Poem and Tanka

Empty Spaces

When a life departs
A body, only remains,
An assortment of
Discarded things, relationships,
Without breath or animation.
Memory struggles, fades,
As ensuing days
Go on with whoever
Contains the treasure, hard
To guard, uneasily measured.
A longing persists
To catch a glimpse, hear a phrase,
Sweet visage, clear voice
Held dear, but lost from here.
Never, never, until some
Future, Divine Presence gives
Overdue reconciliation
Uniting those who, wander,
Later in, with kith and kin.
No need can find all,
Disembarking space and time,
Leaves suddenly adrift, behind;
What had meaning, without beholder
Begins to decay and molder.
Oh Death, how unjust your taking
Leaving Life to spoils shoulder.

Tanka Explore

1.
Heroes are only
These dreams we greatly esteem,
But may never meet,
No love we share between, yet,
We hope their joy is replete.
2.
Blowing up his phone –
A need I cannot postpone,
But no rainbows come;
Talking to me is a chore
He rather not, anymore.
3.
I love you more now
Than when first I invited
You to share my heart
Knowing over time how grace
Has greatly forgiven me.

© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Saturday, June 25, 2022

Non-Abatable

The faces we love
Fade into phase states we wish
Could still be ignored,
But our aching hearts cannot
Deny time passes, a storm.
Every day we vow
We will remain strong, no tears,
But memory prods
At us, pushing emotion
Beyond reasonable limits.
Believing we were
Through strident protests, prayers,
To stay the Lord’s hand;
Knowing He controlled each death
We thought God might longer spare.
Cries, tears, squalls befall,
We again wonder more than
Is our given right,
Why, oh why, go they forward
Leave us wallowing, deep night?

Sometimes I am shaken to the core.

Do We…

Do we too quickly
Forget those we sudden lost?
Do we count our love
Easily replaced by one
Who comes new into our lives?
Do we pray Heaven
Has sweet mercy on everyone?
Days are short, life brief,
Have we given in and up
Because change is difficult?
Are we listening
To the cares others admit?
Are souls important,
Do we point them to matters
Concerning eternity?
Do we pray the end
Of war, fear, pain, loss, hunger?
Maybe we should act –
We could become bodies
Ministering toward LIFE!

It came to me that the Coronavirus crisis has some parallels to the devastation we felt after September 11th. Not so many were lost on 911, but we came together, forgetting all our divisions. Globally we need to do the same to recover and make the world better than it was before this disaster.

Tonight, I put on the music that came out to raise money for victims of 911. If you have some of those discs or MP3s loaded somewhere, maybe you could give them a listen.

Remember, if we all work together, there is almost nothing the people of the world are unable to accomplish.

Emerge, To Be

A saber struck through
My heart, failing to understand –
Why I am here, and they are gone.
Tears cut furrows down my cheeks
My sobs the neighbors, awake.

Each one a star of heaven’s sky –
What IS this? Who AM I?
Others say, “It’s not your time!”
But why theirs, if not mine?

My soul quakes, aches, to call
Them all, bring them back
Their parts to play, the stage
Devastated with their absence,
The curtains fallen, crimson glory.

I could name them, one by one,
Those precious, who are gone
Through actions, they cannot unmake,
We cannot restore them, taken
By the working of their hands.

Please, please understand
No matter what you have done,
Been, seen, experienced –
There is still enough, still love,
Still more, friendship, joy in store,
You belong; you are pricelessly dear.

Reach out, find someone, let them
Be a heart to catch you, help you.
Reach, keep on until you find one
Who shows you there is meaning
And a hungry need for you to be.

Life without you is less shiny,
It is incomplete; your smile
Fulfills someone’s need, you are
A blessing indeed, and there exists
A purpose suited to your unique identity.
I know the battle is exhausting
But let us not give up; I am counting
On you to recognize life as a gift;
Stay, continue fighting, together
Everyone can make it.

Make It Yours

Whatever is stopping you
Remember days slip by
Like a doubtful sunrise
Glimpsed through curtains
Of cold cheerless rain.
Nothing waits forever,
If you have fantastic dreams
Do not let them fade away,
Build your chateau, sing your
Melodies, forgive the sorrows.
Say, “I LOVE YOU,” each chance
You may because hearts are fragile;
Time wings away like an eagle,
There is no turning clocks back
To bring moments past, alive.
Everyone is mortal, no getting
To life’s end, continuing to survive,
So, celebrate all the notable dates
Drink your refreshing libations,
Indulge in beautiful cake, ice cream.
If you can assist another –
Do it while you are able –
Aware time whimsically turns tables,
Generosity, kind words are actively
Loving the world God gave you.
Do not lose the blessings
Of fulfilling your purpose, reason,
Through perfectionism, procrastination,
Failures, mistakes are invaluable teachers
Improving facets, strengths of yours.
Seconds only come to you once
Do what you can when time is meet
It is no good leaving needful things
Until the arrival of tomorrow;
Nothing happens within the grave.

I only had a version of the final line to begin and wanted to build around the idea of how precious a lifetime is. We have one shot. Not knowing when the fuel will run out, we must accomplish all there is for us while there is energy.

Prompt: Take a truthful line, but perhaps uncouth, create something around it that is, if not beautiful, at least good.

Gratitude:
The weather has been warmer.
I have great books to entertain me.
Creative ideas are flowing.
My journal.
My dogs.

All of the work on Chronicles and Haphazard Creative is © Jo Ann J. A. Jordan. If you wish to follow, three opportunities are in the sidebar. Coming back is also an option. Your input in the form of likes, comments, shares, suggestions is welcome.

God be with you