Freedom of Speech

 

Too Late

When something is irreversible, it’s irreversible,

No takebacks, no excuses, and likely it’s inexcusable,

When the toothpaste leaves the tube, it doesn’t go back,

When the words leave our mouths, they are impossible to retract,

Which is why it is important to think before we speak,

It doesn’t mean we are weak or even meek,

Words are not purposeful when used as weapons,

Thoughts also fall into this category of deceptions,

We fool ourselves if we think words don’t have power,

While freedom of speech is the topic of the hour,

Our speech should be for building up, not tearing down,

Encouraging, not degrading; Hopeful and sweet, not bitter and sour,

Speaking truth is also an absolute necessity,

Truth, though sometimes hurtful, can be spoken respectfully,

Deceit and lies will dishonor and provoke,

And remember, we can’t unscramble the scrambled egg yolk,

When something is irreversible, it’s irreversible,

So, let’s make our words kind and purposeful,

“Whatever is true,

whatever is honorable, whatever is just,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,

whatever is commendable,

 if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”- Phillipians 4:8,

If we think first, before our mouths speak, it won’t be too late!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  9/4/2021

Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

 Thankful, Grateful, Blessed Are We

Thanksgiving is not usually a holiday that gets much attention,
Halloween fun has passed, and we are looking forward to Christmas Vacation!
Families get together for Thanksgiving- yes, they do,
For turkey and dressing, and football too,
But are we filled with joy for the bounty we have?
Are we truly thankful? Do our hearts need a healing salve?
Thanksgiving holiday? …4-Day weekend, sublime,
How do we intend to spend this precious time?
We need to be thankful to the One above,
We should be grateful for His promises and eternal love,
His blessings are rich, and his mercy is never ending,
His sacrifice was personal from the beginning,
He is the King of Glory; His grace is all sufficient,
Not only is He omnipresent, but He is omnipotent,
A holiday of Thanks is well worth a celebration,
Because of the God who reigns, we give exaltation,
Thankful, grateful, blessed are we,
Lord, we live to worship thee!
Tammy Harvey
Written: 9/4/2021

This poem was inspired by a 1990 song by Don Moen called "Give Thanks (with a Grateful Heart)".

Good-bye, Hello

 

Limbo

Ever been caught in limbo?
It’s the midpoint between what is and what will be,
Waiting on the inevitable to happen, don’t you see?
It is a wrapping up of one end, while the other end is on the horizon,
It is transition at its finest. It takes patience and the surprise is…
You don’t have to stop living during the transition,
That is hard to do, I say as an admission:
I am waiting on my new house to be built nearby,
I am leaving my 30 years in this house with a sad “good-bye”,
It’s the end of a book with so many chapters to remember,
But the beginning of a new book that starts in December,
This new book is one whose pages are all still blank,
And so, I’m in limbo, to be perfectly frank,
The waiting is bittersweet as the excitement increases,
Chapter 1 will be called: “Picking up the Pieces”,
My life as a widow is starting to sink in,
I never expected this is the way it would end,
Yes, the first book’s ending was a total shock,
But I open the next book with resilience, and God as my rock.

Tammy Harvey
Written: 9/3/2021

Acorn Percussion

 Acorn Percussion

What is that noise upon my roof?
Sounds a lot like a horse’s hoof,
Clunk, clunk, clunking above my head,
I can’t even rest when I’m lying-in bed,
It’s late October, and oak trees surround my house,
And usually, it is as quiet as a mouse,
But acorns are falling, one by one,
The squirrels are having so much fun,
Acorns pelt my roof when the wind blows hard,
There are hundreds of acorns covering my yard,
The sound of them falling is alarming me too,
I will be glad when their falling days are through,
An abundance of acorns gives the squirrels a treat,
But they are rolling down my steep driveway into the street!
Why so many this year? I do not know,
Maybe it means we will have an abundance of snow?
Whatever the case, I hear clunking night and day,
But for beautiful oak trees, that’s the price that I pay,
Little acorns with their caps on tight,
Look like they are preparing for a long winter’s night,
And if one should chance to sprout and grow into a tree,
A mighty oak tree it would be.
Tammy Harvey
10/29/2021

Big Bird

 

Big Bird
Having something whimsical in my house is fun,
It makes me smile and is not hurting anyone,
I have found that a certain bright yellow chair,
Has given me the quirkiness that I want to share,
Not the most comfortable chair in the house, but just the same,
It is majestic looking, with a broad back and statuesque frame,
Mid-century modern is its style,
I call it “Big Bird”, and it makes me smile,
Bright? Yes, bright. A real attention-getter!
A throne, of sorts, couldn’t get much better,
My regal yellow chair may seem over-the-top for some,
But I like the uniqueness of it: for me, it’s pure fun!
The color of a happy faced emoji; a constant reminder,
Big Bird is not certainly a one-of-a-kinder,
But it’s my big canary in the form of a chair,
And you can’t buy smiles just anywhere!
If you chance to drop by, say hi to Big Bird,
You can’t miss seeing him; He’s absurd!
Tammy Harvey
10/4/2021