The Poetry Thread

[Barb]

I heard this again today and I've always loved it...


The Touch of the Master's Hand

It was battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer thought it
hardly worth his while
To waste his time on the old violin,
but he held it up with a smile.

"What am I bid, good people", he cried,
"Who starts the bidding for me?"
"One dollar, one dollar, Do I hear two?"
"Two dollars, who makes it three?"
"Three dollars once, three dollars twice, going for three,"

But, No,
From the room far back a gray bearded man
Came forward and picked up the bow,
Then wiping the dust from the old violin
And tightening up the strings,
He played a melody, pure and sweet
As sweet as the angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said "What now am I bid for this old violin?"
As he held it aloft with it's bow.

"One thousand, one thousand, Do I hear two?"
"Two thousand, Who makes it three?"
"Three thousand once, three thousand twice,
Going and gone", said he.

The audience cheered,
But some of them cried,
"We just don't understand."
"What changed its' worth?"
Swift came the reply,

"The Touch of the Masters Hand."

And many a man with life out of tune
All battered with bourbon and gin
Is auctioned cheap to a thoughtless crowd
Much like that old violin

A mess of pottage, a glass of wine,
A game and he travels on.
He is going once, he is going twice,
He is going and almost gone.

But the Master comes,
And the foolish crowd never can quite understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
By the Touch of the Masters' Hand.

-Myra Brooks Welch

[ILG]

This is for Coonskinner.

Ode to the Coonman

I wuz walkin' through the woods
Shootin' what I could,
The coyotes howlin' at the moon.

When what should I see,
Somethin' lookin' back at me.
It wuz a lean and mean racoon.

I knew just what to do,
Granny showed me when I wuz two,
Let the hounds chase 'em up the tree.

Get a bead on the thing,
Let the gunblast ring,
Thar ain't no mercy fer 'em from me.

I got me that coon,
Put it in my livingroom,
My wife, she's very proud.

My son's are too,
addin' that to my taxidermy zoo,
Makes me wanna sing out very strong and mean and go hunting again next week.

Thanks. That's all folks.

[ILG]

bump for Coonskinner, if he's out thar anywhar

[Barb]

Poetry at it's finest...

Until Then

My heart can sing when I pause to remember
A heart ache here is but a stepping stone.
Along a trail that's winding always upward,
This troubled world is not my final home.

But until then my heart will go on singing,
Until then with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.

The things of earth will dim and lose their value,
If we recall they're borrowed for awhile;
And things of earth that cause the heart to tremble,
Remembered there will only bring a smile.

But until then my heart will go on singing,
Until then with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.

This weary world with all its toil and struggle,
May take its toll of misery and strife;
The soul of man is like a waiting falcon;
When it's released, it's destined for the skies.

But until then my heart will go on singing,
Until then with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.

--Stuart Hamblen

[revrandy]

Here's one I wrote a few years ago...

Regrets

Tears of glass,
move mountains of stone.
Clear blue waters,
shake foundations of old.
" Never would break",
one might say.
But teardrops and goodbyes,
are hard to take.

[revrandy]

Here's another...

Experiance

As I walk along life's river.
The sand of time between my toes.
I feel the winds of change
begin to slowly blow.
The youthful hands of summer,
are now winters woe.
And the smooth skin of life,
are wrinkles in the snow.
Yet life flows onward
in it's never ending trek.
I think I'll put my shoes on,
my feet are getting wet.

[ChristopherHall]

Love's Sacrifice

O thou who camest from above,

The pure, celestial fire to impart,

Kindle a flame of sacred love

On the mean altar of my heart,

There let it for thy glory burn

With inextinguishable blaze.

And trembling to its Source return,

In humble prayer and fervent praise.

Jesus, confirm my heart's desire

To work, and speak, and think for thee,

Still let me guard the holy fire,

And still stir up thy gift in me,

Ready for all thy perfect will

My acts of faith and love repeat,

'Till death thy endless mercies seal,

And make my sacrifice complete.

~Charles Wesley~
1707-1788

[ChurchMouse]

This is an actual quote from a headstone in my family cemetary, mind you it is from the early 1900's;
My friend as you walk by
As you are now so once was I
As I am now you soon shall be
So prepare yourself to follow me.

Now, the pastor at that time was walking through the graveyard and saw this headstone and made a sermon from it, but he added this little ditty behind it;

My friend to follow you I'm not content
till I find out, which way you went !

True Story, honestly.

t

[Neck]

Scent of Love

There is beauty in the forest;
When the tree's are grown and fare.

There is beauty in the meadows;
When wild flowers scent the air.

There is beauty in the sun-light.
Those Soft blue beams above;

Oh! The world is full of beauty;
When for you my heart is full of Love!


Nathan Alan Eckstadt
Copyright ©2004 Nathan Alan Eckstadt

[Neck]

I Can See!

I can see the Earth ablaze by the moon and sun,
It's stars shining down on everyone.

I see its seas forever spread
And shores of safety just ahead.

I see mountains, valleys, fields, and streams.
The sun through rain shining beautiful beams.

I see up rolling hills and across deserts dry;
I see an eagle in flight across the sky.

I see weapons, death, and shame,
Situations people choose to blame.

I see a baby sound to sleep;
I see the lives they later take.

I see what others choose to show,
But never where those people go.

Nathan Alan Eckstadt
Copyright ©2005 Nathan Alan Eckstadt