If A Child.....

IF A CHILD....

If a child lives with criticism,
he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility,
he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule,
he learns to be shy.
If a child lives with shame,
he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance,
he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement,
he learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise,
he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness,
he learns justice.
If a child lives with security,
he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval,
he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,
He learns to find love in the world.

--Dorothy Law Nolte--

Apple Blossoms

 

Apple Blossoms

Of all the lovely blossoms
        That decorate the trees,
      And shower down their petals
        With every breath of breeze,
There is nothing so sweet or fair to me
As the delicate blooms of the apple tree.

      A thousand shrubs and flow’rets
        Delicious pleasure bring,
      But beautiful Pomona
        Must be the queen of spring;
And out of her flagon the peach and pear
Their chalices fill with essence rare.

      Oh, is it any wonder,
        Devoid of blight or flaw,
      The peerless blooms of Eden
        Our primal mother saw
In redolent beauty before her placed
So tempted fair Eve the fruit to taste?

      But woman’s love of apples,
        Involving fearful price,
      And Adam’s love for woman
        That cost him Paradise,
By the labor of hands and sweat of brow,
Have softened the curse to a blessing now.

      If so those pink-eyed glories,
        In fields and orchards gay
      Develop luscious fruitage
        By Horticulture’s way,
Then, sweet as the heart of rich legumes,
Shall luxury follow the apple blooms.

Hattie Howard

Pretty in Pink

 

Pink petals passing

Scents above so high

Painted porcelain perfection

Blossoms caress the sky

Swaying silent shroud

Suitors strolling by

Pink petals passing

Lover's gentle sigh

Pastel hues falling

Slow fluttering grace

Pink petals passing

Lining streams in lace

Pink petals passing

Smoothest transit by

Soft essence floating

In most subtle lullaby

Inducing springtime slumber

Upon a satin shore

Sailing with the current

Pink petals pass before

Mary Fumento  1999

The Pink Peacock

 

The Pink Peacock

There he goes with his head up high,

Proudly thinking, “No creature is so beautiful as I.”

He struts about with an arrogant air,

Satisfied with his beauty so fair.

The peacock thinks himself to be without flaw,

Thinks that all who see him should be in awe.

His Creator has given him a plumage rare,

Causing all that see him to stop and stare.

The peacock has a flaw not plain to him,

A flaw to his eyes very dim.

He arrogantly prances about with very ugly feet,

Proud of his beauty, but deceived-like so many we meet.

He’s not altogether what he thinks he is,

To see himself as he is would be great bliss.

But he struts about with blinded eye,

Thinking, “No creature is so beautiful as I.”

The peacock teaches a lesson true,

That there are flaws in me and you.

That we are not so mighty and so high,

That we should see ourselves with the humble eye.

--Gene Griffin--