Shades of Green

Blithe blonde, a vision in neon lime;
Mini-skirt and boots: it's Laugh-In time!...
Gold-go-go-goddess Green.

Butter is hot enough to entice.
Add flour, eggs, salt and tomato slice...
Hot-breaded-pan-fried Green.

A Blue album with a verdant song;
Joni's voice is soothing yet so strong...
She's-just-a-Little Green.

In three stanzas, spring boldly unfurls
For old folks and playful boys and girls...
Blake's-bright-Echoing Green.

The grass withers and the flowers fall;
There is a Word that outblooms them all... 

Ever-true Evergreen.


David Acosta © 2015

Peace and Harmony

You turn on the news and sit for a while,
Then trade your winsome, optimistic smile
For a lonely chasm, dark and deep.
Fear in our homes and chaos on the street:
Try to escape it; pray it will not meet
Your soul and steal the peace from your sleep.

Be vigilant, discerning the times;
But in the midst of your sad sobriety,
Listen closely to the distant chimes
Of hope heralding peace and harmony.

How do you envision it in your mind?
Will the day ever come? Will all mankind
Rise above the chaos we now see?
The winds of change are oft unfavorable;
It almost feels like we're incapable
Of finding that truth that sets us free.

Be vigilant, discerning the times;
But in the midst of your sad sobriety,
Listen closely to the distant chimes
Of hope heralding peace and harmony.

All creation groans, deeply longing for
A blissful day when hope and peace shall convene.
Rest in the assurance of things hoped for,
The conviction of those things which remain unseen.

When will it come? When will we understand?
Have we erased the writing on the sand?
Can we grasp love's providential hand?

Be vigilant, discerning the times;
But in the midst of your sad sobriety,
Listen closely to the distant chimes
Of hope heralding peace and harmony.

Be vigilant, discerning the times;
But in the midst of your sad sobriety
Listen closely to the distant chimes
Of hope heralding peace and harmony.


© 2015 David Acosta Perez

Shades of Blue

Wide-eyed, contemplative, wistful sky,
Seeking the taciturn earth's reply...
Light, ethereal blue.

Shipwrecked castaway, gazing, forlorn:
Windswept hopes defy the stormcloud's scorn...
Uncharted island blue.

Bride near the subway, sidewalks in bloom;
Bronx-bound Rhoda seeks curly-haired groom...
Graffitied satin blue.

Seaside lover reminiscing,
Missing the one you should be kissing...
Deep, disconsolate blue.

Clouds reappear, doubts unexpected.
Is my heart in your heart protected?...
Hope-eclipsing gray blue.


David Acosta © 2015

The King's Cloak

When the Weaver has finished,
And the loom is at rest;
When each weft and each warp--
North and south, east and west--
Are a singular wonder,
A masterpiece splendid;
When the shedding, the picking,
And the batt'ning have ended;
When dark purple and crimson
Have pleased the good King,
And the cloak is admired
By the crown and the ring;
Then the King will declare
That the weaving is done;
And each thread will rejoice,
For the King and the Weaver are one.


© 2015 David Acosta

In the Little Town of David

Mary,
God is with you!
Do not be afraid, Mary,
For you have found favor with God.

Joseph,
Son of David,
The Child in her womb
Was conceived by the Spirit of God.

And the Most High shall give Him David's throne,

And He shall reign over Jacob's house,
And His kingdom shall never end.

Shout and sing for joy, O Israel,
For unto us is born a Son, Emmanuel!
God is with us today
In the little town of David.

Angels
Luminescent,
Descend, and sing
"Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth."

Shepherds,
Come and listen!
Rejoice with the angels
As they herald Yeshua's birth.

O Zion, lift up your voice; fear not:
Say to the towns of Judah,
"Behold, your God is with you now!"

Shout and sing for joy, O Israel,
For unto us is born a Son, Emmanuel!
God is with us today
In the little town of David.

(instrumental interlude)

And He shall reign over Jacob's house,
And His kingdom shall never end.

Shout and sing for joy, O Israel,
For unto us is born a Son, Emmanuel!
God is with us today!

Shout and sing for joy, O Israel,
For unto us is born a Son, Emmanuel!
God is with us today
In the little town of David.


© 2015 David Acosta

Heart-healin' Highway

My attempt at a good, old-fashioned, I'm-so-lonesome country song:

I turned a corner
--An unexpected one--
And then I stumbled down
The road to I Don't Care.
I took a detour
Toward the setting sun;
I figured I'd just lose my way
And head nowhere.

I've been a world-weary wanderer,
And I have slowly come apart;
But here I am standing at the crossroads
Of Clarity and Disarray.
I'm ready to leave the past behind;
It's time for a brand new start.
Will it be a mountain or a valley low?
Help me, Heart-Healin' Highway.

My mem'ries linger
Like pine in the breeze,
Like a cracklin' fire
On a snow-white winter's eve.
I see you waiting
High above the trees.
But when I reach for you,
You look away and leave.

I've been a world-weary wanderer,
And I have slowly come apart;
But here I am standing at the crossroads
Of Clarity and Disarray.
I'm ready to leave the past behind;
It's time for a brand new start.
Will it be a mountain or a valley low?
Help me, Heart-Healin' Highway.

I know my options; I could easily turn around,
And take the delusional road to yesterday.
But I belong on this highway to higher ground.
I'm pressing on; I really must be on my way.

I'm ready to leave the past behind;
It's time for a brand new start.
Will it be a mountain or a valley low?
Help me, Heart-Healin' Highway.
Today's the day...
I'm on my way...
Heart-healin' Highway.


© 2015 David Acosta Perez

What the Wind Knows

Herein shall our thoughts quietly disband,
And therein in the morrow reconvene.
Fret not in this shadowy in-between,
Where sorrows and fears are ever at hand;

But listen, and touch the fervid laughter
Of the wind, zealously testifying
That there shall be no more death, nor dying
In that realm, that jubilant hereafter:

"You shall surely cast off your deathly woe,
Along with your flesh-woven inverness,
And roam no longer through this wilderness.
As you are known, then shall you fully know."


David Acosta © 2015

Love's Blissful Shore

The sun sets;
The sea sighs;
The night lets
The moon rise...
The sea swells;
The surf lulls
The seashells
And seagulls...

And then I see you sitting by the sea.
Can it be? Have my dreams transported me
To a world where love abides evermore?
Have I finally made it to love's blissful shore?

The moon sets;
The sea sighs;
The dawn lets
The sun rise...
Doubt deflates,
As dreams soar;
My joy waits
On love's shore...

And then I sit beside you by the sea.
Can it be? Have my dreams transported me
To a world where love abides evermore?
Have I finally made it to love's blissful shore?

Oh, and how I've yearned for this blessed day!
It far exceeds what words can now convey.
All my hopes and dreams have met me here:

Joy in every breath and every tear.

And I'm communing with you by the sea!
Can it be? Have my dreams transported me
To a world where love abides evermore?
I have finally made it to love's blissful shore?

© 2015  David Acosta Perez


This song's chorus was inspired by an unforgettable scene in Tree of Life, one of my favorite films.s 

Hallelujahs

In a storm out at sea,
In the calm deep within,
In a pageantry of stars across the sky,
In the sun's majesty,
In the moon's graceful spin,
In the here and now, in the sweet by and by...

Hallelujahs in the morning,
Hallelujahs late at night:
Hallelujahs are adorning
All our hopes with boundless light.
Hallelujahs for a new day,
Hallelujahs bold and bright,
Hallelujahs through the cold gray,
Clearly seen and out of sight.

In the fragrance after rain,
In the seedlings of the earth,
In the sweet air beyond our temporal woes,
In an ancient refrain,
In its gladsome rebirth,
In goodbyes that foretell an array of hellos...

Hallelujahs in the morning,
Hallelujahs late at night:
Hallelujahs are adorning
All our hopes with boundless light.
Hallelujahs for a new day,
Hallelujahs bold and bright,
Hallelujahs through the cold gray,
Clearly seen and out of sight.

Over walls of fear they climb;
Through clouds of dark uncertainty they rise;
Undaunted by space and time,
They soar beyond our vagrant, wind-borne sighs.

[instrumental interlude]

Hallelujahs in the morning,
Hallelujahs late at night:
Hallelujahs are adorning
All our hopes with boundless light.
Hallelujahs for a new day,
Hallelujahs bold and bright,
Hallelujahs through the cold gray,
Clearly seen and out of sight.

[Repeat, with optional fade]



© 2015 David Acosta Perez

Tuck In Your Love Gift

A sweet li'l ode to greedy televangelists...


Don't start doubting yourself, now;
You really ought to enclose the other half.
Blessings will surely rain down,
If you help me feed my hungry golden calf.

Tuck in your love gift;
Heaven will surely deliver.
Tuck in your love gift;
Convince me you're a cheerful giver.
If you wanna pass the faith test,
Give and you will surely be blessed.
If you've got a burden you can't lift,
Don't forget to tuck in your love gift.

Plant that seed of faith right now.
Don't you worry; it's gonna bear fruit somehow.
Blessings will surely rain down.
In the meantime, bow before my pet cow.

Tuck in your love gift;
Heaven will surely deliver.
Tuck in your love gift;
Convince me you're a cheerful giver.
If you wanna pass the faith test,
Give and you will surely be blessed.
If you've got a burden you can't lift,
Don't forget to tuck in your love gift.

Now don't you touch that dial.
Give, or you'll cramp my style.
Tuck it in with a smile;
While I shout, jump up and down, and laugh.
Reach in and let it go.
Heaven ain't cheap, you know.
Do it, and say hello
To my beautiful golden calf.

Tuck in your love gift;
Heaven will surely deliver.
Tuck in your love gift;
Convince me you're a cheerful giver.
If you wanna pass the faith test,
Give and you will surely be blessed.
If you've got a burden you can't lift,
Don't forget to tuck in your love gift...
Your love gift...
Your love gift...
Your love gift...

Now isn't she a lovely little calf?
Would you like to pet her?


David Acosta © 2015

Peregrino perdido

No puedes explicar lo que te sucedió;
¿Donde dejaste tu franca visión?
Si quieres, hoy puedes decirle adiós
A esa traidora indecisión.

Busca un manantial claro y puro;
Bebe valor y recibe lucidez.
No tienes que quedarte en este valle oscuro;
Regresa al sendero fiable otra vez.

Peregrino perdido,
No te atormentes;
Si quieres volver,
Puedes volver.
Peregrino angustiado
Por lo que ya no sientes,
Libera tu alma;
Suelta esa carga.
Si quieres volver,
Puedes volver.

Tu agotado, ambivalente ser
Se desvanece entre la realidad
Y aquello que solamente puedes ver
En una fantasía sin claridad.

Temes que no podrás subir y volver;
Piensas que ya es muy tarde para tí.
Paso a paso, confiando, vas a comprender
Que todo comienza con creer y decir que sí.

Peregrino perdido,
No te atormentes;
Si quieres volver,
Puedes volver.
Peregrino angustiado
Por lo que ya no sientes,
Libera tu alma;
Suelta esa carga.
Si quieres volver,
Puedes volver.

Si crees que es muy difícil, ¿cómo lo lograrás?
Aunque parezca algo invencible,
Si no te atreves a hacerlo, ¿cómo comprenderás
Que sí puedes, que no es imposible?

Peregrino perdido,
No te atormentes;
Si quieres volver,
Puedes volver.
Peregrino angustiado
Por lo que ya no sientes,
Libera tu alma;
Suelta esa carga.
Si quieres volver,
Puedes volver.


© 2015 David Acosta Perez

Hide and Seek

What if I find I just can't separate

My thinking from this hard day's droning drum?

What if I cannot surrender and wait,

And the answers I'm after never come?

What if the words I am trying to say

Suddenly feel like hard clay I can't shape?

What if my thoughts drift and wander away,

Back to those things I have tried to escape?

Sometimes I'm just not sure I'm getting through.

I don't know how to listen, but I'd like to hear you speak.

What is this thing called prayer? What should I do?

All I can do is hope you will find me when I hide and seek.

What if I choose to relinquish the weight

That encumbers me, and simply unwind?

What if I forfeit the inner debate

For a while, and slowly quiet my mind?

What if I cry out for help? Will you hear?

Am I alone, or am I in your care?

What if I find I have nothing to fear?

Can I find true peace of mind in a prayer?

Sometimes I'm just not sure I'm getting through.

I don't know how to listen, but I'd like to hear you speak.

What is this thing called prayer? What should I do?

All I can do is hope you will find me when I hide and seek.

What is the antidote

For a tired, troubled mind;

A weary heart; and sleepy eyes?

What do these doubts denote?

How does one even find

The truth amidst a world of lies?

Sometimes I'm just not sure I'm getting through.

I don't know how to listen, but I'd like to hear you speak.

What is this thing called prayer? What should I do?

All I can do is hope you will find me when I hide and seek.

© 2015 David Acosta Perez

How to Define Happy

What if happy is not an eventual someday?
What if it's already here, beckoning today?
Is it standing next to you,
As you wait in that busy intersection?
Is it overwhelming you?
Are you starting to question your direction?
Well, what will you do?
What will you do?

Happy are those...
Blessed are those
Who freely receive
And freely believe
There's a truth that soars and transcends
Our futile beginnings and ends.
What if happy is at hand?
What if happy is at hand?

Do you define it as having things and wanting more?
Is it a magical funhouse of pleasures galore?
But what if you've got it wrong,
And it exceeds mere thrill and satisfaction?
Are you lost among the throng?
Are these thoughts a bewildering distraction?
Will you walk away,
Back to the gray?

Happy are those...
Blessed are those
Who freely receive
And freely believe
There's a truth that soars and transcends
Our futile beginnings and ends.
What if happy is at hand?
What if happy is at hand?

I could heed all the naysayers who insist
That happy's a make-believe wishing well
At the end of an unpredictable quest.
I won't feed my fears; I'll resist
The hopelessness they're so quick to sell.
I'm seeking the realm of the happy and blessed.

[instrumental interlude]

Happy are those...
Blessed are those
Who freely receive
And freely believe
There's a truth that soars and transcends
Our futile beginnings and ends.
What if happy is at hand?
What if happy is at hand?

© 2015 David Acosta Perez

Fully Persuaded

Faith is a misty, winding way,
A path for pilgrims seeking light,
Who believe their doubts shall soon surrender to sight.

Hope is a ray beyond the gray,
A marvelous epiphany,
A vision exceeding these temp'ral things I see.

I am fully persuaded; I believe,
And I know that day by day I'll receive
The wondrous gifts the Spirit freely provides.
In the darkest of times I will not fear,
For His lovingkindness is always near.
I am at rest, for with me He abides.

Grace is a patient, faithful guide;
A loyal, benevolent friend
Who has reassured me true love will never end.

Joy is a bright, blue sky inside.
I soar, as I meditate upon
The promises of the omniscient Holy One.

I am fully persuaded; I believe,
And I know that day by day I'll receive
The wondrous gifts the Spirit freely provides.
In the darkest of times I will not fear,
For His lovingkindness is always near.
I am at rest, for with me He abides.

And then...there's...Love
Ageless, unfathomable.
Yes, I really believe in Love,
Infinitely bountiful!

[instrumental interlude]

I am fully persuaded; I believe,
And I know that day by day I'll receive
The wondrous gifts the Spirit freely provides.
In the darkest of times I will not fear,
For His lovingkindness is always near.
I am at rest, for with me He abides.

And I know I will dwell
In the house of the Lord forever...
And I know I will dwell
In the house of the Lord forever... [optional: repeat and fade]


© 2015 David Acosta Perez

Evermore

Did I grow up,
Or did I merely grow older?
Did I shun love,
And in the process grow colder?
Oh, marvelous Light...
Oh, heavenly, glorious Grace...
Hold me through the night,
As you lift me from this mournful place.

Take this wandering heart;
Lead the way,
And I'll follow you 
To your starlit, peaceful shore.
Fill my mind; fill every part,
Lest I stray.
Oh, I long to do
Your will, and love you evermore.

Nothing to hide;
Nothing at all, as I draw near.
I've brought my pride;
I'll lay it down, and I'll wait here.
Oh, marvelous Light
Oh, vision of infinite Love
Be my soul's true sight,
The One my heart's been dreaming of.

Take this wandering heart;
Lead the way,
And I'll follow you 
To your starlit, peaceful shore.
Fill my mind; fill every part,
Lest I stray.
Oh, I long to do
Your will, and love you evermore.

[instrumental interlude]

Sometimes you're clothed in sweet sunlight;
Sometimes you dance in the rain;
Sometimes you're a gust of joy I can'explain.
Sometimes I run, sometimes I fight;
Sometimes I act like a fool.
Sometimes I feel your power, and I know you'll...

Take this wandering heart;
Lead the way,
And I'll follow you 
To your starlit, peaceful shore.
Fill my mind; fill every part,
Lest I stray.
Oh, I long to do
Your will, and love you evermore.



© 2015 David Acosta Perez

Blue, Green, and Everything in Between

I believe the sun smiles before he rises, because he knows
That nature's creatures wait expectantly
For him to light up that mystical morning ribbon of blue.
I believe the earth casts off her troubles as she yawns, then shows
The morning sun a stunning panoply
Of green meadows and forests that rejoice when the night is through.

I must admit my eyes are partial to blue and green
And all the magnificent, magical colors in between.
In my mind I soar and sail through shades of green and blue
And when I do, I can hear the Master Artist's "I love you."

Tonight the drowsy moon will be enchanted by midnight pine,
As blissful bluebirds nestle quietly
And stars convert a lazy lake into an indigo dream.
Tonight a humble brook will become a blithe haven divine
For fireflies, an emerald pageantry,
And the moon will be a dancing diamond in a sapphire stream.

I must admit my eyes are partial to blue and green
And all the magnificent, magical colors in between.
In my mind I soar and sail through shades of green and blue
And when I do, I can hear the Master Artist's "I love you."

Brown, orange, violet, yellow and red
Can sometimes be strikingly spellbinding too;
But I would probably stay in bed,
Were it not for the power of green and blue.

[instrumental interlude]

I must admit my eyes are partial to blue and green
And all the magnificent, magical colors in between.
In my mind I soar and sail through shades of green and blue
And when I do, I can hear the Master Artist's "I love you."


David Acosta © 2015

El sueño de Jacob

En Betel, Jacob tomó una piedra y la puso de cabecera;
Y al dormirse soñó que veía una inmensa escalera
Apoyada firmemente en la tierra; y al cielo alcanzaba.
Maravillosamente los ángeles de Dios subían y bajaban.
En el sueño el Señor estaba parado junto a él; y la voz
Del Altísimo resonaba al proclamar: "Yo soy el Señor, el Dios
De tu abuelo Abraham y de tu padre Isaac, y yo te daré
La tierra donde estás acostado; a ella de nuevo te traeré.
Aquí vivirán y se esparcirán tus numerosos descendientes;
Te extenderás al norte, al sur, al oriente, y al occidente.
Y en tu simiente todas las familias de la tierra bendeciré.
He aquí estoy contigo; te guardaré, y no te desampararé."
Y despertó Jacob de su sueño, y exclamó temerosamente:
"¡Qué asombroso es este lugar! Ahora veo que ciertamente,
El Señor está conmigo, y yo no lo sabía: Desde el suelo
He subido a la casa de mi Dios; esta es la puerta del cielo.


© 2015 David Acosta Perez


Esta me tomó vários días. Yo siempre tengo un lápiz y papel en el bolsillo, no importa donde me encuentre o lo que esté haciendo, y poco a poco anoto lo que pienso. Este tipo de poema es como un rompecabezas (y a veces se me parte, de veras), porque quiero que rime, y que cada linea tenga el mismo número de sílabas. En este caso hay veinte en cada linea, y, por supuesto, cada pareada rima (más o menos).

Hay una canción muy famosa, muy bella, de Led Zepelin, titulada "Stairway to Heaven": me imagino que su título fue inspirado por esta historia en Génesis 28:10-19.

It's Always Now

It's always now.
Come back to this thought, and
You will see that it's true.
It's always now.
Tomorrow is not a
Realm you will walk into.

Open your mind; you'll break through,
And your obstructed point of view
Will clear; you will see somehow
That it's true: It's always now.

The time is now;
Leave tomorrow behind, and
Throw yesterday away.
It's always now.
Seek and you will find that
All you have is today.

Open your mind; you'll break through,
And your obstructed point of view
Will clear; you will see somehow
That it's true: It's always now.

Relativity
Is nothing new:
What you view
Is shaped by a misguided illusion.
If your eyes could see
Reality,
Suddenly
You would break the chains of your delusion.

[instrumental interlude]

Open your mind; you'll break through,
And your obstructed point of view
Will clear; you will see somehow
That it's true: It's always now.

It's al...ways...now...

It's al...ways...now...


© 2015 David Acosta Perez

Luz inextinguible

Súplica por Cuba...

Quita las escamas
De mis ojos;
Abre mi mente y mi corazón.
Limpia las ventanas
De esta casa
Que amargamente se esconde del sol.

Oh...oh...oh..
Háblame, Amor apacible.
Oh...oh...oh...
Brilla, Luz inextinguible.

Rompe las cadenas
Que nos atan;
Líbranos de esta cruel opresión.
En la lúgubre arena,
Y en el alma
De este pueblo, escribe: Liberación.

Oh...oh...oh..
Háblanos, Amor apacible.
Oh...oh...oh...
Brilla, Luz inextinguible.

Fuerza sin igual,
Justo Vendaval:
Barre la maldad.
Llama celestial:
Erradica el mal.
Luminosidad,
Disipa la lobreguez;
Alúmbranos otra vez.

[interludio instrumental]

Oh...oh...oh..
Háblanos, Amor apacible.
Oh...oh...oh...
Brilla, Luz inextinguible.

Ata la noche oscura...y...
Sobre tu grey fulgura...


© 2015 David Acosta Perez