Friday, January 05, 2007

Mockingbird Singing

I have not posted much recently, for many reasons. One reason would make a good post, but I just don' t have the energy to recount the story in words. Let me just say, if anyone has seen The Money Pit with Tom Hanks (1986), I had a money pit week during my time off between Christmas and New Years.

Anyway, to fill the gap in my blogging I thought I would inflict some of my poetry (term is used loosely here) on my readers, those that are left. I write very little poetry and I read less of it. But here you go. All my poetry is based on real things that happen to me or feelings I have, which is about the only connection I might have to anything related to real poetry.

Mockingbird Singing
Written Oct. 7, 2003

Little gray angel, mockingbird singing;
are you singing for me?
Outside my office window, on crape myrtle swaying;
were you sent to me?
Afternoon winding, sun sweeping;
Autumn leaves turning with your song.
Eyes watching, in staring;
God are you speaking to me?
Little gray angel, mockingbird singing;
how long you have played.
Outside my office window, you keep returning;
are you singing just for me?
At just the right time, when spirit is waning;
God watching over me?
Little gray angel, mockingbird singing;
what cause launches your song?
Instinct burning, passion flowing;
or just a random song?
Greater design, beautiful plan;
God the artist I perceive.
Little gray angel, mockingbird singing;
Many questions you provoke.
Outside my office window, among lavender myrtle;
I quiet the asking, and let the heart enjoy.

11 comments:

JMG said...

Nice. It seems that God sends some bit of nature into my view at just the right time to make me remember what's important.

I really hate that movie The Money Pit. It gets on my nerves. You should buy the house that's for sale on my street where you can see nature all the time and forget your troubles.

Tony Arnold said...

The commute would kill me, or cause me to kill someone. It is a long way from your house to the west side of Nashville, but I would love it on the weekends.

I have a big lot with a lot of nature and trees, so it is nice around my house, other than the blood-curdling coyotes every now and then. When they are in your yard right outside the window, it really freaks you out.

The start howling if they hear sirens.

Tony Arnold said...

p.s. The Money Pit was one of my favorite movies--was.

JMG said...

I hear you. I could never drive to Nashville every day. If they ever got a commuter train from here to there I might consider it, but I doubt it.

We have some coyotes around here too, but they've never come into our yard. And, yeah, when they start making noise it's eerie.

BYW, I put a book in the mail for you the other day. I sent it cheap, so it'll take several days to reach you. The post office lady said it would go to Memphis before it goes to Nashville. Why that's cheaper is beyond me.

Tony Arnold said...

I can't wait JMG. Thanks. The only think that would make sense on the Memphis issue is if that is their nearest automatic sorting site. Cheaper to sort via automation than human. But with 3 major interstates and an internation airport in the State's capital city, you would think they would have something here in Nashville.

Tony

Tony Arnold said...

JMG the book arrived this afternoon.

JMG said...

Wow, that was quicker than I was led to believe.

I hope you find it interesting.

Amy S. Grant said...

You know how Jesus said not to worry. Look at the lilies and the birds, how God takes care of them. I wonder if that little mockingbird was an instrument of peace for you that day (considering the money pit reference).

"I quiet the asking, and let the heart enjoy." Love that line!

I never knew you had an inner poet. :-)

Tony Arnold said...

Inner is correct, way inside, down deep, because I am not much of a poet.

Actually the poem was written in 2003, but there was a lot of other stuff going on back then (going back to my Faith Walk series that started this blog).

Thanks for the kind words Amy.

Anonymous said...

Greetings Tony, You state that you are not a poet, but I think your poem belies this statement. I work with an agency that produces materials for people who are blind or visually impaired. One of our projects is a small monthly magazine provided in braille and/or 24-font large print. This magazine always has a poetry section, and in recent issues we have been trying to relate the poems to the lead article of the magazine. Since the lead article in April’s issue is about the mockingbird, I was searching the Internet for a poem to go with the article and ran across your blog. I believe your poem would be perfect for our April magazine and hope to use it there. Copyright regulations do give us the legal right to use copyrighted material for special formats used by people who are blind or visually impaired, but I wanted to give you the courtesy to have the ability say “no” if you do not want this poem in the magazine. This is a simple, small distribution magazine that is enjoyed by about 50 people who cannot read standard (or even what passes for large print in the publishing world) printed magazines. You can find our web site at www.horizons-blind.org. The site is a bit outdated, and we are working on an update soon, but you can learn more about us there.

Tony Arnold said...

I humbled and honored by your desire to use my poem. I have sent an email to your organization concerning this issue. I happy to help a non-profit organization. Feel free to email me if for some reason you do not get my email.

awarnold@comcast.net