The Memory of Love

 

Long ago… it seems so very long ago,

Six grandparents had I, to watch me learn and grow.

They were the family I’d been given, spread across this land.

And though I had no siblings, my heart could understand:

 

There was love… from God above.

There was peace and joy and laughter.

There was hope from heaven’s Dove.

And in spite of what came after,

There was always… a memory… of love.

 

Years went by… they seemed to go so very fast.

Five grandparents had I, because it couldn’t last.

The ceaseless march of time was knocking on my family’s door.

And though I felt immortal, my heart would soon lose more.

 

But there was love… from God above.

There was joy and peace remaining.

Hope was all we could think of.

Though death seemed like it was gaining,

There was always… the memory… of love.

 

Time marched on… and Grandpa Bob was next to go.

Four grandparents had I remaining here below.

We cared for Tiny and for Nancy as best as we could.

For they were both my grandmas, and both would be for good.

 

And there was love… from God above.

There was peace for the beholder.

There was hope to be proud of.

Though we each were growing older,

There was always… the memory… of love.

Then one year… I woke to find three more were gone.

One grandparent had I who had not yet moved on.

The passing of my mother’s parents, grandma Tiny too,

Signified a shift in generations would ensue.

 

But was there love… from God above?

Was there peace and joy to lead us?

Was there hope to take hold of?

As they all went home to Jesus,

Was there still… a memory… of love?

 

Since that year… the Lord has blessed me with my own.

Two little boys, but wow how they’ve already grown!

And Grandma Nancy got to see them, starting life anew.

I thank the Lord in heaven that they got to meet her too.

 

For there is love… from God above.

There is peace and joy and laughter.

There is hope to teach them of.

As time ever marches after,

There is always… the memory… of love.

 

Here today… we come together one last time,

To honor Nancy Braden, the last one left in line.

She was the final member of that generation great.

Now she joins the rest in heaven with rejoicing at the gate!

 

And there is love… with God above.

There is peace beyond all measure.

There is hope worth dreaming of.

As new children are our treasure,

There is always… the memory… of love.

 

~ R. Samuel Braden (October-2022)

Poems from Proverbs (part 1)

Timeless virtue, born of old,
Held of God, its worth untold.
Heed the warning given bold,
And seek for wisdom more than gold!
- 8:10, 22, 23

You will bear the credit or the shame
Of all you are alone.
Whether wise or scoffing vane
You'll live with what you've sown.
- 9:12

Hold your peace
Or reap the cost.
When words don't cease
Then wisdom's lost.
- 10:19

Grace and honor,
Beauty and sense,
A lady of glamour
Should give no offense.
- 11:16, 22

Compassion shown
To lesser life
Shows one who's known
Apart from strife.
- 12:10

Words as weapons falsely used
Displease the Lord above.
But truthful tongues who hate refused
Delight the Lord of love.
- 12:18, 19, 20, 22

Where life springs forth like waters clear
And understanding shines,
There wisdom spreads to those who hear
And death no longer binds.
- 13:14-15

Hidden pain that mars the heart
An outward smile veils.
When laughter never dares depart
An inward pain regales.
- 14:10, 13

Contentment for the things you have
With reverence for the Lord
Is to greed a healing salve,
And peace is your reward.
- 15:16

Honest business, truthful tongues,
Find delight as God's own sons.
In the end the road of life
Takes the wise away from strife.
- 16:2, 7, 8, 11, 13, 17

How sweet the words of one who knows
The cares of all his friends and foes!
His heart with wisdom gives him voice
To guide with prudence every choice.
- 16:21, 23, 24

Far beyond the circle's end
Lies the treasure fools would seek.
But if he would deign to bend,
He'd find true wisdom at his feet.
- 17:24

(All poems original works by R. Samuel Braden)

Lamentations of Edacity

Efficiency! Yes that’s the need. Efficiency!

The erring nation seeks in greed more energy.

The eager miners drill indeed more earnestly.

The ever-growing human seed gives eulogy

To Earth, entombed by their decreed edacity.

Efficiency! That was the need. Efficiency!

The empty nation failed to heed the entropy.

The ego-driven claimed a creed of equity.

The erstwhile saviors tried to plead equivocally

But avarice did yet exceed their empathy.

Efficiency! Will you take heed? Efficiency!

-R. Samuel Braden (21-April-2018)

The Arena

(an original epic poem by R. Samuel Braden)

1.   It towers high above the city like a mountain tall,

      With stone-cut arches in its face that beckon unto all.

      The great Arena, it is said’s like no place else on earth,

      For here the greatest legends all compete to show their worth. 

 

2.   Anticipation builds as people stream in from all sides,

      With eagerness to see the place where life and death collide.

      The whispers of the crowd are like the wind upon the trees,

      As Hades waits with sharpened scythe, their hunger to appease.  

 

3.   Then down below the creak of doors is heard and voices hush,

      As out there roam a pack of boars that seem not in a rush.

      They wander off across the ring and paw the ground to see,

      That if, perchance, within this place a morsel there might be. 

 

4.   Then suddenly the stillness is erupted by the roars,

      As lions leap from cages and fall on the hapless boars.

      But ‘ere they can enjoy their bloody meal upon the sand,

      There springs forth yet another troop of Jackals o’er the land. 

 

5.   The fighting reaches fervor as the beasts are set upon,

      Half-starved they fight and mangle as to claim a meal they’d won.

      And as the sands run red with blood, the crowd is going wild,

      For these great beasts have given all, in spectacle beguiled.
 

6.   Then deathly howls rise up from among the beasts of prey,

      Where claws have torn and teeth have shorn their life blood all away.

      It is a far more gruesome sight than I have seen before,

      But th’crowds are not yet sated, and they bellow out for more.

7.   Attendants clear the field of fallen carcasses and bone,

      The last of nature’s pride and fury whimpering alone.

      And as the conch horn sounds the intermission from the fray,

      The final battle is prepared to end this bloody day.
 

8.   Now hither to the ring of strife where clamored all awry,

      We come unto the spectacle of men ‘twere sent to die.

      An ending of a hideous task, a bath of crimson stains,

      Where those left standing at the last shall claim their brutal gains.
 

9.   The metal cages open at the ends on either side,

      And horn calls bellow out across to hark the coming tide.

      Where blood will flow and people show support for land and king,

      The great Arena echoes back the savage cheers they bring.
 

10. Now one steps forth with sword held high, a zeal burns in his eyes,

      For he will stand and fight this day amid the battle cries.

      His sun-baked skin is dark and scarred with countless marks of pain,

      A life that’s marked in service to the sword whence comes his gain.
 

11. Across the field another comes with axe and whip held tight,

      He screams a pagan curse aloud and charges to the fight.

      The whip he lashes at his foe as if an ox to drive,

      While with the axe a mighty swing, the man’s head to deprive.
 

12. But with a swiftness like the wind the scarred one makes his move,

      He throws himself beneath the swing, his quarry to reprove.

      Then spinning ‘round he thrusts with blade and runs the axe-man through,

      And as his lifeblood drains the crowd is jostling for a view.
 

13. Then more pour forth from all around with weapons of all kinds, 

      A massacre for pleasure as the glut for empty minds.

      The cheering of the crowd reaches a fervor at the sight,

      As clash of steel and screams of men their senses do delight.
 

14. Then at the last the horn call sounds as one remains alone,

      The scarred man turns his eyes to gaze up at the royal throne.

      If he has been found worthy a full pardon he could win,

      For it would mean the gods have shown their mercy o’er his sin.
 

15. A hush now falls again as every eye turns to the king,

      How will he judge the man who’s fought and given everything?

      Then to his feet the monarch stands and holds his scepter high,

      And ‘midst the cheering of the crowd the fighter starts to cry.
 

16. His chest is gleaming with the sweat and blood of victory,

      With streaks of red and marks that said: here was a man made free.

      And in the gath’ring darkness of a fading sun that day,

      A man has come, a fight was won, and some are gone away.

Linger Here a Moment

Linger here a moment, let us gaze into the East,
Linger here a moment, let us see,
How the morning breaks the darkness and upon the shadows feasts,
Linger here a moment next to me.

Linger here a moment, let us gaze into the sky,
Linger here a moment, let us see,
How the sun upon its zenith shines down from its throne on high,
Linger here a moment next to me.

Linger here a moment, let us gaze into the West,
Linger here a moment, let us see,
How the sun turns red like crimson, and then sinks into its nest,
Linger here a moment next to me.

Feral-Tame (A Scamper Story)

Many people love cats. And why not? They are soft and often cute, and fun to watch as they romp and play. But cats typically are nothing like guard dogs. You don't buy a cat to keep your house safe. You don't get a cat to rid your yard of rabbits. You get a cat because they're cute and cuddly, or because you're a masochist and want to have someone in the house to keep you humble! But regardless of your reasons, a cat can make a big difference in a home. Today I would like to share with you my story of living with a very unique cat...

Scamper (the 3rd) came into my life in August of 2015 as an itty bitty kitten. She'd been born in the wild, but had no place to live. So she was brought to me and I took her in. She quickly grew very attached to me, quite possibly viewing me as the mother she didn't have. And as the months went by and she grew, something interesting became evident. She was totally attached to me, but became increasingly unfriendly toward strangers.

I am kitten, hear me roar!

She tolerates my fiancé Amanda, and my parents. But everyone else is an intruder. Honestly, I was beginning to suspect she was half Rottweiler! Unlike most cats that would run and hide from strangers, she went on the offensive and decided to protect her home from all intruders! She would even approach people, growling at them to try to intimidate them. But as soon as they were gone, she would return to being a cuddly and friendly cat that just wanted snuggles! Almost as if she was saying, "now I have you all to myself!"




My human is best pillow!

The more I have research to this, the more I've come to the conclusion that she can only be described as "feral-tame" that is to say: "Having the trappings of being tame when around trusted family members, but in all other ways acting feral."

According to thecatsite.com behavior like this is more common in cats that were born in the wild. To them, their adopted family is seen more like other cats than like humans. As my little tiger has grown into an adult cat, she basically sees the house as her Den and me and my family as her own littermates. She romps and plays with me and Amanda, sometimes getting a bit carried away, but it's always in good fun. But when strangers come around, she becomes a hostile growling ball of standing fur and sharpened fangs!

The house is safe now, time for cuddles!

It is my hope that she will grow out of this with time and learn to accept strangers. But for now, if you come to the house and she does not try to drive you out, consider that a blessing! Because she does not give her affection readily, and those few that have her trust are special indeed. ;)

Scamper the 3rd (named after two previous cats I'd had as a child, long ago) may not be the friendliest critter to share a home with a human, but she does have a loyal temperament, and she can be quite affectionate in her own way. She brings me toys to play fetch with, and she'll actually return them to me when I throw them! In addition to that, she helps me with "bug patrol," going nuts any time a fly gets into the house! She'll stand there and chatter at it if its out of reach until I help her catch it. She also enjoys going outside with me from time to time, and I can walk her on her leash! She's less hostile to strangers outside, probably because she is away from her "den" which needs protecting. So out here she is less protective because it's not "her territory." And whenever we go on cross-country trips, like to visit my parents in Michigan, she will cling to me the whole way and cry if she isn't touching me.

Where are we going now??

So what can I tell you about this little tiger that thinks of me as one of her own? Scamper lives up to her name! She has lots of energy and often gallops around the house, up and down the stairs, and practically bouncing off the walls when she wants to play! She sleeps with me at night, lying on my feet like a guard dog. She waits for me in the window, watching for me when I come home from work. I get out of the car and come around the garage, and there she is, waiting for me to get home! She is a very unique cat, indeed. And love her or hate her, she is the way she is without apology. So I say again, if she tolerates you and doesn't try to drive you away, you are very special indeed. And if not, well don't feel too bad. She'd bite Mother Teresa without a moment's regret! So stay happy my friends. And go snuggle your own pets and be thankful for the random quirkiness that makes them unique too!