Wish the Fish 06 (patience) 3-12-15

ONCE upon a splashing time

a little fish wished he could rhyme.

But 'Wish the Fish' lived in the sea

and brought so much calamity.

---
Said mom to her small hungry fish,
(her son, who we all know as 'Wish'),
"I'm sure you're hungry.  That is why
I'm baking you an apple pie."

Now Wish knew moms weren't very fast.
She'd answer, "Soon." if he had asked.
He couldn't wait for pie to bake,
so he, a different route, would take.

Inside his fist, inside his hand
Wish held a lonely quarter and
he headed for the big front door,

from his own house, to candy store.

Forever, it had seemed to take.
First running, quickly, then to brake -
in front of house, where sidewalk's ends -
was end of line with all his friends.

It couldn't be!  It couldn't be!
The candy store, he couldn't see.
The store was far, the line ten blocks -
backed right up to his mail box.

Yes, quite a ways away it was,
but candy store would be abuzz
with other fish with gills (not lungs).
They'd crave for sweets upon their tongues.

Excited Wish, at any rate,
for his sweet treats, just couldn't wait.
For candy bar- or two or three,
his mouth had watered hungrily.

He dreamed of creamy cho-co-lates,
filled with car-a-mel and nuts -
and covered deep with sprinkles too -
mouth-watering to taste and chew...

But snail's pace, the line moved slow...
and - seemed - to - a - slow - mo-tion - go.
The minutes dragged in stagnant ways.
So passed the hours - and then the days...

By this time Wish's feet were draggin',
eyes drooped dark, no tail waggin'.
He lost his quarter, lost his comb,
became so tired... so crawled back home.

He said, "Please mom, I am so weak...
I haven't eaten for a week."
Wish asked for pie through hungry yawn -
but then mom said, "That pie's long gone!"
---

The moral of this poem's great,

if this whole world would love, not hate,

patience!

©2015 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Wish the Fish (introduced in story 01)

Big Mouth Bass (introduced in story 03)

Trout (introduced in story 04)
Sunfish (introduced in story 05)
Spark the Shark (introduced in story 05)

Wish the Fish 05 (courage) 3-9-15

ONCE upon a splashing time

a little fish wished he could rhyme.

But 'Wish the Fish' lived in the sea

and brought so much calamity.

---

Now Big Mouth Bass, it came about,
made fun of Wish's friend, the Trout.
Sarcastically, he bullied him,
then pushed him hard, again, again.

The Trout had fallen, hurt his side.
"I did not do it." Big Mouth lied.
He threatened Wish with piercing stare,
"You will not talk.  You wouldn't dare."

Now Sunfish was a pretty thing.
She swam around and loved to sing.
The Trout was lying in the dirt
She cared for him - for he was hurt.

Wish saw it all but didn't tell
when teacher rang the school bell.
The teacher's name was Spark the Shark.
He was as strict as his own bark.

About Trout, teacher Shark had learned -
so then to Wish the teacher turned.
"Please say exactly what you saw."
That stunned poor Wish.  It dropped his jaw.

Yes, just because of what he'd seen,
he -rock and hard place- was between.
Between Big Mouth and teacher here,
poor Wish was petrified in fear.

He couldn't breathe.  He started rockin'.
Loudly, both his knees were knockin'.
Then Wish sweat fervent beads of air.
Both Shark and Bass stared at him there.

The whole class was concerned for Trout.
Shark asked again, "What's this about?
So difficult, Wish in this spot -
oh, should he lie... or should he not?

About Trout, Wish had also cared -
but now was really, really scared.
"Well?" asked teacher yet again
while Big Mouth wore his evil grin...

If Big Mouth got away with it,
could future fish he shove get hurt?
What if, by chance, a fish should die?
And how'd he feel if he did lie?

Through courage then, Wish blurted out,
"He pushed him!  Big Mouth hurt the Trout!"
Then Wish, a little bit perplexed
was startled at what happened next.

Applause broke out throughout the class
defending Wish from Big Mouth Bass!
All practiced, they, the 'golden rule'
which brought peace back throughout the school.
---

The moral of this poem's great,

if this whole world would love, not hate,

courage!

©2015 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Wish the Fish (introduced in story 01)

Big Mouth Bass (introduced in story 03)

Trout (introduced in story 04)
Sunfish (introduced in story 05)
Spark the Shark (introduced in story 05)

Wish the Fish 04 (respect) 3-6-15

ONCE upon a splashing time

a little fish wished he could rhyme.

But 'Wish the Fish' lived in the sea

and brought so much calamity.

---

In Fish Hook City down below

the ocean waves and ocean's flow -

are diff'rent colored fish in schools

who made a slew of bizarre rules.

Now Wish the Fish?  Mostly greenish -

avoided colored fish of bluish,

pinkish, reddish, brownish, whitish,

blackish, (well, you get the pictureish).

So anyway, Wish grew learning

how to judge without discerning.

Although he harbored little hate,

he learned how to discriminate.

He elevated self with pride

until there was a huge divide

between the greenish tone of Wish

and other hues of other fish.

His attitude of disrespect

was obviously incorrect

but Wish, a racist, had become.

He was naive, pathetic, dumb.

Wish came across a colored 'Trout'

and said something to think about

and Wish was firm down to his soul.

He said the rules gave him control.

He said those words, not once, but twice

They were not good and were not nice.

But then he heard that fish's cry

and felt so bad, he wished he'd die.

So Wish cried off proud scales that day.

They fell like rain and that gave way

to great respect for ev'ry kind

of fish that Wish could ever find.

Wish asked forgiveness on the spot

and his reward?  New friend he got.

So that's how Trout became a friend

who trusted Wish.  And that's "The End".

---

The moral of this poem's great,

if this whole world would love, not hate

respect!

©2015 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Wish the Fish (introduced in story 01)

Big Mouth Bass (introduced in story 03)

Trout (introduced in story 04)

Wish the Fish 03 (contentment) 3-5-15

ONCE upon a splashing time

a little fish wished he could rhyme.

But 'Wish the Fish' lived in the sea

and brought so much calamity.

---

Wish wasn't mean and wasn't bad -

but wanted things that others' had.

So Wish the Fish was not content

but had no money.  Not one cent.

And to his mother, he would fuss.

His friend's things made him envious.

Content, he wasn't, (without toys).

He longed to be "one of the boys"

Now his best friend was 'Big Mouth Bass'

He bragged a lot and he was crass.

And Wish the Fish was very sad

when he saw what his best friend had.

So then Wish asked of his best friend,

"Could you, to me, some money lend?"

How Wish's eyes got larger when

his friend pulled out a big green 'ten'.

But after getting his new game,

our Wish the Fish was not the same.

He told his mom it was routine

to stare at a computer screen.

Mom said one day, "Go pay it back

or I'll unplug the power pack."

But after working many times,

Wish only made a mere two dimes.

"Nine dollars, eighty cents to go."

Wish learned a lesson most don't know -
that money, on trees, doesn't grow.

It's wrong to borrow lots of dough.

Our 'wants' will always make demand.

Wish learned that very lesson and

confessed he did, then repented,

paid it back, became contented.

---

The moral of this poem's great,

if this whole world would love, not hate

contentment!

©2015 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Wish the Fish (introduced in story 01)
Big Mouth Bass (introduced in story 03)

Wish the Fish 02 (chores) 2-27-15

ONCE upon a splashing time

a little fish wished he could rhyme.

But 'Wish the Fish' lived in the sea

and brought so much calamity.

---

One day mom said, "Now do your chores.

I've done all mine.  Now you do yours.

Go make your bed, then get your broom

and sweep the seashells from your room."

Well, this made Wish the Fish quite sad.

He wondered if his friends all had.

And then he thought, "Hmm, could I take

a little swim, a little break?"

So careful not to stir the sand,

Wish swam right out his window and

off to his friend's, he took a look,

then saw a juicy worm on hook...

It dangled down in front of him.

It seemed so small and awfully slim.

But Wish was hungry.  He would eat

and took a bite which was so sweet...

But oh, the yank that pulled him out!

The hook had hurt!  Wish tried to shout.

"What happened here?" himself, he asked.

It all had happened very fast.

Wish flopped around there on the sand

before he knew what happened and

his gills were hurting from the air.

Wish flopped some more.  Did no one care?

And there he lay to his dismay.

Wish wished he hadn't swam away.

Oh, how he wished he had obeyed -

so on the sand, at last, he prayed...

Now Wish the Fish, could not be found.

His mom had searched and searched.  She frowned.

She was perplexed.  She was afraid.

And then, at last, she also prayed...

Oh, Wish the Fish would soon be dead

if hadn't been for this instead:

He heard a lower bass voice call,

"Just throw it back!  It's way too small!"

No longer bound by ugly sin,

our Wish the Fish could swim again!

He swam straight home - despite so weak -

hugged tight his mom and kissed her cheek.

---

The moral of this poem's great,

if this whole world would love, not hate

their chores!

©2015 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Wish the Fish (introduced in story 01)

Wish the Fish 01 (mom's advice) 2-26-15

ONCE upon a splashing time

a little fish wished he could rhyme.

But 'Wish the Fish' lived in the sea

and brought so much calamity.

---

Now Wish was just a little fish,

Blue, red, yellow - oh, and greenish.

He loved his mom 'cause she was nice

but sometimes gave too much advice.

Wish thought, so crude, the meals she stewed.

They tasted more like people food.

But mom said, "Eat.  Eat ev'ry bean."

Just eat until your plate is clean."

Now mom's advice to clean his plate

was wrong, Wish thought.  He seldom ate.

(He'd take his fork, scrape off her cookin' -

then hid it when she wasn't lookin').

So no, Wish didn't eat too much

until his hunger pangs were such

he gobbled down his candy bars

and emptied all mom's cookie jars.

The next day, ohhh, the stomach ache!

And then mom offered cream and cake.

Wish turned her down, not once, but twice

and wished he'd taken her advice.

---

The moral of this poem's great,

if this whole world would love, not hate:

mom's advice!

©2015 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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God's Sparrow 2-23-15

My mother? I miss her. You don't know how much

with hugs, warm and loving, with her gentle touch.

And father, not perfect, had sure done his best.

Together, in Heaven, they in His arms rest.

---

Interpreting thoughts that were mine with my weeping,

on wee branch up high, a young sparrow was keeping.

With sharp and loud chirping, I felt ever small.

It ripped me to pieces when I heard it all.

Then, when it had finished, it flew out of sight -

and it left a message, quite brutal, but right -

when I heard, "You're fake - a great imitator,

forgiven by God, your Maker, Creator."

My eyes had welled up with tears of repentance -

with close fam'ly ties and those times of remembrance.

Though precious, the mem'ries I wouldn't exchange,

those days were but hist'ry that I couldn't change.

It sure got me thinking. Oh, how could it be,

I thought not of others - but only of me?

Those years have all passed and are not coming back.

They shook up my heart like a massive attack.

I now see the world and sparrow in tree -

and even myself now so dif-fer-ent-ly.

Priorities changed now that I've been set straight

by that little, lone sparrow I started to hate.

But I thank God's sparrow that perched in the tree,

which brutally, honestly uncovered me -

exposing my selfishness, failures and sin.

Repentant, forgiven, I'll see them again.

©2015 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Tulips and Roses 2-19-15

Right under our noses

are tulips and roses.

There's no place that I'd rather be.

And if you come hither

you'll find they won't wither

for God surely loves you and me.

A rainbow of colors

are splattered on flowers

that all of creation can see.

And when they're a-blooming,

exquisite perfuming

enhances His paintings for me.

The world won't believe Him,

far out on their tree limb.

Opinions are having their say.

They make me so dizzy

because they're so busy

and can't find eternity's way.

I know you would rather

join with me and gather

up armfuls of rainbow's bouquets -

and inside His painting

enjoy His creating

the rest of eternity's days.

So join me and jump in

to painting, born again,

where flowering landscapes are true.

Here living with respect

is Heavenly perfect

in vibrant and colorful hue.

Right under our noses

are tulips and roses.

There's no place that I'd rather be.

And if you come hither

you'll find they won't wither

for God really loves you and me,

for God really loves you and me.

©2015 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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I Corinthians 13:13 (NASB)

"...but the greatest of these is love."

As Darkness Falls 2-16-15

The sun's at rest

upon the west -

as lighted pathway fades.

Today I'm lost, so what's the cost for all my sick charades?

The bottom line:

Decisions?  Mine,

though future couldn't see.

I ventured off the straight and narrow pathway meant for me.

I can''t embark.

It's awful dark.

Time spurns to take me back.

Oh, how had I been led astray by winding pathways black?

Some say that no

one's perfect so,

"it doesn't matter much".

But that's not what the Savior said with cross and thorns and such.

He suffered there

in anguish where

His love could cover men -

and faithfully had paid my debt upon that cross of sin.

On grieving face

was matchless grace

so I could be set free -

but stubbornly I trod my long and winding path... for me.

Now here I stand

as owls land.

Life skates along its way.

I'm lonely, very lonely here a-midst my final day.

So what's the cost?
Today, I'm lost.

I've had so many fears.

The darkness falls.  'Forever' calls as pathway disappears.

©2015 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Matthew 24: 10-13 (NASB)
10 At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.
11 Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.
12 Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.
13 But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

Intentionally Left Blank 2-13-15

I look through all my papers.

I search but cannot find.

Exploring notes and all my files,

I hunt my absent mind.

But I can't find them anywhere.

I seek throughout the day.

I cannot sleep as stars come out

Have I something to say?

I'd like to write of God above
and all His majesty.
Unless I take the time to pray,
those words will never be.

But I can't find the words to use.

Thoughts pierce me like a knife.

My life could be much better if

pure words rhymed with my life.

Escapes me, too, the letters

that float away on streams,

winding through the rapids fast,

that disappear with dreams.

Oh, how can rhyming phrases flow

and sentences galore -

when I can't find mere letters here?

My phrases come no more.

If only I could find them...

the words, so you could know 'em,

then I could write the stanzas down

in one breathtaking poem.

Instead, I search inside myself.

With absent prayers, my words -

just float away on rivers or

are carried off with birds...

So here I sit with naught to say,

so let me just be frank.

Who'd care to read another line?

(intentionally left blank)

©2015 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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