The other day, I went to the library With no intention to become contrary And picked up a famed anthology Of poetry to see what it might teach me
I'm sorry to say that it seems perverse When someone writes poetry in blank verse It seems to be a matter of being lazy Write an essay and put things grammatically
It is not that I doubt the poet's capability But when you dig into its functionality Blank verse is somewhat of a misstated wonder As it is supposed to create specific grandeur
Yet what is the grandeur in writing incomplete Stating half-stated thoughts until they're replete Poetry should have a rhythm and a sense of rhyme Otherwise, why would you bother to spend the time
To put down words that could be said to be a test As we weave our way through the meanings as if the best Put thoughts in ways that serve mostly to somehow confuse Likes spatters of word patterns that truly ill abuse
The hearts of the romantic and the world's truest souls It's as if rewarding the half efforts of passing trolls To say that blank verse is anything but essays incomplete But to say this again would be more than replete
I understand this to be a dramatic monologue as a reflection But I guess it escapes my untrained methods of detection Why this isn't better said in some other sorts of ways Then half thoughts lacking emphasis and wasting our days
(c) May 24, 2023 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
“No experiment can be more interesting than that we are now trying, and which we trust will end in establishing the fact, that man may be governed by reason and truth. Our first object should therefore be, to leave open to him all the avenues to truth. The most effectual hitherto found, is the freedom of the press. It is, therefore, the first shut up by those who fear the investigation of their actions.” – Thomas Jefferson, Letter to John Tyler, 1804
Above the earth, Heaven reigns None of our efforts are in vain God is with us in all our days Present for us always, in all ways
We would be nowhere without His love Pouring down from the Heavens above We are pulled out of our graves By His power and will that saves
We'd be nowhere without His power It is felt in every minute in every hour His faithfulness, we can never forget And our choice for salvation, we do not regret
The chains of our sin are lifted into freedom As we thankfully serve the Father's kingdom In the spirit of eternal gratitude Our thankfulness is more than mere platitude
Our voices raise in our humble praise In this humility, we dedicate our days Our hearts crying in loving supplication As we devote our lives in loving adoration
(c) May 23, 2023 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
“Justice is the end of government. It is the end of civil society. It ever has been and ever will be pursued until it be obtained, or until liberty be lost in the pursuit.” – James Madison, Federalist No. 51, 1788
“Cheap and abundant energy is fundamental to a thriving economy. And, clearly, it’s one of the reasons why the Trump economy roared and the Biden economy is once again flirting with recession.” – Douglas Andrews
Healthy families serve as the best foundation Bringing blessings to others and our nation It is not to put the horse before the carriage To say that we should focus on the ways of marriage
We need to put aside thoughts of ball and chain The master plot knows that good love is never in vain We need to be more present in our assessment Finding the good and not being stuck in resentment
Genesis, Chapter 1, a wedding is made to be ready For a husband and wife to learn to love steady After a theme of God's purposeful separation Was made to join this husband and wife in preparation
God stood back, affirming that, after all, this is good In understanding a man needs his helper, it's understood We are not islands meant to travel this world alone We to be together; we are not made from dust, not stone
God's plan is for humanity to be fruitful and multiply Two are better than one, and live in love in faithful reply To God's commandment to love Him and lead the righteous life A good man is to love in full partnership with his wife
In our best interests, we know that all from God is good We should pay attention to this as we truly know we should Scripture speaks to marriage as the best practice supplied The world's history has proven this successfully applied
Marriage is a wonder that our holy God has designed As such, it is also to be by our God, rightly defined Lived in reverence for Christ and in submission to one another Always looking out toward the needs of each other
The race is to find the back of our love's line Thinking of the other, and not only of what is mine To love one another as ourselves is our finest role This commitment, then, is our holiest of life's goals
The world may shift, but God's standards are high It isn't a matter of simply, nimbly slipping by There is nothing more healing than living by the gospel That provides a model of marriage that truly compels
Radical service is coupled with radical sacrifice This is what it takes in covenant and to suffice In making marriage not a matter of crude consumption But take these vows seriously and without presumption
Men are not to forcefully put their worse foot down It's in laying our lives down that we earn love's crown For some women, contention grinds agains pride Picking the wrong person without potential and cannot hide
That these, then, are some of the tensions that are felt That must be looked at as a strong marriage is built For men, there is the pain of misplacement of priority Forgetting patience is needed to absorb and grow our legacy
The best spouses that we can be is to be the Christian in thee To never seek to compete but thrive in each other's possibility It's an infusion of love that must be shared in patiently While giving our full measure, always and intentionally
This side of Heaven, a righteous marriage is our mission Filled with true love, as an example, lived by permission To live godly with joy and the purest of our motivations That can and do provide our children with divine inspiration
Every marriage is filled with mistakes, covered by grace Each of these, we must take turn and lovingly embrace Adjustments will be needed and shared along life's way And our sincerity and focus through God's plan will win the day
(c) May 21, 2023 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
Heading out of Australia to escape this Aussie winter. First stop Japan, then UK/Ireland and if work doesn't call me back, onto Chicago. I will make it up as I go along
