poetry

“Looking Back at Me”

| Laura Lee Bonde

when I look at myself
some times
I see the past
some times
I see the present

the weight I’ve gained
the parts that are aging
the gray
but then I think of the kids
and what they see

they see the mother they looked to
while breastfeeding
they see the profile of the mommy
who used to burp them
they see the beauty of the one
who’s made them smile
they see the comforting arms
that’ve held them
they see the lap they used to lay on
while watching movies
they see the hands of the woman
who has led them
they see the eyes and the face
of who’s always loved them

age doesn’t stick out to them
because they’re aging too
and we’re still growing
as a family
in the soil of love

meddle::

| Laura Lee Bonde

-interfere in or busy oneself unduly with something that is not one’s concern.
-touch or handle (something) without permission.

on Monday
someone meddled
with my family

a “Christian”
with “good intentions”
left a path
of destruction
and chaos
disrupting minds
that were set

there was no warning
much like a tornado
there’s STILL debris
on the ground

my first response
was to vent
online
but instead
I continued on
in peace and quiet

and whatayaknow
God’s been at work
changing minds
and moods
to look more like
HIM

God reveals truth
and the enemy’s lies

“Check the Lighting”

| Laura Lee Bonde

for the one who lost a baby
newborn pictures will look different

for the one in an unhappy marriage
wedding photos will lack joy

for the one who lost their kids
family pictures may not form a smile

sometimes effects of experience
change one’s perspective
and the only way to change it back
is through alignment with Him

“Trudging”

| Laura Lee Bonde

since leaving Lemon Grove
I’ve been oppressed
and let me tell you
the dark can get darker

along the road
many turned away
some remained silent
while others stood by

praying
hoping
holding
believing

many said
not to write
or at least
not out loud

but if they only knew
how many times
I held a pen
how many journals
were sent
and as I sat there
with pen in hand
only tears would
fall

when ink
becomes tears
pages become
warped

with every thing inside
I felt buried
with no where to express
parts died

but maybe they needed to
for other parts to live

when a forest burns
new life grows
because what once was shaded
now has light

to those who turned away
welcome back
to those who stayed
let’s move on
to those who were silent
I’m ready to listen

“Opposites Attract”

| Laura Lee Bonde

the unloved
just want to be loved

the unversed
just want to know

the unjust
just want things fair

the unknown
just want to be seen

the unwanted
just want to be needed

when you meet
the “uns”
just let life
of the opposite
flow
then the part of them
that wants
will receive
and break free

“My Beat”

| Laura Lee Bonde

it’s a place that can be
hidden or wide
open

it feels every loss
and hopes for
every gain

it watches and waits
believing and
hoping

it sees what’s going
on and what
could be

it knows what’s in
the eyes and
movements

it can always find
the lies behind
the truth

it’s a safe place to feel
and even safer place
to know

it rises up and stands
when others feel
defeated

it cowers in the dark
when feeling
overwhelmed

it can speak through
tears and be seen
through joy

it protects
guides and
loves

it’s a mother’s
heart who’s
received

“Different Places”

| Laura Lee Bonde

there’s a difference between

wanting to die
and
not wanting to live

I know
because I was there yesterday

oh how I want to write about it
but there’s an element of hiding
that can’t be seen

it’s not that I’m isolating
FROM any one
it’s that I’m isolating TO
the only One Who can help

but this process NEEDS
to be written
it just may need to be
the old-fashioned way