Poetry Presentation 10262010 for NHTI Christian Student Organization, Concord, NH

1. Poetry Where You Live
Raymond A. Foss
Poetry Where You Live
160 Main Street
Suncook, NH 03275-1206
http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com

2. Writing Poetry
• I read a poem I wrote at the April 17, 2000
school board meeting and I liked the response.
• Poetry Where You Live is a state of mind,
believing that, like God’s grace, poetry is where
you live, not something you have to seek out in
some distant place.
• People say that a picture speaks a thousand
words. With poetry, I can paint a picture,
capture a moment, a smell, a scene in a handful
of words.

4. Beach Sand
Maybe it is the memories
the change of pace that brings us there
the sense of vacation
maybe the smell of the place
the sights of the gulls, the dunes, the grasses
but oh it is the feel of it,
the crunch and slide of it
the feeling of beach sand
so different from dirt, soil, loam
no, not earthy, moist, rich,
but oh so granular and gritty
even when wet,
moveable paper spreading under toes
sliding beneath the soles
smoothing my skin
clearing my mind
unburdening me of the rest
drawing me to the tactile, the feel
of beach sand

5. Seeing the beauty

6. When We Sorrow
When we sorrow
when we rail
the yoke of our walk
our struggles heavy
sometimes seeming unjust
yet God is still with us
walking beside our every step
Faithfully offering his peace, his grace
to persevere, to bring us through
to the other side
if we follow the way of Christ

8. Tears of Grace
The scene in heaven
in God’s holy courts
water flowing
showering down on us
Tears of Grace
in our Savior’s suffering
the pain of our Father
in putting the Son to death
Letting the evil
the hands of men upon him
nailing him to the cross
the lamb upon the tree
Tears of Grace
pouring out richly
loving us enough
to sacrifice for all mankind
though we are yet full of sin.

9. Needing to focus

10. Poetry
I have found my voice.
Moments captured in word and rhyme.
Free form verse
And stream of consciousness.
Spell check off,
Why spoil the mood.
Where did the words come from.
Where were they hidden.
Why now.
I am free.
To share thoughts untold.
To open up.
To live.

12. Dancing with God
A wonderful concept
dancing with God
but are we ready for him to lead
to guide us through life’s passages
turning our freewill over
to Him
becoming a follower
disciple of the Master
feeling his hand on our hip
our back
submitting to his will
the yoke is easy
but it is a yoke
nonetheless
hard choice
for a society, a people
wrapped up in Me

13. Sharing My Joy

14. Beach Sand – v2
Maybe it is the memories
the change of pace that brings us there
our sense of vacation
maybe the smell of the place
visions of the gulls, the dunes, grasses;
moving in the air, the invisible breezes,
but oh it is the feel of it,
the crunch and slide of it
the feeling of beach sand
so very different from dirt, soil, loam
no, not earthy, moist, rich, wet mulch;
but oh so granular and gritty, slippery
even when wet,
moveable paper spreading under toes
sliding beneath the soles
smoothing my skin
clearing my mind, peace
unburdening me of the rest
drawing me to the tactile,
the feel of beach sand

16. In the Depths of Our Sorrow
In the depths of our sorrow
in our torment of anguish and pain
God there with us
every step of the way
Only through the fires
refined by the trials of life
steeled for God’s purpose
that we may share his love
Strengthened by the Spirit
going as we are led
guided by our shepherd
wrapped in arms of love
June 10, 2010

18. The Other Disciple
Each of us journeying
following the path
each of us gathering
carrying our cross
We are the other disciple
unnamed, on the road
walking with Jesus
all the way home
He is beside us
on our path, in this walk
sharing our struggles and triumphs
all of our days
Christ is with us
His Spirit indwelling
calling us to go, to share
in service to our King

20. The Way of the Cross
In a state of love, of grace
joining the Spirit, our brother
following the call of our creator
shepherded, guided on our walk
in union with the trinity
going the way of the cross
Seeking to be his servants
the children of our loving God
the facets of his love for us
revealed in so many ways
like cascades of living water
washing down over us
Wanting to share, to the whole world
to reach out, to the ends of the earth
that all would drink from these springs
refreshed, redeemed by our savior
led by the Spirit’s teachings
caring for our neighbors
bringing us home to God

21. Living More Purposefully
Not to claim a victory
not our own validation
living more purposefully
to stay centered on God
Not drifting with the wind
not following the flow of the crowd
walking with my savior
on the road laid before me
Using my gifts, my talents
hearing my master’s call
persevering in adversity
courage, committing my all

22. Sausage

23. Sausage
Forget the frank,
Give me the Fenway sausage.
Lansdowne or Yawkey,
Just give me the street, the crowds, the carts.
Sausage you shrug, you the reader
Of this trifle, this whimsy
What do I mean, me the storyteller
Read on.
Peppers and onions
Tease the tongue
Bun and hot mustard
Set the stage
The scorched and blackened piece of meat
Reminds me of every one
Eaten before
So much memory
Of family and fun
Of ballgames, tailgates, and the carnie
A cacophony of moments
Drip with grease
Do you smell it too on the smoky hot grill?
My lips curl with a smirk
Writing these lines
As I laugh to myself
Of the pleasures of excess
The lusty gluttony
Of another one.

24. The Ripples Returning
In casting the seeds
the stones, the words
into the ground, the sea
ripples touching distant shores
but sometimes returning to me
A wonder, in the sharing
the words finding fertile soil
reaching hearts open
sending their love in reply
Returning these gifts from God
that they would be planted deeper in me
Casting more stones out into sea
seeds on the wind,
planted on distant shores

25. Feeling the peace of that moment
Sensing their spirits
in this hallowed space
the hallowed ground I walked on
feeling their warm embrace
The stillness of the dusk
the bright sun before its dying
sharing this moment with them
the saints who guard this space

26. My Starfish
Like the man, the star thrower,
reaching down, into the warm skin of the water
touching the warming sand,
throwing star fish into the sea
returning them to the living waters
not walking by, not ignoring their fate
to die in the receding tide
His calling, his urging,
to save those he can
to act, not just observe
following his purpose
his special gift
Like the man, each of us
a special calling, a part of God’s plan
to reach down, to lift up,
to serve one another
to offer God’s love,
as we are especially able
Words on the page,
an image of grace, agape love;
a picture conjured in the mind’s eye
these are some of my starfish
cast into the ocean of the web
out into the world,
sharing the hope, the assurance
the certainty of God’s hand
resting upon the waters, upon our lives
God doing a new thing, out of his infinite love
seeking us, pursuing us, offering himself for us
his limitless gifts, even in our times of struggle
offering hope for a future
beyond our comprehension

28. By the Waters
Rest, given by the shepherd
under his protection
into that green pasture
by the waters, living waters
clear, pure, calling our spirits
Peace within us
within our beating hearts
abundant grace
flowing over me, over
my head, down my beard, my collar
washing me clean,
to that place of rest
Walking beside, following the shepherd
through our journey of fait
once we too have heard His call
answered his offer of life
cleaving to our maker,
our savior, our all
resting where he leads
into the fields
by the still waters

29. Entering with Them
Walking beside me
offering me a bulletin
a welcome as I entered in
entering with them
the saints resting here
those who have yet to stay
in heaven above
Walking beside me
offering me a place
as if at a wedding
seating behind the groom
in the bride’s church
something special about my time
in this hallowed space

32. A Christian in the throne room of God
Oh to be a Christian, in the throne room of God
to be like Isaiah, to be in awe, in wonder
to see the heavenly beings, to see the risen Christ
sitting at the right hand of the Father
to hear the heavenly choir, to be so graced
To walk, assuming that was how we move there
to approach the throne of our brother
to bow, to humble myself,
in supplication and, oh yes, in thanksgiving
Oh if only I could find the words, in that very moment
to tell my brother, what his sacrifice, what his obedience
what his gift of love means to me
If I but have this chance, to be a Christian
to have been yoked with my brother all the days of my life
to be in the presence of God, to be before my Lord and King;
but especially to be able to thank him, to wash his feet,
as he has washed mine, as he has poured out
grace upon grace, joy after joy
To be a Christian in the throne room of God,
and to know what that means

34. The Unnamed Disciples
With Cleopas, walking home
on the Road to Emmaus
Leaving Jerusalem, on a journey
traveling from the city of David
wondering what is to become of His ministry
now that the Master is gone
So much pain, so much confusion
not truly understanding these things
Walking on that road
joined by a stranger, seemingly unaware
unaware of the events which have dominated our days
from the triumphant entrance, hosannas and palms
to the cross, to death, to the grave
Reports of the empty tomb, of his rising
but emptiness mainly
The stranger sharing, what is this he says
the prophecy of the Messiah
in the life of our Master
the scripture fulfilled
Walking homeward
entering in
Our savior lives!
in the breaking of bread
We are the unnamed disciple
walking with Christ
so unsure, so troubled
when we should have joy instead
Believing, if we but walk with him
look to the scripture, to the words of old
his life, his ministry, all of this foretold
The words he shared with Cleopas, with us as well
as true today, as on the road to Emmaus
the road home, to our Father
walking with our savior, with our brother
Sharing the good news with the others
until all of us have heard,
to the ends of the earth

35. Red Sox Win
Red Sox win
Yankees lose
A story so big
It led the news
Bumped politics
Down the page
It may even reduce
New England road rage
A-Rod and Jeter
What can be sweeter
Oh look,
We caught a cheater
Taking two from them
In their park
Big Papi
Was our spark
Down and out
A three-oh slide
Not the end for this
Team with Pride
Red Sox Nation
Delirious
This whole World Series
Will be just as serious.
Reverse the Curse
All these ages
So this club’s history
Will fill more pages

36. A Servant’s Hands
He lifted me, saved me
from my old broken life
He lifted me, carried me
with a servant’s hands
Taking his arms, nailed to the cross
so long ago, for me
reaching down, with arms open
wide
to bring me close
the love of his father
shared by his sacrifice
a servant’s hands
saved me

37. A Beat in Concord
I was sitting there in the traffic, waiting for the light
the heat and humidity building in the van,
one window open to the moist air after the flooding
I saw a character, a caricature, a man out of time
on the sidewalk, under the underpass, half in shadow
He was a beat,
not a Ginsberg, no he wouldn’t Howl,
a modern day Kerouac, or someone who aspired to be
It was his walk, his gait, his hair, his clothes
a slouched walk, bath sandals that had been worn outside too long
hunched shoulders, time spent in dim lit libraries,
before glowing computer screens, shaded lamps
an oversized blazer from the thrift store
over a frock prom shirt, frilled and with cranberry edging
I could sense the latte on his breath
smell of clove cigarettes in the wool of the coat
too warm for the day around him
a mop of coarse black hair
that hadn’t seen a brush or comb in days
sunken eyes, and a certainty
he’d written lines far darker than these
words that would confuse and provoke
the unfairness of the mundane, the bleakness of his bourgeois existence
unaware of his place, his role in the intelligentsia
A yawn at the coffee house, or maybe a demigod
hard to say across the street, as I was
driving by his path for those few moments
before my light went green and I went on down the road
away from the college-aged, but no longer in college beat
on the street in Concord

38. The First Lamb
The first lamb,
the first volunteer
before all others
“Here I am; send me!”
Christ’s sacrifice
beginning before time
choosing to descend as a man
to suffer and to die
Knowing all he knew
of how we would reject him
how he would know human pain
how he would die in shame
The first lamb, the first volunteer
humble before God
was the precious savior
our Lord and our brother
Giving his all for us
that we may see our father
redeemed by his precious blood
poured out on the altar of the cross

39. Walking My Dreams
In each step forward
acting out my faith
going further
walking my dreams
One more step
a victory
walking in the way
following my brother
every single day
Trying more and more
to heed the spirit’s call
going where I am led
answering my father’s call
Here, I am, send me
ever to do your work
using the gifts given to me
to spread your message of love

40. Together We Danced
Together, we danced
through my day (so far),
my work, my life
Dancing with my creator
the potter to my clay
spinning, whirling
to the tune he would play
moving through the moments
the choices I would make
A dance for the day
his hand upon me
guiding my steps along the way

41. The Dance of the Clay
the potter moving,
his hands, body
drawing the clay
pulling the clay
from the inert earth
life in the dance
the twirling, spinning upward
creation happening
our lives created,
evolving, growing
living, alive
in the dance of the clay