it is a twilight

a ris'n or a setting mourn

no more they mourn
when gone, i am
who will mourn
in the mor'n
or in eve,
the twilight
is it a rising
or  a setting mourn.

This, new feeling, so long ago.

What was it she said,
...this, now, so long ago.

It seamed new, and fresh,
...this, now, so long ago.

this feeling was old, yet new

this feeling, of yester-year

was it lost,
or was it found

This feeling, I never knew,
...this, now, so long ago.

Steven Bassett
April 2015

To be, less is more.

To be grateful is,
To be grateful for.

This more I seek.
Then is it more?

The more I become,
The less I am.

T'is this I seek
To be less, then more..

The more I am,
The more I seek.

The more I seek,
The less I am.

Till then I am,
To'be no more.

I will seek,
Then less of more

To then I 'come,
All the more.

Steven Basset
April 2015

The choice, She made.

She luv'd him,
but why.

This then, the many years.

If luv is a verb ...

Then luv him, she did.

Many actions, through the years.

He knew, no children,
might be their lot.

Still ...

She luved him.

Accepted her, he did ...
only to discover, it was,
he not her.

Then came the gift, of the two.

But would he be,
the one, she choose, always ...
,to luv.

This then, must be ...
,his choice, to serve her, then ...
he must, and choose

This luv, daily.

Still, know I not.

Still know I not,

The poetry,
Comes forth.

Long did it rest,
Rest, in My soul

Then whence,

 was it, still.

Their it,  to lie, 

the truth, it no more.

Then more, no less,

It ly'th,  no more.

The Talent, To cultivate.

To be'still my soul,
Come'th it now..

Invited I not,
yet come'th, then forth.

This talent, long buried ...
lay dormant it still.

To this, then the garden...
the garden, my soul.

Tragedy, brought for'th,
To cultivate, thus,

This, to the muze,
be grateful, ther'by.

Still know, I not then

From whence,
doeth it come.

Come'th it does,
To now and then

Then and now
come'th it still

still to my heart
come'th it now

Still doeth it come
To'be quiet my soul

My soul to be'stilll
Doth quiet it now.

To reveal is to hide
Remaith their, still.

April 4, 2016

The Tau, of Stev,

It came at a great cost,
The Tao, of Stev,

Momma full of pain.
Papa,  lost his mind.
Brother, not certain, of love.

Two sister's,  struggled, to find a place,
... and each other.

How does one struggle?
... for a Tao.

He thought he found it,
... in the church that supported, him, them.

More discoveries, on the mission,
to Mississippi.

A wife.

Two children ...
Gifts from one, who loved them.

Then, the car accident,
... the cancer returns.

He lost it all,
in the deepest part, of his soul.

How to recover, the Tao ...
,saught he then.

, ... still does now.

The circumcision

To the doctor we go, today.

Today, is the circumcision.

He is 73, I am 51.

51 years ago he made, the choice...
... the same for me.

Now I make choices, for him ...
... for us?

In ancient Israel, it was the sign,
... of the covenant.

Now it is a sign, of ministrations,
... mine, for him.

Once he made the choices for me,
... now I make them for him.

We both did choose,
... of love, and care.

Then with choice,

... comes,

... redemption.

Of both, have come,
... sins.

Of ignorance,
... and choice.

With redemption, comes ...

... forgiveness,

... learning, 

... and joy.

He is helping me,
... to understand, his choices,
... and mine.

To heal, a broken soul

I am damaged goods .
Born defective..
Of broken soul's.

Young they were...
these broken soul's.

They sought to repair us...
the doctor's ...
... and the priests.

This long time ...
... they have sought our souls.

He was broken too.

Broken by the ones,
he sought to redeem.

In this brokenness,
...then beyond redemption, are we?

Then on, to redemption, 

this journey, then we seek

Then to serve,
... in our brokenness,
... is what remains.

The drive, to rescue, a soul.

Many years ago, it was, the drive.

Planned not was it.

Who would have planned, this drive.

He luv'd the boy.

Had since their youth.

He was the son, he might never have.

How does one walk, into a court room.

To send one, where, the boy is now.

This then, the van, was purchased.

Then loaded, was it, not, now ...

Then off, to rescue, the boy.

Others, were, their not, in the van too.

The parents who raised him, as their own.

I would not, after, this drive be permitted, to visit, him.

Then in the van, I would sit,my wife and I, waiting ...

Hoping, the boy, would feel our luv, through the razor wire.

This crime was horrible, but he was not the crime.

To separate the boy, from the crime, this was his goal.

Years later, the crime, is not remembered.

Forgiveness and healing have come, to them, all.

This then to be grateful.

How many times,
had he returned.

Alone.

Was he alone,
in crowds?

This three days,
this then, no more ...

Alone.

The dishes, she cleaned,
the table, she set,
the dinner, she served.

This, the one,
who gave him life.
had ceased to do,
long ago,

This three days,
she had come,
to change, his life.

Then to be grateful,
must he, 
then be.

This, then,
to show,
gratitude, and luv.

To return, to luv, and youth.

Luv is so sweet,

When taken, this choice.

To choose to luv,

T'is it  a gift, from diety.

Tougher, then, this choice,

A return, then, to joy.

The sweetness can come,
... after years of bitter sorrow.

Earned thus it is.

Like vinegar, that reduces, to wine.

This reversal to youth ...

like young luv, it returns.

The bitterness, long forgotten. .

It, the act of a two part ...

Forgiveness,

...

Thus returns, to youth, and joy ...

tobe, then, to the,

... "I Am" ...

She, who bore, the children

The choice, she made.

The gift, they shared.

Two for them,
was the gift.

A choice, not an accident,
or mistake.

This, a free will gift ...

of Luv.

Honored they were,
by the gift ...

this gift of Luv.

Together ...

they cherished,

The Children.

This daughter of Eve.

This daughter of Eve,

and ...

Adam's off-ox.

To luv her ...

In the end, was the choice.

But how to choose.

Her sisters would have replaced,

... her.

This choice was not made,in his youth.

This daughter off Eve ...

was distant, as was, Adams off-ox.

How many of Eves daughter's,
had sacrificed to create, her life.

How many of Eve's daughters,
would he lose, if he selected, an aunt,

for, his mom.

This price, he would not pay.

Reach out again ... he did.

This dance, this time, they,

... did not pull away.

Together they danced,
and celebrated Eve's daughters,
and Adams off-ox.

This then the Miracle

This, then, the miracle,

He comes ?

Tis pierced, and shunned.

This then, the miracle,

We seek.

To recognize.

The one, we do.

This, then the miracle.

This then pot, the plant

I prayed for a miracle,
I got the pot, planted.

Her death, would it come ?
Know I not, but when,

soon...

God, then sent, this gift
This to recognize, took but, years.

Death has not come,
Pass by it thus,

Has ...

This wife, still thus,
I have, and children too.

Plus one. ..

Solved ...

The great Nephretic puzzle
Thus, I have.

Now to be greatful,
For the miracle, he hath wrought.

And gifts, we now share.

(Book Of Mormon, 1 Nephi ch. 4)

Chapter 4

Nephi slays Laban at the Lord’s command and then secures the plates of brass by stratagem—Zoram chooses to join Lehi’s family in the wilderness. About 600–592 B.C.

10 And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him.
...
12 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;
13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief

She closed her heart

Luv her, a choice...

not a feeling.

She closed her heart.

Like the lady, that swallowed that fly,

I know not why.

I reached for her,

there, as a boy.

There, on the bench, in the car,

she beside me.

Cuddled, under her arm,

like the puppet, beside me.

She purchased the puppet,

at the pink ladies' shop.

We had gone to the hospital,

to discover, why, I wet the bed.

She was damaged goods,

as was I.

When life gets tough,

it hardens you.

You grow a shell,

thicker with the growing years.

I wet the bed, this because,

distant then, began I to feel ...

Not loved, not wanted,

cast aside. ..

This, I had thought.

Forty more years, we spent...

In this cuddle, or embrace.

I would reach out...

only to be pushed away.

In the end, she reached out, to dance.

only to be brushed away, ...

almost, still,

Once more, we danced,

and beautiful,  it was then.

Luv, being a verb

... love being a verb
is a things that retains ...
requires action to endure

life being unfair,
Is ment to sustain.

how to be greatful,
and not bitter and angry
when those we love are,

Tobe,,  taken..

strive always...

to awaken each morning,

to be greatful,

...that you share, one more day.

Dec 2015

The scars, they shared.

"She took a broken piece of glass and held it in her hand

Sharp as a razor and a wire from the ground

It was a broken piece of love that she had tried to cover up

And outside her window was the world"

Serrated, the knife,

Sharp, was it not?

The burden, he carried...

The more.

Long together, they had been,

He, and the burden.

To carry it now,

He must.

But how, then, he knew not,

Still...

Peeled back the layers, he did,

The top layers only,

On his forearms.

The burden to, release...

Help, 

Did, it not.

The stress, to release...

The pain, it would,

For a time, mask,

The burden...

But carry it, still he did.

The shame, hurt, and guilt.

Of all the yesterday's.

Still, their is another,

Who carries the scars.

The shame, hurt and pain...

For, all the world...

He created.

He would carry this pain too.

To remove the shame

Guilt, and scars.

To lift the burden, and make it light.

This was his task.

"Follow me all you who are heavy-laden and I will give you rest."

Now,

Only one need, carry the scars,

For they both.

"For He, so the luv's, the world. That he give'th his beluved son ..."

"But on the day she realized that she was stronger than the lies

She broke through her window into the world

And she was singing...

Come on, come on set free

All that is a prisoner inside of me

Come on, come on set fire

Burn through the wreckage, leave it all behind"

Bebo Norman, "Outside Her Window was the World"

Bebo Norman "Outside Her Window was the World"

To peer into his soul.

I peered into his body today,

Can I see into his soul.

Scoped it, for us, the Doctor,

Today,

as our god, scopes my soul.

I care for him now, 

as he once cared for me.

I feel the luv,

as I minister,

to his needs.

Luv then, really is a choice.

to see beyond the pain,

... well beyond the tears.

So much i'd have lost,

if not these many years.

So greatful I am,

that god peers, into my soul,

and chooses to luv, me still.

*I am now my Fathers Guardian and we go together to his doctors appointments.

--

Steven Bassett

A near miss, and a shared loss.

too walk, in their shoes, today.

died young, I did,

almost ...

like grandma and granddad  before...

Their hearts failed

while they were, yet young.

all of them, young.

this then young, but 62.

know I not, but that its is.

together children, had they lost,

together and apart.

My uncle lost, but one,

my grandparents, but two.

... many years, were lost, with regret

and a marriage too.

still, in the end, 

the regret, took a greater toll

a greater toll, then it should.

My wife lost i young, almost...

younger then them all.

no regret do I have, 

and no loss, do i share.

but a greater understanding,

and compassion do i share.

For the near miss, and loss,

we shared.

*My story, and my families. I nearly died at age 50 with a collision, with a cement truck.  My wife nearly died from stomach cancer like my Uncle Willard had done over a decade 

My grandparents Leo Herzog and Elnora (Nora) Byington Herzog, died young at 62 of heart disease.

Uncle Willard lost a son in a snowmobile accidents and marriage of + 25 years . My grandparents lost two children, young, in car and motorcycle accidents. 

I have compassion from walking in their shoes.

 

--

Steven Bassett

--

Steven Bassett

A near miss, and a shared loss.

too walk in their shoes today.

died young he did,

like his momma and daddie did

Their hearts failed

while they were yet young.

all of them young.

this then young, but 62.

know I not, but that its is.

together children, had they lost,

together and apart.

he lost but one,

and they but two.

years of regret were lost,

and a marriage too.

still, in the end, 

the regret, took a greater toll

a greater toll, then it should.

My wife lost i young, almost...

younger then them all.

no regret do I have, 

and no loss do i share.

but a greater understanding,

and compassion do i share.

For the near miss and the loss,

we shared.

*a story of my Uncle Willard Herzog, My grandparents Leo Herzog and Elnora (Nora) Byington Herzog.  With my wife's near loss to cancer I have come to understand and walk in their shoes.  Willard lost a son in a snowmobile accidents. My grandparents lost two children, young, in car and motorcycle accidents. They died of hearts disease and Willard Died of the same cancer that almost took my wife's life.

 

--

Steven Bassett

A longing for Joy

a longing intense... 
this drive will not rest ...
not feeling at home.
I need to leave peace.
The circle I seek,
return I may then.

** Joy = Sehnsucht  a difficult to translate Germain concept. 

[my first  poem Oct 2011]

Inspired by (Suprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, Clive Stanley Lewis)

(see, G.K. Chesterton,  "Homesick at Home” (1896) from The Coloured Lands (London: Sheed & Ward, 1938))

see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sehnsucht

Still, the question.

Still the poetry,
From where doeth it come.

But come'th it does.

Till I come,
It reaches me.

Forever more
And then the same.

Doeth it reach you?

much ado about no'thing

much ado about no'thing

it was a small thing,

never quite their,

unfinished it was, 

or uncompleted they said.

it begged to be more,

to be finished, they said.

When all it was,

caused heartache and pain.

disposed of, it was, 

in a little, small care.

what does one do,

with an unfinished, 

unfulfilled, no'thing.

in time, another,

fulfilled, its promise.

a blessing it was,

to the both of them.

still the loss of possibility,

from the unfinished no'thing. 

** In Elizabethan England, "thing" was a slang or vulgar reference to a mans reproductive organ.  Then the organ that a woman receives it with is a no'thing.  If a man had a thing then a woman had a no'thing.**

--

Steven Bassett

Between, the storms

luv,

between the storms.

Was it life,

the life, they lived,

the life between...

the storms?

Does luv grow,

in the storms,

between them now.

To make a choice,

always they must.

barely a breather,

between the storms.

is life, the sum total,

of the calms, 

or the storm.

growth comes,

in the storm.

lesson are learned,

in the calms.

to shelter, in each,

must they then,

now find.

in the end,

the sum total,

of their lives,

is this ...

the luv remains.

Thoughts on the life of my mom and dad.

--

Steven Bassett

on Hosea and Gomer ver 2.0

Hosea was gods prophet,

god choose Hosea.

Gomer was gods handmaiden,

Gomer chose god ...

god knew Gomer and Hosea,

long before they remembered god.

god had a message for them,

for Hosea, Gomer and the world.

Remember me, from before,

you became,

where you are now.

They could return,

to him now,

where he is ...

Hosea must redeem Gomer,

as god redeemed the world.

When god commands you to choose Gomer...

be greatful for god choose you too.

For the ransom has been paid,

and we are redeemed.

*some say Gomer was a loose woman, a woman of low morals, Hosea was gods prophet to ancient Isreal to an unfaithful nation.

ver 2.0 09-26-2016

--

Steven Bassett

On being faithful, to his unbelief.

Their he sits,
on the back row,
most Sundays.

The back slider.

He had lost it,
so long ago,
on his mission,
to redeem the world.

He was deep-rooted,
in his unbelief...

So faithful,
to its loss ...

He married outside the faith.

A daughter came then too.

They raised her in his faithfulness,
to his unbelief.

His wife thought...

Their daughter needed,
a faith,
a belief.

His was as good, as any other.
Perhaps, even better.

Many times, he had tried,
to leave his unbelief.

It was marrow deep,
in his bones.

His ancestors buried it,
deep there,
ever so deep,
he could not retrieve it.

It become a blessing,
his unbelief.

Let him see, the true light,
at the center, of every soul.

Was his prayer unanswered,
in his unbelief?

Lord, I do not believe,
Bless me now, in my unbelief.

*Inspired by the life and unbelief of Levi Peterson, author of "The Backslider". It is my understanding that it was his non-mormon wife's desire to raise their daughter in the mormon faith.

on Hosea and Gomer

Hosea was gods prophet,

god choose Hosea.

Gomer was gods handmaiden,

Gomer chose god ...

god knew Gomer and Hosea,

long before they remembered god.

god had a message for them,

for Hosea, Gomer and the world.

Remember me, from before,

you became,

where you are now.

They could return,

to him now,

where he is ...

Hosea must choose Gomer,

as god chose the world.

When god commands you to choose Gomer...

be greatful for god choose you.

*some say Gomer was a loose woman, a woman of low morals, Hosea was gods prophet to ancient Isreal to an unfaithful nation.

--

Steven Bassett