“…daughter…”

Daughter

Blonde hair and ribbons in summer

Smiles bright, heartbeats, sunrises, and seasons

Her birth , thrilling news on the street 

Early years, days and years in flight

Teaching with love to all races, creeds and origin

Light to those in hard places

Colorful sorting ways to help educate, 

creative and minds inspired 

Loves of her own now

Spring comes again growth beyond years

 Life in future- bright, joyful tears

Eyes the path ahead

“God ready to keep her all the time “

“Now and then in life, love catches you unawares, illuminating the dark corners of your mind, and filling them with radiance. Once in awhile you are faced with a beauty and a joy that takes your soul, all unprepared,  by assault.”...

“Love doesn't adhere to time and boundaries does it? It just is.”

-Jennifer Worth

(Daughter, Glimpse poetry, by Joe Holuta)

About this poem: Daughter is a poem about the joy we have in the birth of our daughter Rachel ! You see her grow as a child, then as she gets older -reaches goals, meets the love of her life, works hard at life and love, and makes everyday worth living in her family. She reaches out and into her siblings lives and offers hope, healing and vibrancy to life. 🧡🖼️🌅

- Joe Holuta

 

“ …quiet after the rain…”

Yellowstone River in Livingston, MT,🏞 by Abby and Jon

Quiet after the Rain 

The rain came suddenly

Gently at first but then hard enough to dampen the collar, run down the back,

and trickle off the brim 

Honeysuckle fragrance in the air

Strides made up the hill

Rain sounding calm off the leaves

Metal roofing melody

Soon the quiet will come after the rain

Life can be hard

Storms come suddenly

The pain dampens the life in you

Slowly, like a steady rain

The fragrance once sweet to the senses

Fusty now as the news of the day soaks into the skin

Hearts and minds longing  

for the quiet after the rain

Refresh our hearts now God

You promised the rain would water the earth, 

and make the bud to flower 

And restore the dry place

Lift our heads to search the sky

For the end of this downpour

Lead us to the quiet Place

“Your way ran through the sea, *

Your path cut through great waters”

To the quiet,

Quiet after the rain

(Quiet after the Rain, Glimpse poetry, by Joe Holuta)

* Psalm 77:19 VOICE, excerpt

by Morgan Harper Nichols

Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park, Montana 🏞 by Abby and Jon

“…A Reflection and A Lament…”

A Reflection and a Lament

Morning came and I greeted the first light of day piercing around the blind and curtain,

birds chirping, leaves rustling 

Faith for a new day

 yet the aches and pain, older age, and worry still remain

Hands so strong in younger days, now bowl drops and shatters, shards all over the place

Words from my mouth cursed the day and even said the end ‘oh I long for that day’

Journaling and reading to The good book I go “For You have cast all my sins behind Your back:"

and then a message text comes to lift, 

like fragrance of a rose 🌹 

Shared memory recalling our time together 

where she perceived something of me,

This love gesture makes the day brighter

Reflecting back to a picture of her on a bridge

not sure what she was saying or the reflection she saw 

her mind seemed occupied far and away 

more than she was concerned with that day

Already we’ve seen her grow, 

so beautiful, her eye lashes larger than life, 

Blue hair tie and curls from a ponytail dangling,

gazing to the stream

Springtime time has come and blossoms bloom 

As her life too

The water running sound so soft

She stairs as to the future further down her way

There are things I would not want her to take from me 

the words I say at times and the feeling low valleys 

The one thing I hope she gains 

the love we have for her remains

Her blue ponytail tie and

To lie motionless -for her 

Soon she would be running 

flowers to pick, waters to wade

She calls out to her brother not far away

So can love and care really save the day -I think so

Can words have thought unimportant lift spirits from the depth

Carrying on is possible through shattered days, harsh words and a lonely place

So, take time, stare deep into that reflection you see 

and be thankful for exactly the way it is 

don’t wish your life away or desire another’s lot

For God’s loves - so He bought

So glad her mom wasn’t shopping with her that day, that city and place

the day hearts were broken 

broken never to mend

“How dare you” is cried by family and friends 

Change does need to happen in the Heart,

Of me first than our leaders and nations and laws

So deep is the thread of hate and evil 

That new means needs to be sure-Government budget and staff accountable

things that happened that day and that city in that place

Need never to happen again. 

Specially to protect our family and our fragrant Rose 🌹 

(A Reflection and Lament, 

Glimpse poetry, by Joe Holuta)

Note 

Other peoples and countries look to the USA for guidance and example, 

Civilization at its best making strides in human rights,

Yet we just witnessed the deadliest hate crime against African Americans since the Rosewood Massacre of 1923.

This should not be and can not be.

buffalo-supermarket-shooting

Other poems reflecting 

Weep -for-those-who-weep-say-their-names

what-would-i-write-this-fourth-of-july

“…weep for those who weep, say their names…”

the satiny petals fall

Weep for those who weep,

 Say their names

Weep for those who weep, and say their names,

The Poppies bloomed overnight,

The rain, came hard, water droplets beading like tears on the petals,

Now heavy, bowing down, 

the satiny petals fall.

A Beautiful afternoon shaken by violence and evil,

But their legacies will replace the evil this day,

 “So much beauty, so much unbearable pain”

Celestine Chaney, 65; Survived cancer a grandmother dear,

Roberta Drury, 32; her smile vibrant

Andre Mackneil, 53; Surprise gifts, loved family

Katherine “Kat” Massey, 72; Beloved soul in community

Margus Morrison, 52; Father and nicest person

Heyward Patterson, 67; Deacon served many

Aaron Salter, 55; Brave tried to save

Geraldine Talley, 62; Genuine love amazing life

Ruth Whitfield, 86; a beloved pillar 

Pearl Young, 77; food pantry and a joy

We ask Why?

Why God would allow the good to fall that beautiful afternoon,

and this evil transpire

Why God could someone so young, drive so far,

Connive hate so long to see white as supreme, 

Flags missed and laws loose to allow this deathsman’s devastation

“Bewilderment, tensions,

 No answer -This side of the grave

Carry on they would say,

 “Carry forward the grief still choose to love and live on”

This evil will end someday, you must press on,

Justice will flow, water in this desert place

Hear them as living legacies say:  

Living is both “difficult and vital” but Hope springs up 

Life and victory await the other side of this day

“Do not retaliate with evil”

“Do not seek revenge”

“Turn it over to Him who settles all scores”

“Never let evil get the best of you; instead,

 overpower evil with good.” *

We carry their lives and legacy forward, 

we say their names 

We cherish and are thankful for them

Rare beauty so common shopping in Buffalo this day

(Weep for those who weep, Say their Names, 

Glimpse poetry by Joe Holuta)

* Romans 15:17-21 Voice

“” Some words may be from Jerry Sittser in ‘A Grace Disguised'

“No poet has yet sung the full beauty of our poppy. No painter has successfully portrayed the satiny sheen of its lustrous petals. In its abundance, this colorful plant should not be slighted: cherish it and be ever thankful that so rare a flower is common.” 

-John Thomas Howell

Ten poppies

Bleeding Hearts

Wisteria

Poppy

“…blue…”

Blue

I will write her a poem today called Blue 

When I think of you, I think of blue

Blue sky day, blue as the sea

Blue the flower petal that lines our way

Blue the days you lift my heart 

To carry on another day

Blue as the beauty you ribbon tie to extend love

To your children dear, and their children too

My favorite mug and glass and spooner 

Sweaters of the blue, the eyes and nose and cheeks 

shine as the skies above our life

I see blue

I think loving, unforgettable thoughts of you

Memories dear

Your humility in thoughts, words, and deeds 

So clear, as the day, as the reflection of the sky, in a freshwater lake on mountain top

Love like no other, she dares not compare,

for her nature is far above the fray

That troubles many a day

(Blue, Glimpse Poetry, by Joe Holuta)

I will write her a poem today called Blue 

When I think of you, I think of blue

Blue sky day, blue as the sea

Blue in the petal that line our way

Blue the days you lift my heart 

To carry on another day

Blue as the beauty you ribbon tie to extend love

To your children dear, and their children too

My favorite mug and glass and spooner 

Sweaters of the blue, the eyes and nose and cheeks 

shine as the skies above our life

I see blue

I think loving, unforgettable thoughts of you

Memories dear

Your humility in thoughts, words, and deeds 

So clear, as the day, as the reflection of the sky, in a freshwater lake on mountain top

Love like no other, she dares not compare,

for her nature is far above the fray

That troubles many a day

"...Always Good..."

Always Good

“All things work together for good” a friend may say
The words ring hollow in the pain, dinning in my ears.
Always good, God is,
All things work together is true,
When bad things happen under this sky,
“We do not and cannot know why”

The barren one, loss so deep, or unexpected passing just the same,
Callous words said to dismiss the pain
At a time, words cannot explain
Better perhaps to journey alongside,
With no words but love beside
Always good, God is,
All things work together it’s true,
Things that happen we can lament, and love,
Let know, we hurt for them too.

Terminal stage ends the day
Best intentions say “It’s better this way”
If they only knew the struggle to end that day
Piercing the heart with no mending-perhaps never some say,
Always good, God is,
All things work together it’s true,
“Put your life on the line for family and neighbor nearest you

Dark days, months, years who understands
Fragile minds yet hearts so strong in needed times
Still other states beyond the reach.
“You have so much to be thankful for...” they say,
As if it lessens the pain of all I can see today
As the voices speak and it’s hard to breathe
Always good, God is,
all things work together it’s true,
things that happen are not always good to me or you

“They’re in a better place now” is said to lessen the loss

But how I yearn to have them here and now

To feel their warmth, breath, and smile

Always good, God is,

all things work together it’s true,

Better said, "I am here for you"

Young and tender in youth these words I’ve said

Not only to try to heal but lesson my pain instead

Years later now I will guard my words

And just be there on behalf of Love

and journey alongside the pain

Always good the mystery will remain

Always good, God is,

all things work together it’s true.

Always Good

“All things work together for good” a friend may say

The words ring hollow in the pain, dinning in my ears.

Always good, God is,

All things work together is true,

When bad things happen under this sky,

“We do not and cannot know why”

The barren one, loss so deep, or unexpected passing just the same,

Callous words said to dismiss the pain

At a time, words cannot explain

Better perhaps to journey alongside,

With no words but love beside

Always good, God is,

All things work together it’s true,

Things that happen we can lament, and love,

Let know, we hurt for them too.

Terminal stage ends the day

Best intentions say “It’s better this way”

If they only knew the struggle to end that day

Piercing the heart with no mending-perhaps never some say,

Always good, God is,

All things work together it’s true,

“Put your life on the line for family and neighbor nearest you

Dark days, months, years who understands

Fragile minds yet hearts so strong in needed times

Still other states beyond the reach.

“You have so much to be thankful for...” they say,

As if it lessens the pain of all I can see today

As the voices speak and it’s hard to breathe

Always good, God is,

all things work together it’s true,

things that happen are not always good to me or you

“They’re in a better place now” is said to lessen the loss

But how I yearn to have them here and now

To feel their warmth, breath, and smile

Always good, God is,

all things work together it’s true,

Better said, "I am here for you"

Young and tender in youth these words I’ve said

Not only to try to heal but lesson my pain instead

Years later now I will guard my words

And just be there on behalf of Love

and journey alongside the pain

Always good the mystery will remain

Always good, God is,

all things work together it’s true.

(Always Good, Glimpse Poetry by Joe Holuta)