Poems Summer 2026

1. The Rummage Sale

I walk into the Church's sale,
And I sense a lie surrounds me.
Like I am in the presence of seven demons.
To tell the truth, I feel this way,
That there is a lie in the air...
It feels like fire burns through my chest
And a deep depression of hellish sorrows.
Note, when I walk into a Cathedral, 
I ought to feel peace
And the smell of woods and pine.
As a friend once said there should be church dust
And there should be peaceful wine.
But something dark lurks there
I do not know what.

2. The Battle Cry

Through the river, of Zion's shores,
I see the mountain God adores;
Twelve Thousand Furlongs raised to the sky
With golden streets, so I'll be wise.

I see the Nations gathered for war.
I put my armor on, and God has warned
That to flinch in battle, I'll be slain,
Thus I hold to my faith, without feign:

I thrust my spear of the Bible's Word,
I hold my faithful shield and am cured...
My battle is not with you outside,
It is within me, of powers wild.

So, I wrestle the prince I knew
Who holds to darkness, and never few
Are his lies, which in my ears
Makes subtle curses and tells me to fear.

He says to me, "Holiness is sin,"
And he says, "Righteousness won't win."
Thus the stars fall, and at the battle cry
I oil my shield, and so am wise.

On the bloody day, I shall be hid,
When the trumpets blast, and God will win:
My heart and soul and my righteous deed
Shall cleave to Christ for eternity.

3. A Thought

Watching her set fire to her home,
And sit and read silently as it burned...
And seeing myself driven to madness once...
I realize there are many weird things in this world.
It is best not to think of them too often.
The Levite's Concubine was raped, murdered, and mutilated...
Then her mutilated corpse was mailed all over the country...
Let that be enough to dwell on of the world's evil,
Or as Jesus said, "The tower fell, and Pilate mingled human blood in the sacrifice.
"Were these any more wicked?"
Let not your mind imagine too much wickedness.
For there are many strange things in this world...
Too many to count.

4. The Grackle and Cardinal

The Grackle and the Cardinal fought
Upon the bough, the Cardinal in 
The sweetest plumage, red crest bright,
A florescent paint. The Grackle
Pearlescent black, purple, green.
I consider Democracy;
The Poet and Priest fight for wise
Thoughts and sayings, to sway mankind.
Yet, the people almost always
In their decadence, elect those
Who will agree upon the worst
Thoughts and decrees. Thus, both birds flee
To another place, where safely
They flit upon the boughs again.

5. The Thing I Do Not Want

The feminist at my daughter's bedside
While she is in the ER, telling me
To my face, that I, in my panic,
Scare her. I might say these words to her,
"Your whole race should be back in the tent
"And not allowed to associate with anyone
"If this is how you behave
"When my little one is sick."
Both things are what I don't want.
So love a little better. So I don't have to be bitter anymore
And say things I don't really mean.

6. The Wildfire, July 16th, 2026

A wasp stings my calf;
I put baking-soda paste on.
The sting disappears.
I see a deer in the woods.
We look at one another.

The smoke looks like smog.
It smells like a wood.
It dims the sun to
The color it makes
At sunset. I eat.

I remember the fawn there
In the woods, and I thought this:
“We're a merciful nation.”
But the park ranger had it 
Euthanized. So I cursed that.
I do not now take it back.
America was good, when
We had a kind heart. Mercy
Was our way. Now, it is strife.

But know this, after
The Hornet stung me I did
Not kill. I did not.

7. My Talent

I received my talent from my Master---
It was a good price. He said, "Invest."
So, I took to music, and used the talent
To learn my song, and played for the feeble.
Then, I bought a store of wisdom, and proved
My master were King, and told all to submit.
Then, I took my talent, and used it
To invest my body, which I wrought;
At the end, how many talents did I make?
I studied Music, Wisdom, and my Body sweat
And my body bled, and my eyes watered.
Also, my wisdom was kept in the bank---
Thus, I compounded my interest.

8. Christian

"Fortune is ever dead... so I struggled.
"I lost every battle, for the resources were scarce.
"Thus, I mustered what I could.
"With an arid land, I learned to nourish it.
"I grew the grasses, I spread the decayed flesh
"And the dead vegetables, and the ashes burnt off my weeds.
"When the waters were dry, I dug down and found springs.
"When my house drooped, I found the mighty Ash and built it back again stronger.
"When there was no Ash, I searched ten miles for the mighty tree
"And I found its samaras and planted them, making my own forest to harvest.
"God did not smile on me.
"My every plan failed. But I strove and would not curse Him.
"I had no money. I had every plan fail, and every friend walk away.
"All who helped me, even those who took pity, their assistance failed, too.
"I was alone. When I sat down for play, to play the game,
"My hand was the worst hand.
"But, soon I began to win.
"With my crushed fortune, I took what was losing,
"And strove ahead of most.
"And then, came Providence's smile.
"And with fortune and know how, I began to smash my enemy to pieces.
"My enemy is Sin."

9. A Hard Message

Walking along the park path's green
I saw a shirt, there, in the leaves.
I thought, oh I thought, about God
There in Deuteronomy's Law
Knowing it wouldn't be retrieved.

I saw the preacher, yes, I've seen
Losing his faith's authority---
Waning;---Paul couldn't heal, but loved;
Walking along the park path's green

I adjure him to let it be,
For sometimes I too don't believe,
And things grow hard, and have no laude.
Yet, remember, this world is naught.
To heal, or not, God is there seen
Walking along the park path's green.

10. Mary Jones

Twenty-five miles you trekked
To receive your bible in 
Bare feet, and at the threshold
You almost were denied it.
Yet, you wept true tears, and you
Received the Bible you'd need.
How awesome is this, to see?
Six years you saved, penury
Your position, a Daughter
Of a Weaver. And almost
Had you not there received it.
But your tears inspired the
Great Apostle of of Bala
To start to print them for all;
And Millions would be then sown.
Now, Gideons do the work
And will freely distribute.

 

©2026 B. K. Neifert
All Rights Reserved