“Talking With”

“Talking With”

cji
11/17/11

Reading stories or telling
seeking responses full
adventures upon it all
each an individual to see
here in the peace of love
sharing thoughts plenty
a child talking with ducks
or any animal found
friends now so bound
listening – understanding
their world of innocents
which they invite us in!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Minstrel’s Apprentice”

“Minstrel’s Apprentice”

cji
11/17/11

Sitting to play a melody
something sweetly calm
enchanting the air about
inviting others to join;

Comes the apprentice
sitting by my side quiet
till invited to join with me
playing notes of harmony!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Lord, am I my Brother’s keeper?”

“Lord, am I my Brother’s keeper?”

(Moses 5:34-Gensis 4:9)

Little by little one responsible
often of great things accountable
doing many tasks indomitable
finding all things surmountable;

Big brothers watching little ones
taking them on walks together
sharing play time unselfishly
bearing the burdens of love
being led by the light above;

Big bands un-heralding kindness
quiet angels above taking notes
for knowing from the Lord,
“Lord, I am my brother’s keeper”
and this is enough to be known
in responsibility thus grown
eternally understanding shown!


Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Sacrifice”

“Sacrifice”

cji
11/17/11

We’ve to give to each
time and understanding
our pride is to be stifled
our tenderness is needed
our attention is heeded
we’ve to sacrifice our all
others need us to be sure
our motives to be true
hearing love’s lone call
our fibers to be pleated
our warmth to be greeted
our thoughts to be rifled
with a Savior commanding
sacrifice thus to teach!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Touching Reality”

World War II Veteran John G. Trinca, 86, of Antioch kneels down at the Willow Lake Veterans Memorial on the CLC Grayslake campus by bricks of his name and a friend who was killed in action in the Philippines during the war. Trinca had only just met the Army soldier before he died, but discovered they grew up in the same neighborhood in Chicago. They promised to tell each other's parents if anything happened to each other during the war.

“Touching Reality”

cji
11/16/11

Something awakens
emotion – understanding
age timeless and eternal
meeting once again
friends long passing
yet just a name found
tender touching feelings
as an interloper unseen
such emotion to share
un-blinding each to be
touching a bit of reality
within each life today!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Within Each”

“Within Each”

cji
11/15/11

Memories of the past
recent or from away
there lingering yet just
unable to express clear
within each something
which Father to bring
important and so dear
eternally then to trust
thoughts of this day
forever and ever to last!

To the Temple each visit
Father’s home on earth
hallowed ground to tread
spiritually each is fed
depending on their worth
more often each to revisit!

Within each a candle small
lighting the way to all see
as the child innocent free
clarion clear is the call!


Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Propitiating”

“Propitiating”

cji
11/15/11

Of course we all know
words which we read
our vocabulary to grow
as a garden planted seed;

Thus when we improve
discerning what’s best to do
we’ve to upset the groove
propitiating what’s not true!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Ask”

“Ask”

cji
11/14/11

How simple a thing
needing something
just an answer small
but how many take ‘no’
without ever thinking
fear of wanting to ask
while many do ask
credibility thus linking
a scholar should know
a wrong person to call
ambivalence to bring
confusion then to ring!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Waves”

“Waves”

cji
11/13/11

Rolling incessantly ever
caressing beaches wide
crashing upon the rocks
endlessly – relentlessly
much as our lives too
trials and tribulations
a refiners fire beheld
supplications to Father
obedience unto Him
cumulating the Sabbath
found in reverence love
willingly to understand
truth like the waves
harsh for some to bear
embracing for all
found to truly repent!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Chilly”

“Chilly”

cji
11/12/11

Felt the night breeze
bones no longer young
getting long in the tooth
where once was youth
my being now stung
beginning to freeze;

Hope springs eternal
while yet chilly to be
the winter now to see
bound in my journal!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“The Veteran”

“The Veteran”

cji
11/11/11

(Prelude:

Forgetting themselves
forging into the fire
giving their all some
yet all giving some
no longer another
but now a brother
or yet a sister known
comrades in arms all
remembering a past
filled with love honest
to preserve for another
a son, daughter, child
this the veteran to be!)

“In Time”

Generations ago
found innocent
yet sent to war
another’s making
whether wanting
centuries to pass
millennium to pass
but never a veteran
to give evil a pass!

“Yesterday”

The child at play
chasing the ball
hide and seek
swings and slides
schoolwork known
snowball fights
yes once a child
but now no longer!

“Today”

Found kneeling alone
tear stained cheeks
mixing sweat/mud
a friend has passed
a buddy no longer
just the memory today
lifting the shadow
which touches all!

“Tomorrow”

Resolve unshaken
truth to be unbroken
honor and valor
a first line to be
defending another
defending freedom
defending the right
not as seen by some
but seen from afar
father to father to son
tomorrow to come!

“Twilight”

Never ends the day
where light weakens
and darkness begins
the in-between time
where why another
why hadn’t a me
never ending time
thoughts return
for at twilight time
never ends the day!

(Epilogue:

Hearing taps played
each note to linger
each a moment gone
each a memory too
each Veteran’s tear
sweat/mud stained
falling unfailingly
a reminder of all
silence and space
wherein did many
give their all
and all gave some!)


Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Repeated”

“Repeated”

cji
11/10/11

History repeats itself
over and over and over
yet most do not learn
and most do not care
lost ideas never to share
truths never to discern
thinking ever so clever
investing only in pelf;

Yet rejected once before
then now today again
the Savior’s Church today
the same as yesterday
many saying, ‘amen’
then closing the door!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Acts 28:22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.”

“Mumbling”

“Mumbling”

cji
11/9/11

Water fleeing quickly
downstream flowing
mumbling to all about
hoping some to hear
passing without reply;

Winds within the trees
going hither and yond
direction indifferent
mumbling to all about
passing without reply;

Do we hear the sound
understanding meaning
or do we just hear noise
confused as mumbling
passing without reply!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Really Big”

“Really Big”

Cji
11/8/11

Calmly in the woods
heard some crackling
heavy thumping sound
trees starting to shake
birds fleeing all away
the clouds to darken
lightning flashing
thunder all around
winds gale forces
something is coming
and it’s really big!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“To Stand Alone”

“To Stand Alone”

cji
11/7/11

Empty streets and sidewalks
darkened alleys to be blind
hearing illiterate’s oft talks
to the truth never to be kind;

Thus when will there be one
who stands against the tide
saying what needs to be done
and not in the shadows hide;

To stand alone defending truth
wavering not at all to retreat
able for all to hear old/youth
the Prophets thus to repeat!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Visceral”

“Visceral”

cji
11/6/11

Rough edges un-hewned
book reading missing all
instinctively to understand
emotions un-confused
directly facing the truth
each Sabbath Day to feel
without need of prompting
that of men/women to see
feelings of the Spirit free
knowing deep within all
wherein the world doesn’t
casting sticks to the fire
unread by the many
yet read by the visceral!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Nuts”

“Nuts”

cji
11/5/11

Carefully laid aside
in tree trunks/nests
hovels in the ground
measured in the pound
frequently by pests
where they reside;

Yet also just a term
when one bewildered
confused and lost
dejectedly the cost
having astray been led
and now to squirm!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Consideration”

“Consideration”

cji
11/4/11

Just plain lacking in some
kids attacking parents
parents ignoring children
music discordance added
hateful speech and rap
abusive movies – TV
internet games of war
without any consideration
for what is right and true
without values or morals
cults curried by media
embraced by politicians
and abused now by all
themselves included
for the simple reason
consideration for rights
theirs and also others!

Copyright © 2011 – cji

“Maybe”

“Maybe”

Cji
11/03/11

Indecision at its best
Never to pass a test;

Taking over a decision
Marked without precision;

Gathering tea leaves too
Piecing together with glue;

Sadly only ever a maybe
Wait till later to see;

Some wanting to jest
Others time to invest;


Copyright © 2011 – cji

“A Mess”

“A Mess”

cji
11/02/11

Kids in the kitchen
animals in the yard
mole crickets all about
dollar weed growing
laundry to be done
washing machine down
dishes in the sink
something burning
phone is ringing
tv is blaring loud
is anyone listening
is anyone there
does anyone care
of a mess found
that we’re all in
the USA today!

Copyright © 2011 – cji