One Month After Christmas

One Month After Christmas

New Year's resolutions might fall by the wayside
But Mr. Scrooge is planning the next feast;
And though a poor habit may haunt the hillside,
The spirit of Christmas conquered the beast!

My Heart Is - POEM of the MONTH!

My Heart Is

my heart is light
much more than a spot
on the stage of life
but from left to right
and beyond the curtain
there is no shadow

my heart is rain
a light sprinkle
baptizing the sidewalk
on a Sunday afternoon
creating a moment
that is rest

my heart is breath
the spark of the soul
and a whispering guide
through the hills of cedar
and the canyons of ash
there is none without flight

my heart is fire
a roaring furnace
purifying the gold
for an eternal stroll
on the street
that is perfection

my heart is rock
unlike the sand
flowing through time
causing days of anxiety
but a solid foundation
there is none without want

my heart is thunder
a resounding roar
the voice of the word
who spoke the universe
into existence
with echoes of remembrance

"The lamp-post" by Ulf Bodin 
is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

my heart is yearning
to light your way
to give you rest
and to lift you up
to restore your soul
to build your house
for I know you by name

~

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."
- Psalm 119:105

"Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother's womb he has spoken my name."
- Isaiah 49:1b

~

(If using a mobile device to view this post please turn your device horizontally for the best view.)

The Red Button - POEM of the MONTH!

The Red Button

If only the red button
     looked like a STOP sign
It's as if love and peace
     crashed into a dead end
Hot or cold, the streets
     are flooded with war
If only the red button
     was the sign of YIELD

It's as if love and peace
     crashed into a dead end
Hot or cold, the streets
     are flooded with war
If only the red button
     was the sign of YIELD

Hot or cold, the streets
     are flooded with war
If only the red button
     was the sign of YIELD

If only the red button
     was the sign of YIELD

On all four corners ...

~

(If using a phone to read this poem, turn your phone sideways for the best view of this post.)

Snowfall (a pantoum) - POEM of the MONTH!

Snowfall (a pantoum)

When they sing in the snowfall
The words are spelled out,
Like the writing on the wall
But drifting thereabout.

The words are spelled out
In forewarning tones --
But drifting thereabout
Are the voices of gravestones.

In forewarning tones,
"Do not smell these flowers!"
Are the voices of gravestones
Crying to savor the hours?

Do not smell these flowers,
Except those held in hands
Crying to savor the hours.
Please, do not misunderstand.

Except those held in hands
Like the writing on the wall,
Please do not misunderstand
When, they sing in the snowfall.

~

Also published in this month's Synchronized Chaos.

Mars in the Morning (A Prayer) - POEM of the MONTH!

Mars in the Morning (A Prayer)

In the predawn hours
As the first thought rises,
Mars in the morning shines
Onto compromises

The king after God's own heart
Cries "rescue" from an enemy;
And his bright Morning Star
Washes him with new mercy

This soul of mine is betrayed,
Not by how others sin
Or from graying battle lines
But, by my enemy within

Blind in this invisible war
Many times without warning;
Please, protect me from myself,
For I am Mars in the morning

~

Based upon Romans 7:15-19, and references Lamentations 3:22-24 and Revelation 22:16.  

(Venus, the brightest point in the hours of dawn, is known as the goddess of love in Ancient Rome. The Bible references Jesus the Messiah as the bright Morning Star, since GOD is Love. Mars, the red planet, is known as the god of war.)

 

Carpe Velo - POEM of the MONTH!

Carpe Velo 

On two wheels, shoulder-to-shoulder, the race is set; 

On a climb, your Team Leader hands you his musette. 

Just as curious as the crowds who line the street, 

The peleton exchange swift jeers, assured of his defeat. 

But his strength is greater than any of their doubt; 

When nearing the final sprint, he starts the lead-out. 

Because in his preparation you saw him kneel, 

You wisely heed shouts from your team-mate, “Grab that wheel!"

~

Carpe Velo is partially taken from the Latin phrase, Carpe Diem. The latter phrase is from Odes book one by Horace (23 BC). The phrase is part of the longer carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero, which can be translated as "seize the day, put very little trust in tomorrow (the future)".  Carpe is Latin for "seize". Velo is from the Latin word Velocipede. The Flemish and French also use velo for "bicycle". As a cyclist, it is loosely used for "wheel", specifically a bicycle wheel -- "Seize the wheel!" 

"Aalborg bicycle race II"
by Muao is licensed under 
CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Contrary to the latter meaning of carpe diem --  specifically "put very little trust in tomorrow" -- the above poem emphasizes placing trust in another, who is referenced as the "Team Leader". The leader portrays humility and sacrifice. And, in contrast to common opinion there is triumph in knowing the leader and the strength provided during the race and at the finish. The wheel I find strength from is that of Jesus, my Team Leader.

This blog has carried the title Carpe Velo since its inception nearly a decade ago. It means, more loosely as is sometimes heard in a peleton, "grab that wheel" (see expanded definition below). The theme of the above poem has been rolling around in my mind for many years, but has not reached the page until now. I consider it the anthem of this blog and my life. "Grab that wheel!"

~
Definitions

Musette: a small bag used to pass meals to racing cyclists typically handed out by a domestique (helper) to other team-mates and especially to the team leader.

Peleton: from the French, it is the main group or pack of riders in a cycling race.

Lead-out: a small group of riders within the peleton consisting of a rider's team-mates who form a single line in front of the team leader (the sprinter), in order to provide a maximum draft until the leader starts his or her final sprint to the finish line.

"Grab that wheel": a phrase a rider will shout to a fellow team-mate encouraging him or her to ride behind another rider.

 

Puzzle Box (haiku) - POEM of the MONTH!

Puzzle Box (haiku)

A Japanese Puzzle Box

Four or seven moves
Face all the steps together
Unity expands

~

Traditionally, a haiku is read twice.

haiku (HI-COO): A Japanese poem. A verse comprised of three lines, 5-7-5 in meter, ending with an epiphany. The numbers "four" and seven" are traditionally symbolic in Japanese culture for "unlucky" and "lucky", respectively -- "seven" also represents "togetherness".

Looking at this puzzle box a poem about facing opposing odds, along with the challenge of the box, came to mind. The increased intrigue and message is the result when facing the challenge together.

(If using a phone to read this poem, turn your phone sideways for the best view of this post.)