Josh Bechtel at Friday with Friends

Welcome back Poet Josh Bechtel!

I've always had a special appreciation for poets. They speak to my soul in ways nothing else can. I've tried my own hand at poetry now and then. It's not something I'm gifted at. Oh, I can come up with something that's not half bad and might even be pretty good, but it takes a lot of work for me. For true poets, the words... no the poetry flows from them, pouring from their hearts like water from a spring. 

Josh Bechtel is a true poet. I'm in awe of how his simple words speak to me. He has a way of seeing into the human soul, reaching down and pulling up all the things our hearts cry yet can't seem to say. This is one of those poems. I share this one with you particularly to give you a glimpse into the hearts of my characters. 

Without further adieu, Josh Bechtel!

"His Smile"

There are some things
That band aids will not fix
That antibiotics will not heal
That right teaching will not correct
That prophetic words will not dislodge
That words of wisdom will not release
That no amount of disinfectants will eradicate
That mountains of affirmation will not heal
That no intuition will allow you to guess.
And that multitudes of friends will not give you... cannot give you...

So after the band aids are used up
The antibiotics are gone
The prophets have lost their voices
The wise have thrown up their hands in despair
The disinfectant spray is cast aside as ineffective
The affirmations become stale
The crowds leave you... alone...
And intuition pales...

You are driven to Him
You bury your face in His lap
Beg Him for His balm
And to kiss your ugly open wounds...
But above all,
You look up and ask Him...
Disheveled hair
Dirty faced
Bloodshot eyes
Torn garments
Ripped shoes
"Are you...
Disappointed in me?"

And through your eyes
Bleary with tears
Barely able to see
Barely able to believe
You see
Him
silently
smile
And
weep
and
Heal
You
At
the
same
time.

~ Josh Bechtel