Woodsmoke and Cardamom

Safe Journey

by Lucy M. Young

A year ago, I left him with a prayer.
'Twas all I could do
For he must leave this part of embarkation
To do his duty.
From the train I watched him go
Back to the station.
Slim and graceful in his uniform.
He was just a little boy
Stumbling a little with the grief
Of parting
Yet knowing it must be.

He seemed so young and I so very old.
With tears in my eyes and a prayer in my heart
I watched him walk away.
At the door he turned and waved adieu.
I could not even think farewell.
May God forgive, as I watched him disappear
Behind that door
I thought, "Is that the last I'll see of him?
Is that the picture I must carry all my life?"

Fervently I prayed, and kept on praying.
As the days, and weeks, and months went by
His letters came, kept coming.
God was with him all the way.
He alone knows what my sailor saw.
What he endured.

Now he is back - a man, silent and stern.
But what a depth of character and love
Shines from his eyes.
Now I am the child and he must lead me
To new understanding.

New Freedom

by Lucy M. Young

At last my mind and heart and soul are free
Uncluttered and unfettered
The heavy chains of doubt and fear
Have turned to rainbows at my feet
My spirit's free
My mind can grow and bloom
In new creative channels.
My heart can spread its wings and soar
To joy unknown to me before.
My soul will bow before my Lord
In humble adoration,
In deep and lasting gratitude
For this most precious gift of happiness.

A Symphony

by Lucy M. Young

It seems to me that everything in life
Is written in a symphony;
All life's beauty, joy, and pain;
The mystery of death, the miracle of birth,
The promise of an everlasting life.

We hear the glorious, triumphant hues of sunset,
The softly tinted promise felt at dawn;
The soothing murmur of a gentle rain,
Roaring thunder of a hurricane;
The smooth, sheer beauty of a waterfall,
The gentle rippling of a quiet stream,
Crashing roll of surf;
The whispering silence of a windless forest,
The vibrant whisper of the wind among the pines,
Songs of birds;
The clear, cold majesty of winter stars,
The thrilling, breathless promise of the Spring,
Summer's toil, and Autumn's rich fulfillment.

In harmony unbroken to the end -
Pain and suffering, mellowed and relieved
By golden chords of happiness and beauty
Blended with love -
The Master leaves an imprint on my soul.

My Dream

by Lucy M. Young

I saw her only once for just a little while,
But in that time I found a living dream -
The little girl I'll never have.

She has the same blue eyes and golden hair,
The little flower face,
The winning smile, and tender, loving manner
I've seen in dreams so many times.
In her baby hands she holds my heart.
I long to hold her close.

She's yours, but would you mind too much
If, in my heart, I called her mine?

Unexpected Joy

by Lucy M. Young

Across the steel gray sky
No break appeared, no lifting of that solid mass of clouds;
Not even one white cloud to soften its austerity.
A raw north wind, which breathed of snow, lashed at my body,
Pouring grayness on my spirit.

When suddenly, around a bend,
I found, caught in the branches of a little tree
A patch of golden sunlight -
Another, and another, 'til the dreary sky was blotted out
In one great, glorious blaze of sunshine
Fashioned by a tree.

Melodrama

by Lucy M. Young

If only I could run away somewhere
And be myself for just a little while
I wonder what I would be like.
Would I be gay and charming,
Or quiet and reserved?
Would I be kind and gentle, lovable and loving,
Or bitter, hard, unscrupulous and wicked?

I think I know.
I'd be just what I want to be, and nothing more nor less -
A woman.
I'd laugh a lot, and cry enough to keep a tender heart,
Love without restraint.
I would be good, but not too good,
And neither would I be too bad.
I'd be a bit mischievous, too,
But always quick with sympathy, a helping hand.
I would be gentle, understanding, kind.
Your heart would be my home.

Grim circumstance has forced an act upon me
Where I must lie, pretend, deceive - and smile.
By doing this I'm making someone happy,
But what of me?
I hate dishonesty.
I am the star in this - the melodrama of my life.
Where is it leading me?

At the Cross

by Lucy M. Young

When my pain seems too much to bear
And nobody seems to care
I think of my Lord on the cross
And the agony that He bore
For us sinners evermore
As He died on the cruel cross.
As I ponder deeply on it
My cross of pain eases a bit
In fancy I kneel at the cross
In comparison my pain is naught
Lovingly following Him is my lot
And I willingly take up my cross.

A Letter to Santa

by Lucy M. Young

Dear Santa, I never wrote to you
When I was very young;
But now that I am "not so young"
Please count my note among
The many letters you receive
With lists of varying length,
And pay it close attention
When I call upon your strength

To join with our precious Lord
And bring to all on earth
The long-forgotten meaning
Of our Saviour's lowly birth -
The joy of unselfish giving,
Of sharing with those in need,
Bring love, tranquility and hope,
And banish rampant greed.

Dear Santa, read my letter
And answer it please do;
And I promise that from now on
I will believe in you.

Prayer for a Rainy Day

by Lucy M. Young

Oh, hear my prayer this rainy day
And answer it, dear Lord, I pray.
The cold, gray clouds and dripping skies
Have hidden the sunshine from my eyes.

Forgive my pessimism, Lord,
Remind me of Your sacred word.
I can't be gloomy if I say,
"Dear Lord, I thank You for this day."

"This is the day that the Lord has made."
Gloom and sadness all must fade.
"Let us rejoice and be glad in it."
And make the most of every minute.

The Lord sends rain as well as sun;
His blessings fall on everyone.
Let me greet each hour with a cheerful song
And a smile to help the day along.

With His Help

by Lucy M. Young

I asked the Lord for help because I thought I couldn't do it -
That task that seemed impossible to me.
Weakened by my handicap I thought 'twould be too difficult,
But I called on Him and He was there beside me.

He took away my pain and gave me strength beyond believing.
He showed me what to do and how to do it.
I know that He was with me - I could feel His loving presence -
With Him beside me there was nothing to it.

So now I know that with His help I can do all I need to do,
And when I call for help He'll be there for me;
I'll never say "I can't" again for now I know I can,
And a happy, useful life is spread before me.