A Poem for Memorial Day

 Freedom Isn't Free...

Iwo Jima Memorial

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Memorial Day, 2021

Honor...Remember

MY ADOPTED SOLDIER

For Cpl. R. J. Roberts, USMC

America At War In Iraq – March 2003

 

The message on my computer screen

said click on The Presidential Prayer Team –

the Adopt Our Troops link

and be given a soldier to pray for

until the end of the war

 

I didn't know any soldiers

stationed in Iraq, personally

soldiers who startled us with Shock & Awe

soldiers who endured stinging sand

blazing days and shivery desert nights

Didn't know any who engaged in combat

manned planes, ‘copters and tanks

or risked biological warfare

during that arduous trek to Baghdad

Didn't know any at all

so I clicked on the website

…but was unable to access the link

 

When the morning paper arrived

the front page held a full-color photo

of a British medic

examining a newborn Iraqi baby

cradled in a cardboard box

with the flaps torn off

I placed my hand upon the soldier

 

Jesus, bring him home, whole

 

laid my hand upon the infant

 

O Lord, please have him grow up

safe and strong

in a land free of terror…

 

At work, later that morning

a co-worker approached my counter

softly singing a hymn

How lovely to hear singing

in times like these, I remarked

 

My son left Tuesday, she said

 

Our eyes locked

mother to mother

 

I'd like to adopt your son, I told her

I'll pray for him every day

until he comes home

 

He is a Marine, she said

serving in the air delivery platoon

Cpl. R. J. Roberts

He'll be on the ground

distributing supplies in Iraq

 

I know he'll return

 

Our pastor prophesied

a few years ago

that R. J. will become a preacher

 

He's not a preacher yet…

though I suppose

there's a very good chance

he may be preaching right now

 

When I got home

I fastened a yellow ribbon

to my front porch railing

 

Maude Carolan

Maude's book, "Behold the Lamb...poetically!" is available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For information, visit her website at: www.maudecarolanpych.net.

The Spirit Gives Life...

 Today is Pentecost Sunday

Image credit: commongoodonline.org

and the day my beautiful granddaughter, Emelia,

was Confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church, Manasquan, NJ.

Emelia Thompson (third from left) with her family.

A poem about my own personal Pentecost experience follows:

ACTS, CHAPTER 2

 

Sometimes—

when I read my Bible

I imagine myself

there, in the rumpled, dog-eared pages

where and when remarkable things

were happening

 

For instance—

Oh, I wish I could’ve been

in the room that morning in Jerusalem

on the Day of Pentecost

when an astonishing sound

of rushing wind came from Heaven

and filled the place with the Holy Spirit

 

wish I could’ve been among

the crowd of bewildered people

clutching garments and belongings

securing food baskets and money bags

amid the sound of whirring wind

wondering what was going on

 

I would’ve seen with startled eyes

blazing tongues of fire appear

then split and rest above us all

would’ve heard the Galileans

miraculously uttering languages

they did not know

proclaiming good news

to people of every nation

 

Oh, joy! Euphoria!

 

I would’ve heard

preposterous ridicule and accusations

that we were drunk with wine

Drunk with wine so early in the morning!

 

Had I been there, I would’ve seen

Peter stand with his brethren

and quote the prophet Joel

and speak of Jesus

Crucifixion, Resurrection

and call us to repent

 

and finally, would’ve witnessed

three thousand souls receive salvation

and I would’ve been in that number

 

Oh! How great that would’ve been

How exciting to imagine

 

but, I didn’t need to be there

God had other plans—

 

On another Holy Pentecost

His Spirit came to rest on me

just as surely as it did

on the early believers

in Jerusalem, that day

 

and just the same as they

I have been changed

 

forever

 

Maude Carolan Pych

Here I am with a copy of my book,

"Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

It's available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

www.maudecarolanpych.net

"A Good Land"

 "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

May they prosper who love you."

Psalm 122:6a

The Temple Mount, Jerusalem.

Photo credit: int.icej.org

Whenever I would travel to Israel for pilgrimage

family and friends would voice their concerns...

A GOOD LAND

“For the Lord your God is bringing

you into a good land.” Deuteronomy 8:7-9

 

Israel Pilgrimage—2006

 

My children, siblings

and friends are quick to say:

 

What’s so good about it?

 

Suicide bombers

blow themselves up

in the marketplace

and take as many with them

as possible

 

Palestinians and Israelis

throw rocks at one another

 

Bombs fly from Lebanon

 

Enemies surround

and yearn to shove Israel

into the Mediterranean Sea

 

Who needs the Middle East?

 

And yet

this is the land

where the virgin gave birth to Yeshua/Jesus

where Lazarus emerged

alive! from the tomb

where Peter walked on water

and lepers were healed

where my Savior

was crucified, rose

and promises to return

 

where the roots

of the olive tree

that I’m grafted into

reach down deep

into good soil

 

It’s a good land—

nourishing me with milk

of the living Word

and sweet honey hope

that thrives

in the center of my being

 

It is the jewel of the whole earth...

How can I not love it?

 

Maude Carolan Pych

Please join me in praying for God's will to be done

in the Middle East...

Would you like to read more poems?

Here's a copy of my book, "Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

on the shelf at Barnes & Noble, Woodland Park, NJ.

It is also available at Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com.

God Bless Mothers...Young & Old

 Happy Mother's Day!

My dear mother, Frances Longo Walsh

on her wedding day.

OLD MOTHERS

 

Never had the opportunity--

missed the privilege

of doting upon my old mother.

Mother died

of a heart attack

at fifty-one

 

Watch with envy--

sweet old mothers

with rosy rouged cheeks

and charming smiles

carefully navigating

footed canes

or wheeled walkers

Dutiful daughters

accompany them

pleasantly

in doctor’s waiting rooms

taking their tweed coats

making small talk

about the grandchildren

and what Aunt So And So

will be serving

the church ladies for lunch

Blessed daughters

who left beds unmade

dishes in the sink

who listen attentively

to doctor’s instructions

see that Medicare

and supplementary insurances

are processed properly

who assist them

with their coats

and to their cars

stopping at pharmacies

on the way home

 

Maude Carolan

Note: The above poem received an honorable mention, several years ago, in the Allen Ginsberg Poetry Contest.

"Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

by Maude Carolan Pych

is available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

www.maudecarolanpych.net

 

Holy Hands Lifted High

 

Image credit: www.pastoreid.com

HALLELUJAH HANDS

“I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer,

without anger or disputing.” 1 Timothy 2:8 NIV

 

Some lift one

others, both

chest-high, chin high

Some reach upward

ceilingward, skyward

stretching Heavenward

reaching for

His hem

 

Soft young graceful hands

with squared airbrushed fingertips

Pudgy, fidgety, child hands

copying his daddy hands

Brown hands, pale hands

old bulging vein hands

Just plain hands

hands with bands

hands flashing rings

stones sparkling

Calloused hands, splintered hands

rough, red dishpan hands

Cold hands, warm hands

peanut butter and jelly hands

Salon hands

nails lacquered red

rose pink or pearly

 

Tambourine shaking

banner waving

clap clapping

Bible clutching

baby holding

tear wiping

clenching, wrenching

God beseeching hands

 

Hands clasping the hand

of another

hands signing praise

for ears that cannot hear

hands folded

serenely in a lap

 

All beautiful

all holy

all His children’s

hallelujah hands

 

Maude Carolan

Would you like to read more

inspirational poetry?

Maude's book, "Behold the Lamb...poetically!"

is available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Order a copy today.