A poetic observance of National Coffee Day (September 29)

St. Arbucks is my patron saint.
I call on him each day
to help me stay alert to life
as I go on my way.

Unlike St. Jude or Christopher,
St. Arbucks slakes my thirst.
His cup of warm is Heaven-like
when I feel at my worst.

St. Arbucks watches over me
with tender loving care.
And whether near or far from home,
I find he’s always there.

His omnipresence comforts me
when I am feeling faint.
That’s why St. Arbucks owns my praise.
He is my favorite saint.

What can long-winded preachers learn from filibustering senators?

A senator waxed on and on
about green eggs and ham
while protesting Obama care
might bankrupt Uncle Sam.

He rambled on into the night
for twenty-two long hours.
It was an ego trip of sorts
that made him feel empowered.

On Cruze control, the senator
refused to brake or slow.
Full speed ahead, his motor mouth
provided quite a show.

Too often preachers follow suit
and filibuster long.
They love the sound of their own voice
and just go on and on.

But in the process they ignore
the needs of those they serve.
A shorter message with a punch
is what their flocks deserve.

A prayer for the victims’ families in D.C.

Lord, once again a trigger squeeze
has brought a city to its knees
as senseless shootings claimed the lives
of those caught unaware.

They left their homes and went to work
without a clue that someone lurked
in that familiar Navy yard
in Washington D.C.

They kissed their mates not knowing that
they never would be coming back.
A Monday just like all the rest
would prove to be their last.

Please comfort these now numbed by grief.
God, You alone can bring relief
to families left to question why
those they loved are gone.

What it takes to go the distance

So many years ago it was
you gave each other rings.
You promised love. You honeymooned.
The world was on your string.

But with life’s pressure and its stress
your string got frayed at times.
The shine of romance lost its gleam
like poems that don’t rhyme.

And yet when you lived out your vows
and put the other first,
the glow of love returned again.
With joy you were immersed.

That joy still marks your lives today
as you two celebrate.
Its more than just a marriage bed
that makes a marriage great!

Commitment and companionship,
forgiveness and some fun
are what have brought you to this day.
Two lives still meshed as one.

* This poem is dedicated to all the couples at Covenant Shores Retirement Community who have been married for more than sixty years. I am especially grateful for the example of commitment and companionship that Wilson and Ruth Eckels modeled. The Eckels celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary on June 5, 2013 (Wilson’s 95th birthday). He passed away five days later.