Z is for Zarf

When I stop to buy my coffee

I order it hot black and strong

And when I hold it in my hand

It begins to burn before too long

In the Middle East they found

A new way to hold the hot cup

An invention had been produced

So you could drink it up

They were made from metal

Ornamental in every case

Very practical they proved to be

They helped satisfy your taste

You have seen them in use

When a coffee you did buy

They wrap around your cup

so your fingers do not fry

What is this I speak of?

What name is it named?

Well it is known as a zarf

The hot cup had been tamed

Let me ask you to tell the truth

Before today did you really know?

That they were called a zarf?
Use a zarf with coffee on the go.

Y is for You Can't Take It With You (When You Go)

You Can’t Take It With You (When You Go)

Gregg Metcalf

Now and then I look out my window

at the guy living across the street

he’s never home he’s always on the go

he lives a life that just can’t be beat

Evidence of his dedication sits in his drive

All the trappings of his wealth is on display

he has never learned the meaning of deprive

he has all the latest toys so he can play

But there is one thing he’s never thought of…

Chorus:

While my little boat is in the water

His big boat sets there in the drive

While I am fishing with my daughter

He is still trying hard to arrive

My old Ford needs a little tender lovin’ care

It is no secret that our house is old I know

He doesn’t understand or seems to be aware

That you can’t take it with you when you go

We don’t have much- money is in short supply

our things are old- heck most are second hand

fact is we use up all we ever get or buy

we know that all these things don’t make a man

There are a lot of lessons that folks never learn

after all has been said or done,  I still know that

when you are done livin’ there’s one thing to discern

that you can’t take it with you when you go

Chorus:

While my little boat is in the water

His big boat sets there in the drive

While I am fishing with my daughter

He is still trying hard to arrive

My old Ford needs a little tender lovin’ care

It is no secret that our house is old I know

He doesn’t understand or seems to be aware

That you can’t take it with you when you go 

Bridge:

When you drive your self to work every day

Keep in mind the end of time be sure to play

Chorus:

While my little boat is in the water

His big boat sets there in the drive

While I am fishing with my daughter

He is still trying hard to arrive

My old Ford needs a little tender lovin’ care

It is no secret that our house is old I know

He doesn’t understand or seems to be aware

That you can’t take it with you when you go

X is for Xylotomist

 

Xylotomist

by Gregg Metcalf

In many a gruesome criminal trial

Expert testimony is often needed

To convict one so despicably vile

By a guilty verdict unimpeded

Witnesses vary from field to field

Each an expert in his own right

bearing evidence prepared to yield

A guilty verdict without being trite

In the most famous kidnapping case

Arthur Koehler was the state’s decision

As an xylotomist he was such an ace

He worked eighteen months with precision

Koehler provided the evidence sought

By linking a ladder to a small piece of pine

It came from a factory Koehler had thought

was milled from a broken machine at that time

The state’s expert presented the court

With a chalk rubbing of a particular sample

He proved the small piece of pine was a sort

As the one taken from the ladder example

The state’s xylotomist did win a guilty finding

Ensuring the execution of Bruno Hauptmann

Having presented evidence ever so binding

The Lindberg baby trial finally came to an end

Xylotomy is the preparation of small wood samples

Viewed under a microscope while using a microtome

It is the art and science of matching minute examples

In hopes of bringing the much needed evidence home

W is for Wonder of Wonders

Wonder of Wonders

(Gregg Metcalf)

Copyright and all rights reserved

April 18, 2011

Refrain:

He is the Wonder of Wonders
The bright morning star
His voice is greater than thunder
and the rain from afar
He's greater than everything
Let every creature be under
Let every creature sing, that
He is the Wonder of Wonders

Bow low you heavens, O Lord come down
touch the mountains and they will smoke
Stretch out our hand to things all around
You made all things by the words you spoke

Sing, Oh, Saint of the splendor of His glory
Speak of the might of His awesome deeds
Tell of His ways with the deep blue sea
Tell of his greatness to all of His seed

Refrain:

He is the Wonder of Wonders
The bright morning star
His voice is greater than thunder
and the rain from afar
He's greater than everything
Let every creature be under
Let every creature sing, that
He is the Wonder of Wonders

For He and He alone is Lord over all
wisdom springs from out of His Word
every lip shall sing, every knee shall fall
While I live, I will sing praise to my Lord

Bridge:

Sing to Him you saints all of your days,
He is the Lord, He is worthy of praise

Refrain:

He is the Wonder of Wonders
The bright morning star
His voice is greater than thunder
and the rain from afar
He's greater than everything
Let every creature be under
Let every creature sing, that
He is the Wonder of Wonders

God's Perfect Plan (Part 5)

SERMON:             GM15-055

SERIES:              Renewal Through Romans: The Gospel Defined, Explained &           Applied

SETTING:          North Kelso Baptist Church

SERVICE:          Sunday AM (April 26, 2015)

SECTION:          The Prologue to Righteousness (Romans 1:1-17)

SUBTITLE:        God’s Perfect Plan (Part 5)

SCRIPTURE:     Romans1:17

SUBJECT:          God’s sanctifies us through the gospel

SUMMARY:      

SCHEME:           That each member of NKBC fully understands the ability, or the                                 capability of God to develop His people through the gospel.

_____________________________________________________________

Our theme is:  God sanctifies us through the gospel

 Proposition:  God works out His perfect plan by the power of the Gospel

Interrogatory Sentence:  What does the text reveal to us about the power of the gospel?

Transitional Sentence: Our text reveals two important truths about the power of God.

·        …the gospel produces saving faith in sinners

·        …the gospel produces sanctifying faith in saints

V is for Victor

Another type of poem among the some 55 different types or styles is a style or form called "Name Poem." 

A Name Poem, or Acrostic Poem,  tells about the word. It uses the letters of the word for the first letter of each line. Here is my first attempt at a "name poem."

Victor

Victor is a Mailman

It is his chore

Catalogs or letters

To you he’ll bring

Or maybe a package

Right to your door

U is for Ucalegon

I mentioned already that there are over 55 different types of poetry. Another type or kind of poetry is called "Enjambment."

Definition of Enjambment

The word Enjambment comes from the French word for "to straddle."

 Enjambment is the continuation of a sentence from one line or couplet into the next. Here is my attempt at my very first enjambment.

 Ucalegon

by

Gregg Metcalf

Even though the danger is gone

I still think about my ucalegon

The ucalegon I had never met

Prior to that alarming threat

Once the danger was discovered

Its source was soon uncovered

The ucalegon could not be found

as I took time to look all around

The ucalegon’s loss was huge

Making him feel like a stooge

Poems about ucalegons are rare

even if they are written with care

Since you might not turn to Webster

causing your curiosity to fester 

The meaning of the word ucalegon

is a neighbor whose house burned down

T is for The Tall Mustard Tree

Another type of poetry is known as "Imagery Poetry." These types of poems work to draw a picture in the mind of the reader, in order to give an extremely powerful image of what the writer is talking about. They work to intensify the senses of the reader. This is my first attempt at an imagery poem.

The Tall Mustard Tree

Large nesting birds

love

the tall Mustard

Tree

Green with spring

Leaves

Growing in the

fields

S is for Small Town USA

Small Town USA

by Gregg Metcalf

February 8, 2002

I work in a factory in small-town USA

I listen to the radio most everyday

I love to hear the singers as they hit the charts

with all their songs about broken hearts

I work hard at my job just to make a living

I won't get rich and I won't make a killing

I come home dirty, full of sweat and dirt

my back aches and every muscle hurts

So I'd go crazy if I couldn't hear em sing

bout cheatin' and drinkin' and everything

Like the man in black and Folsom Prison Blues

or like the Possum singing I just can't choose

So I saved some money and planned a little trip

to Nashville, Tennessee where they made the hits

It took a lot of doing just see the old Ryman Hall

But with my hat in hand I stood there in awe

Then suddenly it happened as I was standing there

a mournful sound came through the cold night air

I began to hear all the stars that once played

all those nights on the Grand Ole Opry stage

As I listened to em sing I couldn't stop movin’

I danced  with joy as I heard Charlie Louvin

Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash and of course ole Hank

with tears in my eyes I stood there and gave thanks

You producers and record giants and such

need to remember who listens and buys their stuff

I'm a working man whose saved for every tape

let em do it their way, forget all your debate

Cause I work in a factory in small-town USA

And I listen to the radio most everyday

I love to hear my singers as they hit the charts

with songs of love or life and broken hearts

R is for Roman Preacher

As mentioned in prior posts, there are over 55 different types or styles of poetry. Another well know type or style is the limerick. Here is my very first attempt at a limerick. Please enjoy and be kind in your comments.

There once was a preacher from Rome

Who had a heart for his home

But its love and devotion

Overtook him with emotion

leaving him exhausted down to the bone

Q is for Quartus, the Brother

Quartus, the Brother

“Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother [says hey!].” (Romans 16:3, NASB, GDM)

It was the third of June, another sleepy dusty, Roman day

I was out grinding corn, and my little brother was away

At Sunday go to meetin’ time we walked up to the church

Rabbi hollered from the pulpit, "yall, get in here so we don’t have to search"

and then he said, “I got a letter this morning’ from the Apostle Paul"

Today, Quartus, the brother says “hey and hopes its well with yall"

And papa said to mama, as he passed around the assemblies Torah

"We haven’t seen brother Quartus since he knocked over the menorah

This is great news that he is traveling around with Brother Paul and friends"

And mama said "it was a shame we didn’t see him more than now and again

Seems like no one gets around to see us anymore except maybe in the fall"

And now Quartus, the brother says “hey” and hopes its well with yall

And sister said she recollected when Quartus, Gaius, and Rachael’s boy

Pushed her in the water behind the falls at En Gedi just to annoy

And do you remember when his Bar-Mitvah was the talk of the town

What a little scamp he was, he made a quite a few mothers frown

Well, I haven’t thought of Quartus for quite some time at all

And now Quartus, the brother says “hey” and hopes its well with yall

Mama said to me, Miriam, you haven’t heard a word the rabbi’s said

Is there something wrong do you have a fever, let me touch your head

That nice city treasurer, Brother Erastus, may stop by today

He mentioned he might like to take you out and oh by the way

He said, “wasn’t there someone who had a crush on Quartus last fall?”

And now Quartus, the brother says hey and hopes its well with yall

Well summer has come and gone since Rabbi read the letter from Paul

It was filled with great teachings that strengthened the faith of us all

There was a locust invasion last summer and killed most of the wheat

And daddy’s grain grinding business slowly went down in the heat

And me, I spend a lot of time thinking and praying by the wailing wall

All because Quartus, the brother said hey, and hoped it was well with us all

Thanks to Bobbie Gentry and Ode to Billie Joe

God’s Perfect Plan (Part 4)

SERMON:             GM15-054

SERIES:              Renewal Through Romans: The Gospel Defined, Explained &           Applied

SETTING:          North Kelso Baptist Church

SERVICE:          Sunday AM (April 19, 2015)

SECTION:          The Prologue to Righteousness (Romans 1:1-17)

SUBTITLE:        God’s Perfect Plan (Part 4)

SCRIPTURE:     Romans1:16b

SUBJECT:          God’s saves sinners through the gospel

SUMMARY:       You must believe in the Gospel’s ability to deliver you from your                              sins through the gospel

SCHEME:           That each member of NKBC fully understands the ability, or the                                 capability of God to deliver His people from their sins through the                                  gospel.

_____________________________________________________________

P is for Propitiation

Propitiation

By Gregg Metcalf

In Adam I sinned, my estate had fell,

my just desert was a place called hell.

God’s wrath against me was fully written,

no hope at all, for by sin I was smitten.

A just and holy God knew not sin,

‘twas he who made me to live again.

Alas, He would give his son to be,

a sacrifice made acceptable for me.

My place he took upon the cross,

yes he bore my sin and guilt at cost.

He became sin for me and yet,

It was his righteousness I did get!

Oh, what heavenly transaction was this?

That God’s own Son bore death’s kiss?

What joy what mystery and what elation!

Christ Jesus became this sinner’s propitiation!

(copy-righted by Gregg Metcalf, April 18, 2010)

O is for Obituary

Cinquain Poetry Style

A cinquain is a five-line poem that was invented by Adelaide Crapsey. She was an American poet who took her inspiration from Japanese haiku and tanka. A collection of poems, titled Verse, was published in 1915 and included 28 cinquains.

Cinquain Form #1 - Didactic Cinquain

·        This is a very popular form of the cinquain because of its simplicity. Instead of incorporating stress and syllables, it uses words.

·        The first line is one word which is the title of the poem. 

·        The second line contains two words which are adjectives that describe the title. 

·        The third line has three words that tell the reader more about the subject of the poem or shows action.  Many times these words are gerunds that end with “ing.”

·        The fourth line has four words that show emotions about the subject of the poem and may be individual words or a phrase. 

• The fifth line is one word that is a synonym of the title or is very similar to it.

Obituary 

Obituary

Candid, forthright

Interesting, defining, remembering

So sad to recall

Story

N is for No!

Did you know that there are over 55 different types or styles of poetry. I have a habit of being “trapped” in one or two styles. One form or style is called:

ABC

A poem that has five lines and creates a mood, picture, or feeling. Lines 1 through 4 are made up of words, phrases or clauses while the first word of each line is in alphabetical order. Line 5 is one sentence long and begins with any letter.

Today's poem for the letter "N" is an ABC poem about the word "no." Hope you appreciate and comment! Thanks! Remember, don't say "no!"

Always hearing “no” can be disconcerting

Before one says no, think before blurting

Caustic negativity that remains in the air

Devising means of disharmony and fare

So, don’t say no!

M is for Monday Morning Coming Down

Scott Weldon of First Southern Baptist Church of Marshfield, MO - this is for you brother!

Disclaimer: Although I wrote this for my friend who, like most of us, sometimes struggles with Mondays, I am not nor do I intend to imply that Scott bets on football games, likes fried chicken, is a friend of hippies, or maintains blurry eyes. This is just a parody of Kris Kristofferson's Sunday Morning Coming Down!https://youtu.be/ED5s1-Fe9FA

Monday Morning's Back Again

 

Well, I woke up Monday morning

with one idea to stop the hurt

I had to put on a pot of black coffee

And wait for it to perk

Then I faced the fact the weekend was over

Now I have to go back to work

So I washed my teeth and brushed my face

And fell down the stairs to meet the day

I’d smote my brain the last two days

With football bets I’d been a pickin'

Went out to eat and stuffed my face

With tons of fried chicken

We all went to church

And thought about what momma was fixin'

And Lord, it too me back to knowing this was Monday

Someway, somehow I had to face the fact

On a Monday morning wakeup

I’m wishing, Lord, that I was home

Cause there’s something in a Monday

That makes a man grab a phone

And there’s nothing short a’ lying

When I tell the boss I can’t come in

Cause my eyes are way to blurry

And Monday morning’s back again

In the park I saw a hippie

With a fire upped joint he was smoking

And I sat beside a friend of mine

And listened to all his joking

Then I stumbled down the street

And somewhere someone was poking

Me with a stick in his hand

Like the disappearing plans of yesterday

As I stand in line for coffee
I'm wishing just one time I could hear
that the news was telling us all
Monday's been cancelled for a year
then we would have reason to celebrate
And somewhere everyone would cheer
and all the noise they made
was like the raging sounds of rushing wind

On a Monday morning wakeup

I’m wishing, Lord, that I was home

Cause there’s something in a Monday

That makes a man grab a phone

And there’s nothing short a’ lying

When I tell the boss I can’t come in

Cause my eyes are way to blurry

And Monday morning’s back again

L is for Living In A Chick-Fil-A Paradise

*Living In A Chick-Fil-A Paradise

Gregg Metcalf

As I drive through the valley where I live with my wife

I look around and discover something missing from my life

I see fast food chains scattered all over the place

But there is only one dish that will put a smile on my face

At 6:30 in the evening I’m feeling hungry again

My wife and my son are acting like crazy men

Their stomachs are growling and causing them pain

We need something to eat before we all go insane

I’m a man who works hard for a few bucks to spend

I will share what I have and sometimes I will lend

A dollar or two hoping to help thee and thine

Or maybe throw a party like its 1999

We’ve spent all of our lives eating in a Chick-Fil-A paradise

We’ve tried burgers once or twice in a Chick-Fil-A paradise

That’s way too much to sacrifice, living in Chick-Fil-A paradise

There’s no need to pay a big price, living in a Chick-Fil-A paradise

Some bigots lashed out in the paper last week
Accusing Truett Cathy of turning the wrong cheek

Now the Mayor of Boston won’t let Cathy play

In His city by bringing in another Chick-Fil-A

Mr. Cathy maintained God created Adam and Eve

Make no mistake it was not Adam and Steve

But I guess it was wrong for him to think it was grand

To be free to express his opinion in this great land

Glorifying God by being a faithful steward of

all that God has given to us with His great love

To have a positive influence on all who come in

Is this really a bad business or is it just a whim?

If you come to visit, you’ll be pleased to no end

You will want to stop by again and again

Fried chicken was meant to be made this way

Come and see how they do it at Chick-Fil-A

Bridge

There’s no corn fungus, no caviar, no escargot, not a single ortolan

Like Robinson Crusoe, you’ll be eating chicken on your lawn

We’ve been eating most of our lives in a Chick-Fil-A paradise

We’re just plain and simple families, living in a Chick-Fil-A paradise

There’s no time for political correctness living in Chick-Fil-A paradise

We aren’t bigots or intolerant, living in a Chick-Fil-A paradise

Jumping in the Buick, driving down the street

Heading to our very favorite place to eat

Think you’ve had chicken that is to die for

You’ve had nothing till you come here and score

We’ve been eating most of our lives in a Chick-Fil-A paradise
We’re just plain and simple families, living in a Chick-Fil-A paradise

There’s no time for political correctness living in Chick-Fil-A paradise

We aren’t bigots or intolerant, living in a Chick-Fil-A paradise

Yeah

*A Parody written to the tune of Living in a Gangsta Paradise and Living in An Amish Paradise