A sunny afternoon in late June,
The sky is baby blue.
I set up my little chair,
And settle in on the lawn there.

I found a patch of sun,
It’s warmth on my face,
Brings me to tropical places.
Through powdery sand I run.

My beagle lays at my feet.
The wind whispers through the trees,
Singing songs of forgotten dreams.

The birds sing along,
Joyful, boisterous songs.
My heart fills with such peace,
In early summer’s heat.

A frenzied carelessness fills the air,
The scent of honeysuckle fills my nose.
I’m ecstatic with the beauty of this day so fair,
I want to go where the wood faeries go.

For all around me, swirling in the breeze,
A presence, an essence, a God who loves me.

I’m so grateful for all He has done
Together with the Spirit, the Father, and the Son
We have conquered evil, we’ve won.

June, 2023

They come into this world
Like a baby bird
Helpless as all hell
They never fully break the shell.

Children of the 8th moon
Their eyes stare into space.
Children of the big boom
Why do they come to this place?

Is it so we’d know a love that’s different
Than any felt before?
A love we knew would change us
The day that they were born?

When I look into their faces
There’s usually nothing to see
An emptiness, a blankness,
So far away from me.

But there’s those rare times in the middle of the night,
When the air is still and the moon is high and bright,
Something happens very odd.
When I gaze into those beautiful faces,
I see the face of God.

You come on all at once,
As sweet as can be.
Then even faster,
You turn sour in me.

You’re promise is bright,
You’ll bring me delight.
Then drag me through
The darkest of nights.

You tell me such lies.
You say just this one time.
Then before I know it
I’m back in the grind.

There’s nothing better than me, you say.
I’ll help you get through the day.
I’ll stay with you all night,
I’ll wrap you up nice and tight,
And then I’ll take your life.

But there’s so many things better than you.
The sky when it turns twilight blue.
The tinkling laughter of a child of two.
A bride gleaming white, saying, “I do”.
Of the things that outshine you,
These are but a few.

You may be able to give me an instant of pleasure,
But it’s life’s subtle beauty I truly treasure.
So go away, leave me alone.
Go ***** yourself, I’m going home.

                          Author: Janine Bryant
                                        1/28/25