Linguistic Windex

The study of rhetoric, I have learned, is not the study of the art of speaking. One would think that oration would be the main emphasis in the education of an orator, but it is not. Words, I have come to realize are mere noises, vibrations caused by vibrating tissue, apart from the meanings behind them. In order to speak, one must think. In order to speak well, one must think well. Rhetoric is the art of thinking. Public speaking is as much about critical listening as it is about making speeches. The ability to process information and organize it into a logical flow is at the heart of oration. This is Logos.

That is, though, only part of the education of an orator....

Realer than Real

Sounds fade
Colors vague
Smells escape
As thoughts lose shape
Dim perceptions too vague for words
Words are too vague for you

Reasoning with the Lord

"Stop bringing me meaningless offerings!"

Isaiah 1:13

"Why should you be beaten anymore?
Why do you persist in rebellion?
Your whole head is injured,
your whole heart is afflicted.
From the sole of your foot to the top of your head
there is no soundness -
Only wounds, welts, and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged
or soothed with oil."

Isaiah 1:5-6

"'Come now, let us reason together,'
says the LORD.
'Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the best from the land;
but if you resist and rebel,
you will be devoured by the sword.'
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

Isaiah 1:18-20

"Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.:

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

"'...what is the greatest commandment?'
Jesus replied: "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

Matthew 22:36-37

"What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer"

-Joseph M. Scriven-

Twisted

Bent, crooked, twisted, broke
Anything that isn’t straight
Evil’s not its own entity,
But anything that's not quite right

Slightly shifted focus,
Malicious overtones;
All are evil equally
When all is said and done

The devil aims to hit us hard
Right where we always place our heart
He always seems to slightly twist
That which we can't bear to part

At the barricade

At the barricade we left our lives
For months on end we gave our all
We parted ways and said goodbyes
After the curtain started to fall.

We told a great story which we dearly love
And made the audience feel sublime
Songs of redemption that deeply move
Poems of mercy and love divine

The final page has finally closed
Today is tomorrow; tomorrow’s here
The moments of which mem’ry’s composed
Misery, elation, and the audience cheer

All covered in dust...

Thinking in silence, praying to God
Scattered emotions all covered in dust
Should I freely give my heart
And with whom can I trust?

You see love another way
In Faith she truly understands
It’s like another language whose
Translation baffles words of man.

You refuse to see His love
But God is what sets her apart.
It tears me to see you alone
But you can’t understand my heart.

My heart remains unspoken of
And till God wills it shall remain.
I wait at rest until the day
When I can freely love.

Halfway to Heaven

Halfway to heaven
Upon wings of riveted steel
I took flight and saw beautiful lights
So beautiful that even
Compared to them, real wasn't real.
Stars in the heavens, and cities at night.

Oh, lights on the ground
How you glimmer, sparkle, and shine!
Your beautiful chaos
Is forged bright in circles and lines.

What man has worked
His whole life to create
God has used
To show He is great.

His creativity mirrored,
You shine in the night
And in the darkness
You spread forth His light.

Inspiration for a Blog..

I had a place in which I write
Accessible to my peers
Words flowing thoughtfully,
Poems, passions, words held dear.

A friend of mine quite liked this world
She also liked to write.
So,
She made a place all of her own
And "Honestly" tried to emulate.

My friend Allison created a blog entitled, "Honestly?" a few days ago. She's got some of her poetry on it, and some of it's pretty good. What she does lack is people to read what she writes, so take a look, and if you like it, keep reading! (and comment from time to time. :-p)

http://ams0330.blogspot.com/