Category Archives: Poet Laureate

Autumnal Air – Claudia Demick

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Autumnal Air
— Claudia Demick

Tea, a cookie, and a simmering fire.
The old cat within me
Stretches and groans
With abundant pleasure.
The trees join in jubilant dance
Outside my window,
As autumnal air
Swirls through them
Holding out its cold hands
In invitation to the dance.
The branches in my fireplace
Crackle and pop
Sending golden blue fingers
Skyward
To touch that sacred place
Where cool and warm
Meet and mingle.

God, My Great Love – Terri Leander

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God, my Great Love
— Terri Leander
Your divine radiance bursts forth through the early morning clouds;
the Light from the Source fills me to overflowing.
As the dew droplets gently rest upon the short blades of green grass,
so the expression of Your love rests upon my soul.
For You truly are my one Great Love,
my being’s utmost desire, and Your Word is my passion.
You are my first thought in the morning,
and my last thought at night,
as I lay my head on my pillow,
long after the sky has blackened and the church bells have rung.
… [Read More]

Prayer While Breathing – Terri Leander

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Prayer while breathing               Terri Leander
Dearest God,
On this day, please enter and fill me with your grace and mercy.
As you breathe into me, with the cool, gentle breeze from the north, south, east, and west,  may I inhale your love and compassion; so that I may exhale through my words and actions , reflections of my ever growing relationship with You. O God within me, let my breathing in and my breathing out, be a continuous cycle of vitality, to live my life as a follower worthy of Your divine call to be Your faithful, devout, and humble servant.
… [Read More]

Prayer While Breathing – Terri Leander

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Prayer while breathing               Terri Leander
Dearest God,
On this day, please enter and fill me with your grace and mercy.
As you breathe into me, with the cool, gentle breeze from the north, south, east, and west,  may I inhale your love and compassion; so that I may exhale through my words and actions , reflections of my ever growing relationship with You. O God within me, let my breathing in and my breathing out, be a continuous cycle of vitality, to live my life as a follower worthy of Your divine call to be Your faithful, devout, and humble servant.
… [Read More]

Man is not What he Wills – Leonard Swain

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Man is not What he Wills  (excerpt)             Leonard Swain
Man is not what he wills; the simple child,
That, pouting, hunts the dreamy butterfly,
Doth pause at sudden, of his prey beguiled,
A smitten victim of the western sky.
When o’er the burning hills it takes the sun
To that bright place of happiness and gold;
And as he turns away, the lesson done,
Here goes another child , by other thoughts controlled.
The Reverend Leonard Swain was the first minister of Central Congregational Church (1852-1869). The above is his only surviving poem.
… [Read More]

Hope – Claudia Demick

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Hope

Hope picks up the pieces
When faith and love have
Deserted
Their companion.
Hope carefully fits
Them back into place
And
Waits—
Expectant
With anticipation.

A former teacher and Minister of Music, Claudia Demick is now an Associate Minister at Central Church. She holds degrees in music and education, has a Master of  Divinity, and is currently working on a Doctor of  Ministry degree. She’s written poetry everywhere and anywhere since she was old enough to hold a pen.

God’s Gift – Ilse Kramer

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GOD’S GIFTS

— Ilse Kramer

I

Today you gave me courage

Which is no cheap commodity.

I knew it came from you,

Because I know

You were the only one

Who knew I needed it.

II

Today you gave me a geranium,

A plant which stinks a little.

But all those glorious shades of red!

And also, it can hibernate in cellars

And bloom again in spring

In resurrected splendor.

III

Today you gave me clouds.

At first they didn’t look like much,

They were the ordinary kind.

But they were moving fast

And turning red and pink and yellow,

Until I saw the entrance to your paradise.… [Read More]