CAUSTIC CREDO
Entertaining thoughts
of lynching trial jurors?
More insurrection?
Trump and his trial
likened to my sweet Jesus?
Never! By no means!
© Marie Elena Good 2024
pictured words
a simple pairing of pictures and poetry
Tag: Jesus
June 2, 2024
April 21, 2024
CHURCH
CHURCH
Brick and mortar
house far too many walls,
as though Jesus
never came.
March 25, 2024
A Man Like None She’d Known (sonnet for a prostitute)
This Man had moved her heart in such a way
she spent the tears she shed to wash His feet.
I haven’t known a more sincere display
of love before or since, nor more replete.
An alabaster jar filled with pure nard,
its price, perhaps in wages numbered years.
This girl whose reputation had been marred
anointed Jesus’ feet, ignoring sneers.
This typically was used for entombment.
In just six days, she witnessed Jesus’ death.
Now, we can’t know if that was her intent,
but know God preordained His final breath.
Her tender, humble love for Him moves me.
And what a brave and brimming heart had she.
© Marie Elena Good, 2024
December 4, 2022
Now, we wait
Painting by Akiane Kramarik “The world waits for a miracle. The heart longs for a little bit of hope.” ~ Light of the World, Lauren Daigle Now, We Wait. His feet left Paradise to touch earth’s soil as we, embroiled in distress, tried to access His heart. Some walked with Him, and He unlocked their closed souls - leaving their lack exposed and showing them His plenty in the face of His poverty. They learned Him. They loved Him. But the moment He upturned death, they truly knew Him. And now, we wait for His return. We yearn for the Prince of Peace to increase, and our anguish, decrease. Light of the World, right us. Lift us. Gift us hearing ears, seeing eyes, and hope, realized. © Marie Elena Good, 2022 P.S. I LOVE this painting!
August 29, 2021
Truly I Say to You
They say that wisdom comes with age.
It has a name: We call it, “sage.”
But Jesus set the record straight
when friends of His who, in debate,
approached Him, asking (well, demanding),
“Who in heaven’s most outstanding?”
No pause needed, Jesus smiled
and placed before them one small child.
© Marie Elena Good, 2021
April 1, 2021
NO STRANGER, THIS
He asked for water.
We’d never seen each other,
and we were alone:
He (a Jewish man)
and Samaritan-woman-
me, knowing my place.
Finding it a bit
amusing, I asked Him why
He asked this of me.
He spoke in riddle,
“If you knew who was asking,
you’d have asked of Him,
and He’d have given
the gift of living water.”
Then He spoke again
and everything
there is to know about me,
He already knew.
I wasn’t disturbed.
There was nothing unsettling
in His countenance.
There was not a doubt
the gift He offered me was
His for the giving.
I drew His water.
But He? He quenched a thirst I
never knew I had.
© Marie Elena Good, 2021
In response to Robert Lee Brewer’s 2021 April Poem-a-Day Challenge at Poetic Asides (Day 1: Write an introduction poem).
March 30, 2020
HOPE, FULFILLED
Image by jplenio, courtesy of Pixabay
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” From the hymn The Heavenly Vision, by Helen Howarth Lemmel
HOPE, FULFILLED (may be sung)
Dear writer, your hymn born of life’s woes
through blindness and heartache, composed,
gives name to our risen Messiah,
His purpose on earth to disclose.
Turn our eyes to You, Jesus –
Redeemer, Messiah, and Friend.
Give us ears to hear; give us sight to see
that through You, we’re no longer condemned.
Redemption is ours in Christ Jesus,
His death restored life to our soul.
This Sinless One bore our transgressions,
And these “not in part, but the whole.”
Turn our eyes to You, Jesus –
Redeemer, Messiah, and Friend.
Give us ears to hear; give us sight to see
that through You, we’re no longer condemned.
No need to be summoning hope now.
No need to have courage instilled.
No need for our guilt to oppress us,
for Christ is our promise, fulfilled.
Turn our eyes to You, Jesus –
Redeemer, Messiah, and Friend.
Give us ears to hear; give us sight to see
that through You, we’re no longer condemned.
© Marie Elena Good, 2020
December 1, 2019
ELOQUENT TEARS (No Words for My Savior)
Infinite grace, unhindered and free
Limitless mercy, darkness eclipsed
Undeserved pardon, lavished on me
Gratitude lies unexpressed on my lips
Silence of tongue, and hands I can’t raise
Words strung together fall short in their worth
Only my tears are fluent in praise
Here in my tears, my worship gives birth
Eloquent tears spill praise to The King
Dampening cheeks He crafted in love
Moistening lips that yearn to sing
Genuine worship to God above
© Marie Elena Good, 2014
October 19, 2018
LINDSAY ROSE
It was early fall. She was young and animated. The baby girl who had cheated death had become a young woman full of soul, and bright as her favorite color. Her palette was in hand. Her imagination as open and vibrant as changes soon to grace the trees. Camaraderie, harmony, and laughter were yearnings, with promise of fulfillment. Until, on her way to a weekend of music with friends, her song was silenced.
she laughs with Jesus
as they paint the sunset with
orange Crayolas
© Marie Elena Good, 2018
(I wrote the 17-syllable ending in September of 2011, on the anniversary of Lindsay’s car accident, and her passing from this life to the next.)
FOR POETIC BLOOMINGS AUTUMNAL POEM-A-DAY CHAPBOOK CHALLENGE, 2018, DAY 6: ORANGE
March 26, 2018
FAVORITES OF THE HEART (for Uncle Ray)
Years ago, Dad called me. “Did you get the news from Niles?” Those seven words made my breath quicken. No, I hadn’t. “You didn’t hear from Judy?” I gasped. I heard my choking voice say, “Oh no! Not Uncle Ray! Not Uncle Ray!”
No. Not Uncle Ray. Someone completely unexpected. Someone else I cared about.
God, forgive me. What was I feeling, in the wake of an unexpected family death? Relief? To my embarrassment and dismay, yes. Relief. I actually sighed long and hard with that relief, and immediately confessed to Dad what I was feeling. I don’t remember his response. I remember not feeling judged for my human heart. I remember believing this would remain between Dad and me and my God. But it didn’t. I’ve confessed it to a few others I love and trust. To this day, I still feel the guilt well up on remembrance. But, God …
Oh, the human heart
Which beat in Jesus, himself
For John, whom He loved.
© Marie Elena Good, 2018
UPDATE: This event I wrote about last year took place 5 years ago. Today, Uncle Ray actually passed from this life to the next. 09/10/19.
❤
pictured words 