Susan Noyes Anderson » Holiday Poetry

Sing Sweet the Song

admin — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:52:25 +0000

photo by ParkeHarrison

Humble yourself as a little child

and crawl into the nest.

With barren head and unshod feet

draw peace into your breast.

Come reverently, and shed your burden

like a pair of shoes.

Leave sin and sorrow to the One

who nurtures and renews.

Bow deeply, then arise on wings

of grace and glory born.

Remember Him. Sing sweet the song

of Resurrection Morn.

Appreciating Autumn

admin — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:16:01 +0000

Autumn is a feeling,

and it takes you for a ride.

It puts you in the driver's seat

and welcomes you inside.

Fall paints as many colors as

a rainbow, bright and bold,

and teaches you to find what's true

in orange, red, and gold.

It shows you what you're made of,

and the harvesting feels good.

Hard work is never wasted

when you've done the best you could.

To reap a great reward brings joy

and deep reflection, too.

The heart remembers all is well,

and love belongs to you.

As seasons come and seasons go,

every end is new.

photos by tendershootz

Be Mine. Pretty Peas?!

admin — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 18:05:00 +0000

You'll always be the one for me;

we're two peas in a pod.

So plump, so round…You're all I see.

My soft, green heart is awed.

You've really got me in the soup

(I hope it's not split pea.)

'Cause I could never split from you.

I'm your sweet chickpea, see?

For you, I'd leave the stalk behind.

Pick me! You peel my skin.

You photosynthesize my mind.

Lock, stalk and leaf, I'm in.

Even your chlorophyll is hot!

(No one does green like you.)

You're in my every squishy thought…

my pea-brained dream come true.

You Rock Me Solid

admin — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:35:54 +0000

Not only do you rock, you are one––

That’s the honest truth.

I oughta know; you’ve had my back

since we were in our youth.

You’ve stood by me through thick and thin…

up, down, and sideways, too.

I’ve never known a day alone

since I hooked up with you.

You hold me tight when late at night

my courage turns to fear.

You check on silly, scary sounds

that only I can hear.

You always seem to smooth the way

when my road gets too bumpy.

You love me for myself: the good and bad,

the glad and grumpy.

You’re solid and I know it, and

that knowledge sets me free

to know that I can trust your heart

with every part of me.

Not only do you rock, you are one––

firm as any boulder.

And yet, the softest spot in all my world

is on your shoulder.

Resolution, Schmezolution

admin — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 07:01:10 +0000

Resolution! Schmezolution!

This year, I’m resolved

to make no resolutions

because failure is involved.

No plans, no goals, no promises.

No journal, chart, or list.

No calendar that goes unstarred

for every day I’ve missed.

No weekly ruminations over

changes not achieved.

No self-defeating burials

of good intentions grieved.

No self-recrimination or

disparagement at all.

No personal experience

of how the mighty fall.

No feeling like a loser as

the year rolls to an end.

No starting fresh on New Year’s Day

and trying to pretend.

‘Cause this time WON’T be different.

Join my cause and face the facts.

The Resolution Revolution:

"Just give goals the axe."

Christmas Past: The Afterglow

admin — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:46:31 +0000

One melancholy sight to see:

a brittle, barren Christmas tree.

The lights that twinkled are no more,

pine needles lie upon the floor,

the beads and balls have all come down,

and every branch droops to a frown.

Removed, it leaves an empty space,

but hope steps in and holds a place…

a lingering whiff of forest air,

a memory for all to share,

a sense of loved ones gathered there.

Grateful, We Gather: A Prayer of Thanksgiving

admin — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:36:37 +0000

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing,

for richly He's blessed us, in years now gone by.

The warmth of our hearth and the love of our family

are more than good fortune; they're gifts from on high.

Beside us to guide us, His hand reaches o'er us…

protecting, directing…our good He secures.

No matter the storm or the tempest that threatens.

in Him are we anchored, and safety endures.

With love do we praise Him and ever extol Him,

our Rock and our Anchor in days that are past.

We trust Him today, and we'll trust Him forever,

until at His feet, we are gathered at last.

first picture is by Norman Rockwell

last two pictures are by Greg Olsen

Words Fail Me

admin — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 15:28:10 +0000

Words Fail Me

You are my sunshine in the morning

and my northern star at night.

You’re the clouds that give me warning

when the storm is out of sight.

You are water when my well runs dry,

a breath of clean, fresh air.

You’re the castle in my star-crossed sky,

a blessing and a prayer.

If an ill wind blows my boat too far,

I set my sails for you.

In the dawn of each new day, you are

the sweet, distilling dew.

Every load I bear is lighter

as you lend your strength to mine.

Every song I sing is brighter

when our voices intertwine.

Your music lifts me, fills me up.

My heart stands all amazed.

I honor you; I raise my cup;

I drink you in, quite dazed.

You are my one and only love,

Prince Charming plus; it’s true…

The King of All Clichés, because

I can’t find words for you.

You are my sunshine in the morning

and my northern star at night.

You’re the clouds that give me warning

when the storm is out of sight.

You are water when my well runs dry,

a breath of clean, fresh air.

You’re the castle in my star-crossed sky,

a blessing and a prayer.

If an ill wind blows my boat too far,

I set my sails for you.

In the dawn of each new day, you are

the sweet, distilling dew.

Every load I bear is lighter

as you lend your strength to mine.

Every song I sing is brighter

when our voices intertwine.

Your music lifts me, fills me up.

My heart stands all amazed.

I honor you; I raise my cup;

I drink you in, quite dazed.

You are my one and only love,

Prince Charming plus; it’s true…

The King of All Clichés, because

I can’t find words for you.

The Leavening Gift of Atonement

admin — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 05:32:55 +0000

Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

-Isaiah 49:16

The gift is blood and sacrifice

to free us all from sin.

The prize is God’s own kingdom,

ours to shun or enter in.

The path is treacherous and long,

for trails of sin are crossed.

The change of heart is mighty, and

it comes at no small cost.

The Bread of Life is ours to taste;

no soul is forced to heaven,

but he who feasts upon such Bread

will rise up as new leaven:

Forgiven and forgiving,

seventy times seven.

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-11).

“Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7).

“We ought to do better; we ought to become as leaven; we ought to become as a light from which goodness and truth and beauty and virtue may spread across the world” (Gordon B. Hinckley).

Taking the Pledge

admin — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:33:42 +0000

Every day, we pledge the flag.

I say the words real loud.

I stand up straight and tall because

it makes me feel so proud.

My daddy is a soldier, and

the flag makes him proud, too.

He fights for what it stands for.

It stands for me and you.