Joy Rainey King

Herrin, IL, USA

Joy has been writing poetry since 1992. She is a wife, mother and grandmother, with three beautiful grandchildren. She worked for a number of years as a Medical Secretary. She has had one book, "From the Gazebo", published. It is currently on sale in Kentucky. She was invited to participate in The Kentucky Book Fair in 1995. She has had poetry published in Nova Scotia, India, Italy, Croatia and Finland. Several of her poems were selected to be recorded in "Sounds of Poetry", a professional stereo album issued by the National Library of Poetry. Joy says, "If only, everyone would slow down and enjoy all the beauty in their own backyard, appreciate their own families and most of all thank God for all their many blessings.

Changing Seasons

Outside my window, the seasons change. With God's
mighty hand, he does re-arrange, the colors to suit
His every mood, with some colors softly subdued.
Others are more vivid and bright, these, I find to my
special delight. To God, the trees are like flowers in
a vase. With one hand, He can change or replace.
When they are gray and dead appearing , he tips their
branches with green, so endearing. Year after year, I
stay amazed, because year after year I have gazed, at
God's great work of re-arranging, to keep the seasons
forever changing.

The Wall

Now his name is on the Wall,
Just because he took the fall.
Stillness permeates the air,
As someone places a memento there.
Through tears I try to focus on the Wall,
While his loving face, I attempt to recall.
Mothers raise their little boys,
Only to be shot down, like soldier toys.
This is not a game, you see,
Like boys used to play on bended knee.
These are hearts that break and bleed,
Because countries have so much greed.
The boys who were left behind,
Do not have any piece of mind.
Why countries fight, I don't understand,
The boy's lives are no more than a grain of sand.
I wonder if we have learned anything,
From all these boy's unspoken pain!

Our Constitution

"We the People",
Get to worship neath the steeple,
Because we have a Country,
That let's all be free.
Our forefathers gave us the best,
This Country has stood the test.
Laying all our troubles aside,
This Country still stirs my pride.
Problems, yes, we have a few,
But, we still have a great red, white and blue.
On our Constitution our forefathers did toil,
As they so diligently burned the midnight oil.
They worked late into the night,
Trying to get everything just right.
Then, by God's great Grace,
It finally all fell into place.
We get to enjoy the fruits of their labor,
While this Country's greatness, we get to savor!