"But there can be peace,"
spoke the second, gently firm.
"It's a gift from God."

"Yes, I know you've lost,"
softly came the next reply.
"We have both lost much."

"How can you say that?"
screamed the first, tears loud, raging.
"You know what I've lost!"

"Prayer saved my life,"

said the second. "Cause God is real."

"He deeply loves you."

"Pray? What does that do?"
asked the first, irritated.
"What's praise ever done?"

"He saved your life. Twice."
replied the second, simply.
"And I'm here to pray."

"What do you mean, 'still',"
asked the first, with eyes glaring.
"What's He ever done?"

"He's always with you,"
said the second, "and has been."
"He's why you're still here."

"That explains your peace,"
said the first, standing, arms crossed.
"So, where is your God?"

"God's love gives meaning,"
said the second. "He gives hope."
"He's why I'm content."

"Life isn't fair, " said
the first, "Nothing seems to last."
"Why does it matter?"

Each new event wrote.
Lines and age appeared on face.
One friend's eyes were soft.

God carried them both
One saw joy, called it pain, loss
One saw through faith's eyes

Trials tore the two
Each chose their own distinct path
Neither saw success

Two youths met as friends
With depth and loss they bonded
Only one chose God

In six days, God spoke:
universe's existence;
His true love for you

They say journeys start
with the first step; I say they
never really end

Two forest roads meet?
Each seems a good, solid choice?
Pick the one with God.

Exchanging God's love
for solace, guidance, idols
we always lose all

just as many days
can we sing about complaints
as we can 'bout God

'twas roaring lion
meeting Lamb in the desert
and He never quit.

he's born, he cries, laughs
he crawls, stands, walks, jumps, and runs
he's wed, I cry, laugh

precious innocence
oft seems a useless trinket
'til the gem is lost

there are dreams of life
written in large, bold letters
across sands of time

one of the simplest
complexities in marriage:
choosing not to talk

no thought is simpler
than taking love for granted
... so hard to rebuild

hearts not big enough
to love the entire world
are charged to love One

If the future was
written in marble, static:
Would we be less free?

polysyllabic
vocabularies often
craft tortured haikus

How much of what you
see in yourself and your kids
is only wished for?

we count days, moments,
each by memories or loss:
does it add value?

just because you sing
doesn't mean you don't feel pain:
it can bring flowers

some syllables count
much faster and brighter than
our ticks on a clock

Finding value is
discovering strawberries
a hint of wisdom

It only takes one
fighting and choosing to sing
to change all the world

there are so many
reasons to dance out loudly
songs unsung to sing

Obviously she's
the reminder of a flaw
shown under the light

Hands building castles
can often ignore their faults
until they're buried

gentle reminder
God is in control, not us
votes mirror our sin

that you may seek hope
at the cost of your pride and
finding it with grace

it seems like the hours
heard as some forgotten songs
hide within the heart

One Algorithm
Coded into use at night
won't save the planet

democratic donks
republican elephants
libertary what?