Saturday, March 19, 2016

It Is Enough

by Cheryl Merrick

We had been waiting for them to recognize
the depth of their love.
The moment came, and
He asked our daughter to marry him.
Now, he asks her father for our blessing.
Our quick affirmation leaves him wondering,
“Are they just anxious to marry off their daughter?
They don’t even know me.”
How can we explain to him?

His Element

by Cheryl Merrick

Let him deal with details.
It’s his element.

He will know success
as he precisely preforms
and efficiently achieves.

Allow him to handle minutia.
He does it astoundingly well.

The Foolish Woman

by Cheryl Merrick

Sighing deeply,
she begins another day,
attempting to dull the pain of her loneliness
with constant activity.

“My children need this. My house needs that.”
And so she hides behind
a sense of importance,
denying her failure.

“After all, who can expect a marriage
  to be fun and exciting
  after all these years?
That’s just the infatuation of the young.
Our marriage is fine.
We don’t argue and we get along all right.”

Focuses

by Cheryl Merrick

He looks out into the world
She into the home

His concern lies with providing for his family
Hers with nurturing their family

He segments
She integrates

He wants to get a job done
She to build relationships

He sees the parts
She the whole

Different focuses
converging into completeness




3/16/08

Finding Love

by Cheryl Merrick

The young couple
continued their bickering.
Doubting, they demanded
that the other
prove their love:
“IF you really loved ME,
You would be more understanding.”
“IF you really moved ME,
You would be more passionate.”

Ever After

by Cheryl Merrick

They meet.
A spark ignites into flame
    as they see in each other
the fulfillment
    of their hopes for happiness.

Their vision misted by dreams,
    they happily dance
    toward the altar.
A stumble or two later,
     we smile as they exchange vows
     enveloped in crescendoing music
     and embraced by a pink sunset.

Enough

by Cheryl Merrick

Enough of experiments,
intended to improve my health,
which don’t.

Enough of poking tests,
which leave me only with bruised arms,
and tell nothing.

Enough of instructions
given by people who see me for five minutes,
and think they understand all.

Distance

by Cheryl Merrick

Hurt by his
insensitive responses,
I step back.

Intent on some project,
he forgets I exist--
Another step.

A curt reply,
a brusk answer,
and step by step
I move away
to a safe,
but lonely
distance,

Leaving him
to flounder
in an unknown sea
of relationships.

Dirt

by Cheryl Merrick

Happily pushing
the dirt around
with his snow plow,
my husband
takes control
of his world.

The Deceived

by Cheryl Merrick

And so the man and the woman,
Longing for love,
give all but themselves.
Living out their lives
shrouded in mantles of self pity.

Lacking faith in themselves, their partner, and The Lord,
They withdraw from each other.
Anxiously justifying their actions
with endless lists of their mate’s imperfections.