Subdue the Dragons

"Take life easy!" he said.
"But," I thought, "there is more to life
Than just an easy stride—
Goodness understood
Opens our mental umbrella 
And lets prayer
Subdue the dragons
Of dark, morbid thoughts,
So we may see the light
Shine on a searching mind."

Ancient olive trees by a deserted path
Where we embrace a rock 
For want of shelter—
Men groan from out of the city,
The wounded cry...

How are we to know the path thereof?
The steps to take?


Near evening I hear in the distance
The sound of bells. 


Emh 2017


"Take life easy!" he said.
"But," I thought, "there is more to life
Than just an easy stride—
Goodness understood
Opens our mental umbrella
And lets prayer
Subdue the dragons
Of dark, morbid thoughts,
So we may see the light
Shine on a searching mind."

Ancient olive trees by a deserted path
Where we embrace a rock
For want of shelter—
Men groan from out of the city,
The wounded cry...

How are we to know the path thereof?
The steps to take?

Life must be more than marking time,
For the country sleeps,
And the dead, who can be certain
Whether they are free?

Near evening I hear in the distance
The sound of bells.


Rev. 2020

🔔

LEADERSHIP

The Servant Leader!

The role model … The risk-taker …

The promoter of others … The initiator …

Not the moocher … But the giver

Is the one who will walk … The extra mile …

In another … person's shoes … 

Listen! … She and He truly lead, and are …

Always approachable … The door of the heart …

Is never closed -- … As She listens …

She learns … and as He … So does She…

Avoiding the arrogance … Of ignorance …

They are both … Generous … They wash …

Each other’s feet … And the feet of those …

Who need it most!

(It was written as a dedication to a true friend!)

Eva-Maria 2015

FOR ALL CREATURES

Simplicity:
True beauty--
We are not competing
For the wind to blow
The fog out of sight--
We accept for each
Creature the water,
The light and the
Air, to be refreshed
And breath in the
Fragrance of flowers.

Emh/ 2017

RAIN

Spring rain
day is coming to a close---
today, so am I

Emh/2017

SPRING

Opening their hearts
ice and water become
Friends again

EMH 2017

Across a GREEN BED

Yellow on yellow spreads out

Across a green bed,
Buttercup by buttercup as I
Steadfastly but slowly climb the slope.
I speak to them: "Raise your heads and bear me up!"
And they in turn kindly whisper,
"Endure! Endure....! Endure!"
And so, my love, I reached the top of the hill!

by Eva-Maria Hogrefe 2017

Dear God---

Your spirit hath made us,
And the breath of the ALL-mighty 
Has given us life! --
When gazing up at the stars 
On a moonless night--
No brooding over passing years
For Divine Love fills our time
With joy of heart
Does not Love know the way we take?
When Love tries us
We shall come forth as gold! ---
Our feet have held each step
For Love's way have we kept---
Of one Mind we are, and who can turn us? 
And what goodness desires, even that is done,
For it performs the thing that is appointed for us:
And many such things are with us---
There is a path which no fowl knows, 
And which the vulture's eye hath not seen:
The lion's whelps have not trodden it,
And the fierce lion passed by,--
Goodness puts forth its hand upon the rock; 
And overturns the mountain by the roots.  
Goodness carves out a river among the rocks; 
And sees every precious thing. 
It binds the floods from overflowing;  
The thing that is hidden brings it forth to light. 
But where shall wisdom be found? 
And where is the place of understanding? 
The depth says, "It is not in me!" 
And the sea says, "It is not with me!"--
For God speaks once, yea twice, yet man perceives it not. 
That which has been is now; 
And that which is to be hath always been;
Truth requires burdens to fall away,
Eternity knows no past nor future --
Behold, we are according to Thy wish in Your likeness,
And thus Your might and ours are one,
We're innocent beyond a shadow of a doubt in Your sight!
How sweet are Thy words unto our taste,
Sweeter than honey!
Through Thy precepts we gain understanding; 
Therefore we hate every false way.
Order our steps in Thy way--
Rivers of tears run down the eyes,
I cry unto Thee, "Let your loving kindness
Be with us and plead our cause--"
Harmony of heart and mind consoled, yea
The understanding that is a wellspring of life!
Peace pursued leads us to still waters
Where we wait--
Until Love comes and stays with us,
And we shall live!

New Season

Winter silenced
Blossoms opened
Joy warms the heart


Emh/ 2018

A prayer of Vigilance

A Prayer of Vigilance 

O light of Truth! Train me to be vigilant,
To discipline unwise, wayward senses
That they may fall away into nothingness

And your angels of pure joy clad in
White robes of simplicity guide me
To the awareness of an never ending

Inner paradise where I clearly can hear
The sound of the divine flute play--
O Beauty of Quietude! Give us a rich Peace!

And we can solve all difficulties through
The dignity of self respect and love--
By upholding the decency of our better nature!

Emh / 2018