A Religious Journey

A great distance we have traveled
on land and sea,
with tidal waves and winds 
of rage, placing
our lives in Jeopardy.

This hazardous journey
and leap of faith,
has brought us to this land,
where the  sun shines bright and
the days are filled with Mercy and Grace.

We give thanks to he who guided us
with keen eyes and mighty hands.
He carried us through the tidal waves
to such a place of beauty
facing the perils of the raging winds.

We should forever give honor and praise
to the God of all creation and the provider
of all of our needs....

Poetic Verses By Gamaliel H. Gooding
Copyrighted 2003

The River's Edge

She ran vicariously every
day to the river's edge.
My bones would chill
of harm I dread.

For near she sought
to see beneath the waters,
a shadowy frame of two 
figure with a ghostly laughter.

This is the game she played
at the river's edge,
with her unseen friends,
Lily and Fred.

Today she brought to the 
table, broken toys
and a golden frame
of a girl and boy.

To her mother and father,
she spoke, this is Lilly and Fred.
They have a beautiful home
at the river's edge.

Poetic Verses By Gamaliel H. Gooding
Copyrighted 2003

Clara Hood

That old building with shattered windows
and doors of splintered wood,
vacant rooms with ghostly sounds
and the foot prints of Clara Hood.

With her weathered skin
and piercing eyes,
her form had begin to
materialize.

Her haunting voice and
slender frame,
her knife like finger nails
and her hickory walking cane.

Like yesterday, I can remember
the floor stained with blood,
the ax resting on the old wooden stove,
dismembered on the floor was Mr. Hood.

Poetic Verses By Gamaliel H. Gooding
Copyrighted 2003

MYSTERIES

I have looked in the mirror
of my soul, for an answer 
to this mystery, with the 
purity of a child's heart.

How our minds melt and
our feelings runs free.  And 
yet the bond of passion maintains
its hold in pieces and in parts.

This mystery of feelings and
illusions of grandeur that surfaces
so freely and uninhibited, transports
my entire being to a distant place.

In your presence, I see the best 
of me and all that I desire right before
my eyes.  And yet I sometimes feel like 
an Angel that has fallen from grace.

I long for the gentle touch of your hands,
the softness of your lips, the soothing 
and melodic sound of your voice,
the sincerity of your feelings.

I have paced the floors of my
conscience, with all the years of my wisdom.
I have engaged in dialogue with the super
natural, but nothing is revealing.

It must forever  remain a MYSTERY.

Poetic Verses By Gamaliel H. Gooding
Copyrighted 2003

In The Stillness Of The Night

In the silence of our minds,
we seek refuge from danger.

Attempting to escape the dark zone,
where strangers dare and strangers linger.

Perpertrators of death and destruction,
broken hearts and unfinished dreams.

Treacherous walkways, an unending journey,
where the witches weaves their schemes.

In desperation we seek our family and friends,
when safety of silence eludes us.

When restless nights and tormented days,
controls our thoughts and destroys our trust.

We look relentlessly in our sordid pass,
for  those who came first and left last.

In the stillness of the night,
in the silence of our mind,

we continue to see refuge from danger,
by going to a stranger.

Poetic Verses By Gamaliel H. Gooding
Copyrighted 2003

FATHER

Traveling far,
energy low,
light changed to darkness
many miles ago.

Trying to reach home
before his end,
traveling this road alone
all over again.

Last chance cafe
is up ahead.
I will just pull in, not to stay,
just for coffee and shortbread.

Then it came to me,
his heart is weak.
This is my father I've got to see.
It maybe the last chance we have to speak.

For wisdom is gained
and a lesson is learned,
never to be late again.
For this I yearned,
just to whisper his name ....Father

Poetic Verses By Gamaliel H. Gooding
Copyright 2003

Oh! How Dare We Grumble

Oh!  How dare we grumble
at crumbs of bread,
when once we had our
choice of meat.

Our wines made sweet
with earthly flavors of vintage herbs,
that only nature could provide.

Now in misery we
hang our heads,
because all our riches
are now deplete.

With self inflicted vanity
we destroyed our labour,
that which was once driven
now have no drive.

For we should be content
to starve of nourishment.
When our bodies and minds
were eagle to plow the earth,

we failed to put in storage, the
bounty of that which nature
gave birth.

Oh! how dare we grumble.

Poetic Verses By Gamaliel H. Gooding
Copyrighted 2003