Poetry

Still, quiet, pensive,
Through two hours of our
reflections and readings
he sat.

Leaning forward, knees and hands together as if in prayer
Then tentatively pages came out of pockets.
Unfolded, a furtive glance, refolded
precious bits of self taken out for examination
and judgment.

A pause,
an invitation
And then with great apologies
for the unfinished nature of his poem,
he read.

The heavens
shuddered and sighed
as one more brave soul
opened and shared
his authentic, imperfect voice
in the chorus of life.
Alleluia! Amen!

—Rose Lester

Rose Lester is a Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice. As a true renaissance woman, she aspires to all things creative and is at home in a variety of creative mediums from song writing and singing, to playing her violin and guitar, to painting and sculpting, or writing poems about life and transformation. Her poems have been published in several anthologies and online websites. She volunteers for the Art for Healing program at Mercy Hospital and helps lead the Threshold Choir that sings at the bedside of those in need of comfort and peace.

We heard your voice today.

Low, rumbling, gravelly.

A voice of kindness, love, acceptance.

We knew it wasn’t you, because we saw

you in the coffin so many years ago.

But it was your voice…

We were little again, wrapped in your warm arms,

Resting against you and feeling your heart beat.

We smelled the wood smoke from your stove,

The kerosene from your lamp,

Your lavender toilet water.

We felt safe, cared for, loved.

The troubles, fear, pain all disappeared.

One little girl nestled in the arms of

one old, tired black woman that let us just be with her.

Oh, how we love and miss you Jewell!

Oh, how we treasure that love and safety!

You gave us the gift of you.

Forever and for always.

–Judy Kukuruza

We Heard Your Voice Today

We heard your voice today.

Low, rumbling, gravelly.

A voice of kindness, love, acceptance.

We knew it wasn’t you, because we saw

you in the coffin so many years ago.

But it was your voice…

We were little again, wrapped in your warm arms,

Resting against you and feeling your heart beat.

We smelled the wood smoke from your stove,

The kerosene from your lamp,

Your lavender toilet water.

We felt safe, cared for, loved.

The troubles, fear, pain all disappeared.

One little girl nestled in the arms of

one old, tired black woman that let us just be with her.

Oh, how we love and miss you Jewell!

Oh, how we treasure that love and safety!

You gave us the gift of you.

Forever and for always.

—Judy Kukuruza

Judy Kukuruza is a retired college instructor, continual student of others and bleeding heart peace lover. She has written since she learned to write. Her memoir, One Body, Many Souls, was published in 2018.

She walked into the room where
Everyone was crying.
She cried louder than them all.

She met the man
With the club
And they danced the warrior’s dance.

She saw the children suffer,
So she cast off their tormenters
With ease.

She looked after the widows
And quenched their parched lips,
So they honored her
With memories of her kindness forevermore.

The children danced around her feet
As she crowned them with priceless jewels.
They went out and saved the world.

She looked upon the man with the club
And saw his heart.
He put down his club.

Then she looked around the room and heard
No one crying.
She then found herself,
In the silence.
–Lily Hobbs

Recently retired, Lily is a late-blooming independent writer, just getting her feet wet. As a member of the Writers of Kern in Bakersfield, California, she’s getting the support, encouragement and guidance needed. In addition to her love of non-fiction and all things Spiritual – both reading and writing – she discovered a love for poetry through an interview with Mary Oliver by On Being Studios. For the first time in her life, Lily began hearing life in poetic lyrics and occasionally tries her hand at it. Find out more about Lily at www.justonething.site.

Problems
Problems
Problems
No wondering when they’ll appear
But when you do, you try to solve
Although it’s not as easy as closing a door

An immortal chore
No time to runaway
They’ll never stray

Living problems never leave
There’s a way for sure.
Do not close that door
We just have to find the cure.

—Rose

Driven by empathy, Rose and her sister founded Kind Girls Make Strong Women, a volunteer organization determined to change the world one kind act at a time. She’s considered a best-selling comic at her local elementary school and just finished her second full length, middle grade novel. When she’s not saving (or creating) the world, you can find Rose with her trusty dog, Harry Potter.