LOVE IS IN THE PROOF
By Dr. Peter Scheponik
Pond Song
Today the pond has visitors, Canadian geese,
an even dozen gliding across its rippling surface,
the geese dip gracefully among the reeds
rigid with December’s breath.
They are a prayer in motion,
feathered serenity at its best,
pure devotion,
creation passing the ultimate test
of God’s love.
Love Is in the Proof
The fallen leaves scatter,
lift and swirl,
crisp revelations of
transitioning matter
captured and hurled
life after life.
I could chase them
like dreams I never dared,
murmur them
like essential essential prayers,
rustling “Mea Culpas”
whispered in God’s ears.
The trees reveal themselves
willingly lay bare
their bark souls.
I can hear their resignation,
The stoicism of their self-control
That lets them happily acquiesce,
selflessly let go of all they were
to be who they are:
mirrors of divine majesty
demonstrating just how far
they’ll go to prove their love.
Stardust
I know you are there—
behind the stars.
I can hear You
beating in night’s dark heart,
feel You in the stars’ blue tears.
I am so small and the universe so large.
Yet You chase my smallness away
with Your stillness,
hold me in Your palms of light
where I kneel, one in wonder,
one in love—
knowing there is something of You in me—
something You have not forgotten,
teaching me to trust the fragile clay,
that dust of stars that lights my way
down the long, dark halls of Your love.
About the Author:
P.C. Scheponik has published four collections of poems: Psalms to Padre Pio (National Centre for Padre Pio, INC), A Storm by Any Other Name and Songs the Sea has Sung in Me (PS Books, a division of Philadelphia Stories), and And the Sun Still Dared to Shine (Mazo Publishers). His work has also appeared in a number of literary journals.
