Connected: four poems by Mike Hall

hearts, image by congerdesign, on Pixabay, slightly modified

CONNECTED

A boat is connected to an anchor

            to prevent its drifting aimlessly to the current’s whim.

A kite is connected to string

            to secure and guide it in its wind-aided flight.

A house is connected to a foundation

            to provide support when storms beat against its walls.

We are connected, tethered to each other

by our hope... by our faith in His promise,

none of us perfect... all of us in need,

a community of broken souls,

a gathering of forgiven people,

yet healing through communal love and kindness.

Our connection gives us strength when struggles come,

            for when we are weak, together we are strong.

Our connection gives us comfort when sorrow strikes,

            for when we are at our lowest, others will lift us up.

Our connection provides safe harbor when tempest blow,

            for when we feel battered, others will protect us.

Our connection allows us to receive love when needed most,

            for when we feel worthless, others will embrace us.

In the beginning God saw it was not good for us to be alone.

We were meant to be connected—

   to share... to laugh... to work... to play... to love—

but mostly, we were created to be connected to Him.

He is our anchor...

He is our guide...

He is our firm foundation.

               *

THE CLOAK OF HOPE

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him,

who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

What about a life void of hope?

It becomes an existence racked with torment,

  an existence where pity abides,

     an existence doomed to ruin,

        an existence separated from God.

But if we choose to cloak ourselves in hope, then…

when we get knocked down by struggles,

   hope lifts us so we can continue;

when we get anxious about calamities,

   hope fills us with a contagious calm;

when we feel as if we cannot take another step,

   hope reenergizes us to take the next step, then the next;

when we are ridiculed,

   hope encourages us and eases our troubled spirit;

when our dreams seem to fade,

   hope reminds us that those dreams are still possible;

when impatience threatens to lead us to rash decisions,

   hope cautions us to pause and trust in God;

when questions of fairness fuel bitterness,

   hope reminds us to be thankful for God’s tender mercies;

when we feel guilt weighing on us,

   hope leads us to the throne of forgiveness;

when the world questions the existence of God,

   hope shows us all the wonders of His creation;

when all around us is swirling in chaos,

   hope strengthens our belief that God is in control;

when evil is flourishing everywhere we look,

   hope convinces us that God will triumph in the end.

We can stand against the tide of circumstance

when hope locks arms with faith and love,

   filling us with a peace that surpasses human understanding,

      linking us to God’s unbreakable promises,

          reminding us He works for the good of those who love Him.

                         *

 WHAT COULD BE

It came as a fleeting thought at first,

the briefest of tingles, tickling my mind,

but it would not take leave and pass on.

So, I planted this seed of an idea

deep in the fertile soil of hope,

awaiting the smallest of shoots to unearth.

I watered the seed with encouragement

and nourished it with determined optimism,

waiting patiently for the seed to take root.

I watched as the beginnings of a dream sprouted,

filling me with excitement and nervous anticipation.

It is now in my hands to nurture this seedling,

caring and tending it with dedicated devotion,

spurred on with the faith of relentless commitment,

helping it blossom into the biggest of dreams,

allowing it to go beyond what is... to what could be.

                     *

SPIRIT OF RENEWAL

The winds of time beat against me,

eroding, little by little, what others see,

relentless as they whittle away.

From time’s persistence, there is no escape,

but not all I am has to face this same effect.

My spirit rises with the waking of a new day.

It is my choice to stay young at heart,

to drink from the pool of youthful waters,

revitalize my soul to contend with new challenges,

elated that the sands of time have not yet run out.

As long as I can see the sun rise, I have more time—

to experience the joy of laughter,

to be enlightened by what I have yet to learn,

to thrill in the excitement of new experiences,

to have another day to receive love and give love—

until the day I awake to the greatest joy of all… heaven.

Mike Hall is in his 45th year as a teacher

and has authored two collections of poetry,

'Autumn's Back Porch' and 'Thinking Out Loud.'

His work has appeared in Pure in Heart Stories,

Solid Food Press, Clayjar Review, Modern Reformation, Sparks of Calliope, Discretionary

Love, Foreshadow Magazine, and others.

He and his wife, Cynthia, live in the Dallas,

Texas area.

September 2025 issue