seasons

When the Seasons Come

When the Spring comes,
God, you help me grow.
The word you planted in me
shows brightly in all its colors.

When the Summer comes,
you cool my feet
in your river of life.
You give me rest
under a canopy of trees.

When the Fall comes,
you nourish me
with your bounty of blessings.
You make me strong and whole.

When the Winter comes,
your house shields me
from the storm.
And your love
keeps me warm
and safe.

You have prepared Lord,
for all our needs,
no matter the challenge,
so that we may weather…
every season.

© Joel Tipple 11/28/2018

See ya Summer!

By the calendar’s view it’s been Fall for a while
but a blast of cold waited until yesterday
to wipe Summers smile
from my face.
The fog wafted in with a deathly Halloween grin
and a dastardly evil pumpkin nipped my ankle
as I, fairly dripping with the the nonchalance of the innocent,
opened wide my front door.
Summer, you gave us a basket-full of warm days,
so many, the months burst apart at the seams with them.
I thought at the time I would save some
to keep me warm when the cold nights came.
Summer, I appreciated you when you were here.
Did you hear me tell my friends how much?
I won’t ask you to keep in touch.
Just please, don’t be a stranger.

© Joel Tipple
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Fall Up and Down

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With just a suggestion
of winter to come,
the yearly dance of dark and light
called autumn has begun.

While we prepare to enjoy the dance,
sipping some tart warm cider,
with as much anticipation as need
we carefully light the first fires.

Orange and black and candy for sacks,
celebrations of bounty,
hours of daylight
to save their might,
begin to turn in early.

Autumn is excited for the holidays to begin
but for now
she is content,
for anticipation is made all the sweeter
when time arrives as its hour is meant.

© Joel Tipple

My love, my bike.

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I’m not spokes to be in love
with my bicycle
It’s not natural
or the norm
In fact I see nothing about my bike that resembles the female form
So I suppose it’s a friend kind of love
that I feel about my Trek
even though you can’t say it’ll come rolling
when I call and beck
Still we’ve shared many miles
and weather
and time
and I’m sure many other things
that probably don’t rhyme
It’s a good relationship
that pays healthy dividends
Let’s all lift an electrolyte filled water bottle
in lieu of that champagne glass.

© Joel Tipple

All Right

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Some days
I dunk my head in a cup of coffee.
It doesn’t have to be any way but hot.
By the time
I’ve sipped it down I’m feeling more ready
for whatever wonky things this day brings.

The clatter of leaves blowing in like fall
brings news of changing weather. Change is coming.
But it didn’t ask me, didn’t ask me, didn’t ask me.
But it’s all right.

It’s all right and I’ll just roll right into heaven.
No reason to stop just cause this life ain’t cake.
It’s all right all day and into evenin’.
It’s all what God gives you and it’s surely what you make.
It’s all right.

© Joel Tipple

A Season of School

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We are,
each one of us,
seasoned by school.
Beginning when we first learn
to stand in line
and hold hands.
And though we never get over wishing it otherwise,
we know some lessons learned by
our children
and grandchildren
will be learned the hard way, such as:
Not everyone likes me. Some people just cannot be pleased, no matter what.
I will find some tasks fun and exciting, while merely tolerating
or being greatly frustrated by others. How I learn to handle both reactions
will have repercussions in every other area of my life, as well.
Just when I think I’ve got something or someone figured out, up will pop
the exception to the rule.
Even though I will seem to spend eternities waiting for summer,
it will all fly by faster and faster.
I won’t be able to magically impart this to my children or grandchildren, either,
but that’s okay.