DAY ONE 2014: RESOLUTION and LOVE POEM

ON THIS DAY

yes, i know of 
"skin-on-skin",

your own and mine.

touch of another is

plan of divine

one other thing
which i miss--

that lovely kiss

which gives ring

its meaning.

yearning your hug,

body to cover me

as warm fine rug.

such dream can be

but fantasy

allure...

i conjure

your scent, your smile,

your laughing eyes

your counsel wise.

things you do
(and also me)

when away from...
yet once together

freely be we.

i've been won.

it is done

these are part of why

there's this love--you and i

through, with, and into

eternity sublime.

unmeasured.

untimed.

belief, even more,

keep me alive.

on these i thrive

Steve E

1/1/2014

THE INTERVIEW

A HAPPY LIFE...THEIRS AND MINE

Several years I taxied people to their work at a hotel laundry five days each week--and picked them up after their job. The four of them were "mentally challenged", in slang words, "retarded". The trip each way lasted nearly an hour. Coaches and counselors worked with these people regularly, but on these long rides, I could not help myself from an attempt at entertaining them--helping them to be happy, rather than bored or despondent.

A small pocket-sized tape recorder did the trick. Me, the driver, became Steve, the radio interview guy. Interviewing each in turn, I asked questions about their lives, work, parents, home, goals. After each taped interview, I'd play it back so all five had opportunity to hear each other's "life story". This went on for a number of months, before we all tired of it, ran out of questions as well as responses.

Typical interview began simply:

Q. Hello what is YOUR name?
A. Da-Low-Russ!
Q. And Delores, what do you do?
A. Work!

And progressed in a week, to somewhat more revealing details:

Q. Dolly, (we had changed her name from Da-Low-russ...) what do like to do at home?
A. Help my sister clean house and do dishes. I like doing that. She wants me DON'T BREAK ANYTHING! I love my sister.

Q. John, what do you do in your spare time?
A. Well (ahem!) Steve...(pause, clearing throat)

I-I-I  d-do a little bit of this,

a little bit of that,

and little bit of everything else!

NOTE:
After many days, our interviews got so complicated, that I'd write out questions for them at night at home...to keep the connection--and the fun--going.

These four (I remember their names even now, after 20 years!) changed over the course of time...and so did I.  We became a closely knitted group, we prayed, talked, joked, and laughed together...a LOT!

I grew to love my "crew". One, a tiny, old black guy, was a deaf-mute...never looked up, never smiled, or joined in. I discovered that he might hear some things, because sometimes--in my rear-vision mirror--I caught him smiling at something which was repeated on tape. But he never spoke, although I had a feeling he could. There had probably been some trauma in his life. 

To this day, when someone asks me what I did for my life's work, I answer, 

"Oh...a little bit of this, 

a little bit of that, 

and little bit of everything else!"

Steve E
Sunday December 22, 2013

MERRY CHRISTMAS

A CHRISTMAS STORY

Little ones--picture this sight:
Bethlehem shook, shivered
as Child born that night

Inside  stable--the real Body and Blood,
inside His little chest, enough warm love  
to make water out of snow,
to engulf whole world, wholly blest
with gifts--eternal Heart-flow 

Roused from unblanketed sleep
by angelic music of highest fidelity,
groupings of old shepherds and sheep
found their way to barn, breathlessly. 

And warmly and warm,
seated on frosted grass
they attended
first midnight mass

animals knowingly bent
their knees to witness
most spectacular event:
birth of the One
Who am, which God had sent.

Watch what happened next!
They rode in with the wind--no
scooters, but on camels--sat

three smartest guys
one totally black,
one with squinty-eyes...
gifts in their sack.

Many weeks, many miles
they had day and night
 followed slow-moving 
sky light 

and now gazed,
amazed--
at Most Bright...

Lamb of God met
face-to-face with 
 blind mankind. 

Sun rises
sun sets.
But this Son
would shine forever.

During brief span of time,
barely third of a century
he spent humbly sublime.

He found donkey and mounted.
Rode through crowded street.
"Hail, King" they shouted.
Thousands people did greet
along the way--as by now

that little babe, 
child of wonder
had become a man.

Only a few days later body broken asunder
he died to loud sounds--
tympanic thunder.

Curtain ripped and
dropped. Earth moved.
Darkness descended.

a life
suddenly thwarted 
in a single moment 
stopped

--and started


--by Steve E
edited and reposted from december 2012

HITCH YOUR WAGON TO A STAR

Scene near Pakistan farm

after traveling couple thousand miles 

i am tired. besides that, 

i have sand in my eye.

my feet are hurting, i

just wanna lay down and die.

we could not find our way

through the storms.

i heard some say

we'd got lost

one of the leaders

witnessed strange bright

at night, continuing

through next day.

in order to follow the light

our whole armada changed course.

it just seemed serene,

to be guided by Something

after one year, star

ceased movement

that day the world stopped

and fear overtook us

humps (we called ourselves "humps"!)

men began to run, we camels 

right behind...as if chasing. 

and all hearts beat

in rhythm with feet.

ending near a barn, late,

we'd missed act one, fate?

my masters got to meet with 

some Baby King--in secret. 

somehow tiredness disappeared,

sand blew out from my eye

people all said such nice things, 

finally--finally said good-bye.

i drank 50 gallon of water, (in 3 minutes!) 

became ready for a journey. 

prior heavy burden miraculously 

transformed to lighter load.

this time, no star--

i knew the road.

how honored, we--to have been

chosen actors in an ageless story!

me, i'm an old hump, almost 50...

but looking back at everything,

my whole life through--

deep down I knew

that i'd been given 

an opportunity to serve

my--and your--heavenly king.

--STEVE E

ONE in FIFTY-FIVE

--Drawing/Painting by one FAVORITE blogger--Claudia

"From my sketchbook/two women at the neighbor table"

When chest feels empty

due to hurting heart,

public library becomes solace…

turning to prayer

holding book to me tightly,

turn page and read:

Amazing! that E V E R Y T H I N G

affects everything else,

is dependent or depends on...

and I alone–as hermit,

missed the whole meaning of

Ocean Universe

in which all things are….

One         

--by steveroni 

(inspired by Claudia!)

55 words exactly--that what we doing at dVerse today...Join us?

PASSING THIS WAY AND THAT

POEM


at age six 
I ran away from home.
it's hard to run away
when not even allowed 
to cross the friggin' street,
for to meet 
patient destiny

life's ageless span
daily became same:
flurried blurs,
factasy avowed
to who--and you,
while crossing
our own avenue

brief--duration of life
yet painfuly slow,
filled with strife
when time to go.
ought I...cross this path?
thought I, "no"...hmmm!

"I no longer love her
that's certain...
but maybe I do love her?
--love is so short
forgetting is so long *"
*Pablo Neruda, 1904-1973

near age something-nine
oh yes! I felt fine.
in unison voices...loud!
hear them! “run, run, feet.
but don't cross that street!”

sweetest bird-sounds,
violin among tall trees
ashes and butterflies
together flew by--
a brother deceased,
un-wombed...
spread by breeze,
entombed
in the universe

whispered to me
in foreign code,
“...do not cross that road!”

steve e
as edited from one april 2012 posting


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