The Quiet After
the desk chair empty
for 74 years
the door would close
and confidential matters passed
between client and counselor
Documents streamed from typewriters
and then from word processors
putting down in black and white
lives coming, passing
deeds and contracts and taxes
forms filled out and witnessed
to wit
Ah, it was good
to be a part
to share with a gentleman
and be encouraged
man to man affection, respect
passed along with the papers
land seemed a special attraction
In many senses he was a farmer
of the law
and, too, all the things
that come together
to have a crop, and sell it
Now we have the quiet after
reflecting on his life
of near a century
In peace he passed
fitting
as in life
he worked out peace
for us
Bud Hatch, 7/2011
Lin
Time Was
when my vision had a problem
Mom, of course, knew the fix
I got my first pair of glasses!
I learned what I had been missing
Time was, sometime ago,
when my vision had another problem
a retinologist laid me down
a nurse held me down
and a lazer fixed my eye
from a blood red thick curtain seen
the world came back to sight
I knew what I was missing
Time was, sometime ago,
age caught up with my eyes
I just couldn’t see precisely
doing my work got harder
my quality slipped a bit
but a doctor laid me down
put me into la la land
and I awoke to better vision
cataracts can cloud ever more
but now I’m fixed again
Time was, and is, it marches on
and bodies do wear out
Just this week
a nice young lady and her machine
checked my hearing and frowned
“Mr. Warfel”, she said to me
“I think you need to consider…
some help with hearing.”
I had been told
by those who love me
I was missing things they said
I knew I had a problem.
to get some hearing aids
That nice young lady, and I
talked it over
and I chose a particular pair
Whew! They’re expensive!
Like everything else,
the better ones cost more…
But I chose, and she programmed
(everything’s computer nowadays)
then I plugged them in.
Once again
I learned what I’d been missing.
A lot of sounds
the creaking of the stairs is louder
my own voice is amplified
many things sound different
I learned what I’d been missing…
Another step
up the age stairs
and once again I’m happy
for skilled people and their machines
that make my life the better
And I’m full of thanks
for so many things
beginning with the Creator
and the One who is with us
all the time
every step of the stairs
Selah! I saw that! I heard that!
Lin 3/2011
Two Becoming One
can so melt together
a little glimpse of heaven can be had
When the created come together
as the creator did purpose
with His blessing
and the blessing of the family
the blessing of community
the blessing of the church
and the blessing of society
youthful passion can certainly soar
The mysteries of creation
‘Male and female He created them.
In His own image He created them.
And it was good.’
in discovery, giving to each other
create moments of passion blessed
From those unions
a child is given
and love that knew no bounds
grows, stretches, grows again with the child
Someday
the child is grown
and meets another
and the magic, the mystery
brings a grandchild
a little head relaxing
melting into our neck
secure, at peace
and perfect rest
The grandchild does the same
and we remember
Decades pass
the two more and more
one
Paul and Jessie
Dick and Ruth
Al and Margaret
Lin and Kay
and a new peace is born
She can take his hand
or rest her head in his shoulder
as can he
they can be at peace together
Fifty golden years together
two becoming one
and ‘God saw all He had made
and it was very good….’*
Lin 3/11
*Genesis 1:31
Shovel Ready*
ceremonial ones, I’m certain
await the portent people
also standing around
A lot has gone before
but now the hour arrives
news cameras
reporters with pen and pad
a loyal interested crowd
line up with shiny shovels
at the ready
A signal word is spoken
“Dig!”
the shovels bite the ground
little bits of earth and rock are moved
construction has begun
a cheer rings out
Teams of men and women
will parade and work the ground
other teams will pour and nail
bolt and weld and build it up
Still more will paint and polish
until a year from now
the shovel ready crew returns
the folks will say some words
and a ribbon will be cut
teachers will man the helm
students will file into class
learning will take place
hands will be on tools of trades
skills will grow, and graduations happen
faces after faces will come
study and do
and go
Mankind marches on
coming, learning, finally working
serving and making things better
Half a million feet have trod
the Parkland campus now
More coming, more learning, more working
they are the faces that help you
at the doctor, dentist, shop
fixing you and your possessions
the oil of society
Shovel ready!
People doing!
Celebrate the folk
who anchor Parkland College
investing themselves in people
…you!
Lin
*EST Ground Breaking, March 2011
Alas and Alack!
Another decade brings a date…
My favorite Ed
and my good ole Doc
lay it out quite plain:
Do this! It’s important!
So, I make the appointment
and set my mind
to go through it once again.
Age 50?
Age 60?Age 70?
Some guy gets to see my insides
Colonoscopy, they call it.
Oh boy!
A hospital trip
kill a day
just do it all…their way
They’ll put you in dreamland
if you wish
or you can watch the monitor
if you’re brave and a little nutty
Fascinating
how our insides look!
So complex, our ‘machinery’
Digestion and elimination processes
are combinations, out of sight,
but critical to if and how we live
One of my friends
a learned professor
lecturing to his grad students one day
proclaimed, in an un PC way:
“You should thank God for your liver!”
Well, we should!
the liver responds
creating chemicals to break it down
make it useful, to our bodies
Amazing!
But, really, from our mouth
to the southern end
the chemicals, the processes,
are really fascinating!
So it’s good news and bad
good news I’m older, by a decade,
bad news is the test
good news if there’s a problem
it can likely be fixed
and I can enjoy another decade!
Okay! Bring on the Miralax….
A Songbook Closed
a voice was stilled
a hush settled over us instantly
This season of concerts
of music swathing us
wrapping us in emotions and hope
lifting us up higher and higher
has that moment, when,
the concert finished
the songbooks are closed
so often the soloist folds the book to her heart
and there’s just a moment
stillness reigns
The creation of the piece
the discipline, practice of the performers,
the presentation, the gift to those who come
(Oh Come Let Us Adore Him)
the fleeting bonding of performer and listener
all have come together in time
But then it is over
Seconds pass, but just a few
and then comes the applause
people on their feet
Thundering, rolling waves of applause –
Well done! Bravo! Yes!
Some sixty four years ago,
a baby girl was gifted to loving parents
The song that was in her was shared
a thousand times a thousand and again
She loved, and was loved
What a spirit she had
and what a voice in singing!
“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
there’s just something about that Name.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
like the fragrance, after the rain.”…
Intense.
Clairvoyant, at times?
She blessed us in many ways.
Now the voice is stilled
living in our memories only
But I hear the applause
First timidly
then louder and louder
wave after wave
and I hear a voice
“Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
“Well done.”
Yes, the concert here is over,
the songbook here closed,
The temporary finished
The eternal has begun!
Rest in peace, Rise in glory,
Debbie Savage
12/20/2010 Lin