IF WISHES WERE FISHES

IF WISHES WERE FISHES,
WE'D ALL HAVE FULL DISHES.
AM I THE ONLY ONE TO HEAR THIS TRITE REPLY?
O, ALL OF THESE LIES.
SO MANY BRUISES,
SO MUCH BLOOD.
AND NOW THAT SHE IS NEARING THE END,
THE HURTS AND CONTUSIONS AND SPRAINS AND BREAKS;
YOU TRY SO HARD TO GET THESE OFF YOUR CHEST
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE FOR EITHER ONE OF US.
THAT'S WHY I'VE BEEN TELLING MY CHILDREN
AS MUCH AS I CAN
THAT,
NO MATTER WHAT,
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE THEM
AND MAKING SURE
THEY WILL REMEMBER ME
AS LOVING THEM FIRST.
(HEY! I HAD A NINE MONTH HEAD START.)

ANYWAY,
THERE WAS SOMETHING I WAS MEANING TO SAY,
AND THEN I STRAYED.
WHAT'S NEW.

DON'T LET THIS DAY GO BY
WITHOUT FINDING AT LEAST ONE THING OF WHICH YOU ARE GRATEFUL,
THANKFUL.
EVEN IF IT'S JUST THE FACT YOU ARE BREATHING.
BREATHING EASILY I THINK WE SOMETIMES TAKE FOR GRANTED.
I HAVE HAD ASTHMA NEARLY ALL MY LIFE,
SO I SHOULD KNOW.

LOOK OUTSIDE,
LISTEN TO THE SINGING OF THE BIRDS,
HEAR THE CHICKENS NEXT DOOR,
BRINGING UP GOOD MEMORIES
OF GRANDDADDY'S COTTON FARM.
RUNNING AROUND
BAREFOOT
IN MY BATHING SUIT.
WHITE BLOND HAIR
HAVING A GOOD TIME,
EVEN SMILING HAPPILY
CUZ I KNEW THERE WOULD BE NO BEATINGS
WHILE MY GRANDDADDY WAS AROUND.
I MISS THAT FARM,
ALL OF THAT SUNSHINE
AND TREES TO CLIMB,
HIDE.
IF I CLOSE MY EYES
I CAN SMELL THE DUSTY DIRT ROAD
AND THE O SO MANY COTTONWOOD TREES
AND THE WATER IN THE DITCHES.
DIDN'T LIKE THE NIGHTS, THO.
WAY TOO QUIET
AND NO LIGHTS FOR MILES,
EXCEPT THE STARS,
OF COURSE.
I DON'T MISS HAVING TO HELP GRANDMA
GO PICK
THE CHICKEN
THAT WOULD BE THAT NIGHT'S DINNER,
OR THE CATFISH FROM THE FARM
CUZ I KNEW
SHE FED THE PARTS OF THE CHICKEN WE DIDN'T EAT
TO THEM.
ICK!

MY HEAVEN, THO,
IS STILL BEING SOMEHOW ABLE
TO STILL WRITE MY POETRY
AND PLANT SEEDS IN NEARLY 70 COUNTRIES
ONLY THROUGH GOD'S AMAZING GRACE.

AND I WILL BE HAPPY IF I CAN TOUCH JUST ONE HURTING SOUL.
LET THEM KNOW
THAT THEY ARE NOT
NOR EVER HAVE BEEN
ALONE
IN THEIR MISERY.
THE MISERY WILL END
WHEN YOU ASK JESUS TO COME IN TO YOUR BROKEN,
SHATTERED,
CRUSHED
POOR HEART.
THEN THERE WILL BE A LITTLE FLAME IN THERE
TO WARM UP
EVERYTHING;
FILL THAT HOLE THAT'S IN THE DEEPEST PART OF YOUR SOUL.

YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING,
SO I'M JUST SAYING...

AND ONE LAST QUESTION,
THEN STICK A FORK IN ME CUZ I'M DONE,
WILL I BE REMEMBERED WHEN I AM GONE?

PSALM 4:3

KNOW THAT THE LORD HAS SET APART

HIS FAITHFUL SERVANT

FOR HIMSELF;

THE LORD

HEARS

WHEN I CALL TO HIM