Rhonda Bronte Brown is a National Board-Certified Teacher and retired teacher/counselor whose work has appeared in Better Than Starbucks, The Trouvaille Review, Meat for Tea, The Orchards Poetry Journal and The Best Haiku 2025 international anthology and several online journals. She holds both a BS and a Master’s degree and writes children’s literature and poetry exploring nature, SEL, and STEM.
life's brief moments
full of beauty and splendor
raining
pink petals
we mourn
In memory of Robb Elementary school in Uvalde, Texas
tears of sadness flow
our hearts hurt
for the families, friends, and the community.
A Pastoral Cacophony (WIP)
Morning's first blush slips
through the mizzling mist,
dawn's chorus begins.
Antiphonal tweets
robins, warblers, blackbirds sing
dayspring's symphony.
The woodland world wakes.
Senryu is about human nature
Breathe the sunlit air,
uproot weeds watered by tears,
stir the soul, start new.
Rewritten as a Tanka- 31 syllables
Tears flow
deep within
watering roots of despair,
breathe the sunlit air-
uproot weeds
nurtured by tears,
stir the soul
to start anew.
Mountains of precipitous words echo constant reverberation.
Reach into the world of words to find perspicacity.
cool zephyr breeze
flows over tender grasses
goose pimples giggle.
hurricane prelude
whirlybirds in the wind
bliss ignorance
https://thehaikufoundation.org/per-diem-haiku-of-the-day-for-may-2022-early-childhood/#comment-141484
Photo by RL Brown, Gulfport, MS
Deep within my roots,
generational stories
intertwine.
Bifurcating branches
twist and wind upward,
etching life's wrinkles.
Her umbrella twirls
spreading crystalized sprinkles
everywhere #haikuseed (salt)
Every once in a while,
inspiration hits, and a desire
is lit to convey a message
deep within one's soul.
Every once in a while,
misery accompanies loss;
difficulties attack and strike deep.
Then heartache mellows the soul.
Every once in a while,
we understand that truth divides,
despair is a deep hole of nothingness,
and hopelessness engulfs the soul. hopelessness engulfs us/ whole..
Every once in a while,
love overwhelms and memories comfort.
Friends appear, and sadness disappears-
a face-to-face connects our souls.
Every once in a while,
we grasp hope's assurance,
the rallying cry of faith and
discern the doubled-tongue.
Every once in a while,
endurance is perfected,
wisdom is perceived, faith is steadied,
and peace settles within.
Every once in a while,
we flourish resting in God's hand,
our soul knows it very well.
For the flourish writers out there!
References
Romans 5
Hebrews 4
Proverbs 19
James 1
Psalms 37
I Peter 5
Revision
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. This is the first verse that came to mind with today’s prompt word and walking with hinds feet in high places. It takes a sure-footed goat and a love of heights to ascend the mountain. Have you ever been high up, looked down, and felt dizzy, then froze with fear?
Sometimes, I get ahead of myself and forget to look where I am going, and lost my way. Some fatherly advice I heard once if you are lost, sit down. God calls me in the morning to be with Him, then walk into the world.
You can find your inner strength when you are at rest. Watchman Nee’s book, Sit, Stand Walk explains the process perfectly. We rest in God’s Word, Stand on His promises, then walk in confidence and speak God’s Truth.
An Eagle I don’t want to be,
odd as that may seem,
and the reason is, you see,
that Dallas is America’s Team.
They have had rough times of late,
and the end zone is uncharted land,
but they were once and will be great,
and we can surely lend a hand.
An open tryout should be made
for a shot at glory,
and those of us who make the grade
will change the Cowboys’ story
from sitting back as also-rans
to being saved by their loyal fans.
His message rings true
of grace's gift freely given,
yet, honors free will.
Our eternal destination is our own to decide. The gift has been freely offered. We choose to accept or deny.
fmf April 7, 2023
The Troubadour's Song
Overcome by fear
despairing loss, hope gone
Peter denies Him,
Judas walks beside
the true Messiah, daily
impervious to truth,
ignorance succeeds,
Pharisees deny their Messiah,
Jerusalem cries,
overwhelmed by grief,
John couldn't contain his tears,
his Messiah dies,
dementia cries out,
darkness envelops the cross
death's grip shakes the earth,
heartbreaking loneliness,
despair descends to hell's depth,
where is my hope?
We walk every day beside
the true Messiah,
impervious to truth,
YET>
a single voice sings, illuminating darkness with salvation's song,
the morning light hums, the eternal wrapped in clay, has set Terra free.
His message rings true of grace's gift freely given, honoring free will.
The song of the church is the gospel story of God's eternal plan.
The harvest complete, the church caught up, Israel will once again have a hand in redeeming Man.
Hebrew 4:1 For the word of God is living and active, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Matthew 13: 18-32, Parable of the Sower, Tares among the Wheat and the Mustard Seed, denial and faith to overcome.
Denial or Acceptance come from the heart, here is an excerpt from:
https://crossref-it.info/articles/52/seed-sowing
Parable of the Sower/ and the Mustard Seed Parable Excerpt
"Jesus uses the idea of seed metaphorically in a parable to explain how different people receive the word of God. Christ, who sows the word of God in human hearts, scatters the seed, but some falls on stony ground or is choked by weeds. However, those who receive and understand the word of God are like the good soil which nurtures the seed (Matthew 13:3-9). In another parable he compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard-seed, which is ‘the smallest of all seeds' but which, as it grows, develops into a well-established tree (Matthew 13:31-32). (See also Big ideas: Parables.)
Jesus also used the image of a seed to explain how his death and resurrection (see Big ideas: Death and resurrection) would have a significant impact on the world, resulting in the redemption of humankind (see Big ideas: Redemption, salvation). He explained that, just as a seed would not grow unless it was buried, so he had to die and be buried before his word could be spread: ‘unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds' (John 12:24).
Sowing and judgement
The product of a seed is also used symbolically to stand for the natural consequences of one's actions, both positive as well as negative. Paul warned that ‘people reap what they sow. Those who sow to please their sinful nature … will reap destruction; those who sow to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life' (Galatians 6:8).
November 2022
Vol VII No IV
See final version on published work page
A Pastoral Cacophony
As morning's first blush slips through the mizzling mist, dawn's chorus begins. The woodland world wakes, nestlings fluff their feathers, squish together and listen to their twitter song.
Blackbirds sing a low mellow tone blending choral notes to a day-spring chant. Red-breasted robins' antiphonal tweets, twitters back and forth.
A cool zephyr breezes through the budding trees, and a hermit thrush adds a rhythmic woodwind harmony. Chee-pippety-chee-chee, Jenny wren joins in with a light peppy lilt, stepping up the beat.
Colorful warblers echo a descant as tiny rainbows shimmer in the twilight's dew. A Capella chorus in one voice, sings a spring aria.
Songbirds greet the morning with a pastoral cacophony.
"siiih "siiih" "chink chink chink. Suddenly, the tempo changes and the chorus fades. A mockingbird's catcall signals a tail twitching taunt, kitty in the weeds.
The aria ends with the soft adagio from a mourning dove. coo-ah coo-AH, Coo-OO-oo coo-coo-coo.
Morning's first blush slips through the mizzling mist, dawn's chorus begins.
Antiphonal tweets, robins, warblers, blackbirds sing day-spring's symphony.
The woodland world wakes, feathers fluffed, nestlings listen, to their someday song.
Blending choral notes, blackbirds add a mellow tone to twilight's day-song.
Chee-pippety-chee, chee-chee, Jenny wren joins in with a peppy lilt.
A rainbow shimmers in the morning dew, colorful warblers echo a descant.
An Acappella chorus singing a spring aria, songbirds unite.
“siiih, siiih" “chink chink chink," a sudden signature change, the sunrise song fades.
A blue jay's catcall signals a tail twitching taunt, kitty in the weeds.
The aria ends with the soft adagio from a mourning dove.
perch-coo, coo-COO-coo, coo-ah, coo-coo-coo,
Antiphon: alternate singing by two groups.
Adagio: A tempo having slow movement; restful at ease.
Lilt: a pleasant gentle swinging rhythm, a characteristic rising and falling in the tune.
kitty in the weeds bluejay's catcall a tail twitching taunt #HaikuSeed taunt
warblers' echo shimmering in the mist, morning descant
ending with a soft adagio of a mourning dove, coo-Coo-coo, coo-ah, coo-coo-coo
Explore Grace.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
A gift freely bestowed to all who accept.
Heavenly Destination
Gift of the Holy Spirit
Knowing our Heavenly Father (so much to say here)
Explore the path of rejection
1 Corinthians 2:14
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
2 Tim 4:3
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but having itching ears, they shall heap to themselves teachers in accordance with their own lusts.
Explore the only path for salvation
John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace
Acts 26:18
To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in
2 Corinthians 3:16
But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
Explore the fact that Hell is for real.
Jesus' favorite name for himself was the Son of Man because He, the eternal, infinite, chose to become finite for a little while.
People see God's grace every day in His creation. They are awed but they have a veil over their hearts.
This is what we see here on earth through a veil:
Life and Death
Light and Darkness
Love and Dementia
Now Imagine a place where there is no life, only death and eternal separation from God. Darkness fills the mind with no understanding of your existence or meaning and love is replaced with dementia.
Hell is very real and just like we see glimpses of heaven, we also see the horrors of hell.
Ignorance is bliss until it bites you in the butt. How can we let our friends, family, neighbors go to hell in ignorance?
Everyday God reveals His Glory, His Magnitude, His Wonder, so we are without excuse. It is true that pride and arrogance go before the fall; but it does not have to be our pride that keeps us from sharing the gospel.
NOW:
Let us pray and EXPLORE ways to expose deception wisely in love with one word, one thought, that turns the heart back to Jesus.
WE must speak the whole truth in love.
Explore ways to tell God's Truth to your friends/family who delude themselves.
Speak from love and wisdom with the Holy Spirit as your prompt.
This was not what I first was writing about. I was making a bucket list. My pastor as of late (I mean more so), has a real concern for the lost and those who are under strong deceptions.
Moons of MarchSky looks down on earth
with the dark eye of a new moon,
spring winks at the stars.
Seeds shed winter's shield
roots stretch in fertile dirt-
March howls for spring's warmth.
Loam stirs, breaking free-
muddling nightcrawlers rise
under the worm moon.
Foretoken of spring
Marsh marigolds in damp fields
Hoverflies delight
Terrestrial tides collide
rising high, but twice a year.
sun and moon poised.
A morrowless day
arriving on the equinox
perfectly balanced.
Sugar Moon shines down-
sweet maples release sap
as March winds breathe change.
Coffee (or tea) can mean something different to each person. For some people, it is the aroma that wakens the morning senses; for others, it is downing the first cup that kick starts the day. For others, coffee is the elixir necessary for clarity of vision. without it, the newspaper would be useless. With all its sensual clues, one still has to acclimate to coffee’s bitter taste. But once you find the right blend, coffee is your friend.
Morning coffee is a bit like life with all the sweet, savory, bitter, sour bits, and yet when blended with the perfect pairing, satisfying. (Coffee and a donut)
Time to tie that morning coffee with awakening to God. Life is full of flavor, emotion, sight, sound, and meaning. Walking with God in the light of His Word brings a perfect pairing to healing old wounds, finding a grateful attitude, a sense of worth, and blessings during trials. Bitterness, saucy tongues, doubt, and more will be a part of this life but God’s Word is the perfect pairing to counter life’s bitterness.
Spring sings, “Birds, sing your morning song. Praising Him to whom we belong. Wind, blow the seeds. Loam, provide their needs. Clouds water the flowers. It’s time for God’s showers.”
We sing the Singer’s gospel message, praising the one who saved us. Holy Spirit is our guide to plant the gospel message in another’s heart. God waters and causes the seed to grow. Spring calls us to sing His gospel message.
I moved my younger brother into a nursing home. He is my brother, but the burden was heavy. It made my heart sad. Yet, he had a remarkable recovery from the time he entered till I left.
The word the last week was easy. It was not easy to pack up his belongings, clean out his home, essentially his life, and store them. Yet, it reminded me not to put store in the things of this world.
We let temporal things measure the sum of our lives. Yet, the sum of how we live has an eternal value.
brontebrown2 
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