A Poem about a Stone
An old rock named stone
Filled with sand to the bone
Skipped along in a creek
All quiet and meek
Carried away to a brand new home.
And though that stone did not shout
He couldn’t help but cry out
To the Maker of mica for feet
To an Athlete Dying Young
Today marks twenty years to the day since the death of Hank Gathers. Still makes me sad.
To an Athlete Dying Young
by A. E. Housman (1859-1936)
The time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.
To-day, the road all runners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.
Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields where glory does not stay
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.
Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers
After earth has stopped the ears:
Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.
So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.
And round that early-laurelled head
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl’s.
On Sunday, March 4, 1990, Hank Gathers collapsed with 13:34 left in the first half of a West Coast Conference tournament quarterfinal game against, just after scoring on an alley-oop dunk that put the Loyola Marymount Lions up 25–13. He was declared dead on arrival at a nearby hospital at the age of 23.
Hank Gathers: February 11, 1967 – March 4, 1990
Goodnight
Goodnight Mister,
Goodnight Misses.
Goodnight Tweeters,
Hugs and Kisses.
I’ll catch you later,
I’ll talk to you soon
I’ll make a lame joke
About big buffoons.
Goodnight to the stars
Of ages gone by
I think of you all,
When I look at the sky
Goodnight little Gretl,
I bid you adieu
May all your dreams
One day come true
Goodnight beautiful Liesl
And whatever it brings
Just keep thinking about
All your favorite things
Goodnight young Mary
And curious George too,
Did ya ever figure out
How to lasso the moon?
Goodnight father Abraham,
Wherever you may be
And goodnight to the star
That was lit just for me
I’ll take you with me,
Long into the night
Where deep calls to deep
Until dark turns to light
Goodbye to today,
It is now in the past
But no less a part of me
That always will last
Goodnight to the giver
Of all good things
And the 9 million bicyclists
Across Beijing
A Poem for Valentine’s Day
I remember the time
I first saw your face
I remember your smile
I remember your grace
I remember your sweetness
I remember your glow
I remember everything about you
I couldn’t wait to know
Why did you let things
get in the way?
You were always so busy
and never could stay
I made it too easy,
it was never a game
And when you knew you had me,
you took while I gave
But I could not win you,
No matter how hard I tried
I gave you my all
From deep inside
Though you were careless,
I remained true
And even though I loved you,
what else was I supposed to do?
My heart went to pieces
my heart came unglued
My memories were broken
with fragments of you
I played you a song
but you did not dance
You played with my mind
but wouldn’t give me a chance
I called to you,
but you did not care
I looked for you
but you were not there
I longed for you
but you were not willing
Your silence was icy
it was cold
it was chilling
For so long I cared
my feelings remained
I’d give you the best
my hands ever made
I’d give you my strength,
Like I gave you my heart
You had it all along
right from the start
Why did you change?
What did I do?
What was your problem?
What got into you?
But now it is useless
No longer will I plead
I wrote you another poem
that you never will read
I remember the time
when you would have come running
And though you don’t love me
One last thing I must say
Goodbye, sweet girl,
Happy Valentine’s Day.
The Christmas Tree
Mary had a little lamb,
Her face displayed a glow
For there was a great big need,
The naked needed clothes
Mary had a gentle lamb,
Raised to take our blows
And everywhere the Father led,
The lamb was sure to go
Unto the shearer He was led,
Slaughtered on that tree
And on that lamb our sins were laid,
Crushed for you and me
Mary had a spotless lamb,
To show us how to go
And though they were as scarlet,
Our sins are white as snow
Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. – Genesis 22:8
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Tell me a story
Tell me a story
Please tell it soon
Give it some conflict
And a hero or two
Tell me a story
I must know the end
Of battles gone by,
and boys grown to men
Tell me a story
Tell it with grace
Make it so grand
And yet commonplace
Tell me a story
I just have to know
Tell it again
How did it go?
Tell me a story
Let it all out
Fill it with wonder
And fear and with doubt
Tell me a story
More beautiful than ever
Of princes and fairies
And ever and ever
Tell me a story
How will it end?
Happily ever after?
and after that how bout then?
Tell me my story
It’s getting so late
Just a small little glimpse
into the fate I await
Where do I fit?
What should I do?
My heart is so restless
I’m counting on you
Show me your glory
Make my heart glow
Show me some more
I just have to know
Show me your glory
My little heart screams
Give me some hope
and faith to believe
Show me your glory
and also your touch
Mine crosses with yours
We suffer so much
Show me your glory
Lift up my head
My hands they are buried
To my weeping I’m wed
Tell me a story
Of ages long ago
Tell it again
How did it go?
Comfort me now,
Tell me you’re near
Because you are with me,
I will not fear.
Eternity
Do you often ask a question,
you don’t know the answer to?
Like why the grass is green
or why the sky is blue?
Do the answers ever satisfy
your curiosity?
Have you studied little flowers
and marveled at what you’ve seen?
Is there something you’re reaching for,
something you desire?
Do you want to slay the dragons,
with your little heart on fire?
Do you gaze upon the clouds
and slip outside of time?
But fear you don’t amount to much,
like a nickel with the dimes?
Do you know that something is missing?
Does it ever make you sad?
Do your dreams keep you up at night
because you want it so bad?
Do you have an ache within
that the cookie jar can’t undo?
Does your heart hold a fairy tale,
you fear will never come true?
Well I don’t have all the answers,
but I know a thing or two
The something that you’re searching for
is calling out to you
The deep things call to deep,
this hunger isn’t for food
The questions point to answers,
your heart is being wooed
Someone is in the details,
He has been there all along
He is strong when you are weak
and gives a brand new song
His invisible qualities are seen,
you can hear without a sound
He can fill your heart with greater joy
than when new wine abounds
I don’t know how deep the ocean goes
or when time got its start
But I know that you wonder
because eternity was set in your heart
Well I don’t have all the answers,
but there’s one thing I must tell you
Forever does exist
where wildest dreams come true
A limerick for my friend…
There once was a girl named Hackett
Who was in love with her brand new jacket
Until she went for a run
And got so warm by the sun
She couldn’t stop thinking about her tennis racquet
Tomorrow
I’m no magician,
but I have some tricks
Trying to make up
for all that I missed
The illusion is fading,
it’s clearer each day
As the clouds fog up
my vision today
Was it something I did,
was it things that I say?
I went for a drive,
and drove you away
Was I trying to make up
for something I lack?
Is it too late to get
the train back on track?
The match had a spark,
but could never ignite
How did it get so cold;
what blew out the light?
The model was perfect;
the construction was sound
But when the time came for launch,
it stayed the ground
A reason for everything…
A master plan
A season for everything…
I’m not such a fan
Why is winter
so much longer than spring?
Exactly what good
does this really bring?
And if God is so close,
why is he so far away?
Was it something I did?
Was it things that I say?
Did he decide
or was it a matter of fate
That when I asked for a fish,
I ended up with a snake?
Why does he reject me
and not answer my prayer?
Is it because he hates me
or that he just doesn’t care?
What is it about me
He despises so much?
Does he enjoy picking fights
with those he can crush?
So put up your dukes
and let’s have it out
I’ll kick and scream
and bite and shout
I’ll punch and flail
Call you every word I know
I know I won’t win,
but I’ll give you a show…
But maybe it hurts Him
when I call Him names
The humble servant
who gave up His fame
The accusations aren’t lost,
they’re heard from above
They were heard from the cross,
as He poured out his love
I wonder what hurt more,
the nails or our doubt
When abandoned and rejected
From the cross He cried out
We were the ones
who ate from the tree
It’s our disobedience
that brought this misery
Why do I blame Him
when I only see in part?
I haven’t seen the end
or even the start
Where was I
when the foundations were laid?
What did I hear
when the morning stars sang?
So I’ll walk by faith
when I cannot see
I’ll entrust myself to the One
my sin crushed on that tree
When my sight gets blurry
and I don’t know the way
Give me a clear vision of tomorrow
to help me through today.
A poem for my niece
A beautiful night on an autumn eve,
Your heart is full of make believe
But you can’t touch the sky…
There’s a new girl in my life,
Five months old with big little eyes
I don’t live near
But we’ll always be close
And I’m going to see her soon
A smile wide from a mouth real small,
I know your father is standing so tall
He’s finally taller than me
That smile is real, she is too young to fake
So are those tears that keep you awake
A piercing cry rings a bell inside of you
They grow up big and they grow up fast,
But a piece of that child will always last
Trying to figure out what is going on
Looking for a firm place to stand
I can’t put my finger on it
It reaches deep
You have to look
You have to seek
Credit spreads, the discount rate,
Volatility, my tummy aches
Gotta study, gotta learn
This thing will make you crash and burn
It’s never easy, it’s so much work
Just like anything with any real worth
I’m limping through this race…
And crawling to you.
But our God will not slumber
He will not sleep
He helps in trouble
He helps in need
He holds us close
He holds us tight
Though the night is so long
We won’t quit the fight
He knows our pain
He makes us glad
The sorrow is temporary,
It’s the glory that lasts.
Until that day,
When our tears are all dry
When you’ll lift up our heads
As our redemption draws nigh
Until that day,
When we are all done
When our battles are over
And our race has been run
We’ll trust in your goodness
And grow in your grace
We’ll give you our all
You inhabit our praise
And whether we do well
Or fall on our face
We’ll give you the glory
Or trust in your grace
And though we are but dust
You’ve called us by name
You are the Shepherd
In your care we remain
And we’re so dependant on you.
Yeah, we’re so dependant on you…
Help her walk in the truth
And reject all the lies
Give her the faith
She already has your eyes
And when her strength is all gone
And she can’t hold on anymore
Let her fall in your arms
And carry her home
And as she get older
One thing never dies
She will always be
A precious child in your eyes
