Poems of Spirit and Earth
Part Four
Joan Ann Lansberry
HOPE
Is it the doorway to dreams,
7-30-97
If the last meal I ever eat is mashed potatoes,
What makes the soil rich?
Out of these base beginnings,
JAL,12-29-97
Ten years later,
Now, a rectangular patch of heaven
This soul flies just fine.
I will count myself to live again.
What I have enjoyed will not end
What I have enjoyed will not end.
beyond the beautiful sadness?
You wear your tears like jewels.A GENTLE KNOCKING
Oh, the terrors at the door,
How they howl.
Chill the icy winds.
But listen for a gentle knocking.
Reach out to
Thin Faith
And invite her in,
Tiny and fragile though she may be.
Feed her,
She will grow.
Faith rewards the gracious host. 3-16-98
POTATOES
Mashed potatoes so light and fluffy like clouds. . . . . .
You know the sky is solid blue, . . . . from horizon to
stretch - your - neck - backwards horizon.
For the floaty,
white clouds are all in those potatoes. . . . . Yes,
POTATOES!
I won't mind.
Of course, if they come with some pizza,
I won't mind that either.
It could be thin-crust pizza,
don't need no thick crust.
Not with all those fluffy,
melt in your mouth mashed potatoes.
The soft blobs of earthy heaven,
seasoned with milk and butter,
almost float down to your stomach.
They warm you,
for you can feel the sun in them,
which blessed them when they were growing.
They came out of plain dirt,
plain, but not poor.
The humblest of things. . .
shit.
Yes,
THAT'S what makes the soil fertile.
comes
this simple joy.Time Travels of the Tub
I, a wee three year old,
and a wingless cherub
stares back at me as I am bathed,
standing in the bathroom sink.
wallpaper of clouds
as I float.
holds my gaze
as I ponder inner angel.
I realize
I don't need visible wings. 10-4-97
If when I draw my last breath,
nevermore to fill my lungs deep,
If my eyelids close,
ne'er to wake from sleep,
And no new life await,
no new form for soul in which to spread,
If when I die, I am forever dead,
I shall not sorrow now.
What I have enjoyed will not end
Whenever a dreamer dreams a dream,
heart full of fire,
and knows the cleansing desire
What I have enjoyed will not end
Whenever someone loves boldly and loves well
in love to rejoice,
giving it full voice
What I have enjoyed will not end
Whenever someone dares past fear,
a goal to win,
knows that pride within.
Whenever someone lifts their heart to hope,
to say 'just maybe it can be,'
to allow for faith, however wee
What I have enjoyed will not end
Whenever someone does or knows or feels
these things so real
What I have enjoyed will not end,8-15-96
Poems of Spirit and Earth, Part Five