pictured words

Bring Something to Share

Bring Something to Share (Sing along!)
Disclaimer: Just for fun. Not my family.😉 )

On this day of Thanksgiving, our fam’ly brought with us:
All our hearts filled with thanks to be here.

On this day of Thanksgiving, our fam’ly brought with us:
Two party lines
Most with hearts filled with thanks to be here.

On this day of Thanksgiving, our fam’ly brought with us:
Three basted birds
Two party lines
Many hearts filled with thanks to be here.

On this day of Thanksgiving, our fam’ly brought with us:
Four kinds of carbs
Three basted birds
Two party lines
Many hearts filled with thanks to be here.

On this day of Thanksgiving, our fam’ly brought with us:

Five
Biased
Spats

Four kinds of carbs
Three basted birds
Two party lines
Some with hearts filled with thanks to be here.

On this day of Thanksgiving, our fam’ly brought with us:
Six guys on sofas

Five
Biased
Spats

Four kinds of carbs
Three basted birds
Two party lines
Some with hearts filled with thanks to be here.

On this day of Thanksgiving, our fam’ly brought with us:
Seven women cleaning
Six guys on sofas

Five
Biased
Spats

Four kinds of carbs
Three basted birds
Two party lines
And still hearts filled with thanks to be here.

On this day of Thanksgiving, our fam’ly brought with us:
Eight tipsy members
Seven women cleaning
Six guys on sofas

Five
Biased
Spats

Four kinds of carbs
Three basted birds
Two party lines
Fewer hearts filled with thanks to be here.

On this day of Thanksgiving, our fam’ly brought with us:
Nine knock-down-drag-outs
Eight tipsy members
Seven women cleaning
Six guys on sofas

Five
Biased
Spats

Four kinds of carbs
Three basted birds
Two party lines
And some hearts wondering, why are we here?

On this day of Thanksgiving, our fam’ly brought with us:
Ten football rivals
Nine knock-down-drag-outs
Eight tipsy members
Seven women cleaning
Six guys on sofas

Five
Biased
Spats

Four kinds of carbs
Three basted birds
Two party lines
And more hearts wondering, why are we here?

On this day of Thanksgiving, our fam’ly brought with us:
Eleven players playing
Ten football rivals
Nine knock-down-drag-outs
Eight tipsy members
Seven women cleaning
Six guys on sofas

Five
Biased
Spats

Four kinds of carbs
Three basted birds
Two party lines
And the kids’ hearts all glad to be here.

On this day of Thanksgiving, our fam’ly brought with us:
Twelve-midnight snacking
Eleven players playing
Ten football rivals
Nine knock-down-drag-outs
Eight tipsy members
Seven women cleaning
Six guys on sofas

Five
Biased
Spats

Four kinds of carbs
Three basted birds
Two party lines

By next year, we’ll be glad to be here.

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November 17, 2024

Us

Us

We were all so close, growing up. And not that we didn’t remain so, but, you know, life. But now, we’ve made one another a priority. We have monthly lunches, and in-between coffees that last three hours and feed our souls. We laugh. Reminisce. Talk current events. Encourage one another. Speak truth in love as needed. Share one another’s lives. Fill gaps.

binding, fastening,
gathering, interfacing,
adhering, pinking

© Marie Elena Good, 2024

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November 10, 2024

AFFECT

She entered my class
in purple, with her purple
phone, and purple coat.

Obviously, this
is her favorite color,
and it becomes her.

She is tall, and has
an elegance about her,
along with a wit.

But the shimmering
gold of her heart was revealed
when she used her phone’s

translator app to
say, “Teacher, if I could, I’d
give you my own eyes.”

I’m not sure what the
color of humbleness is,
nor of gratitude,

but I imagine
the shades of them reflected
in my complexion.

© Marie Elena Good 2024

This is true. Last Thursday, this lovely refugee soul entered my class, an absolute vision in purple. Due to recent surgery from a retina tear and detachment, as well as detached macula, I cannot see from my right eye. She hugged me, and then used her translator app to speak this most sincere, generous sentiment. I couldn’t hold back tears. Amazing heart.

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November 6, 2024

NOW WHAT?

NOW WHAT?

Now is the time to
not grow weary of planting
good, so good is reaped.

Now I ask my Lord
to show me the next right thing
and help me do it.

Now I sit down to
plan my English lesson for
sweet, eager women.

Now I spend time with
my granddaughters, letting them
talk. Lifting them up.

Now I look out my
window at the colors, and
see the hand of God.

Now I think on how
a king’s heart is in God’s hand,
and He can guide it.

Now I make calls, and
receive calls, and get in touch
with those God gives me.

Now I eat good food,
and share good food with those who
are in need of it.

Now I look to the
church, to do what the church should
to welcome strangers.

Now I look forward
to seeing how God will grow
little kindnesses.

Now I don’t complain
(help me, Lord!) about things, but
choose a grateful heart.

Now I walk with God,
asking Him for eyes to see
and ears to hear Him.

Now I learn to seek
forgiveness, and to forgive
those who have wronged me.

Now I ask not what
my country can do for me,
but I for others.

Now I choose to look
for the good in those who see
with different eyes.

Now I will seek to
learn how to better display
the love of Jesus.

Now I endeavor
to stand up, speak truth in love,
or sit still and hushed.

Now I will listen
raptly for the still, small voice
of my holy God.

Now I vow to care
for those God has placed in my
small, humble corner.

Now I understand
each of us has our corner.
Corners shape the whole.

Now I am thankful
our God cannot be reduced
by the whims of man.

© Marie Elena Good, 2024

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October 13, 2024

At Risk of Inconvenience

AT RISK OF INCONVENIENCE

When is the time to
ask, “From what are you fleeing?”
to decipher which
response sits well with
your belief system of what
is acceptable?

A conventional
distance between bombs fallen,
and their child’s bedroom?

Number of women
kidnapped for sexual gain?
Number of children?

The amount of food
unavailable to feed
themselves? Their children?

Are there adequate
words to set your mind at ease
that this person’s plight’s
perilous enough
to justify leaving home,
setting themselves at
risk in different ways
than what they feel forced to leave –
forced to escape – now?

To make certain their
endangerment matches your
own definition?

And when, in your thoughts,
is it acceptable to
bomb a hospital?

Perhaps when evil
lurks beneath? Then, innocents
are expendable?

What gives you enough
luxury of ease of mind
to give your thumbs up?

© Marie Elena Good 2024

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September 29, 2024

BEGINNING TO END

Photo by Tirachard Kumtanom on Pexels.com

The start of a war
isn’t the start of a war
nor the end, the end.

© Marie Elena Good 2024

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September 23, 2024

30 Days of Real

Photo by Marie Elena

#30daysofreal

Take me.
Take everything you think you know,
Everything you think you see,
And paste it together in a lovely collage:
Generosity, kindness, strength, compassion.

Now hold it to a flame, and sear it.
Authenticity requires it.

For the me I know is kind and generous –
Not plunged in superb selflessness, nor
Wading in benevolence, but
Flirting on the edge of
Inconvenience. No further.

The me I know is strong –
Until taken by the heart
And stirred,
Not even shaken.

The me I know has compassion –
Enough to feel the “aww” tug,
Say a prayer; write a verse,
From the comfort of my home.

The me I know is not the me you think you know.
And the me I know just got real –

But not even for thirty days.

(c) Marie Elena Good 2014

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September 1, 2024

Untitled (lost and found prompt)

Photo by Elu012bna Aru0101ja on Pexels.com

Disoriented.
Unable to find herself
until a loved one

sat in her stillness,
not looking her in the eye
until requested

by a subtle sigh
that was released to set free
her burning to be.

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August 28, 2024

SOUNDS LIKE ESL IS HARD!

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Let’s take a trip down language lane.
Prepare yourself to tax your brain.

So: bike, and fyke, and seiche, and psych
aren’t spelled the same, but sound alike.

We’ve feign and vein and Maine, main, mane,
champagne, campaign … it’s all insane.

There’s there and they’re, and also their
and stare and stair, and ne’re, and prayer.

Too, to, and two, and you and ewe
and through and threw, and loo and lieu.

Let’s see … there’s sea, grand prix, esprit,
and Leigh, and Bea and bee and be.

And though there’s Leigh, there’s also weigh
(which sounds like way, whey, pray, and prey).

Clime, climb, time, thyme and Anaheim
I’m here to say all rhyme with rhyme.

Cent sounds like scent, assent, ascent,
descent, dissent, rent, rente, and meant.

Now cell and sell and bell and belle
all rhyme as well, as you can tell,

Like here and hear and deer and dear
and peer and pier and tier and tear,

Except when tear sounds just like pear
and wear like ware and ware like where.

We have these rules we break (not brake).
Like why rhyme stake, steak, and opaque??

It makes my head and stomach ache.

And I’d accept all this, except
it makes me feel vocab inept.

© Marie Elena Good 2024

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August 25, 2024

ON MY CALENDAR

On My Calendar

Mondays
On Mondays we enjoy a meal
with family, and it’s ideal –
even when the food ain’t great
that sits there smirking on our plate.
The love we share is the appeal.

Tuesdays
Tuesday mornings I’m content
immersed in weekly blessed event
of breakfast with each granddaughter.
Our one-on-one constructs a cotter,
bonding hearts in time well spent.

Thursdays
My school-year Thursdays are the chance
to teach my heart the steps to dance
with women I would not have known,
and through whose cultures I have grown.
Their love is huge. My life, enhanced.

Fridays
Each final Friday, there’s a date
for cousin’s lunch, and I can’t wait.
We’ll keep it up year after year,
won’t let whatever interfere.
It keeps us bonded, and that’s great!

Saturdays
Any college football day
tends to chase my blues away.
(Except for a specific blue:
that one with maize that passes through.)
Love my scarlet and my gray!

Sundays
Sunday mornings spent in church
singing, praising, heartfelt search
through all the evidence of God
who we can know, and see, and laud.
(Sometimes Keith’s out catching perch. 😉)

Days unnamed, not unembraced,
leave ample time to just be graced
with quiet time
to read or rhyme,
or stuff that’s hard, but must be faced.

© Marie Elena Good 2024

I spent more time on these little pieces than it looks like. They need polishing, but at least the gist is there. 😉

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