In Cadenced Thought
IN CADENCED THOUGHT
Poems by
John Lowstreet
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copyright 2013 John Lowstreet
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Also by John Lowstreet, available at ebook retailers:
How To Be Blessed By Christ
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Dedication
This book is a selection of poetry written over the last fourteen years. It is dedicated to my loving wife who always likes another poem and is also dedicated to all who enjoy rhyme and rhythm. May you enjoy it. The e-formatting is intended to yield a poem per page for most e-readers.
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Linked List of Poems
THE LOVERS
LOVE
JOY
THE BIRD
THE LESSER LIGHT
CHANGE
THE TWINS
TRUTH
THE PERFECT DAY
BEAUTY GROWS
GOD’S GIRLS
GRANDMA’S HAVING FUN
HELLO
GOD'S FRIEND
I AM THE GOD
THE RISING SUNSET
THE FISH
WAVES
BITTER COLD
ICE
DROPS
THUNDER
POVERTY
GOD'S LOVE
THE GREAT BOOK
THE LOVERS
Their embrace was more than pure.
Their kiss was more than sweet.
Their love was lovely to behold,
For they loved at Jesus’ feet.
No stolen sweets were theirs to claim.
God’s grant, this grace of joy, received,
With open hearts themselves they gave.
And they, as one, in Him believed.
In Him believed, who made us two,
In making man, and with him, woman.
Then, pleased with lovers, made us one
To make on earth a little heaven.
LOVE
It runs deeper than the ocean.
It flies higher than a crane.
It's wider than a world around.
A gentle heart is where it's found.
It’s never in a worthless potion.
To search it brings us home again.
Love another and you've found it.
Craving love is circling 'round it.
If you're true, you've got the notion.
True love seldom causes pain.
Give your heart with all your mind.
Greater treasure you'll never find.
JOY
Who could be sad with Jesus near?
Enlightened hearts will hold Him dear.
The frightened mind can now be bold.
When Jesus speaks our fear is rolled
Away like stone that sealed our cheer
Within the tomb of past old sadness cold.
Anew we rise to greet the Lord.
His love and joy entwine the cord
That binds to Him the human soul
That rests within the Lord's control,
And joy forever is the word
That lifts on angel wings beyond our goal.
For human hearts cannot foresee
What God has done for you and me.
We'd see a Jesus, Mary's boy,
That did but Pharisees annoy.
But mighty Jesus now can be
The everlasting spring of all our joy.
THE BIRD
He hopped up on my windowsill.
He stared and stared at me until
I started to think some thought he knew.
Then he forgot, and off he flew.
THE LESSER LIGHT
When noon is gone and rosy sunset fades,
When heartbreak comes and joy and grief make trades,
A shadow of the lesser light in evening garb parades.
The darkness fades as faithful moonlight rises.
The darkened soul in faith and hope surmises
That He who made the lesser light will bring us new sunrises.
The lesser light a greater light supposes.
Darkness never rules. Our hope proposes
To catch the scent of grace, a promise out of place,
A soft unseen, from evening’s fragrant roses.
CHANGE
There're suburbs there where once was open range.
The land is filling up, they say.
I see landfills filling up because of change.
It once was clean. I wish it'd stayed that way.
But swamps with snakes make way for better things.
Though pioneers have had their day
Their strength their dream from past to future flings.
Our now their future is. Their dream holds sway.
We cannot change the change the past has brought.
The course was set before we came.
Here's a lesson man was long since taught,
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
THE TWINS
Standing tall and standing proud
Now bathed in light; now wreathed in cloud.
The twins looked down on the rushing crowd.
Stricken with fire and shrouded in dust,
The twins came down as all of us must.
This calls for justice. We’ll have it, we trust.
The heathen mind and pagan horde
Thus rouse the civil to anvil and sword.
Again, they learn the fear of the Lord.
Learn they should, but learn they never.
So seldom wise, too often clever,
The cords of civil trust they sever.
Finish we must; we’ve made a good start.
But the tall of frame, and the tall of heart,
Have fallen together and never shall part.
TRUTH
“What is truth”, old Pilate said
Looking right straight at the Lord.
He could not get it out of his head
That truth is much more than a word.
Roman truth was “Law doesn’t spare”.
Etruscan truth was by then unknown.
Hellenic truth was humanity fair.
God’s own truth is His Son full-grown.
All who do truth will come to the Light
Of truth incarnate in the Light of the World.
The rest is darkness with loss of sight
Of Jesus, the Truth, be-jeweled and pearled.
THE PERFECT DAY
The Day begins with dawning love.
Night’s nestling softly warms.
The brilliant moon illuminates
The face of midnight’s forms.
Those forms that in the darkness laid,
And rose to walk together,
From mortal mornings, rise again,
Immortally, forever.
The light that’s shining from within,
Is not reflecting light without.
There is a day that knows no end,
Love’s endless day it is, no doubt.
This is the day that we’ve begun.
God’s face is shining love and peace.
He shines within with heaven’s sun
To give from night a full release.
BEAUTY GROWS
Wisdom resides in the face of she who lives
Life to the fullest. Wisdom acquired can never fade away,
But brightens the face of who to wisdom gives
Her greatest value; to her we tribute pay.
The beauty of youth is simple, brief but sweet.
The years bring depth; wisdom brightens; simplicity fades.
Our youth declines, then we eternity greet.
Unwise is one who joyous hope evades
.
Let all who know what beauty truly is,
Rejoice to see each line etch fine and trace around her face.
These lines are beauty's roots and wisdom's kiss.
Thus written on earth is heaven's promised grace.
GOD’S GIRLS
Esther the queen to the kingdom was born.
She bore to the king all the plight of her kin.
In God she would trust - in His covenant long sworn
To her people, by God, and to Abram, His friend.
To the palm tree of Deborah, for judgment, men came.
They would ask her for wisdom in obeying God’s laws.
Her virtue prevailed over thieves in God’s name.
Her faith inspired soldiers to defeat their own flaws.
The sister of Moses and Aaron the priest
Was a girl with prophecy entrancing.
At her feet were the horsemen of Pharaoh, the beast.
By the shore of the sea see Miriam dancing.
GRANDMA’S HAVING FUN
Fresh new voices full of squeals,
Toddling footsteps on the run,
Ring domestic, joyful peals
Of Grandma having fun.
Little girls are at the sink
Perched upon a chair.
Her well-kept kitchen’s on the brink,
But Grandma doesn’t care.
Each little one so sweetly sleeps.
The busy day is done.
So down the hallway Grandma creeps.
Her deepest joys are fun.
Life can bring the deepest sorrow.
Thank God for His Son.
Enjoy each day and bless each morrow
That Grandma’s having fun
HELLO
Nothing in particular, I just wanted to talk.
Is it highly irregular for us to go for a walk?
I used to walk with Adam like this
Before he ran away.
Now I’m walking, again, with you.
Wouldn’t you like to stay?
GOD'S FRIEND
"I cannot bear this", Abram thought.
"Why would He put me through it ?
Is there an escape I haven't sought?
When Sarai finds out, I'll rue it.
I don't see how I can do it.
But do it I will; I won't back down.
The son I have to Him I owe.
My law descends from heaven's crown.
My dead seed lived when God did sow.
He gave us life, I full well know.
Give Isaac up? I thought I had him."
"Give up those bonds. Lay down that knife.
Take up your son from where you laid him.
My angel's voice restores his life.
Return to home and tell your wife.
Tell her how it feels to lose
All precious things bound up in one.
Since you're my friend this way I choose
To tell you I shall have a Son,
And I'll not stop as you have done.
I'll give Him up for you, My friend.
My Jesus shall be hung to die.
His voice shall tear the writhing wind.
"Forsaken, Why, My God, am I?"
In quiet stone so cold He'll lie.
And, Abram, you're His father too.
My promise sweet in Him was given.
So feel with me, My Friend, anew.
From Him comes peace and life worth living,
And joy on earth from tears in heaven."
I AM THE GOD
I am the God of quiet rest.
I share the burden of every test
And lead you on ‘til you are blessed.
I am the God of peace and calm.
I hold you safe within my palm
And soothe your soul with heaven’s balm.
I am the God of all who cry
From earth to me. I hear each sigh.
From all below, I lift you high.
I am the God of almighty power.
For me the clouds and mountains tower,
And soft stars open like heaven’s flower.
I am the God of eternal glory.
Life’s not the whole trip; it’s just a small foray.
You read the first book, but there’s more of the story.
THE RISING SUNSET
Serenity grows as day abates.
The peace of Christ predominates.
Eternal life appears.
Yellow spreads across the blue.
Someone watches over you.
The joy of God arises.
Golden light precedes the night.
Love reveals itself to sight.
Assurance hopeful nears
Purple deepens from the red.
“Faith will overcome”, God said,
True belief surmises.
If in trust we hear His voice,
Then in that trust we all rejoice.
For as the sunset brings the morn,
By passing time to God we’re borne.
THE FISH
You're flounderin’ now, but you're sure no flounder.
A big bass you are, about an eight pounder.
When the wife sees you you'll really astound her.
Stop floppin’ around; you'll break a scale.
I know you hate air. You're big as a whale.
How lovely you are from your jaw to your tail.
I'd mount you, but feller you‘re so fine for eatin’.
The table you'll grace and the palate you’ll sweeten.
No need to protest, you should know when you're beaten.
Quit fussin’ so much. My head’s in a whirl.
How'd you do that? Now there's only a swirl.
In the water you've gone. I could cry like a girl.
WAVES
They roll with muted thunder, and they hiss upon the sand.
Their foam's a fitting boundary for the shore.
If they had a thinking voice with which to speak against the land,
They would cry with foaming madness, "We want more.”
To their fury the vast ocean is no wanderer's trackless void,
But a page on which to trace their purpose firm.
Through the gales that bred the breakers, mighty whales with rollers toyed.
But the work of waves will bring to shore the storm.
For the storm stays in the waves; it is not in surf to rest.
This is power spent in stirring what is still.
Sand serenely shines beneath us, but the waves are on a quest.
Since it's men's to plow the soil, who is called the seas to till?
It's the waves that stir up life; if they stop it's all in vain,
For the rain of earth is birthed from foamy brine.
When they send the clouds their power from the warm and salty main,
From the shore they send a blessing by design.
BITTER COLD
When much I know and love falls short of reason,
It leaves me feeling cold.
But winter’s bitter storms create a season
That shapes spring like a mold.
Thus cheered I ponder God's providences
Like one warmed in a coat.
The world is filled with quiet evidences
Of spring, for me to note.
Bitter cold and dark are fitting times for rest.
But rest is breeding strength.
The bud must form before the world is blest.
Roots grow, then leaves have length.
Below the frozen hardness, roots are going deep
For summer's drought is dry.
Like trees I gather strength, my summers fruit to keep,
My autumn gold to fly.
ICE
It falls as liquid like the rain
Upon the land, but stops upon
The trees to freeze again.
It moves no more.
The supple leaves are stiff
with crackles.
The limber limbs have weights upon
Their twigs, and icy shackles
Pull them down.
The fears that freeze the human heart
Are colder than the serpent's stare.
Courage within will swiftly thwart
The bite of ice.
The souls of men that have no love
Have missed the inner heat that stops
The freezing of the gifts above
That come from God.
Courage and love are inner fires
That trees have not, but men have well.
They theme the songs of angel choirs,
And warm the world.
DROPS
They glisten where they hang,
The brightest spots in a gloomy world.
‘Twas once the stars of morning sang,
Like these their beauty soft unfurled,
Like bells that in the darkness rang.
The drops do grace the trees
That stand in drippy somber mode.
The twigs in wettened darkness please
Their lichened trunks that bore the load
Through winters thaw and freeze.
Trees leafless stand more stark
Against a cloudy brooding sky.
They frown at light that makes them dark.
The drops just giggle. Who knows why?
They little care; they’re on a lark.
The silly drops will dry away.
The sober trees will fill with leaves.
The ashen sky will have a day
Of blues and greens and golden sheaves.
Just now the drops hold sway.
THUNDER
This is like the voice of God
And fills our hearts with wonder,
Announcing to the thirsty world
That rain will follow thunder.
A flash of light awakes the soul