Of the tall, strong towers.

    I remember the fear
    That crawled onto everyone’s face,
    How the hair began to stand
    And sleep failed to come.

    I remember the hatred
    That filled many walls,
    Even those with Your Name
    Plastered and painted in gold.

    I remember the sorrow
    As the many died
    And our boys put on uniforms
    Fighting for us abroad.

    I remember the looks
    On faces, first stunned,
    Then numbed and
    Then, forgetting their purpose.

    I remember it all
    And I shudder at
    How quickly we all fall
    And forget our despair.

     – Sarah ><>

    Have YOU forgotten?

  • Poem: A Lightning Bug Hunt

    (Rachel & Leo Collection)

    Aug 15, 2005

    The sky was starting to slowly get dark
    As Rachel and Leo dashed to the park.
    Their mission was simple, their plan complete.
    Catching lightning bugs was what they’d compete.

    With her jar in hand, Rachel skipped about
    And Leo decided a different route.
    As he crept so quietly into the trees,
    The lightning bugs there were ready to please.

    The bugs in the trees were blinking a storm,
    And in Leo’s mind a plan began to form.
    He would climb to the top and catch them all!
    But if he fell, it would be a great fall.

    He climbed up one branch, and then another
    His tail wrapped around the jar of Rachel’s mother.
    “I won’t fall at all! I won’t! I won’t!”
    Then Rachel ran up and said, “Oh, Weo! Don’t!”

    “I reawwy think the wightning bugs are nice
    And awready I’ve caught them twice!
    But in their home is where they shouwd be found.
    I wike them fwying and bwinking around.”

    So Leo began to climb slowly down,
    And he and Rachel turned back towards town.
    Tomorrow another plan they would make
    While sitting in the reeds by the lake.

    Sarah ><>

  • Poem: Ode to Spell Check and some similes

    August 2nd, 2005

    I have a friend who lives in my computer
    He’s a sweet little fellow
    Though he’s rarely mellow.

    You may wonder why I like him so much.
    What is all the hype
    I’m making when I type?

    The written word is my favorite thing.
    See, spell check is his name
    And proof reading’s his game.

    If I make a mistake, which tends to be often
    He’s as quick as a flash
    With his spell checking lash.

    A red squiggly line is his mark of the trade
    Under my misspelled terms
    Wiggling like tiny worms.

    Ah, Mr Spell Check. Thank you, so, so much!
    My English is better
    So I close this letter.

    A Series of Similes for Spell Check

    Spell Check is like magic…
    Your error once was there, but poof! now it’s gone!

    Spell Check is like a dog…
    When you drop your food, it cleans up the mess.

    Spell Check is like a man…
    He thinks he knows what you’re saying, but once again is wrong.

    Sarah ><>

  • Poem: An Adventure of Ginger the Cow

    July 30th, 2005

    Ginger awoke to a bright new day.
    She was so excited to get out and play.
    “And what would she do?” you may say.
    Ginger would go out and play in the hay.

    The farmer came out and was ready to plow.
    Ginger wanted to go out, to go out right now.
    But first the farmer must feed the sow,
    And then he’d be sure to let out the cow.

    With the gate opened wide, Ginger went to the pasture,
    But she didn’t hear the call of her master.
    So glad to be free, she ran faster and faster.
    She didn’t know she would head for disaster.

    The longer she played, the later it got
    And very soon the day became hot.
    So, she laid herself down by a tree with a knot
    And where she was lying, she quickly forgot!

    Suddenly, Ginger woke up with a fright.
    She looked around and saw it was night!
    She knew in her heart that this wasn’t right
    So she jumped to her feet and then took flight.

    The only light Ginger had was the moon.
    She only wanted to get back home soon.
    She saw the eyes of a sneaky raccoon,
    And she heard an owl hooting his tune.

    At last, she saw a light far ahead.
    To the light of the barn was where she was led.
    The farmer came out and showed Ginger her bed
    He wasn’t angry, but pet her instead.

    The point of this story is simple and true.
    Listen closely and don’t miss the cue.
    It’s fun to get out and play like you do,
    But please stay near home and your parents too!

     – Sarah ><>

  • Poem: Beautiful Feet

    July 25th, 2005

    I’ve looked at the mountains many times
    And been captivated by their beauty.
    They stand majestic over all of creation,
    Looking down, casting a shadow on the land.

    My heart’s dream would be to climb
    And hang on the very top, shouting out –
    Shouting out God’s glory and praise to the world.
    No doubt my feet would be dirty and pained,

    But You’ve called them beautiful! These feet,
    They’ve carried me halfway around the world for You.
    They’ve walked through mud, dirt, filth, water,
    Anything You’ve placed before them.

    But the Message empowers the body
    And any pain I feel is only the aching in my heart
    Of wanting to climb that grandiose mountain.
    “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”

     – Sarah ><>

  • Poem: Just For One Day

    This poem was also a challenge given by the poet’s community.  The challenge was to write a poem about what we would want to do if we had one day to do anything.  The format was not set, just the theme.  I had many things I would like to do…so I put them all in here:

    Just For One Day


    July 23rd, 2005

    Just for one day, I could dream many things.
    What would I give a whole day for?
    Is there anything I desire so much for?

    Yes. Just for one day, I’d like to rest
    In the arms of a man who loves me.

    Just for one day, I’d like to know
    That all my waiting hasn’t been for nothing.

    Just for one day I’d like to fly so high
    I swear I could never fall down.

    Just for one day, if I did come down,
    There’d be someone there to catch me.

    Just for one day, I’d like to know
    That true love really does exist.

    Just for one day I’d like to be
    All that God wants me to be.

    Just for one day, I’d like to be strong enough
    To climb the highest mountain.

    Just for one day, I’d like to love completely
    Without any strings attached inside.

    Just for one day, I could dream many things.
    What wouldn’t I give for a whole day
    For anything I so much desire?

     – Sarah ><>

    PS.  I wrote a new poem last night!  First on in about 5 months!  🙂  Maybe it’s coming back!  🙂

  • Poem: He First Loved Me

      Here is a poem that I particularly like.  The title should strike a cord with my Calvin-buddies out there.  🙂  No, that’s not really a just statement, because regardless of whether you lean Calvinist or not, you have to acknowledge that God loved us first because we were made by Him, and knew Him not until we were created.  He loved us before He made us.  Isn’t that wonderful?

      When you read the first part, it looks like it doesn’t fit, but at the time of writing, I was struggling with having just come out of a relationship, or something of the like.  I can’t remember.  God has blessed me with a short-term memory to some heartaches in my past…without taking away the lessons learned.  But, as always, my introspective self sought to determine my motives for serving God.  Several came to mind, which are mentioned below.  But God’s still, small voice…his gentle whisper…comes through and reminds me that I am not my own and would be lost without Him. 

      I had a discussion with my boss yesterday about how hard it is to think that good will come from bad events in our lives…yet, God promises us that He will make good of them.  It’s hard to see…and somehow, God has graciously helped my heart bypass doubt that the bad will turn good, and when something bad is happening, I am already looking with hope to the good…whatever it may be.  I know that not everyone is able to do that though…so I am grateful for it.  BUT, back to the conversation…we discussed some of the bad things that have happened in her life, and I pointed out some things that I noticed as far as good that has come from those things having happened to her.  It was neat.  She said that with the things that have happened in my own life, she’s surprised that I didn’t turn out more wild and unruly than I am. 

      I think it was Billy Graham who said that the reason God made him a preacher wasn’t because he was such a good guy.  It was because he is capable of such bad things that God decided to keep him on a shorter leash than others.  Maybe that’s how it is for me.  I’m no better than anyone else, but I’m certainly capable of some evil things.  I reflected that thought in this poem.  I hope you can relate to it as you read.  Thanks!

    He First Loved Me

    July 19th, 2005

    I feel I’ve let You down again.
    I was walking around and got distracted
    By the handsome faces
    And beautiful words. Oh, I flutter at those.
    I asked myself, “Self, why do you
    Do so much for God and His Cause?”
    Some thoughts in me cry, “She’s weak!”
    “She’s too good!” “She’s afraid!”
    Ah, fear. Yes, I do believe that’s a big one.
    I stay with God because I’m afraid of what my life would be,
    Without Him.
    I do fear the world, though I discreetly hide it.
    I fail to open myself up for fear of
    Being sucked in and lost in the morass.
    Or worse! Afraid of being hurt…
    But one thought does speak softly,
    It sticks out in the meekness of its nature.
    “Because you love Him.”
    And I think – I love Him because He first loved me.
    Yes, so I will take my rest in those words.
    “He first loved me.”

     – Sarah ><>

  • Poem: Eyes

    July 18th, 2005

    I can’t lie and say I haven’t tried
    To imagine a look from your eyes.
    And this candle burning next to me,
    The light flickers and I am wondering…
    Is that the flame or your thoughts
    Dancing there. Maybe both, but
    How will I know? I could sit and
    Think and imagine,
    But that’s all it would be,
    And what a danger it is to settle
    Your thoughts on eyes you’ll never see.

     – Sarah ><>