The RetroLounge Daily Poem Thread (Wed 5/23/2007)

[RetroLounge]

Prayer Requests at a Mennonite Church

Pray for the Smucker family. Their son Nathaniel's coat and shirt were
caught in the gears while grinding grain. Nothing would give, so now
he is gone. We made his clothes too well. Perhaps this is our sin.

Pray for the Birky family. Their son Jacob fell to his death in the
granary. He was covered in corn before they could stop the pouring—
chest crushed by the weight, seed spilling from his mouth. We hope
something will grow from this, besides our grief.

Pray for the Hartzler family. Their youngest has left the church and no
longer believes that Christ died for her sins. She buys clothes at the
mall. Tongue pierced, nose as well. Her shirt shows her belly where a
ring of gold sprouts. We pray she will remember that her Lord's side
was pierced, that His crown held no gold, only the dried blood of His
brow.

Pray for the Miller family. Last week their daughter, who lives in
Kalona, lost her baby at birth. Child only half-formed: head turned the
wrong way; heart laid on the outside of her chest; one leg little more
than an afterthought. Lord, help them know that life may come again,
that we are all made whole in heaven.

Pray for the Stutzman family. Their son fights in the war. We call him
back to the Prince of Peace, to our Savior who knelt to gather the
slave's ear, brushed the dirt away, lifted it to the side of his flushed face.
May we leave no scars. May we ask no blessing for the killing done in
His name.

Todd Davis

****************

RL

If you have a request for a certain Poet, post their name in the thread and I will find a poem by them and post it...

if you want to see some of my poetry, see the blog at:
http://www.myspace.com/retropaul

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Oh, my dear Retro...

How heartbreaking this one is...

And I can see it as being real, as if these events truly happened...

I especially identify with the last verse...

Just beautiful, even as it causes us to shed our tears...

Thank you... :hug:

[RetroLounge]

6. ...

:hug:

RL

[wildhorses]

2. i love the way this one reels you in

and then smacks you down WHAM!!!!

excellent:thumbsup:

[RetroLounge]

5. ...

:hi:

RL

[Writer]

3. I have an obscure request...

could there be a poem out there about a wilting flower?

[RetroLounge]

4. If not, then I will write you one...

any more detail you can provide?

Wilting? Dying?

RL

[Writer]

7. Something once beautiful that has faded, perhaps.

Sadness. Being tossed about in the wind. Being stranded.

Maybe I should write it... I dunno.

[wildhorses]

8. looks to me like you are off to a good start

i think you have the poem in you....

i really do:hug:

[Writer]

9. I think I'm going to shower and think about. Maybe I'll write it in here later.

[Writer]

10. I stand with a wilted flower in hand,

stroking its remaining pedals,
tearing at the sight of what was once
surviving, a wisp of life now spent.

You snatch the molting bloom,
crumbling the fluff between your fingers,
slapping it back into my hand and
cackling, absorbing my last life-strength.

I can only cry aloud, my neck
bending back toward the sky,
bellowing from the deep recesses of my
aching chest, spent.

Your cruelty followed days of insincere kindness,
yanking my better nature until you were
dragging me by my tied wrists, my
wondering how I came to be your captive.

I hold the mottled bud in my palm,
caressing the pedals that used to be,
wishing for their return that will never be
standing still, waiting for all eternity.

[RetroLounge]

11. ...

:hug:

RL