In Cadenced Thought

by John Lowstreet



  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 evad
es.

  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 sti
ff 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