Don’t You Dare!

  

 

Don’t you dare

Take me for a fool!

Treating me like I’m nobody

Is not cool.

 

I have value

And I am important

So, mistaking me for a fool,

I totally resent.

 

Don’t you dare

Tempt me young man!

Whenever you address me, boy,

You must say Mam.

 

We are no friends

Or even contemporaries,

Get it right from the beginning!

I am a lady.

 

 

 

Don’t you dare

Go out that door!

I have set you your boundaries

And I’ll say no more.

 

I brought you in

And would take you out!

Understand I am your mother;

Don’t you doubt.

 

Don’t you dare

Leave those shoes there!

The maid you are looking for,

You won’t find here.

 

Take them with you

And the filthy socks too

And try doing some of the chores

You expect me to do.

 

Like making your bed

And sweeping your room,

Your mother gets very tired too;

Here’s the broom.

 

 

 

Don’t you dare

Be talking back to me

Unless you want a mouth of teeth

To be suddenly empty.

 

I am your father

And don’t you forget it,

If you are too big for the belt,

I would use a stick.

 

Don’t you dare

Keep friends with them,

I can see they are up to no good

And will be a problem.

 

 

 

Don’t you dare

Not read this poem,

I have now dared you enough

And must be going.

 

Since you got this far

Just read on to the end

For all that’s left for me to say is,

Thanks, my friend.

 

Stewart Russell © February 14, 2026

 

A Lament and A Request

 

 

 

If I knew then what I know now

I would not have done what I did then,

Hindsight is twenty-twenty vision

Hence, now I see the problem.

 

I had it all, well quite a lot

But I thought there was more to be had,

So I hatched a scheme and planned it well

But the whole thing turned out bad.

 

I underestimated the one at the top

I did not know what I was thinking

For all along he was aware of my scheme

And next the entire thing was sinking.

 

It was no use weeping over spilt milk

I just waited for another opportunity,

And came it did in another place

And I grabbed that chance with glee.

 

It was like taking cake from a child

And indeed they were more like children,

I pull that one off with great success

This time I created the problem.

 

I got revenge but was still dissatisfied

Even though I had created a mess,

So I waited patiently for another chance

And that one was the test of tests.

But again I failed and miserably so

Even though I had held some odds,

I had to be a slow learner, I now can see

That I took on a failure’s job.

 

Many a man thinks I am smart

And throw in their lot with me,

But they are wasting their time just like I did

And will share in my destiny.

 

I won’t go empty handed and that’s a fact

I did not in my first attempt,

And now my goal is to add to my lot

To those that with me are hell bent.

 

Defeated by the Father and then the Son

And now by the Holy Spirit,

Running out of time and rapidly so

With failure as my growing habit.

 

I will end my lament with this request

As I beg you to join those without hope,

Please, as my emissaries come to your door

I am asking that you give me your vote.

 

Perhaps by now you think I’m a fool

And I am inclined to agree with you

But if all like now you haven’t tuned to God

Then you must be a fool too.

 

Stewart Russell © September 2019

 

Five Reassuring M’s

 

 

Majesty is his name

No king compares,

None in this earth realm

Even comes near.

 

King of all kings

And Lord over all,

I am forever grateful

I answered his call.

Jesus is merciful

He is merciful to all,

Lord of mercy, my friend,

Ever since the fall.

 

Merciful in judgment

And extended in his grace,

Not to the Jews only

But the human race.

 

O, Jesus is marvelous

Of this there is no doubt,

Marvelous to them afar

And them here about.

Marvelous are his works

In all of creation

But none as wonderful

As his great salvation.

 

He is a miracle worker

Actually, the only one,

He still does miracles today

As in the days now gone.

 

The same yesterday,

Today and forever

And His great salvation

Is the greatest miracle.

 

Mighty in battle!

He is the Lord of hosts

Throughout all of heaven

And all of earth’s coasts.

His might has no end

He spoke and it was done,

I am still amazed today

He has made me a son.

 

Thanks for his blessings

Manifold by design,

As a child of the Father

I am his and he is mine.

 

Stewart Russell © July 25, 2021

 

A Wonder to Ponder

 

From heaven

To the earth

To a grave

 

From a cradle

To a cross

To a crown

 

The Father’s gift

For

Mankind’s drift

To

Heal sin’s rift

 

Heaven’s glory

Earth’s story

Redemption’s song

 

Spells out the story

Of the One that came

To man’s aid

In the Father’s name

Jesus the Christ

Made the sacrifice

And gave his life

To pay sin’s price

 

Walked among men

Met their needs

Showed them love

Instead of greed

 

Healed the sick

Fed the poor

Befriended the friendless

And so much more

 

Chose a band

Of motley men

Taught responsibility

To each of them

 

 

They wondered

And blundered

And one his chance

He totally squandered

 

Coming again

For his to claim

All who believe

In his holy name

 

Are you numbered

Among the lot?

Are you sure

Of an eternal spot?

 

Confess your sin

Walk close to him

And an eternal home

You shall win

 

Jesus the wonder

You need to ponder

The only hope

For sin’s plunder

Accept him

Today!

No longer

Delay!

 

Satan waits to

Waylay

All that

Stray

 

The world

Is amused

When Jesus

You choose

 

But hell

Awaits them

That continually

Refuse

 

Stewart Russell © December 2017

 

Celebrating Abba Father

Today I celebrate

What we call Father’s Day,

But I want to do so

In a major different way.

I present to you

The Father of all fathers,

The one to whom His children

Cry, Abba Father!

Abba Father

A most endearing term

To each of His earnest children

That upon His knee daily learn.

Abba Father

Today and always,

He never forsakes or abandons

However dark the days.

Abba Father

No chance of being orphaned,

Always has been there

Even before time began.

Abba Father

No chance of being rejected

Every one of His children

Is equally accepted.

Abba Father

No less loved than His begotten

In whom all His children

Have been forgiven.

Abba Father

To be loved like His Son, Jesus

That is how He loves

Each and every one of us.

  

Abba Father

Who is like on to him?

Who beside Him in earth or heaven

Can forgive our sin?

Today I celebrate

But today I do so differently,

I celebrate Abba Father:

My Father for eternity.

Stewart Russell © June 2020

God’s Way for Family

 

God gave a family to man

After He gave him a wife,

If man had continued God’s way

All would have been nice.

However, man made a U-turn

Along the way

And this has become the norm

Even to this day.

Now we have great confusion

And an abundance of strife

As man continues to sire children

Outside of a wife.

Today we have many children

In single parent homes

Where one parent raises the child

Almost all on their own.

We tend to think of children

As being hard-ears

But how do we see their parents

Who don’t seem to care?

Maybe the Law needs to step up

And really enforce its dictates

Or else civil society

Will be in the worse ever state.

This week was once celebrated

As Family Week

But it is being de-emphasized

Even as we speak.

It is time to revisit family

From the biblical perspective,

It is only when we follow the Word

That we will be effective.

Stewart Russell © May 2020

All in the Family

My father is my son’s grandfather,

Think with me, that’s two!

My son is my father’s grandson,

Two again, yes, that’s true!

I am my son’s father

While he is my son,

Two fathers and two sons

 Make four, that’s fun!

So far though,

 We’ve only mentioned three:

Grandfather, father and son,

Hope you see.

Or is it grandson, son and father,

This three?

Family is so mixed-up,

Which can it be?

You see, my father and my son’s grandfather

 Are one and the same.

Similarly, my son and my father’s grandson,

Yes, that’s my claim.

Started out with two.

 Suddenly four appear,

Somewhere emerges three,

Something’s not clear.

I guess we could spend all day

 Trying to figure it out,

But it’s all in the family

 And that’s what family’s about.

Stewart Russell © 2012

Love

Love is the Father

Love is the Son

Love is the Spirit

They’re three-in-one

Love is in the Father

The Father is in love

Love is His Son

That came from above

Love died for you

Love died for me

Love hung from a cross

At Mount Calvary

Love defeated death

Love conquered the grave

Love overthrew sin

Love vanquished the Knave

Love rose again

Love ascended to heaven

Love says my child

It’s you I have forgiven

Love sent the Son

Love sent the Spirit

Love’s love is never

Dependent on merit

Love is forever

Love is eternal

Love is resplendent

Love is supernal

Love is here

Love is there

Love is all around

Love is everywhere

Love is all knowing

Love is all wise

Love is indomitable

Love does not despise

  

Love is gentle

Love is strong

Love is compassionate

Love does no wrong

When all is said

And when all is done

Love took my cross

Love is my crown

Love ascended

Love is coming back

Love will free us

From this mortal trap

Love has a book

With your name and mine

Love has a banqueting table

At which we will dine

And forever we will be

Where also is love

Be it on the earth

Or in heaven above

Stewart Russell © February 2018