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SEASONS POEMS
(Seasons in Life and in Nature)
TEXT-ONLY


Seasons Poems  compilation and format copyright(c) 2006 by Marilee
Miller.  Poems individually copyrighted previously.

  You may make one copy for personal use. Permission granted to share
with 4 or 5 friends. This full notice must appear with the collection
or with individual poems.  No mass-distribution, no commercial or for-
profit use. For permission to post "Seasons" Poems on your web page or
blog, e-mail:  marilee@wordforlife.com.




~~~~~VARIETY

   The reason
   For the changing seasons
   Is that we need variety,
   Not everything staying
   the same.

   If there were always sunshine
   We'd take it for granted!
   (Besides, how could the
   flowers and grass
   find strength to grow?)
   And if the rain slanted
   All year, we'd complain;
   While floods' notoriety
   Would be anything but tame!

   Experiencing different seasons
   Gives us a reason
   To rejoice and be glad,
   and to grow.
            (c) 2003 by Marilee Miller




2.  WEATHER-ORCHESTRA

The rain sounds like big tympani drums
  Beat-beating on the steamed glass.
Thum thum, roll roll, goes drummer hail,
  Rhythm bouncing high in the grass.
The wind in the trees is a clarinet
  In jazzy melody-burst;
The thunder is as cymbals bold
  In orchestra, tuning up first.

God thinks up a little weather-shout --
And obliging Nature plays it all out!
(c) 1981 by Marilee Miller




3.  A REASON FOR RAIN?

It's September-month,
    But a downpour of rain
  Is falling steadily,
       As if the season
Had come around to February;
    And my window pane
  Is wet and steamed.
        I cannot see the reason
For all this drip-drop,
  Continuing splashy rain!
But when the sun finally smiles,
  And the world is aglow again,
The flowers will bloom,
      To home the bees on.
Now, what can a person do--
  When there must be rain?

Some things to do indoors when it rains:  #1.  Draw pictures
in the steam on the window glass.  #2.  Hold a "raindrop
race."  Guess which drop will first run down to the bottom
of the glass.  #3.  Place a plant outside your window; watch
all the "bright rain jewels" forming on the leaves.  #4.  Then
bring plant indoors; look at droplets through magnifying
glass.  #5.  Study the way the rain falls on a porch or
sidewalk, on cars or non-absorbent surfaces.  #6.  Think of
all the reasons why rain is needed (to give drinking water, to
make lakes for fishing and fun, etc.)
(c) 1981 by Marilee Miller




4.  STORM-JEWELS

Raindrops on the locust leaves
Are reminders of God's beauty,
A row of bright jewels.

Raindrops on the locust leaves
Tell of laughter in spite of rain;
For it is through the hardest storm
That there comes a shine to leaves,
And little droplets of crystal beads
Glint where water stands to form
Shimmering, lovely jewels.

Rain comes also to my life;
But, when the blowing storm
Has washed me clean,
Then let me lean
On God's promises.  May I be
One of his shiny, glorious jewels;
Let me shine for Jesus,
Like water crystals on the leaves
During the downpour of rain.
(c) 1981 by Marilee Miller




5.  WHY DO RAINDROPS TAKE DIFFERENT SHAPES?

Watch the raindrops fall
  On different kinds of leaves,
Plants tiny or tall --
    Why do bright wonder-droplets
  On rhododendron leaves just ooze,
     Making the leaves seem to choose
       To be "clean", but not "dripped on"?
(The surface is slick,
  And somehow the raindrops
Can't find a way to stick!)
    But then, rainwater slipping
  Onto locust leaves makes jewels,
     Bolder, clearer than crewels
       Embroidered to entertain someone!
(The leaves are all a'cover
  With tiny "hairs" which make
The raindrops stand up and hover.)
    Nasturtiums' broad flat green
         Shine with beadlets of silvery sheen,
            Each roundy leaf holds cup of water's dawn.
(In center funnel, a depression,
    Or midst veins or "dammed up valleys"
Rain finds its own expression!)

No need to explore the science of "explaining"
  The "why's" of raindrops -- who's complaining?
      Raindrops are such beautiful jewels,
        As well as offering lessons -- "learning tools"!
(c) 2006 by Marilee Miller (revised version)




6. RAIN-CRYSTALS

Bright rain falls; it ambles,
Dotting teasel-weeds and brambles
That crowd the fencerows' ditches.
And all the roses on their rambles
Receive, with no hint of pain,
The gentle kiss of soft sweet rain.
Crystals bead on blossoms tender,
Or hang from branches brown and slender.
Raindrops shine from roadside's pitches.

See the wonder of quiet rain,
Descending straight from heaven;
Let these moist droplets in a chain
Make a sign like blessings given.
Oh, yes!  All the dear, bright
Crystal jewels do shine;
God has given glory-light
Where weeds and roses intertwine.
(c) 2006 by Marilee Miller (revised version)




7.  WHEN FROST SHINES ON VINE MAPLE

 Trailing strands of vine maple
  Wind all 'round the tall pine tree;
    In the late fall of the year
      The little sprays of leaves
         Look as bright as liquid fire.
 Yes, when frost kisses the vines,
  There is red-orange-gold to see.
    Did God make vine maple
      Because he loved beauty so --
        Or just to please me?
(c) 1981 by Marilee Miller




8.  COLD THE WEATHER

Cold the weather may be, outdoors,
But within me,
My Lord still draws near.
Humbly, I seek to sit at his feet
To know of him the more.
Cold January, your cyclone strength
Shall be banished without;
For my home welcomes cheer!
The presence of Holy God,
I choose to plead to come in here!
(c) 1981 by Marilee Miller




9.  OUT OF SEASON EXUBERANCE

Two tiny shy wood-violet blooms
Burst forth like bright, gladdening giggles,
Peeping amidst the tangle of hail-strewn clover
In a neighbor's straggly winter lawn.

It's late January so the lavender streaks of joy
Offer a rare, "out of season" mark of hope:
Yes, spring is surely, someday, on the way.

May the "out of season" places in my gloomy thoughts
Receive this message of God's exuberance;
May I remember how he delights in opportunity.
Life shall burst richly out of cluttered gray mood,
    As he sends his well-spring into my weary day.
(c) 1981 by Marilee Miller




10.  PATTERNING

Winter snow blowing
    Softly,
    At liberty,
     Dreamily
Picks out delicate patterns
  Of grayed thistledown
               Falling feather-light;

I press my nose
    Happily,
     Awe-fully,
      Wonderingly
            Against the bitter glass.
Though I stand secure
  In morning room,
    Another "me" flies out of doors
        To fantasize beyond the pane.

Nature's patterning
    In snow sets free
    That new and younger "me";
    Fulfills joys known pre-puberty:
Smiling, bright experience
  Re-opens my youth's magic eye;
        Momentarily the vision chases
  All "adultness" out of me.
Snowflakes affect me
    With a pondering mood
        For thought-flickerings of delight.

I would float out in the gray;
    Going ever on and on
    Hither and yon,
    Soft as thistledown,
Like the angel-puff wings
          Of silent, drifting snow.
I want to be drawn
    To dreams gone,
    Understanding to spawn,
Till the graying sky
  Is all a part of me.
     And I see!
     (And feel the flow
       Of snow's
            Fantasy grace
  Tugging at my mind's shield
     Of vulnerability.)

Yet, too grown up am I.
Reality intrudes:
    For winter chill
     Has no lasting thrill;
     Alas, cold's knell
O'ertakes the blesy wonder
  Of waking to discover
        Morn's hush holiness.
And my adult dislike
  Of this cold spell
   Leads me (as it will!),
   Whisper-still,
To scuttle off to take advantage
         Of my warm bed-ability.

Watching from within the glass
     Brings no answer's faun
     Of reverencing a new dawn --
     But only one chilly yawn.
Brave new world of patterning
(Middle age!) destroys my will,
            The keeping still
            Inside thought's spell
Is lost as coldness
    Pushes romance
       Into chilled inevitability.

I turn, going back to cover --.
    There's no upswinging
     Of philosophy bringing
        Comfort, nor singing
Of catch-worthy mental mot.
I felt that creeping from bed
  To watch sweet snow falling
    Would be engulfment in the wave
       Of heaven's shore;
New birth, new gift, new sight.
Yet crawling back abed
  On winter morn is grown up's
      Most conscious luxury.
Change of plan, lessened resolve:
  Is that how my life
        Henceforth is to be?
Sad, but when body feels winter,
    Cold, there's only so much
            Mind-managability.

Child-within-adult viewing new winter snow,
Peculiar show!
  Though my vision yearns for winterdown,
     I'm content to settle down.  
      Warm blankets are the patterning
          Of best-believability.

Insistently-falling snow:
    Chance-glimpsed for a second's sight;
      Now safe and warm, I may delight
    In remembrance of flakes' fancy flight.
(An adult view of "liveability".)
(c) 1981 by Marilee Miller




11.  THE SEASONS OF YOUR LIFE

I pray the seasons of your life
            Will be rich!
(If not in things of the material,
             Then in things spiritual.)

I pray your hopes and dreams of heart
All come true: and blessings
Added shall be refreshing art.

I pray the seasons of your life
Bring peace into the household.
And that "good will towards men" reaches all
Who pass across your threshhold.

I pray your hopes, the secrets of your heart
             May be fulfilled --
And that each day shall truly bring new start.

I pray peace and blessings on your life,
And a gentle spirit, free from strife.

When we are kept in Jesus,
What blessings we do know,
What joys we share,
        The little things,
Such as --"He loves us so".
(c) 1981 by Marilee Miller




12.  REASONS TO BE THANKFUL

I'm thankful for my waiting bed,
         when it's time to rest;
I'm grateful to my loving God
         for knowing what is best.

I'm glad for rain, and sunshine too,
            and changing of the season;
I rejoice that God gives me the power
            to think and sense and reason.

I'm thankful for my daily food--
            but I am happiest
In the hope that God is near;
            his love is true and blest!
(c) 1896 by Marilee Miller


                
Seasons Poems  compilation and format copyright(c) 2006 by Marilee
Miller.  Poems individually copyrighted previously.

  You may make one copy for personal use. Permission granted to share with 4 or 5 friends. This full notice
must appear with the collection or with individual poems.  No mass-distribution, no commercial or for-
profit use. For permission to post "Seasons" Poems on your web page or blog, e-mail:  
marilee@wordforlife.com.



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