Nancy Harsanyi

Whitby, Ontario, Canada

Nancy lives in Whitby, Ontario, Canada and is Chief Librarian of a medium sized public library system. After graduating from McMaster University in 1975 with an Honours English-Religion degree, she received her Master of Library Science degree from University of Western Ontario in 1976. Restored to health in 1990, after three years of Bell's Palsy followed by chronic fatigue syndrome, Nancy delights in worshipping Jesus Christ as Lord of her life, and Healer. Psalm 32 is her life motto. Poetry should add encouragement, beauty, or value to everyday life and hopefully will immortalize at least one mind image.

Flashing Words

The light of words printed on vellum pages
The delight of ideas transforming minds
Joy unspeakable cascades thoughts from cages
Like soaring ribbons of braided light that blinds
Until truth radiates love, capturing life.

Dull shadows of deceit also imprint books
Creating misery and destruction woes
Pornographic gilted images as crooks
To tarnish young values with fools' golden glows
Until death snuffs out hope, suffocating truth.

Intellectual freedom to read your choice
Is yours alone to decide and teach your child;
Discernment of the best enlightening voice
From a myriad of viewpoints beguiled
Must rest with parents, not library censors!

Tears of Thanksgiving

Perfect pearl drops, one tear at a time, poised
On the tip of a bottlebrush pine needle
Beauty suspended for one timeless second
Awesome splendour surrounding the woodland scene ---
A mind weaned in joyful tranquility

Twinkling Christmas tree lights take this tree inside
Mounds of wrapped red and green gifts on carpets ---
One heart overflowing with thanksgiving bursts
Heartsobs of joy with the words 'so much, so much!'
Our eyelashes too glistened wet with tears.

Desert Dust

Flashlight under the covers, reading, reading
Scripture savored like chocolate ice-cream---
Character castles for a secure future
Dripping stalactite images of beauty
One match lighting a labyrinth cave of peaks

Wisdom creates new life in the stagnant mind
When an icicle ignites reality
Into time tested truth, eternally seen
Yet internally digested as dry dust
Bitter sounding lemon saliva word songs

Truth cuts deep ugly scars before healing
But praise God healing is possible in Christ
And freedom from unrepentant rebellion
Can be shed like a snake's skin in the desert
Through repentance, rest and quiet reverence