Your Tired, Your Poor

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free... 

Thinking about the folks at our borders today.

Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor...

In high school (about 65 years ago) I once played the part of the Statue of Liberty.  The memory brings to mind two things:  

1. Reciting those beautiful words inscribed on Liberty’s base:

Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

Emma Lazarus

2. I remember how extremely tired my arm became, holding up that torch. Today Liberty’s spirit must be weary and weeping. She seems to have lost the ability to hold out her beacon of hope any longer. I fear she has dropped her lamp.  This land, our land, weeps with her.  

Black Eyed Susan

Photo by Scott Runcorn
Glass Art by Theodore Ellison Designs

~Transformation Of Black Eyed Susan~

The black eyed susans are long gone

the master planter gone as well

both gone to seed

What can you do for me? the master asked

Return each year, a live reminder -

and I’ll inspire, Susan sang

I can inspire the heart of one who loved you

to frame an echo of the black eyed

beauties you once grew

<><><><><>

Touched by his muse the artist grew 

black eyed susans (so lately in John’s garden)

 embedded now in glass tile on a daughter’s fireplace

An icon of the beauty of one beloved

in memory of a life well lived

A Gift Of Grace

JoMae

6/11/18
Something beautiful happened to me on John’s birthday.  An elegant icon was created in memory of him.  Enjoy!

Unwrapping

Boxes by Judy

~Unwrapping~

Loss forces one to

find gifts for the future

hidden deep within the past

to find the present yet unwrapped

New Joy

JoMae
6/4/18

Unwrapping - inspired by The Uses of Sorrow, a poem by Mary Oliver which was mentioned by Steven Petrow in a NYT’s article on gratitude last month.  I love how words travel mouth to mouth, heart to heart - nurturing the world!  -js

Abundant Grace

~Abundant Grace~

In the middle of this deep dark loss,

a Light. Gently unfolding, its soft

beam of hope seeps in

its beacon tugging at confusion

shedding a glow on the path

drawing the heart close

revealing answers even as
more questions form

'til fully unfurled

it lights the way brightly

lifts away darkness

and brings new

Joy

JoMae

6/4/18