"The Long Game"  [Reflections on Chris Orwig's Book Visual Poetry   Chapter 12 - General] (Ps. 138:7-8; Matt. 7:13-14; 24-27; 16:13-19;Hebrews 11:1-2; 1 Cor.13:13)

Some dream a dream too small it seems,
Accomplished quickly – what that means
Is life that’s done at twenty-two,
Horizon not a part of view.

Some people dream another’s dreams,
Don’t look within, accept what seems
To be what others do each day –
“Work nine to five, collect your pay”.

Some people’s dreams don’t pass the trees,
But stay on earth, blown out when breeze
Of passing vehicle whose wake
Is left – blown by for money’s sake.

But then there comes for some of us,
The day God lifts us from the fuss,
And puts us on a better road;
Provides a yoke for inner load.

“It’s not about how many trees
You claim, control, but Spirit’s breeze
That calms your soul, perspective gives,
And opens ways which you can live.

“Don’t let those folks with axe to grind,
Work on your roots – bear this in mind –
Christ’s axe attacks the root all right,
Replaces self as source of might –

With tree of life as a central theme
Of life for all – here’s what it means,
At least as I have come to view
It’s meaning – may it help you to:

It means we’re part of forest now;
We’re not alone, although somehow
We have our freedom here on earth,
And inter-act with folks from birth.

It means some folks believe in us –
Encourage, prod, “Rise over muss
That bogs us down”, “Unique you are –
Stand tall, stretch for horizon far”.

“Encourager” I held that day
I shot the children’s trike-ing race –
Big camera for the CBC
Effect far more than I could be.

That’s when I saw the part I played –
Give others tools to impact make;
Communication done today
Is mediated techno-way.

So multi-layered is my task –
Encourage folks; equip when asked;
Show how to do it in their way,
So one and all might have their say.

No, maybe not in broadcast voice,
But narrow-casting is a choice
One can employ to say one’s piece,
And in this way find soul’s release.

It’s grown from tape and photographs
Through film and video (now past),
Through print like magazines and books –
“Augmenting text” – this method hooks –

My fancy as it falls away
From other’s use (Oh! That’s passé!);
And yet when photographs came in
The painters felt new freedom reign –

To do their work without restraint;
Create new art – new ways to paint –
The new absorbs the burden, then
The old can new tasks start again.

She asked, “Is this much all there is –
Raise kids to raise their kids raise kids?”
Well, yes and no – at base, of course;
But more, that much is just resource –

“Resource for what?” Is more the point –
That’s where our theme helps to anoint
Each life with meaning – some obscure –
Within this forest – such alure –

To me exists for everyone,
From day of birth ’till life is done –
“Rise up and enter life as part
Of larger forest-life – just start.”

Thanks Lord for this.

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