The first time I saw a dead body was in the woods. Uncle Rufus open coffin sat where the porch swing once hung. The rusted ceiling bolts reminded me of what once was. That old dingy porch framed a poignant image. Unintentionally, I took a mental snapshot. I stood and stared. Death barred the doorway entrance. The splattered sunlight melded with the shadows. The white wood planks faded into the background as if engulfed in sadness. The inner light was gone. Only a shell remained. Nature reclaims what it intends. Yet, life lives on where memories flow like a sweet bension between the falling rain--
quiescent tide, the porch-swing rhythmic pace- tealights fade --
First Encounters First Encounters
The first time I ever saw a dead body was in the woods. The open coffin sat where the porch swing once hung. The rusted ceiling bolts served as a reminder of what once was. The porch framed a poignant image. I took a mental snapshot unintentionally.
I stood and stared. Death barred the doorway entrance as the splattered sunlight melded into the shadows. The white wood planks faded into the background, engulfed in the past. The inner light was gone. Only the shell remained. Nature reclaims what it intends to, sending life's events to where memories flow.
As we headed southeast from Memphis, Tennessee that morning, I had no idea what a funeral entailed. The paved roads gave way to winding backroads layered with gravel and dust. Hours stretch as time slows its pace. You weren’t allowed to ask, “Are we there, yet?”
After a few wrong turns, my aunt remembered the landmark and turned toward our destination. Traveling the backroads of the Mississippi hill country was not meant for newcomers. Country folks have no need for road signs. They get by with a few landmarks and directions as the crow flies.
Great Uncle Rufus was my Papaw's brother. I noted the same pointy nose as mine. Milling about, I listened to whispered stories: sad, funny; yarns and tall tales. Still, people act odd in the presence of death standing on the doorstep. Some ignore the open coffin and pass through the doorway. Some, like me, keep their distance.
Cousins departed for the clearing. Blue sky peeked through the trees, and sunlight warmed our insides. Time giggled along with us as we told our stories. Death remained on the porch which was comforting for a nine-year-old.
From a mischievous twinkle to the shape of a nose to a familiar gait, the past is intertwined with the future. Lessons taught, lessons learned, favorite recipes, a hand--me--down quilt, family stories, and my family nose. Everyday routines are instilled and handed down to the next generation.
faded white wood planks engulfed in quamoclit, a reclaimed quiescent
Slowly evanescing time spins memories of you
mental snapshot framed a poignant image old dingy porch
Haiku format:
Faded white wood planks engulfed in quamoclit, a reclaimed quiescent
Rusted ceiling bolts serve as a reminder of the porch swing
Now, the open coffin sits. Sending life's events to where memories flow.
The inner light gone reclaimed by nature, only the shell remains.
YET> Past lives on in family stories, recipes, my nose- as treasured memories.
I was nine years old This is my story - retold.
a prismatic wash in a golden mist- a sweet bension between the falling rain.
Faded white wood planks
engulfed in quamoclit,
reclaimed quiescent
The first time I saw a dead body was in the woods. The open coffin sat where the porch swing once hung. The rusted ceiling bolts served as a reminder of what once was. That old dingy porch framed a poignant image. Unintentionally, I took a mental snapshot.
I stood and stared. Death barred the doorway entrance. The splattered sunlight melded with the shadows. The white wood planks faded into the background as if engulfed in sadness. The inner light was gone. Only a shell remained. Nature reclaims what it intends to, sending life's events to where memories flow.
Haiku format:
Faded white wood planks
engulfed in quamoclit,
quiescent and quaint.
Rusted ceiling bolts
serve as a reminder
of the old porch swing
Now, the open coffin sits.
Sending life's events
to where memories flow.
The inner light gone
reclaimed by nature,
only the shell remains.
YET>
Past lives on in
family stories, recipes, my nose-
and treasured memories.
I was nine years old
This is my story -
retold.
Peter had several chapters in his life. A Jewish boy raise to be fisherman. Jesus called him to follow him, Matthew 4:19. He was called to be one of the twelve disciples and first to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah.
Charcoal fire chapter was about a new commission. At the first fire, Peter denied Jesus three time and the second charcoal fire is where Jesus cooked breakfast by the sea of Galilee. When Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me?", there was no judgement. Jesus didn't shame Peter. With the new chapter, Peter was given a new commission.
Each chapter is a new beginning. God catches us in grace and keeps us in grace.
Deliberate
Every action Jesus took while walking on Earth was deliberate and taught a spiritual principle that we may miss.
1. Jesus' challenge to the rich younger ruler to sell everything wasn't about being rich. The rich young ruler wanted to earn his way to heaven. Eph 2:8-9- It is a free gift by faith alone.
2. Healing on the Sabbath was about the hardiness of men versus God's coming grace.
3. Jesus deliberately slept while crossing the storm tossed Galilean Sea. He was awakened by panicking disciples. He quietens the sea. Jesus let them face the harshness of the sea to let them know he would be with them through difficult times.
4. Raising Jairus' daughter taught the Centurion leader that Jesus had all authority.
5. Sometimes, our ministry is at home, just like the Demoniac. He wanted to follow Jesus. Jesus said, " Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. The Demoniac reached people that might have ignored Jesus because they saw the change in him. Take a new look at the scriptures and find the spiritual principle beyond the healings, the confrontations, and more.
6. Jesus healed the blind man, and the blind man who can now see, immediately enters the synagogue proclaiming Jesus. The blind man's healing speaks of man's spiritual blindness. Your Messiah is here and yet you cannot see.
Revelation 3:11
I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
God's rathe is against
the intrusion of evil-
given over and measured.
Haiku by RL Brown
God's divine wrath was poured out on Jesus. EZ 7:8 and Rm 3:25. Jn 3:36.
When the church is caught up, God's will deal with evil as explain in Revelations.
God's wrath is provoked by evil. God's wrath and man's angry are two different things. Just like we exist in a time bubble, God is eternal with an eternal perspective. God's nature is love. He may love the sinner but God rathe is toward evil and those who cause evil and bring destrution on this world.
How is God's wrath revealed?
Therefore, God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity (1:24).
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions (1:26).
God gave them up to a debased mind (1:28).
At the core of the human problem is that we are sinners under the judgment of God, and the divine wrath hangs over us unless and until it is taken away.
Our names must be written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Xenogeneic gene transfer evolution clueless aftermath @BleuOwl
Vermilion cardinal resplendent and showy pulchritudinous
Autumn f a l l s silent under the evening s n o w
p r i s m a t i c wash of golden r a i n
Bittersweet
E
M
O
T
I
O
N
S
in a vintage
B
O
T
T
L
E
Hegemonic media parrots the same song.
Complementary muliebrity of inner beauty blooms.
b
r e
e a
n u
n t
Complementary muliebrity of i y--blooms.
(Note: When a woman’s inner and outer beauty shines as one, and the kindness of her soul sparkles, it melds into the essence of femininity—this is something only women do.)
Genetic
haec·
ce·
i·ty
// new_
internal coding
life begins at
conception.
the soft adagio of mourning dove
weeds have no place
running wild without boundaries
pachysandra's felicity
Mountain hiking with a friend
Nature's beauty is a godsend
Eagle eye
Perch high
Climbing high only to descend
#SundayLimerick
Mountain hiking with friends
Hoping this day never ends
Eagle eye
Perch high
Nature's artistry, little dividends
benison of golden
r
a
i
n
wafts of perfume,
butterfly flight path.
Haiku Dialog
By Rhonda Brown rhondalbrown1028@gmail.com https://brontebrown2.com/
1. Autumn falls silent under the evening snow 2. bluegrass under feet, goose pimples felicity 3. living life in a fog, drifting desperately 4. out on a limb hanging by a stem whirlybirds take flight 5. complementary muliebrity of inner femininity blooms. 6. sweet benison of sunlit air after golden rain, prismatic joy. 7. Nature's beauty shines in the beholder's eyes, beware of bears. 8. evening shadows on crisscrossing paths, uninterrupted 9. Eventide, tealights glow, cicadas sing, swish goes the porch swing. 10. slow, slow, quick-quick, slow, light dances on the water, footprints in the sand (a swish and a turn)
quiescent tide
rhythmic pace of the porch swing
tealights glow
faded white wood planks
engulfed in quamoclit
quiescent and quaint
The following Kyoka haikus are written by Rhonda L Brown (me)
Kyoka were Japanese poems that did not conform to the prescribed norms of waka imagery and diction
. Kyoka, poems are less serious and more humorous. With its often political and social content, the kyoka tends to be sardonic and ironic. It can parody the waka and use slang. The kyoka also echoes Senryu in its thematic preoccupation with human nature.
1. the night sky frolics
under silvery moonbeams
in stillness, dreams come
night recedes behind the stars-
no thought to pending troubles
tomorrow sleeps
2. unison parrots
hegemony media
demise of America
wokeness from within-
discernment's gift is knowing
the difference between the two.
3. If rain no longer fell, If rain ceased to fall Would poignant tears cease
would tears cease to flow? would your tears no longer flow?
If blue dropped from the sky, Would your smile retrun
would your smile return? If the blue dropped from the sky?
If longing is understood,
would you be free to love -
again?
H. Gene Murtha Memorial Senryu Contest Rules
Two poems per poet
Unpublished
1. a morrowless day
of whistling threnodies,
a fresh tomorrow.
2.
Faded white wood planks
engulfed in quamoclit,
quiescent and quaint.
praj·na. ˈprəjnə plural -s. : transcendental wisdom or supreme knowledge in Buddhism gained through intuitive insight.
command
Ajna translates as "authority" or "command" (or "perceive"). It is considered the eye of intuition and intellect. Its associated sense organ is the mind.
Hegemony media , Fact or opinion, Null Hypothesis,
This quote is spoken by King Lear about his daughter, Goneril. He's comparing the pain he feels having her—a thankless daughter—to a snake bite. He says that the pain she causes him is “sharper” or more painful than any snake bite.
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child.
Slow evanescent yet, time spins memories Of you
the sky swishes
the hammock sways
under a zenith moon,
untroubled.
a zephyr breeze
weaves through the zariba hedge
moments of solitude
or
moments before the seige.
We start by knowing the battle is the Lord’s. We stand on the solid rock of Truth. We are confident that salvation is rooted in our hearts.
Then we wear the full armor of God while speaking the Word of Truth without apology. Hell is forever. Wisdom comes as we test the spirit and pray for discernment. We can no longer be tossed about by empty philosophy, fear of offending, or ambivalent to attacks against the church.
Our persistence builds our maturity so that we are ready to give the right word with confidence that His Spirit leads us into battle.
James Chapter 1
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
If autumn falls silent under the evening snow
If sheltered seeds don winter's coat
If March winds howl for spring's warmth
If budding flowers emit the earth's scent
If spring pollinators awaken and take flight
If golden rays titillate terra's loam
If nature bears burgeoning yields
If the impetus for life circles again
If thankfulness flows from within
If we understand the Creator above
then what do we know of love?
Love is to have, to hold, to enjoy, and to freely let go.
Happy Earth Day
FMF: Have and Earth Day
Yeah, OK, I get the deal,
releasing hold is good, know,
but if we’re going to keep it real,
ain’t no way I’m letting go.
Cancer’s got the upper hand,
and it’s been a crappy week,
but I don’t need the Promised Land
right now, not even one small peek.
I intend to stay and fight,
and to myself be ever true.
It may be dumb but it’s my right,
and exactly what I’m gonna do,
and even though all hope is gone,
I’m right here, so bring it on.
Paul Hurst from Facebook
Secular humanism is a big failure. Hopes based upon assumptions of an inherent goodness in mankind. They should have read the Scriptures and remember that mankind is fallen into sin.
Paul to the Corinthians in dealing with false teachers and empty philosophies.
I Corinthians 11:1
Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
Human betterment, which relies on incentivizing people to make good decisions to create a better society, will fail when the incentive structures fail. (Ben Shapiro paraphrase.) Incentivizing people to do what is right is evident when they think they are entitled to the wealth others have earned. It is clear when workers demand pay beyond their skill level. It is evident in the looting of stores and trying to steal your way to wealth through Ponzi schemes.
Our Founding Fathers understood that governmental systems do not make a good society. People do. People whose hearts are moved by kindness and benevolence are the heart of any culture.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
But in Christ we are a new creature: @ Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Our greatness was never in wealth but in the people who believed in Jesus and stood on righteous principles.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. Whatever you have learned, received, heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. Phil 4:8
There is not one self-help book that can replace the simple truth found in the bible. Choose to act by first unplugging from this world. Breathe in and out, and let go of festering feelings inside, then meditate on God’s Word.
Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. Psalms 34:4-5.
nature's mystery
sprightly beads nestle betwixt
succulent leaves
pearly light of glistening eyes
echoes a dance of
the coming spring.
Poem and Photo By RL Brown
Complementary
high impact combination
nature's color scheme
complementary combination inner beauty
March 2 book
Flip a page
Mark a page
Read again, a book in hand.
March 3 soup
Slow down, take the time
make a pot of savory stew
share with a friend or two
Savory and warm
tomato soup with grilled cheese
diagonal cut
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.
March festivals
Frolic with the daffodils
Wye Mtn, Moss Mtn, AR
Zephyr carries spring seeds
Nightcrawlers dig underground moats
Loam provides their needs
#Haiku_Challenge March 16/Zephyr
Morning Glory
Photo by Tiu1ec3u Bu1ea3o Tru01b0u01a1ng on Pexels.com
foretoken of spring,
howling winds, blue sky, green grass
March winds breathe change
three hundred year oak
stretches toward sun's warmth
new season to bloom
#HaikuSaturday #Haiku_Challenge/zeith
Photos by RL Brown/Moss Mtn, AR
March 17, 2023
As iron sharpens irons, so does one man sharpens another. Discernment is a great gift.
Picture: Anonymous Facebook Post
Eleventh hour
America's demise
wokeness disinformation
downfall from within
Discernment's gift
facts vs narratives
Assumptions vs. Truth
I bought a book in 1991 by Catherine Millard titled, The Rewriting of America's History. I didn't understand the significance of this book then. Still, in today's environment, I can see the devasting results of not knowing your history and listening to others define history with present-day blinders. (Thomas Sowell is one of the greatest minds to explain current times and the adverse effects of specific gov't policies.)
The word today is 'assume.' Why assume to judge the past with blinders?
Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
Discernment is a gift that divides truth from fiction. Boys are genetically different from girls is a biological fact. No two boys are alike, or two girls just alike, not even twins. But this is NOT where discernment takes place. Facts are just that facts which differ from theories. Discernment is where God grants grace to remove your blinders (ex. western raising vs. eastern cultures and many more) and to hear and catch subtleties that differ from His Word. Homosexuality is based on a delusion that all forms of love are okay. But God said no, that isn't true.
How do I tell God's Truth through the wokeness, lost history, and hostile rhetoric about my ancestors who came to America? Don't assume! I don't judge their opinions or their beliefs, nor do I back down. I don't argue with those who refused to hear. I leave one nugget of Truth, God loves, and God forgives-
He loves me, forgives my lack of foresight and deluded beliefs, and constantly works in my life to open my eyes. Discernment is a great gift.
Forward written by Dr. D. James Kennedy
For Americans, 'to reclaim our beloved nation from the destructive forces of humanism, secularism, athesim and false religions, we must first retirieve the true history... by relearning the gacts that a righteous new government came from righteous people seeking to advance the kingdom of Christ..."
Rewriting a nation's history is frequently one of the first strategies taken by a conquering nation. If you do not know where you come from also do not know where they are going.
When we ignore God's design for us, we travel the road of fools. When we ignore the Holy Spirt's call to pray, we search for significance. When we ignore hope and water weeds with bitter tears, we fall into depths of despair. When we ignore the yearning for spiritual things, we sacrifice character. When we ignore God's design to fill us with His love, we walk alone.
When we hear God whisper, we see with clarity.When we love our soul like the soil loves the tree, we are secure. When we hope through unanswered prayers, trust is restored. When we listen with the self God designed, we walk in faith.
Above is a rewrite of a post from last year.
When your soul has lost the fear of God’s design, you travel the road of fools.
When your soul’s meaningful purpose is lost, you search for your significance.
When you separate your soul from your heart, you fall into depths of despair.
When your soul is empty, you fill it with things.
When your soul yearns for love, you sacrifice your character.
But...
When your soul listens for God's whisper, you discern the words of the fool.
When your soul is filled with meaning, you find your purpose.
When your soul is linked to Jesus, you are filled with understanding.
When your soul is full, you pour out God’s wondrous love.
When your soul is loved, you stand your ground.
Truth-
Jesus is the solid rock, immovable and perfect.
God’s design is for you to know HIM.
brontebrown2 
Leave a comment