LETTERS

WHY, GOD? Ukrainian Alisa, nine years old, Was scrambling with her family ‘cross the bridge Weighed down by pack and bundled ‘gainst the...

THE PIT A quick lightning strike of thunderclap sorrow Blunt struck her to the ground as if by thief Then stole her meager claim on...

PRODIGAL’S REUNION The younger son demanded half estate Then fled to distant country to debauch To teach himself new levels of self-hate...

UNMASK What Mardi Gras, Halloween life you lead! Veiled behind intricate, desperate mask Vanity’s folly would be to succeed In your...

TURN OVER GENTLE Turn over gentle now, gentle that loam Clay covers my soul; it traps me alone Underneath it, I’ve nursed fears on my own...

I JUST LEFT I just left; she was on her bed-on-wheels Surgery beckons; they've come to roll her in Hope, fright, powerlessness, plea--...

DIVINE BEAUTY Maples dewed and firelit welcome Fall’s day Canyon grand enacts its vast color-play Arm-cradle warms by breath of sleeping...

THE FLICKERED TORCH OF LIBERTY In the end, America’s built on trust– that servants serve, that votes are counted fair– that once the hot...

SACRED DEMOCRACY What shame I felt when witnessed Jesus flag waved high by mob that knocked down freedom’s door What pain to see my...

THE LAW, THE LOCK AND THE KEY By vote we choose the ones who write our laws By rule of law our nation keeps the peace Peace officers...

SHOULDERS OF HOPE Great-granddad landed young on freedom’s shore From street to street, sold coal in the city His son, my PopOps, sold...

IN DEFENSE OF JOURNALISTS We’ve lost them by the thousands o’er the years As broadcast news and papers shrink and die Replaced by...

THE DIPLOMAT’S PRAYER Dear God, our flag and theirs are waving hate Outrage has peaked; two calls to arms begin Do you not grieve as we...

EVENING PRAYERS FOR EARTH AND US Lord, remnant forest canopy please keep In Greenland, save the final sheets of ice African elephants:...

THE WHOLE WORLD IN MY CUP Gold-touched was August’s morn as I rose. Bullfrog croaks joined cricket crepitations with finch-cheep,...

MAY OFFERINGS SAVE Forgive– I know not what starving children feel Nor mother, water vanishing from well Nor father, as crops fail– sheep...

IRRITATING NEIGHBOR An irritating neighbor called out “Welcome!” As I ran out my brand new home one day Handed me a pie-well-dressed,...

AS SUN AND I ARISE As sun and I arise, my Lord, I greet You To share this bright new day in prayer before You Shine light on sin, that I...

TOWARDS A CLIFFTOP FLAG Next step, free solo, towards a clifftop flag, though footholds crumble– rainfall spurs the slip– she climbs...

GOODNESS HIDDEN Priest and Levite averted eye as passed the sorely wounded, near-to-death Jewish man It took a lowly foreigner outcast to...