Poem: Christmas Morning

Christmas Morning

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Early sounds of laughter filled with joy
Surprised faces of little girls and boys
Admiration of Fathers and Mothers
As they watch their young open their gifts

Waffles
Eggs
Bacon
And grits

Breakfast is served
Prayer is said
Followed by
Amen

Songs of the season in recognition of this day
Play in the background

Moments captured by photographs
To be placed later in memory's album

On this early
Christmas morning

Poem: Welcoming The Holidays

Welcoming The Holidays

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Laughter
And joy
And caroling
And family
And friends
And love
And reunion
And
New memories to be made

A feeling of good
Lingers in the air
And
Fills a space in our hearts

The holidays
Have arrived

Again

Poem: Run

Run

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Walking down the path
Admiring the seasons as they arrive
Receiving all the blessings given
Pacing each day
So that life doesn't stop living
And time isn't left behind

For

If we should run too fast
And pass those scenes meant to be seen
And pass the time meant to be used
And forgo the small things that seem less appealing
Just to reach first to the finish line

Would the purpose of given life
Had been fulfilled
The same
If had it been walked

I believe not

Poem: No Fight Tonight

No Fight Tonight

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Let us
Surrender our differences
In favor of unity
Whether our minds disagree
Or the need to challenge faults exist

For peace's sake

And
Let us
For tonight
Connect the gap between
The length of distance
And
Release the weight
Of tension

And
Sleep
Undisturbed

Peacefully

Tonight

Poem: Gratefulness

Gratefulness

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Impossibilities made possible

The mysteries of the unknown revealed

Blindness unveiled

For lost sight to become clear

Parched mouths quenched of their thirst

Hungered stomachs fed to their full

Closed doors open to present

The fruit of faithful prayers

Unclothed bodies covered

Exposed homes given sheltered

Scattered pieces put together

To complete the unfinished picture

Blessings

To be grateful for

Poem: The Peace After

 The Peace After

By: Joi Maree Flowers

So silent
The peace

After the roar of the thunder
Rumbled the floor below my stand
After the rain from above
Drenched my flesh

After the disturbance
Finally passed

The silhouette of peace
Draped me like an Autumn's wind

 

Cool

And 

Free

Calming my soul

  To heal me

Poem: She Said

She Said

By Joi Maree Flowers

Those words which were spoken into life
By way of a dream that once seemed unattainable

Those actions which were made through determination
Despite loud whispers of dispute that taunted progression

The voice once silenced
By fear and procrastination
By built walls
And by laughing faces

Spoke those words of revelation

I CAN
I WILL
I DID

 

Amen

Poem: Say

Say

By : Joi Maree Flowers

Say you love me
Like the first time
From a sincere heart
And a confident mind

Say it
Like yesterday
When forever was a promise
And recited vows co-signed it

Say it
A thousand times
With little notes
And "just because" sentiments

Say it
Like no one knows
Loud
So everyone can hear

Say it
Like it once was said
Before today
Like that moment in the beginning

Poem: Here

Here

By: Joi Maree Flowers

I feel his kisses
Tickle the nap of my neck
When the wind blows

I hear his voice
Whisper in my ear
Those favorite words of Amore

I see his smile
In the brightness of the sun
As it rises above the ocean's waves

I see him
Every where I go
Even when from me he's far away

My love

Poem: Love Is

Love Is

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Love

Is a surprise
Unexpected
But welcomed

Is a song
That plays
Into forever

Is a strength
Whose hold
Is gentle

Is a feeling
Of wonders
Often unexplainable

A want
Desired

A joy
For which to be grateful

By those
Whose dream of it

Has come true

And wondered
By those

Who await it

Poem: Every Day

Every Day

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Every day is a blessing to receive

Whether it turns out great

Or everything you didn't hope it to be

Each day is still a blessing

Received

Waking up

To breathe

To see

To feel

To walk

To know

That life

In you

Still lives

Knowing that you

Are

Instead of

Were

Is in it self

A blessing

Poem: Love's Truth

Love's Truth

By: Joi Maree Flowers

I love how we love
I love how we grow
I love how we know
Each other
So well

Though we have more about each other to learn

Best friends
Lovers
A team

A dream
For us both
Come true

We are

 

Destiny

Poem: (Peace Be) Still

(Peace Be) Still
By: Joi Maree Flowers

Like the soft breeze after the rough of the storm has passed
Like the silence in the room after the final word has been spoken
Like the relief after a deep breath held in is exhaled

Peace brings calm

The air is gentle
The silence is caring
From the mouth comes a whispered sigh

Peace is your friend
Hugging you

Poem: Love You

Love You
By: Joi Maree Flowers

Sometimes there are not enough words to say
Nor enough hours in the day
To tell you
And show you
Just how much I love you

So I'll just spend forever doing so

Until you receive
All those words
In the given time allowed

Until all my love loves you

Poem: Thinkin' And Thankin'

Thinkin' And Thankin'
By: Joi Maree Flowers

I woke up thinkin'

'Bout those times that could've been my last
'Bout those things which I wanted but never became
'Bout those answers to prayers that didn't come at that very moment
But eventually came at the right time

'Bout all
The reasons
The seasons
And meanings
Of what was
Is
And will be

Poem: His Voice I Hear

His Voice I Hear

By: Joi Maree Flowers

In those lonely hours of despair
When my soul is burning
And my mind is filled with chaos
And my heart is unsettled

I seek solace through prayer

And in silence I await to hear

His voice

That will speak to me
Before the clock strikes 12

And I will listen
And I will be comforted

Poem: Accordingly

Accordingly

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Understanding that things happen for their specific purpose
And reason
At their assigned time
In their appointed hour

Accordingly
 
Whether agreed
Whether accepted
Or none of the above
 
Those things that occur
Not by man's controlling hand
 
But by one
Powerful
And Almighty
 
God
 
Who before time
Made those plans
 
That were written in
The book of Destiny
 
So for ourselves
 
We could
 
Remove self
Banish plans
And
Practice patience
And
Embrace faith
 
As our way
Was never
Meant to be

But His
Was

Is
And will always be
 
Accordingly
 
Therefore we must surrender
 
We

Poem: Better Love

Better Love

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Better than before
Sweeter than the last taste
Stronger than the grip once held

Purer than the clear blue sea

Is love now

It has come

And is ours
The best of love

Poem: Life Choice

Life Choice

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Life was given to be lived

To embrace the joy that hugs you
And forgive the past that harmed you

To regret not those things which already have been done
But to learn the lessons for which they taught

To walk away from those doors that have shut
That are to never again re-open

To walk not backwards to before
But forward on the path that leads you towards your destiny

Life was given to live
So live it as it should be

Stop at those bloomed flowers
And for a moment smell them

Make today the day you take your first step
Towards fulfilling that aged old dream

Life is to be lived
Fully

So live

Poem: Somethin' 'Bout Mama

Somethin' 'Bout Mama

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Mama

There's somethin' 'bout her
That when you take a moment to think about all she's done
Not just for you
But others too
It makes you wonder how she was able to do all those things
And still do for herself

How unselfish she is
And was
To give so freely of herself
Without wanting anything more in return
Than just a simple thank you

How gifted she is
And was
At playing her leading role
In addition to the roles of others
When lines were forgotten
And presences were a no show

How special she is
And was
To love a child
Hers born from her own womb
And those who were not
With such an unrestricted love
And such a open heart

There's somethin' 'bout Mama's love
That eases the pain
Casts out fear
Assures the doubts
And turns anger into joy

Somethin' 'bout her touch
That heals the deepest hurts and wounds
Relieves tension
And
Works miracles

There's just somethin' 'bout Mama
That is
Was
And will always be
Worthy of everyday praise
And not just one time out of the year

Poem: Again I Fall (in love)

Again I Fall
(in love)

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Enough had some spare space
So I filled it with more of you
Again I fell in love

With no more uncovered holes to fall into
Until after awhile you do that thang you so often do
Give me more of you just when I thought I had your 100

And again I fall
And again I become amazed
To find that in me can be created more space

To feel
To hold
More love for you

Just when I thought of you I was filled
Just when I thought I could stand straight to walk
I over and over can still fall in love with you

Poem: Penny Wrapper

Penny Wrapper

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Mama always knew how to make a way
Even when a way couldn't be seen to make
Wrapped them pennies up she did
In those little brown penny wrappers

Paid that light bill she did
Paid for them groceries she did
Sometimes paid for them clothes and shoes
You think she didn't
She sure did

Poem: Untitled

Untitled

By: Joi Maree Flowers

I was raised to respect
All
People
Both young and old

It didn't matter if they were
The President
The Pope
The Garbage man
Or even
The less fortunate

Poem: Let The Singer Sang

Let The Singer Sang

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Let this child sing her song
We didn't come all this way to not hear her story be told
Put down that purse
Sit back in your chair
Give that girl some respect
And show her that you care

She may not blow like Aretha
She may not feel like Mary
She probably can't scat like Sarah
But at least there's a tune she can carry

She aint got the blues like Billie
And not close as pretty as Lena
But that girl got a song to sang
So let her sang it ok

Poem: Love You I Do

Love You I Do

(For Felton)

By: Joi Maree Flowers

He
Who was given the key
To unlock the door to my heart
To enter for a permanent stay

He
Whose kisses touches my lips
A warmth felt like
A Summer's day in June

He
Whose smile brings peace
To a rather rough day
That assures me, "Baby it's ok"

Poem: Fish n Grits

Fish n Grits

By: Joi Maree Flowers

I must be home
I smell Mama's famous biscuits cooking in the stove
Can't nobody tell me
Aint no better place to be than home

I dare you to show
Where else can you get
The best food for the soul

Restaurants
And Diners try
But it doesn't compare to home

Poem: Dancing In The Rain

Dancing In The Rain

By: Joi Maree Flowers

Twirling around to the beat of my mind's music
Swaying side to side to its sensual rhythm
This joy I feel can not be held in

 

So I just dance
Dance
And dance some more

Not even worried about the water drops from above
That fall upon me heavy

I just keep dancing
Dancing
And dancing some more

Until the song ends

And inside where it's warm I return

Poem: Flowers For The Lady

Flowers For The Lady
(For Mama)

By: Joi Maree Flowers

She's strong
She's wise
She's fights the Wars
And sees victory on her side

Her miracle child
She comforts
And heals with the touch of her hand
Such the way of a Mother

Her life
She's lives
Given the position
Bestowed upon her

Poem: January Bloom Surprise

January Bloom Surprise
By: Joi Maree Flowers

Weather temperature below bearable degrees
Chill of that a freezer burned ice cream
In the midst of a garden
Covered in snow
Outside
Where the wind blows cold
There beyond the bare limbs of once stilled strong trees
Petals unfold
Of a flower
All alone
Who has before its season found its new home

The Azalea
In January
Meant for a
Spring bloom