Categories
Poems Spirituality

Beware of the Modern Pharisees and Scribes!

This is that time when anything you say can be held against you. It doesn’t matter where you’re coming from. It doesn’t matter whether you were fully aware of the weight of your words. And it doesn’t matter whether you were sick or writhing in pain when you said it.

People will form their conclusion about you. They will feed their anger and their fear and blame it all on you. And they will do these things without even asking your side of the story.

Why ask when they want to satisfy their wrath? Why shatter their prejudices when they are blinded by their self-righteousness?

People will throw stones at you as though you were the most evil person in the world. They won’t care because they don’t care. If they did, they would have given you at least the benefit of the doubt.

But in the name of justice, they do what is most unjust. In the name of truth, they believed in lies.

They disguise themselves as lambs when they are wolves ready to devour anyone getting in their way. They see no hope and so they drive everyone to despair.

Tell me, who is without sin or blemish among you? And who has the right to cast the first stone?

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them.” – Matthew 23:13 (NRSVCE)

Categories
Grief Poems

Grief Is a Blanket I Have Learned to Love

Grief is a blanket
I have learned to love
Though I must admit,
it used to be so rough
I could hardly bear touching it.

Grief is a blanket
I have learned to love,
Though I must admit
that the mere thought of it
caused my tears to fall.

And I gave it all
just to get rid of it,
’cause it would rub against my skin,
and I’d lay down
with wounds all over me.

But grief is a blanket
I have learned to love…
It protected me when I felt cold,
and O, how I felt so cold!

I’d rather be scratched by its edges,
I’d rather bear its heavy burden,
than to lay down empty and heartless,
unable to feel the tears
flowing from my eyes.

Grief is rough
and grief is heavy,
but it’s something I’d carry
to cover me with warmth.


Jocelyn Soriano wrote the books In Your Hour of Grief and Of Waves and Butterflies: Poems on Grief.

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Categories
love Poems relationships

In the Silence of Love

Love speaks,
but love is also silent.
Silent enough to listen,
when you hurt through and through,
Silent enough to hold you,
silent enough to kiss you,
silent enough to stay,
just when you need it most.

Because love is silent…
It does not yell nor scream,
but listens to your deepest dreams.

In times of darkness,
it is there,
allowing your heart to rest,
and it does it best,
to give you space and time.

O, how we need its silence,
when we are guilty and ashamed,
and we know we are to blame,
but instead of reprimands,
love is silent and understands.

And without speaking a word,
it consoles your heart and soul.
In compassion and in trust,
it raises you when you feel small.

And it gives it all,
in the silence of love you are cherished,
In the silence of love you are seen,
There is no need to run away,
or hide or turn around,
Love remains though love is silent,
and it will never let you down.


Jocelyn Soriano wrote the books “Poems of Love and Letting Go” and “Of Wave and Butterflies: Poems on Grief”.

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Categories
Poems

When I Wandered Far From You

Stay with me,
Hold my trembling hands!
And with my failing strength,
I’d give you all my thanks.

The night is dark,
and morning seems so long,
How could I carry on
unless someone comes along?

In the land of shadows,
where I walked,
I forgot all my hopes
’til I heard a song.

I heard your voice
from far away
And hope returned
when I saw your face.

Why did I ever
wander far,
when I have all
right where you are?


Jocelyn Soriano wrote the books “Poems of Love and Letting Go” and “Of Wave and Butterflies: Poems on Grief”.

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Categories
Grief Poems

Do Not Cast My Ashes Into the Sea!

Do not cast my ashes into the sea
nor leave them near a tree,
Lest you believe that I am there…
These ashes came from me,
but they’re not me.

Do not carry my ashes
as though I could not move at all,
for I did not become that small.
Death never had me whole,
for I have my immortal soul.

Do not hope that I be carried by the wind,
for I will not come as dust that hurt your eyes.
I have not vanished when I died,
but I live still and I am here,
I’ll always stay right by your side.


Jocelyn Soriano wrote the books In Your Hour of Grief and Of Waves and Butterflies: Poems on Grief.

Buy it from Amazon

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Get it from Gumroad