After Midnight

When you drifted off to sleep the other night
I was wide awake.
I heard the deep melody of your breathing
and I was jealous.
My heart was still racing
still clanging around
trying to catch my thoughts
as they drove flatout
foot on the gas pedal.
so many what-ifs
and careening plotlines filled
the spaces between my ears
I can still hear your quiet snores
wishing I could join you there.
but it was not to be
too many thoughts
too many heartsick fears
all bottled up
longing to be let out of
their cages
so for ages
and ages
I just lay here
listening to you sleep.

December 28, 2021 0

In The Glow of Autumn (when we fell)

“Love fiercely, and expect that few will do the same in return…“
This thought ran through my head…
tandem or inspiration?
Maybe both?
all the while, the sunlight hit your golden hair
all aglow and resplendent
at the peak of sunset on that cold October eve.
My heart leapt
as nature itself seemed to call out
that exception,
that ‘few’ kindred hearts…

I, transfixed, tried to close my mouth
like some dumb ox of a man
slipping and tripping head over-heels
helplessly, heart-sick with
wild devotion’s spell
which had cast its power

deftly upon me.

And having seen you there,
those words that had spilled from my mind
were now void of truth or solace.
New phrases welled up within me
feelings that defied words
far beyond their containment…
and I, awestruck by your visage there,
leaned in and shared that moment
with you…
all the while, determined to freeze time
capture it in a bottle
that is my heart
and pray they it continues to shine
into the very depths of my soul.

October 5, 2020 0

Days – Even in This Place? (a Poem)

There are days when I feel like Elijah after the fire…
afraid for his life even in the face of victory.
racked with fear and mortality.
loaded down with concerns of his enemies and
what they thought about him.

There are days when I feel like Jonah after the big fish…
when he told the wicked people of God’s wrath…
and they turned from their ways
but Jonah did not…
and so, there he sat in self-pity and lamented.
“just let me die”
But God would not have any of that.

There are days when I feel like Paul in chains…
having done all I can do for ‘the cause’ but…
there’s still a thorn in my side
and it’s hurting me so – “Lord please take it away”
But He doesn’t, so here I sit here thorn and all.

There are days when I feel like Jesus overlooking Jerusalem
and I weep for the blindless of people
and I’ve done all that I can do,
and still it rends my heart because the ignorance lingers on.
and then I face my own cross and I beg for the cup to be lifted
but God does not lift it, and I must drink.

Still there are dark days that plague my heart
when storms threaten to overtake me and wash me away.
when in my strength I am completely helpless
and alone.
Have I been forsaken?
Have you left me God?
It feels as if I have no friends
no where to turn…
or run.

Lord, are you here
even in this place?

February 7, 2019 0

Redemption’s Call (An Easter Poem)

…And then it came to pass
that my heart was rent and broken,
turmoil spilled the spoken word
with nail and sword they killed my Lord.

The veil was torn
redemption born
the Lamb was made to bleed.
For He stepped in
relieved my sin
and we are free indeed.

—
As the cost explodes the night
no grave can hold Eternal’s light
For we’ve been bought –
from blind to sight
The God-man, love’s true might.

And here we are – a second chance
from sin’s cold grasp to love’s first glance
the choice is ours, redemption’s call
His blood can cleanse and heal us all.
…His love WILL heal and cleanse us all.

SES
3/24/16

March 24, 2016 0

This is Holiness (A Poem)

I want to be something
I am not quite yet.
Something more
Something better
than I am now.
I wipe my
guilt riddled brow…
not that I am wretched
or maybe I am…
Still there is this
longing
deep
within
my Heart.
It drives me
propels me constantly
forward
call it passion
call it charisma
call it a compulsion
to become who I was made to be…

Can’t you see,

there is something more…

something deeper than
all of this.
It’s like a handshake instead of a kiss
a ‘like’ instead of LOVE

But God blew the doors open
when Jesus was sent
from above…

I am pardoned

once condemned…
no longer hemmed into
this death sentence

cornered because these wages
of sin weighed

heavily on me.
Instead,

I am free.
And in this freedom
in this perfect light
I now can see
with heavenly sight
from broken and shattered
to a pardoning matter
a redemption
a promise
and now… I want to be
more

than this.

I was the one
who kissed His cheek

i was the one
who denied His name
I was the one
who played sin’s game

But now…

now, I want to soak up

His presence
to capture…………………………………………….this essence
of holiness inside this
pardoned heart.

Now I find the chains

are not gone

and the day has
dawned on this fire to burn
me into His reflection
so that before the Father
no sin can be detected
and love has intersected
with one lost and now found.
I am ready.
I am ready to be more
to live more
to become
even Christ on a cross.

January 28, 2015 0

it IS a wonderful life! (Poem)

Tonight,
as the lights on the Christmas tree twinkled
as the fire crackled and popped
hissing at dampened wood
as the family gathered around the sofa
bundled together in love
it IS a wonderful life!

Tonight,
as we shared the story of Jesus
as we talked, laughed and reclined
within this moment,
within each other’s presence
was presents enough for me
it IS a wonderful life!

Tonight,
as George Bailey’s heart is warmed again
with town’s people gloriously giving
and songs are shared
and joy is dispersed
we find these moments to grasp at
we find these moments and glimpses of heaven
and…
it IS a wonderful life!

SES 12-24-14

December 25, 2014 0

Light is never buried (A poem)

We said goodbye
to her dazzling smile
the glow of her light
dimmed, flickered and died.
We bid farewell
to her stunning song
the last refrain
the tears…
of pain.
We mourned for her
beneath a banyan tree
with arms dug deep
into the ground.
Our wetted eyes
the deep groanings
of our throats
we buried her
song, her love, her light
and yet she will shine
brightly forevermore
within us all.

December 23, 2014 0

At Christmas (A poem)

I’m keeping warm, this heart of mine
in winter’s air, this soul repines,
these bones, but brittle glory be
the wonders of His love to see.

I dare not miss nor neglect this grace
and lose out on heavn’s holy place
a song of praise, a song of peace
a hope of joy will never cease.

And so I glimpse into that stable
the Son of God, no, not a fable.
A gift of hope, of love divine
salvation givn’ to all mankind.
SEStrissel 12-19-14

December 19, 2014 0

A Ring In The Kettle… (A Poem)

A wedding ring,
I found a wedding ring in a kettle.
It was resting on a pillow
of nickles and dimes
caught up in the hand
instead of placed upon one.
A sign of togetherness,
a sign of love,
a metaphor of
“they lived happily ever after”
and yet I found it
in a kettle
at Christmas.
Dreams crashed to earth?
Smoldering as they break apart?
Dreams crushed by unfaithfulness
losing its way
as this promise
lost within a beat up
red metal kettle.
What sort of story might you tell?
What sad song would you play?
Mistakenly lost?
Purposely cast into this lot?
Merry Christmas just doesn’t
seem to fit
No, it shouldn’t
be spoken here.
Perhaps a tear.
Perhaps a long,
deep groaning sigh…
I will hold onto you
for just a little while longer
and hope your promises
will be found again.

December 15, 2014 0

Temptation (A Poem)

I will refrain from playing these melodies
for in them I find disjunct, discord…
discouragement.
Its tune resounds loudly,
far too proudly,
resolutely profound.
I will refrain from playing these melodies,
though this heart bends to its lure…
it is the knocking on the door
but deeply wrong to the core…
A sigh from maudlin groans,
yet I cannot play these melodies
for all too soon
they will play me
swaying me like autumn winds
through bowing trees…
and I will be swept from this identity
crushed down,
torn apart,
stabbed in the heart
by riffs and these temptress notes.
So I slam this door,
board it up.
lock it down tight…
and walk away
pretending not to hear
its deceitful strain.

December 5, 2014 0

Tag: Poem