PAPER LANTERNS I


PAGE 1

LIKE PAPER LANTERNS,
LITTLE, COLORED, BLOOMS OF LIGHT,
SHINE ALONG THE WAY.

REMEMBER, EGO:
A BALLOON MUST BE BLOWN UP,
BEFORE IT IS POPPED.

FLATTERY MAY SMILE.
SMILES CAN; ALSO SHOW THE TEETH;
THE TEETH THAT CAN BITE.

PAGE 2

TO SAY "I'M EMPTY"
MEANS THERE IS SOMETHING SAYS THAT.
HOW CAN IT BE SO?

IF WE DO NOT KNOW
BEST HORSES HAVE HANDICAPS,
WE CAN'T JUDGE TRUE STRENGTH.

LOVE SHINES IN THE DARK.
LOVE SINGS ON A RAINY DAY.
LOVE WARMS IN THE COLD.

PAGE 3

A LONE BIRD SITS HIGH,
ON TOPMOST BRANCH OF A TREE,
WATCHING AND WARNING.

EVEN ISLANDS SING.
HUMMING ALONG WITH THE SEA;
SINGING TIMELESS SONGS.

LOVE COOLS THE FEVERED.
LOVE REFRESHES THE WEARY.
LOVE CONSOLES THE SAD.

PAGE 4

BEGGAR KINGS WALK ON.
THE LONG ROAD CALLS THEM ONWARD;
WITH PORTABLE FAITH.

THE SINGER BRINGS SONG.
THE SOLDIER BRINGS ;PROTECTION.
THE CHILDREN ARE HOPE.

LOVE DISTILLS THE PAST.
LOVE SOWS THE SEED OF FUTURE.
LOVE NURTURES THE SEED.

PAGE 5

FAITH SUSTAINS SPIRIT.
WISDOM IS TEACHER OF MIND.
LOVE COMFORTS THE SOUL

PUT ON YOUR SANDALS,
TO SHOVEL THE DESERT SAND,
AND BRING IT BACK HOME.

LET BEAUTY SURVIVE.
IT CAN CHEER THE SADDENED HEART.
IT CAN RENEW HOPE.

PAGE 6

OH WHAT CAN I DO ?
"DRAW COOL WATER FROM THE WELL."
SO I WRITE HAIKU.

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE,
DOES NOT ALLOW TIME TO THINK,
SO MAY END IN CRASH.

AUTUMN LEAVES MAY FALL,
BUT SO DO SEEDS FOR NEXT SPRING.
ONE FADES, AND ONE GROWS.

PAGE 7

IN A STAGNANT POND,
HEALTHY LIFE CANNOT PROSPER.
PONDS NEED LARGE SOURCES.

ONE STEP AT A TIME.
MOVES US ALONG THE LONG ROAD.
ONE DAY AT A TIME.

WE WAKE UP WEARY,
AND WE SLEEP WITHOUT TRUE REST,
BUT WE KEEP TRYING.

PAGE 8

PADDLE YOUR CANOE
MID-STREAM, TO AVOID TANGLES
ALONG UNKNOWN SHORES.

SENIOR MEMORY.
IS A FAT PHOTO ALBUM,
WITH THE NAMES ERASED.

TEMPLE BELLS SOUNDING,
THROUGH DISTANCE OF MORNING MIST,
ARE HEARD CLEAR BY SOUL.

PAGE 9

WHEN YOU START TO FRET,
TAKE THE TIME TO PRAY INSTEAD,
FOR BETTER RESULTS.

TRY TO LIVE YOUR LIFE
RESPECTING THE MIRROR FACE,
AND YOU WILL DO WELL.

CLOAKED IN A HARD HUSK,
SEED OF SPIRIT MEDITATES.
UNTIL ITS TIME HAS COME.

PAGE 10

NEITHER PRAISE NOR BLAME
BY THE WORLD, CAN JUDGE SUCCESS.
OF THE UNSEEN KIND.

HARBORS MUST BE DEEP,
TO PROVIDE ACCESS FOR SHIPS
THAT SAIL THE HIGH SEAS.

SEA TIDES EBB AND FLOW;
SO TOO WITH SEASONS OF SOUL.
BOTH HAVE A PURPOSE.

PAGE 11

OUR INNER ACTION
DETERMINES THE QUALITY
OF OUTER ACTION.

BEWARE OF TRICKLES.
THEY ERODE AS WELL AS FLOODS;
THOUGH SILENT AND SLOW.

REMEMBER THE GOOD.
LEARN TO LET GO OF THE BAD,
BUT KEEP THE WISDOM.

PAGE 12

SEARCH OUT THE MOTIVE..
SOME FOLKS GO TO CHURCH TO PRAY;
SOME GO TO PREY ON.

THERE IS BUSINESS,
AND THEN THERE IS BUSY-NESS;
NOT ALWAYS THE SAME.

SHARE YOUR VICTORIES.
AS LIGHTHOUSES BEAM OUT LIGHT,
SO CAN LIVES WELL-LIVED.

PAGE13

WATER SOON COVERS
TRACKS OF WATER PASSAGES,
AND RIPPLES SOON FADE.

WING AT THE WINDOW,
TAPS LIKE A FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR,
SAYING "GOOD MORNING".

A SWEET SINGER'S SONG,
HAS POWER TO SOOTHE THE SOUL,
AS WE TRAVEL ON.

PAGE 14

TINCTURE IS SUBTLE,
YET IT ALTERS QUALITY,
IN TRANSFORMING WAYS.

WHEN A STORM IS NEAR,
SOME CHICKENS WILL RUN FOR HOME;
SOME MUST BE SHOOED IN.

THE SPARKLE OF YOUTH,
WILL MELLOW TO QUIET GLOW,
IN THE MATURE SOUL.

PAGE 15

WHAT LIFE HAS ENCLOSED
IN HORIZONTAL LIMITS.
WILL GROW VERTICAL.

HARD TIMES ARE GOOD TIMES
TO SORT THE TRUE FRIENDS WHO HELP,
FROM FAKE FRIENDS WHO GLOAT.

FIRST LIGHT OF MORNING'
A THIN VINE ON HORIZON'
SLOWLY BLOOMING GOLD.

PAGE 16

LEARNING OF PATIENCE,
IS NOT AN OPTION IN LIFE'
IT IS ESSENTIAL.

GOOD CHARACTER IS
A SLOWLY WOVEN GARMENT.
THE WEAVING TAKES TIME.

FAITH IS A LIT TORCH,
WE CARRY TO LIGHT THE WAY.
WE MUST KEEP IT LIT.

PAGE 17

TRAGEDY TEACHES;
ITS LESSONS ARE REMEMBERED,
TO SAVE LIVES LATER.

YOUTHFUL KNOWLEDGE BOASTS.
WISDOM'S A MELLOW FELLOW,
WHO'S BEEN TAUGHT BY TIME.

TIME WILL EXPOSE TRUTH,
HIDDEN BY DISTRACTION NOW:
THINGS NOT AS THEY SEEM.

PAGE 18
SOMETIMES WE MAY THINK
WE ARE JUDGING, BUT REALLY,
WE ARE BEING JUDGED.

TEMPTATION, THOUGH CLOTHED
IN SHABBY RAGS OR GRANDEUR,
IS STILL TEMPTATION.

LOVE WASHES THE HEART,
LIKE RAIN WASHES THE WINDOW.
BOTH IMPROVE THE VIEW.

PAGE19

THOSE WHO HAVE TO MAKE
UNPOPULAR DECISIONS,
TIME MAY PROVE DID RIGHT.

THE COST OF LOVING,
IS SOMETIMES A GREAT HEARTACHE.
NOT TO LOVE COSTS MORE.

SOMETIMES THE BEST WAY
TO SAVE SOMETHING YOU VALUE,
IS TO PASS IT ON.

PAGE 20

DUE TO THE SQUIRRELS.
THAT HIDE ACORNS AND FORGET,
OAK TREES CAN SURVIVE.

WHO CAN PLANT A SEED.
AND FORECAST THE DAY AND HOUR
THE SPROUT WILL APPEAR ?

THE ROAD DOES NOT FADE
IN DISTANCE,AS IT SEEMS TO,
NOR DO THOSE WE LOVE.


via/bjc 2005

Paper Lanterns 2

Roadsong

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