Nebraska Love Affair

Nebraska Love Affair

 

A Nebraska love affair

with barren prairie

once despised

now a healing balm

 

Seen with new eyes

touched by stark beauty

silence draws out treasure

exposes longings buried

 

The Oregon Trail adventure

each day's a journey leaves

litter of unnecessary baggage

to lighten spirit's load

 

Burying the dead

left along the way

a price willingly pay

in hope of the promise land

 

Tall grass

hypnotizing sway

relaxes the mind

beneath molasses sky

 

Today the prairie calls

mountain peaks outline fading horizon

muffled sorrow as cross

where previous generations wouldn't pass

 

No regrets knowing the risk as

some refuse the invitation

and choose to be left in the past

face the grief of the unknown

 

Life and health before me

just walk the trail today

lightly travel each hour

all extra weight cast away

 

Poem 20-037C

#westernnebraskthoughtsandlife, #highplainspoet, nebraska, western_nebraska, prairie, renewal, healing, journey, pilgrimage, spiritual

Ripples

Ripples

What if we could see

our presence ripple

Through the atmosphere

as a ship upon the sea

My ripples brushing against yours

warmth of your passing wave

Yet again ripples upon another

pass silently under pale light of a lover's moon

Wake merges with others

travelers plying seasonal trade winds

Spirit blows life into soul

sailing through life's salty brine

20-040z

#highplainspoet, #westernnebraskathoughtsandlife

Spiritual, journey, love

Two-gether

Two-gether

Along the path between us

bare feet hungerly grab

morning's slippery stones

unsteady as land each step

19-233z

#highplainspoet, #nebraskathoughtsandlife, relationship, journey, life, love, adventure

Maturation

Maturation

Rush of water

Against stones

Rough edges

Worn smooth

Harshness of pride

Broken down

In tumbler

Of experience

No longer

Embrace

Forced outcomes

Imposing will

Life's cataracts

Develops maturity

Jostling of stones

Wear one another

Whitewater of journey

Sputters and chokes

Leaves stripped bare

Battered and bruised

Waterlogged crawl

Upon the bank

Delivered safely

Upon the shore

All the baggage lost

Who I am

Is enough

Now, finally alive

(18-265y)

Shedding

Shedding (18-126Z)

Over rough terrain
Buffet 'til black 'n blue
Bent double and stained
Life's toxic brew

Hardened skin
Loosened now shed
At last life begins
No longer dead

Untethered (17-115A)

       Untethered

Panic in wide open space

Drift in expanse untethered

Alone with my fears

Deceptive story that hear

Interrupt the story

Rest while adrift

Change perspective

Embrace the gift

Be gentle to soul

Long journey to whole

Face fears of past

Destiny to cast

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet. (17-115A)

When We Were Young

 When We Were Young

When we were young

And love was naïve

Not knowing what we didn't know

A young thrill in being together

A happiness in found each other

Seeing where that has led

Father's mercy upon us

As dross removed from character

Purification required for depth of intimacy

Didn't know what we didn't know

When we were young

And love was naïve

Not knowing what we didn't know

Union together in heat of relationship

Boiling impurities and wounds to surface

Drawn off as only marriage can do

Pain and suffering of longings unfulfilled

Intimacy's cry breaking heart of stone

Not knowing what didn't know

When we were young

And love was naïve

Not knowing what we didn't know

After all these years hope awakens

Young love kindles in soul

Redemption for years of suffering

He knew what we didn't know

When we were young

And love was naïve

Not knowing what we didn't know

His loving hand of training and discipline

Teaching how to give and receive love

Exploring what my being truly desires

Not settling for false offers of the world

Transformation's journey full of twists and turns

The journey of love and intimacy

When we were young

And love was naïve

Not knowing what we didn't know

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet. (17-056A)

Heal the Mess

    Heal the Mess

Finding courage
Lost voice found

Truth sought
Battles fought

Depth of despair
Gasping for air

Harsh words spoken
Hearts broken

Relationships battered
Lives shattered

Redemption's journey
New will be

Falling forward
Reconciliation toward

Truth confess
Heal the mess

Finding courage
Lost voice found

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.

Time Always Advancing

     Time Always Advancing

                -i-

Time always advancing,

One day crawling,

Seems like always be around,

Day arrives to let go.

                -ii-

Time always advancing,

Tears at heart,

As drive away,

Their journey they must take.

                -iii-

Time always advancing,

Family dynamic changes,

In a few years back to two,

Journeys converge and diverge.

                -iv-

Time always advancing,

Still a family,

Expression of love changes,

Passing through stages of life.

                -v-

Time always advancing,

Filled with loving memories,

Truth about failures,

Love covers, vulnerable and genuine.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.

Abide

       Abide

Lost and adrift,
Let go of control,
No secure point of reference,
Nothing makes sense.

Internal panic,
Nervous energy collapse,
Alone in the journey,
State of unknown.

Can I trust God,
That I'll be alright,
That I don't have to know,
In Him alone abide.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.

Pioneer

                     Pioneer

All the people and things left behind,
Further in journey stumble as blind.
Modern day pioneer hoping to find,
Redemption and abundance for all left behind.

Great American Desert littered with junk,
As begin to realize terrain must traverse.
Looming mountains no time to reverse,
Survival depends on jettisoning my junk.

Become lean and strong in internal way,
Pace must quicken as Summer wanes.
Narrow passes, no longer in pain,
What began with many, now just a few - so many lost way.

Grieve those lost on the trail,
They have their own story to tell.
Each must pass through own personal hell.
Weep for those whose journey keeps lost on the trail.

Naïve that bonds were strong,
Relationships tested and truth hard.
Obvious and can't discard,
Brokenness before become strong.

Pilgrimage lasts a lifetime,
Moments of oasis and bliss.
Revive with fresh kiss,
Few will accompany you on your journey for a lifetime.

One who sticks "closer than a brother,"
When loneliness and hopelessness set in.
Parched lips desperate, cry out to Him,
He meets you for He sticks "closer than a brother."

Day will come when breath last breath,
Paradox of journey, all alone must take.
Forgiven for all of sins and mistakes,
Other side of eternity when breath last breath.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.

Milestones

           Milestones

A milestone reached today.
25 years of service belayed.
Career never foreseen.
Journey wildly careened.
Rare to work one place.
Stress weathered face.
Regrets exchanged for peace.
Gratitude lubricates life with grease.
Rural place a family grew.
Past season fades as dew.
All launching out to explore.
Adventures await on new shores.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.

Jarring of Journey

Sunlight on Amir Today

Jarring of Journey

Jarring of journey awakens from slumber.
A matter of time before life has your number.
Hitting the wall in similar ways.
Breaks down pride, now so frayed.
Rattled and shaken.
There is no mistaken.
Suffering plays a part.
Restarting the heart.
Avoid the truth averting pain.
Wasting your story and all that can gain.
Agreeing with Truth, a way to start.
Courage to leave old, depart.
Mental gyrations as struggle and strive.
Sorrow and grief boil alive.
Dividing dross from gold.
Chapters in your story yet to be told.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.

Full Faced

                Full Faced

Moon rises full faced,
Crests the hill, sun wanes.
Sounds of dusk.
Pheasants call, owl hoots.
Pack of coyotes yelping in glee.
A type of peace radiates from creation.
His presence is evident.
Warmth of favorite sweatshirt.
Surrounds, envelopes in peace.
Finally the resting place after four and half years.
Grueling journey with sweetness at the pause.
Not the same person started as.
Started as two dimensional cutout.
Now three dimensional and alive.

About the Author:  Brian Bucks lives on a small horse ranch in Western Nebraska and is a husband, father, electrical engineer, and poet.