"At First Sight"

Her eyes were not of only one hue:
Green, with little flecks of gold imbued,
All edged with halos of brightest blue

Her smile revealed warmth, humor, and grace;
Hers was the beauty for which he craved;
This he knew, having studied her face,

Learned the details, hadn’t ever changed,
For this, a truth now penned upon page:
Lady in portrait can never age

He turned the photo this way and that,
Marveled again how her eyes kept track,
Following his: this, he wished was fact

From whence had it come? Let’s take a look:
Picture fell from a library book;
Shelved it quite quick, the story forsook

A lonely heart pierced through by Cupid;
His friends declared that he was stupid
When sought her name, asked if they knew it

Rachel, Leah, or something like that?
“Have you checked, perhaps it’s on the back?”
He flipped it over, hadn’t thought that

Nothing was there, not even a mark
He sulked away and went to the park;
Lost in his thoughts, he heard a sharp bark

A leash dropped upon seeing a squirrel
He caught her and read: dog’s name was Pearl
“Thank you,” he heard—the photographed girl!!

His mouth gaped and his cheeks became red;
Regained composure, said, “Hi, I’m Ned”
She sat, they talked; month later, they wed

Ned’s tale above may seem a bit trite,
But what if it’s real? What if I’m right?
Believe in it: true love at first sight

"Too Many Funerals"

Relatives, celebrities,
and soldiers we lament;
This time, a younger friend has passed
Another wake I choose to attend
Getting ready to go:
flowers bought and sent,
praying, bathing, dressing, and shaving

Mom calls on the phone to chat
We laugh ‘til I share news
She asks a question, one that lasts:
“That funeral, the last you’ll attend…
“are you ready to go?
“Don’t leave them confused,
“for someone else will do your shaving

“Many things to consider:
“money, debts, even heirs?
“Covered with dirt, or ashes cast?”
I’ve not done these, I cannot pretend,
but my soul? Set to go!
Trusting, I declare
that Someone Else did all my saving

"Napkin Song"

Greasy, saucy drips
And ice-cold sips
(That sometimes spill)
Need a thing with soaking skill

Puffy paper that isn't soft
(Blow your nose but not too oft,
Or it'll get red and sore),
Perfect for milk not well-poured

Napkin, napkin! One or two;
Especially messy? Grab a few;
Napkin, napkin! Leave no trace
Much, much better than egg on your face

"CPR"

Phanatik has rapped it:
We're all "breathing to death"
With decaying hearts,
Daily losing our breath

Quick!

Fifteen verses,
Two songs of worship
Fifteen verses,
Two songs of worship

Change it up!

Thirty verses,
And a song of worship

Keep it up!

We need resuscitation:
Christ's
Peace and
Resurrection

"In The Blink Of An Eye"

I don't know if it's on the spot,
Or if our souls will sleep
Until a single day of resurrection

I remember going to Grandma's house
And how the journey seemed faster
When I slept along the way:
One moment here, the next in her arms
Though to those awake, many hours had passed

This is a mystery
And one that can't be solved
     in rhyme and verse
     or time and research

I do know this,
Whether I blink or merely perceive:
I will be with you Jesus,
One moment here, the next in Your arms
And it will be glorious