Category Archives: Contemplation

Poems arrrived at by the thought process that makes one think a little – hopefully

Chaos of Life 2015-45

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          A well-known theory of weather mixed with one of the reality of life with each other. A mixture of the two to give a simile that makes one wonder. 

                Chaos of Life   2015-45

A butterfly – on a flower in a field in Beijing

Lifts up its dainty gossamer wings to fly in the Spring

Creating eddies and swirls of current in the air

affecting wind patters to places so afar

changing multitudes of a here and there Isobar.

 

Chaos reigns from a small simple act

making weather prediction not a foregone fact.

 

What changes in life are made every day

from a simple whisper in an ear

of what we might say

Far reaching changes that touch one or another

due to an action made with man’s sister or brother.

Who can not say that what we do

may forever affect whoever who…..

Den Betts

Passage Overland 2015-41

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We were on a trip to San Antonio, Texas via an Amark train. I remember the trip paralleling the Mississippi River and seeing the homeowners that put their junk stuff, out of sight behind their garages, in clear view of the train passengers. The trip was wonderful, even after I went to the bathroom and pushed the wrong button. Instead of flushing the toilet, the shower came on and I left the bathroom dripping wet with my clothes on. My wife stood there and just howled with laughter, looking at the water drip from my nose onto the floor below.

Passage Overland  2015-41

The clickity-clack on rails so thin

A lulling sound to ears so round.

Fleeting through the countryside.

 

The underbelly of the land – beside

Backyard garbage on vivid display

Throwaways of peoples being passed.

 

Too, scenic wonders of hills and dells

Rivers, bayous, so very grand,

All exposed to travelers eyes.

 

Speeding by with detached care

A journey made from here to there

An echo of the past, now in the air.

Den Betts

Catalyst 2015-36

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Catalyst    2015-36  

How many people do we know that are Catalysts? Do they affect people, but not really themselves in the process? How do they do so, and what affect overall do they make?

Being and sounding wise, without any effort to do so? Not taking a definite stance, but creating a definite way of life.  Questions, but perhaps no really good answers……..     

Catalyst

A person-thing of no change, but one that changes,

To alter a mindset of opinion, yet remain neutral.

A devils advocate that pleads a case for itself,

One that allows prejudice to be a foreign entity.

An observer of life, one that sees and listens,

And comments on the scene that has been seen.

A buffer between factions, ideals; open to all,

But allowed not to become a joiner of any.

A Solomon in wisdom, without the decision-making,

The sage of the hill, creating thought to others,

A person behind the action, not a part;

Creating inspiration and change for good or bad

Not affected by their actions, but affecting those they touch,

Creating a change again, and in the process making transformations

Den Betts

TIME HEALS 2015-35

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TIME HEALS    2015-35

I offer this writing for those that need help in coping or know someone who does need guidance! I wrote this after I had such a time of need and it helped me. This poem was published in a number of magazines over the years and I have given it to people that really needed the advice. It is somewhat generic for many instances of life and maybe we could all take its sayings to heart. This is probably one of my better endeavors of writing that has helped many people in the past and I like this one more than most.

TIME HEALS    2015-35

T    –    Time is not forever,

Hold on for a while longer my friend.

I    –     It could have been worse,

Concentrate on what you have, not what happened.

M   –   My God is near when needed,

He is there regardless, you have only to ask.

E    –               Enjoy life when you can,

Every moment of happiness is to be cherished.

*          *          *

H   –    Have a rest when needed,

Take it easy, slow down, sleep if you have to.

E    –   Everyone seems to care,

You have so many friends, all praying for you.

A    –   A cry is OK,

An outburst of emotion is good for you.

L    –    Learn to cope,

There are so many ways of doing things, try them.

S    –    Smile !!

The best advice you should take.

 

Den Betts

 

Respect 2015-34

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Respect    2015-34

Respect goes along with and is part of the word Integrity, I think!!!!. I offer the two posts together, whereas I could have made them as one combined, in the first place. You could also include the word trust in the mix and that would be appropriate.  The first part of having respect for others is to first have respect for yourself and that is sometimes a hard thing to accomplish. (I learned that from reading Confucius).

                                      Respect    2015-34

Something that cannot be purchased or received for free — and involves effort

A commodity that is earned and once received – to be cherished

Respect can be given to others as well as received by those around you,

But in both cases, being worthy is always a thing to be considered

Showing respect for another can be as simple as a gesture or a spoken word,

Consider the person, the place and time for these are important

Can respect be a form of behavior that is learned from childhood?

Through life’s lessons we all learn and by learning we practice it as well,

It is to show honor or esteem for someone or something we see or know

Impossible to do if there is no uprightness, by any, through their actions

Worth more than wealth, more than possessions, more than almost anything,

With respect come value, honor, and integrity – things that cannot be bought

Respect is something that is perhaps sought after, but not gained – if not deserved

But once obtained,  to be prized as a richness unlike any other……..

Den Betts

 

 

Integrity 2015-33

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Integrity   2015-33

I offer this as a companion post with the one on “Respect”. They go together in life’s pursuit of esteem, honor and acceptance by others.  I was told that I should respect someone (of a group) because “I should”. No, I do not do so, for just as in the word respect, I consider respecting others because of their integrity and that respect is based on earning it. So, Integrity is important for the process.

Integrity   2015-33

Taken for granted at times, when it should not be done so,

But common to occur, because it is sometimes – taken for granted

So very hard to be acknowledged by those that have it

When known to have it, some pride becomes evident

Characterized by doing the right thing when no one is looking

Shaped and molded by life lessons of doing

Not tolerating simple lies or half-truths in dealing with others

Realizing that having it is not the absence of failure

Willing to be held accountable and not give blame to others

Owning the situation and all the outcomes that occur

Again, doing the right thing, when the right thing, is the right thing to do

Being transparent in actions at all times, not some of the time

Understanding that having integrity is a full time way of doing

Knowing that a lapse can perhaps create a loss of confidence

Understanding that integrity is judged by behavior and actions

By setting the bar high, others can obtain it as a lesson to learn

Den Betts

HATE 2015-32

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This is such a negative word or at least of describing a way of life. Reading the paper or watching the TV makes me think of headlines of actions taken by individuals that had pure hate toward their fellow man and did something. Something that made them stand out and be reported on by the media. I do not know if I have ever hated something or someone that bad, but maybe it was close. I hope not!   

                             HATE  2015-32

A festering boil in

The mind itself,

Destroying all rational

Understanding in life

Black thoughts becoming

The only way of existence

Energy concentrated

In deleterious charges

A manifestation

Of pure evil

Red rage of burning

Rancor in control

No compromise, no second

Opinions or differences desired

All consuming, less

Outlets of good

Compassion forgotten,

Not known, not given

An insidious control

Of body and soul

Den Betts

Revelation 2015-18

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                                                Revelation 2015-18

I penned this when thinking about what I said to someone and then had moments of thought about what I actually said. What I told him was what I perceived as the truth and I wondered how he “took” it. Honesty is hard sometimes in the telling and hearing.

When does the spoken word

sound like a hacking cough

for all to hear even though

we do not want to hear?

 

Do we hear what we want to hear

and not what is said or

is what said, what we hear

or instead, what is not meant?

 

Is the truth a rasping sound

that grates our ears,

that makes our spine, our

ribs – chill with icy feeling?

 

Should we reject the words

and comfort ourselves with lies or

perhaps we should listen and hear

and realize in honesty – the truth?

 

What is said is not to discomfort

but enlighten for understanding and

to know,  may create compassion

and to hear may help with the understanding.

Den Betts

Great to be Alive 2015-17

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Great to be Alive      2015-17

Sometimes it is perhaps best to just appreciate life as you live it and go on from there. Too many times we, or I, do not do so, but instead get wrapped up in everyday things that take up our time, but do not contribute to a peaceful and meaningful one. So, leave you with this poem that I wrote awhile back and hopefully you will see what I mean.

To see a rainbow cross the sky

on a slow sultry day

And smell the newly cut grass,

or golden mown hay,

Love to feel the wind

blow across my face,

and trace with my fingertips

the edge of pretty lace,

To hear far off distant sounds

of a whistling rumbling train,

and listen to the pitter patter,

of a soft spring rain.

To taste a sparkling fizzy Coke,

on a warm summer’s night

or the malty flavor, at times,

of a cool Bud Light.

 

But most of all, the joy of life

is of letting my mind roam,

And being able to write

a simple little poem……….

Den Betts