Category: Poems

First day of spring and you

On the first day of spring

two decades and 4 years ago

I remember…

I remember you

walking towards me 

looking dashing in your beige barong

smiling and saying, “Hello, I believe

we’ve met earlier…”

Yes, I remember your voice

strong but gentle, 

commanding attention, 

but allowing spaces of silence 

to listen with full attention —

Yes, I remember your eyes,

the color of the sea, deep green, 

shining with amusement 

quietly taking in my words 

spoken in response to your revelation

that you were not just a minister

you were a lawyer, too.

Yes, I remember my unfiltered,

unapologetic reply –

that night at the Luce Library,

“I don’t like lawyers much!”

You just stood there gazing at me

and letting me chatter on 

like a defense attorney making her case

why you should walk away now 

while you can.

But you didn’t. 

You stayed 

and listened …

and at the end of my lengthy opening statement, 

we both knew, 

you had won 

the most important case 

in your life, 

you had won 

my heart.

  • Carla Romarate-Knipel

Time to be still

Musee D’Orsay
Paris, France
August 2019

(photo by Carla Romarate-Knipel)

A new year has begun

My feet wants to keep going

But my heart desires to be still.

Within me a clock is ticking

Not fast or hurried, but steady

It is saying, you can be still

And keep going.

Stillness does not mean stuckness

Stillness can be active courage

Willing to remain calm and focused

Even when so many things are screaming for my attention.

Time to be still is good

At the beginning of the new year

It is necessary.

In stillness you take a deep breath

Before you take the next step:

You notice

You pay attention

And then you go on …

until it’s time

To be still again.

By Carla A. Romarate-Knipel

January 5, 2026

Children Once Again

By Carla A. Romarate-Knipel

A rainy day in Woodbury, New Jersey

We were all young once

we skipped, we hopped, we danced

raced and ran

climbed trees, gazed at the sky,

wishing we could fly

and touch the stars.

Then we grew up, grew older

lost most of the awe and wonder

legs no longer strong and agile

our vision clouded, unable to see

beyond the haze of mortality’s doom.

Somewhere in between

the joy and the gloom –

a voice calls out an invitation

“Follow me…”

we hear a knocking

on the door of our hearts

the Lord of all Life

the Lord of the Dance

waiting to come in.

Anyone who opens the door

skipping, hopping, running

limping, shuffling, trudging

to let this Holy Guest in

will meet the Light of Lights,

who parts the clouds of doubt

to let the glory shine –

we become children once again

now and forevermore.

Pause for Poetry – Haiku series

Latté break – Whole and Grounded Café (Woodbury, NJ, U.S.A.)

“Longing”

dear love, how are you?
i’m staring at the empty
chair — waiting for you

to show up, perhaps
in my latté’s aroma
wafting to my nose

straight to my sad heart —
mingling with my lonely breath,
your love bringing warmth.

in the eternal
NOW — will you come dance with me,
take me in your arms?

  • CRK pandaypulong 10.18.24

Pause for Poetry – Café Scribblings

“Rhetorical”

Can one day
change the rest of my life?
Can three words
bring me to a place I’ve never been?
Can “hello” echo forever
and never say good-bye?

Can you be gone but still stay –
… in my heart,
… my memories,
till the end of my days?
Can the sound of your voice
linger …
in whispers of sweet-somethings,
secret words
only we know?

Can I move forward –
with the rest of my life
not leaving you behind?
Can I open my heart
to new possibilities …
trusting God and you
are always
with me?

  • Carla Romarate-Knipel
    10.12.24