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Don’t Laugh at a Christian

God looked down on Noah
And said “Construct an ark
Bigger than a boat,
More like a zoo or park.”
Friends said he was crazy
Until the rain came down.
That is when we learned
The first fact checkers drowned.

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Some Men Cannot See

Some cannot see the vast beauty of prairies.
Some cannot see that the desert’s alive.
Some will not look in the depths of the seas.
Some do not know what it takes to survive.
Some fear to venture too deep in the forest.
Some fear to climb on the mountains so high.
Some only buy their blooms from a florist.
Some are afraid to fly up to the sky.
Nature’s a gift for all those who believe
The bountiful blessings are waiting for them.
You have but to look and then you will perceive
Glimpses of angels who echo an anthem.
Nature awaits with its arms open wide.
Open the door, you are welcome outside.

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LTC Roy E. Peterson is a writer, retired U.S. Army Military Intelligence Officer, Foreign Area Officer, and Foreign Commercial Officer who currently resides in Texas.

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18 Responses

  1. Yael

    Sweet! I can totally relate to the second one, having worked as an outdoor wilderness guide for most of my life, and the last line of the first poem really cracked me up. I hope more people will be inspired by your poem to go outside to enjoy God’s creation. I saw a sign posted recently inside a business which employs many young people in their late teens and twenties. The sign said “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss other people.”

    Reply
    • Roy E. Peterson

      That is a great sign and makes so much sense! Thank you for both comments!

      Reply
  2. Jeff Eardley

    Roy, as a lover of our great outdoors, I can fully identify with the second whilst laughing at the first. I wonder if the top Al Qaeda guy was enjoying the outdoors from his balcony yesterday?
    Most enjoyable, thank you.

    Reply
  5. Adam Wasem

    Ha! “The first fact-checkers drowned.” Terse, plain-spoken and essentially summary, just the way a humor piece should be. Don’t laugh at a Christian, indeed. Great job.

    Reply
  6. Norma Pain

    I love your succinct style of poetry Roy. It gets right to the heart of the matter in a most pleasing way. And the quote supplied by Yael is spot-on: “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss other people.”

    Reply
  7. Margaret Coats

    Roy, these are really good, and I especially like the surprise ending effect in both. They also display metrical mastery, with the alternation of dimeter and trimeter lines in the shorter poem, and a dactylic sonnet in which there is minimal variation on the challenging meter. Moreover, the poems read simply and smoothly enough that most readers just enjoy the music, thinking about the words rather than the form. Good job.

    Reply
    • Roy E. Peterson

      Thank you, Margaret, for the encouraging comments. Coming from one I consider a classical master; I am particularly heartened. Bless you for the kind consideration.

      Reply
  8. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    Roy, what wisdom there is in both poems. “Don’t Laugh at a Christian” contains some hilarious, but so-darn-true advice on those pesky fact checkers. I’m almost tempted to do a rain dance! “Some Men Cannot See” expresses sentiments dear to my heart. For me, Mother Nature is a great healer in many ways. She puts us in our place when we think we’re all powerful. She gives us all the beautiful gifts you mention in your poems, and she is always there to soothe my angst and provide me with great photographs of all her glorious assets. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Roy E. Peterson

      Susan, those are wonderfully encouraging comments. I am so glad you appreciate both the wisdom and comedy of the first poem and my feelings akin to yours in the second poem. Thank you!

      Reply
  9. Alena Casey

    I laughed heartily at “Don’t Laugh at a Christian,” and read it out loud to my husband who also laughed. Well done.
    And a beautiful message in your second poem, well supported by the rhythm and flow.

    Reply
    • Roy E. Peterson

      Alena, I am so pleased you read it to your husband, and he laughed. Thank you for sharing that with me. I appreciate your encouragement for both poems! Bless you!

      Reply
  10. Patricia Redfern

    Absolutely loved, Don’t Laugh at Christians!!!
    Seems plenty of that going around today. I really had to laugh out loud…Your last line was a kicker.

    Reply

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