candle in your soul

January 29, 2014 by Rick Stassi you

Petal
Artist: me

And always I shall listen for You,
in the still of night and morning’s dew
O joy that rises with the sun,
it is to Your arms I now will run.

for trust and hope clasping hands
are the calming breeze – that faith commands.
my angst-ridden soul begs begone O fear,
knowing Love eternally near…
Amen

I look at you with godly adoration –
your eyes draw light – emit elation
I try to peer into your core
your guarded eyes permit a little, no more.

but I know your stillness, it runs deep
lying in your restful angelic sleep.
and run no more in circles, I,
no broken heart nor tears drawn nigh.

Because for whom do i cry for tonight?
an elated soul that draws sweet light?
more fool I to spurn my trust
that also He has raised you from the dust.

so your eyes, an entrance to your heart
little child, I dare not part
from one who deeply wants love real
I’ll try, I’ll try, I’ll try to feel.

“bright and shining” is your name –
your contemplative sight explores the same
and I strain my eyes to see you more
O your gaze, your eyes implore.

God ordained we should meet
and a life to spend just at His feet
so I will trust the solace your eyes emit
for I know a candle in your soul is lit.

dad

conceding petals

January 27, 2014 by Rick Stassi you

“Bend in the Epte”
Claude Monet

in my continued progress,
time is relentless.
opting temporarily cessation,
to extend roots
and grow a bit.
i’ll be like a flower with
petals lithe, color-bright,
for another small season.
but O my soul soon writhing –
the struggle and bleating
of this one lost, wandering…
Would green grass illude?
How fast the slope entraps.
Spellbound in temptation
The darkness flows overhead
like a cool, fast river.
i have seen respite
yet still I will cool my feet
in those rushing waters
and end up
with a heart in quandary.
pleading for simplicity
and getting a string-pull
like a marionette
straightening up –
conceding petals will dry
and so my feet as well
and on i go.

rick

cry for love

January 23, 2014 by Rick Stassi you

van gogh – close-up

a world of eyes peering out
linked with suspicions from deep within
that a thread will lead to a greater good –
objective posture in a subjective season.

your complex mind devises and propels great might
but can deep thought fathom beginning and end
and wrestle with infinite stars at night?
or even a child’s laugh or stranger’s smile
or tracks converging to a point –
certainly limited…

is good all you want? maybe wisdom too –
a trail of knowledge is no more than
layers of sediment really…
infinite wisdom and haughty spirit,
hopeful, you grasp your own reality
as if the radius point of a circle
paying no heed to other abounding circles
who are also right, charitable, and good.

is it possible to look beyond stars
and move all radius points onto a space
large enough for precisely One point?
can you fathom absolute
and discard conventional free thought
that really only begs more
from the night?
an infinite universe will never give more
than a wanting child crying for love
cry for love now and find eternity.

rick stassi

…and snow drifts

January 20, 2014 by Rick Stassi you

Cezanne: “Melting Snow”

And snow drifts mind the wind’s command,
Me, tired of such demand.
Outside looking in, to you, periodic calls beckon start.
But inside looking out, abiding now, my soul shan’t part.
For in this place my perspective is new
Infinite and lucid, cloudless skies blue.
And abide, I must, the table prepared.
Bread of life, a life more than spared.
Prosperity, joy, and wisdom never shall wane.
For in Your house I shall remain

rick stassi

tell me

January 20, 2014 by Rick Stassi you

“A Flower…or two”
Artist: me

The temporal darkness raises fears –
Fears developed over time
Always rearing their ugly shadows
Catching me off guard often
When I least expect them.
Even set upon such solid footing
I can still slip.
But I should give myself a break…
I won’t fall. I just won’t. I can’t.
For strength is expected … from a horizontal perspective,
But weakness accepted from the vertical – no, surrounding watchful eyes.
So easily forgotten the peace inside – yesterday.
Today, now enveloped in darkness
I seek to hide. But where?
But how does one run from one’s self?
Run and leap into the sea lest I get wet from the rain?

That is me.
I cannot see the forest
’cause the trees, sometimes, distract.
Trite yes, but no less true.
Yet raging water greater than me.
joined with peaceful calm at full avail…
Moon draws tides as my darkness wanes.
Once again I hear your voice.
I don’t always listen –
I ebb and flow…

Just hold my hand and tell me it is alright

rick

so lovely this time

January 17, 2014 by Rick Stassi you

“Seascape”
Artist:
Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Sweet is this moment,
This moment right now
Walking on stretches of sand.
Sea lapping at bare feet in biting mist –
Hands, clasped, unified spirits
Beautifying moments like these, these moments unplanned.

Without looking to see you, nor breaking my gaze
From lost horizons I hear each of your words
That pour from your heart.
They scatter like birds taking flight
But then light on one point inside me
Where there is peace that shan’t part.

Love’s fragrance abounds
In the air that I breathe
Dispelling conviction on melody anew.
With affection waxing, the sea swallows the sun,
So lovely this time, minutes eternal, surreal,
All else really means nothing, as everything is you.

rick

at river’s edge

January 12, 2014 by Rick Stassi you

“The Banks of the River Epte at Giverny” Monet

At river’s edge we sat and wept.
The river is life! Yet so many slept.
Restless hearts hate the choices availed,
Against God’s wisdom, man’s reason paled.

At river’s edge we sat and wept.
Infinite midday yet in darkness crept.
Youth is a time, when time seems everlasting.
But soon ebbing light makes shadows long casting.

At river’s edge we sat and we sang.
For eternal life sates endless heart-felt pang.
And flowing inside we know of true life,
Long passed the pain of stubborn, piercing strife.

At river’s edge we sat and prayed,
For a decision for God is a true decision made.
And as selfish reason was our stronghold for a day,
We now see no reason for further delay.

So at the river, we drink of His word.
Afterall, it is we who have heard.
And all the way God holds us near,
We weep for the lost, but rejoice in a tear.

rick
Psalm 137:1

cloudless skies blue

January 9, 2014 by Rick Stassi you

“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked” 1 John 2:6 (KJV)

I peer inside from the outside –
It is cold out here and there is a fast-closing distance between us.
There within seen are familiar comforts I know,
Peaceful and pleasant is the unspoken invitation for entry.
Even if there were no light lit inside,
The room would be lit with eyes of love.
There is luminosity in love.
Illuminate me now.

What will I hear today? Craned neck drawing upon whispers,
Sitting at your feet, listening, pondering, relating…
Remarkable stories that seemed fashioned to my life
Following the curvature of a tired, albeit perseverant, inquisitiveness.

I learn in conviction there is no judgement,
Wisdom attained in agreement is self-reason gladly ceded,
regret is all surrendered, guilt to dust…
And I! What ask I? My questions always seem tireless and endless yet they tire you not.
As protecting shadows forsake huddled secrets deep within me.
Those things from long ago. Places untouched for many years, generations.
Or, tomorrow? The right and the left ahead blend into a straight.

All this I see with you. Your voice guides with gentleness and precision.
There is beauty in my glowing heart as wisdom is joined with humility
and delivered in love.
Straight to my core.

Warming fire rages –
O flickering hearth.
I daydream a moment, looking outside.
I love the days when the snow drifts high and the
Wind cuts clean and I am warm, happy.

Sanctuary, O my dwelling place, but now it is time to go.
So, I gather my things and step outside again.
Bones quickly chilled, but I have enough from you until next we meet.
Don’t want to overspend my time, I’ll come back.
We bid farewell with a parting comment:
“Come back and stay with me longer” lovingly is said.
“But I’ve so much to do” I saying sadly,
“Life is but to live, but I thank you for your time.”

Peering at the ground I miss your unchanged gaze locked on me.
In one last look, eyes intersect and something in your spirit,
Raises the hair on my neck.
I feel just now I am the only one to ever walk into these doors, to sit at your feet.
Surely there are more like me? But I feel so unique and loved so deep.
I am drawn back and you set a place at your table for me. You takes my things, offer respite.
I believe I will stay.

For in this place my perspective is new
Infinite and lucid, cloudless skies blue.

rick

hope realized

January 2, 2014 by Rick Stassi you

‘Abstract’
Artist Sean Seal

Walking further unto winter’s night
When geese and swans have long taken flight.
The steel-cold winds cuts my heart in half –
I can bear no longer his icy laugh.

I have illusion – a semblance of warm and dry
Yet hope avoids a heart so awry.
I dig ever deeper seeking strength for flight
As coldness, darkness, swallows my might.

Where are you feeble hope?
Why abandon me? In blindness I grope!
Stinging hoarfrost singing calloused feet,
As I peer, rays from a window, my eyes do meet.

And ever so warm flame’s flickering dance.
Gentleness bids me entry with a single glance.
A warm arm o’er my broken, tired frame.
He knew where I was going, He knew from where I came.

O wonderful, shameless, humbly sat I.
In Him I release a decade-long sigh.
I know now of love’s gracious allay,
Through loving eyes, here I shall stay.

O guilt be gone: your promises and lies led,
You’d rather me join’d with guilt, remorse, instead.
But now I lay my head on His lap.
Time’s toll taken, submitted to love’s long nap.
rick