By Ron Cook
A SPECIAL REVISIT FROM OUR DEAR FRIEND, RON COOK …
I like to sit on porches…here are four porch-poems from four different states. See if you can guess them correctly…:-)
The Beautiful
July 4, 2019
While sitting still upon a porch,
Facing mountains grand,
I viewed the dusk in Manitou,
As 4th would make its end.
The sun has dropped behind the peaks,
Raw outline has become,
Yet dimly off into the West,
Pike’s dome reflects the sun.
A century passed when wrote the words,
Upon that lofty view,
“America the beautiful,
From sea to shining sea.”
And as the dusk turns into night,
Life’s ceaseless turn it shakes,
I cannot help but feel the beat,
A grateful heart doth make.
For words do not a sunset make,
Or raise a mountain high,
And not a man can ever say,
A star he put the sky.
And now the lights of city small,
Begin to flicker bright,
Replacing sun that God hath made,
A feeble curse to night.
I cannot grasp or tend to know,
Why we are planted here,
Perhaps the gift must be returned,
Each moment lived so dear.
For we were sent a messenger,
Who clearly spoke the truth,
He told us that our purpose here,
Was merely just to love.
He said we love Our Father first,
Who sent his only Son,
And then He said our brethren too,
We must give all our love.
But more than this He said that we,
Must daily take our cross,
Leave everything behind us then,
And walk where He has walked.
Perhaps the beauty we do see,
Is but a gift that we,
Can give returned to Man and Earth,
From sea to shining sea…
Big Sky
“Where the skies are not cloudy all day…”
In Texas sky on cloudless nights,
All lights are now subdued,
Coyotes bay from fences near,
As rise now pale moon.
The view so vast from porch I peered,
It stretched from side to side,
It touched the Earth I could have sworn,
Where land and sky collide.
As moments passed the darkness grew,
And pinpoints pricked the sky,
The coming dark enhanced the show,
And stars glowed ever bright.
The day would bring unyielding heat,
And light intense and raw,
Yet on my porch this evening view,
Was cool and filled with awe…
The dark and stars bring peace to me,
Deep questions fill my mind,
Why am I here, how big is “there,”
How shallow is my pride?
And so I take a comfort now,
Creation takes a rest,
Enjoying God’s apparent sleep,
Prepare tomorrow’s test.
I hear a Texas cowboy,
Drift doggies off to sleep,
He sings a sad and soulful tune,
That he and cattle need.
As shooting stars rush quickly,
Past planets stars and sky,
I say a prayer and thank the Lord,
For Lone Star lullabies…
The Cane in the Rain
Tho sunny days are pleasant,
And cloudy days are fine,
I prefer the rainy ones,
While sitting by the Cane.
And in the rainy season,
Which often it’s all year,
The gentle tapping on the roof,
Is what makes Lousi dear.
The covered porch a patio,
Where near the rain I sit,
And watch the birds and fishes eat,
Both worms, and flies, and bits.
It is a dreamy potion,
No other deeds to do,
Enjoying time and raindrop rhyme,
While kicking off my shoes.
The cajuns and the creoles know,
This gentle easy day,
They slow the pace and let time go,
The sweet Big Easy Way.
Porch Lanai
No winter kills the bugs here,
The geicos rule the walk,
So screens are built around the porch,
Where we can sit and talk.
They call the screen Lanai here,
Hawaiian for a porch,
It keeps out bugs and pesky mold,
But still the sun will scorch.
Outside it is a jungle,
With colors, trees, and pools,
It seems as though Jurassic Park,
Has moved in next to you.
In morn and eve its coolish,
But daytime heats a must,
It’s great for swims and tennis,
And folks that you can trust.
I watched the midday swimmers,
Hind glass enclosed air,
I’ll stick to early tennis,
And skip the noonday glare.
The first is Manitou Springs, Colorado. The second is Hawley, Texas. The third is Natchez, Louisiana. And the fourth is Venice, Florida. How did you do? Let’s go sit on the front or back porch!!
