by ST, mid 1980s You’re not a beauty, I’m sure you’ve discovered; and yet you have a certain “down-to-earth beauty” (not quite as down-to-earth as a mud fence . . . perhaps a stone fence–yes, I think so: you’ve been accused of never smiling, as you know). So you can pretend, sometimes, at least, thatContinue reading “face to face: a reflective conversation”
Author Archives: Emerging Bird
Reasonable Reasoning
by ST, mid 1980s Upon one’s contemplating one’s own self Oftimes one laughs to see Just how unreasonably one does reason. And exerting one’s logic ends illogically. “Illogical it may seem, but logical it is,” So reasons one’s reason when another reasons not . . . Musingly one listens to the other’s point, And wondersContinue reading “Reasonable Reasoning”
School Daze
by ST, late 1980s With the beginning of a new school year, it’s a good time to think about what we want for our children in Life. In general terms, we want them to be happy and successful. Most of us don’t think that means they have to be brain surgeons or rocket scientists (unlessContinue reading “School Daze”
Sage
by ST, early 1980s A piece of Wisdom, A piece of the desert, matures in adversity of its own. Only a little of this seasoning much improves the flavor in a place where Life is dry as bone. Looking for sage alone for seasons one can roam in this wilderness of Life– but even sageContinue reading “Sage”
Signals of Life
by ST, early 1980s There is a fascination to cars at night: stopped at an intersection you can see the rear lights of perhaps 5 cars; but each in turn blinks only its own rhythm. And because none beats but for its own, you can feel a thousand little heartbeats (feelings cannot count above 2Continue reading “Signals of Life”
Strange Creature
by ST, early 1980s How funny you look– Why were you made that way? Maybe your Maker mistook . . . What? I’m the funny-looker, you say? Well pardon me, I should inquire politely, “How do you do?” whatever you do. But rather I would ask, “What can and do you do?” I study you,Continue reading “Strange Creature”
Perspectives of the Bugged
by ST, early 80’s I used to like potato bugs, But now they infest our basement rug. They used to tickle me as they crawled on my skin; Now I hate them, kith and kin. Their rolling in a ball was then a fascination, Now enemies all, I favor their extinction.
Swimming and Lessons
by ST, about the 1970s or so We took swimming lessons as children–Mom thought it essential for everyone to know how to swim, no matter if they live near bodies of water or not. We did the “jelly fish” so much I might have turned into one, but at last they moved me up toContinue reading “Swimming and Lessons”
Whenever I Think of the Pioneers
by Susan Ternyey, 1996 (revised 2022) With awe I ponder the fortitude of those valiant pioneers of our past. I used to feel I could never measure up to “the heritage they left us.” (Hymn, “Firm as the Mountains Around Us”) But one day as I lay in a hospital bed, paralyzed from the hipsContinue reading “Whenever I Think of the Pioneers”
Who is God, that I should Obey His Voice?
or, “Hold to the Rod, The Iron Rod” by ST We have outgrown God– Like a spoiled child despising the rod– Those before us Are welcome to its correction: We question its justice, Deny any motive of affection. We scorn its strictness As a cover for our revels, And when we get hurt We blameContinue reading “Who is God, that I should Obey His Voice?”
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