HIGHWAY TO HELL

 
The road to Hell is a six-lane freeway
Traffic is bumper to bumper all the time
The travelers are on a one-way street
Because against God they committed a crime

The crime they committed is one of omission
They have refused to allow the Lord in
Now the road that they are traveling
Is scenic and beautiful because of their sin

This road will satisfy every carnal desire
Makes sure that it is pleasing to the eyes
The being that is in charge of this road
Uses everything to deceive and surprise

On this road, there are no rest stops
Once you’re on it you’re there to stay
Satan makes sure that he owns you
On his road, he wants no possible delays

On this road, there are no exit ramps
Nothing to hinder you or cause delay
The farther you go the hotter it gets
Your destination creates nothing but dismay

This dreaded road has been there forever
Many’s the person who took that road
They were deceived by its incredible beauty
Not realizing what was their final abode

On that road, there are no road signs
At the very end, there is an inviting tunnel
Enticing, it may seem to the travelers
In reality, it is Hell’s entrance funnel

The speed limit? It gradually increases
The closer to Hell the faster you go
What started out as a pleasure trip
Is a one-way ticket to eternity below

This six-lane freeway needs a detour
Rerouting the traveler to the cross
That one-way road to be redirected
For the salvation of the dying and lost

 

COPYRIGHT 2019 - PRESENT,  JAMES GRAHAM as THE HOOSIERWORDSMITH.COM, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

HE MISSED IT!

 

He set the empty on the bar
The bartender brought another brew
Before him, a dancer on a pole
Made him take a closer view

She gave him a wink and smile
He smiled at her in return
Figured he’d wait until closing
His lust being his only concern

He closed the door behind her
Got in and started the car
His apartment was nearby
They didn’t have to go very far

Into his bedroom, he led her
With one thing on his mind
Something unexpected happened
An explanation, he couldn’t find

He heard the sound of a crash
And to the window, he went
Saw something that amazed him
As raptured saints began their ascent

He saw a very bad wreck outside
In the distance, he saw flames
Sirens were in the background
It seemed that nothing was the same

Then he remembered something
He had gone  to church as a child
How he thought it was boring
And had rebelled and gone wild

Now he had missed the Rapture
Because of the pleasure of sin
Without the Holy Spirit’s presence
His situation was impossible to win

In a panic, he fell to his knees
For forgiveness, he pleaded his case
To deaf ears, his prayers arose
He lost his chance of saving grace

It would haunt him for eternity
Knowing that he had been a fool
He traded Heaven for going to Hell
Because he thought sin was cool!

A C.E.O. CHRISTIAN

 

Christians are known by many names
Some are uplifting, and some exalt
Christians are also depicted as losers
Regardless of whether it’s their fault

Some Christians are truly devout
They showcase their faith every day
Truly they are the epitome of Jesus
Their way of life is on constant display

You also have the self-pronounced
They wear their faith on their sleeve
They want you to notice them
Hoping their stand you will believe

Christians come in any shape or form
Their church attendance is questioned
You have the ones always there
And those seldom there are mentioned

But the most dangerous of them all
Are the ones designated C.E.O.
Christmas and Easter Only attendees
Are the ones God doesn’t know

God warns about being lukewarm
That from His mouth He will spew
And to ones known as C.E.O.’S
That is what He will probably do!

A TRIO OF BUNNIES

 

    She had a trio of cute bunnies
    They were similar, almost the same
    She pondered on what to name them
    And came up with confusing names

    One bunny  had a white foot
    And another one, it had two
    The third had three white feet
    Telling them apart, the only clue

    The first one she named it Foot
    The second one was Foot Foot
    And to make things more confusing
    The third was named Foot Foot Foot

    It instantly became a mouthful
    Especially when it was dinner time
    “Foot!, Foot Foot!, Foot Foot Foot!”
    She’d call them in sing-song rhyme

    Foot, she would come a running
    Foot Foot, she’d be close behind
    Foot Foot Foot had other intentions
    He had one thing on his mind

    Before very long you could hear
    The patter of tiny stocking feet
    Foot and Foot Foot had given birth
    Stocking’d offspring for her to meet

    The naming process began again
    There were Foot bunnies to be named
    Foot Foot also had a large litter
    Foot Foot Foot, he was to  be blamed

    One was named Foot Foot Foot Foot
    Another was called White Stockinged Feet
    The mouthful soon became a nightmare
    Frustrated, she gave up in defeat

    Now when she calls them to dinner
    She, with a spoon, beats a pan
    Has to hurry to get out of the way
    The bunny stampede gets out of hand

I CAN'T IMAGINE

 

I can’t imagine being Peter
Of all the many things he saw
The miracles that he witnessed
After he accepted the Master’s call

I can’t imagine walking on water
And then have fear take hold
I can’t imagine how he felt
When Jesus did his faith scold

I can’t imagine following Jesus
On His one-way path to death
Being told that His life was ending
Peter denying it with angry breath

I can’t imagine the Last Supper
When Peter asked, “Is it I ?”
One by one the disciples asked
Judas, his guilt, he couldn’t deny

I can’t imagine in the garden
When they came to take Jesus away
The anxiety that Peter felt
His sword was on defensive display

I can’t imagine being Peter
As to the trial, he secretly went
How he, with tearful eyes
Watched Jesus being Golgotha sent

I can’t imagine the remorse he felt
As three times he loudly denied Him
I can’t imagine how painful it was
The cock crowed three times from a limb

I can’t imagine Peter having to face Him
Knowing that in truth he had failed
I can’t imagine being forgiven
By one enduring a cross, hammer, and nails!

BREAKFAST

 
            WAFTING THRU THE AIR IT CAME
            CIRCLING, CLINGING, PLEASING
            AN AROMA SO SATISFYINGLY PURE
            TO MY SENSES VERY APPEALING

            SUDDENLY NOTHING ELSE MATTERED
            I HAD TO FIND ITS SOURCE
            ARISING FROM MY WARM BED
            MY NOSE DETERMINING MY COURSE

            TOWARD THE KITCHEN IT LED ME
            THE ALLURING AROMAS WERE THERE
            CLOSING MY EYES, THEY CALLED
            CULINARY TREATS TO BE SHARED

            ONE MOMENT PROMISES OF BACON
            THE NEXT, COFFEE WAS FOREMOST
            EGGS ARE FRYING IN THE SKILLET
            MINGLED WITH THE SCENT OF TOAST

            THERE’S NOTHING QUITE LIKE BREAKFAST
            TO START YOUR DAY OUT RIGHT
            THE AROMAS, TASTES AND TEXTURES
            OF A MEAL SO PLEASING TO THE SIGHT

ON A RAINY NIGHT

 
There’s a cabin nestled deep in the woods
Long ago abandoned and in need of repair
It was discovered purely by accident
By a man, weary, broken down by despair

At first, he was hesitant to go inside
But his curiosity overcame his fear
Besides that, a bad storm was coming
By the thunder, he knew it was near

The ramshackle door was off its hinges
The windows were dark and broken out
A cold rain began to soak the old floor
There were holes in the roof, no doubt

With broken wood scraps, he built a fire
Then found a dry corner for his bed
From his knapsack, he pulled a can
Pork and beans, he was barely fed

In the flickering light of the fireplace
On a nearby shelf saw a tattered book
His curiosity got the better of him
He decided he had to take a closer look

In his hands, he held a dusty old Bible
Belonging to a family that was long gone
He took it closer to the warm fireplace
And then read it until the break of dawn

In that cabin that night he found Jesus
He poured out his heart about his life
Shared with the Master all his problems
And how his life was so full of strife

He asked Jesus to please forgive him
Face down on a rain-soaked cabin floor
Felt a love and peace totally engulf him
It was something he had never felt before

That old cabin, it still stands out there
Waiting for another sinner to come along
If one does on another miserable night
Jesus will lead him to where he belongs

Through the years the total added up
Of the ones who had met the Lord
In a cabin nestled deep in the woods
They now hold services in one accord

HOW YOU ANSWER

 
When the Holy Spirit comes calling
Patiently waiting for you to respond
He tugs your heart, then waits
Conviction, a tool He depends upon

A response is all that He desires
Either yes or a very hesitant no
When opportunity arises He’ll come back
Not giving up to the one below

He’s used to being shunned, ignored
But give up on you, He never will
The ministry He has here on Earth
Is something that He must fulfill

He knows there are millions dying
And to Hell, all are destined to go
Over and over again He will try
To stop that vicious Hell bound flow

But first, you must stop and listen
When that conviction comes your way
Realize who is talking to you
And then turn to Him without delay

Failure to respond will condemn you
To an eternity of total despair
But responding to Him and repenting
Wins an eternity with One who cares

A SINGLE TEARDROP

 

It starts with a single teardrop
Descending your cheek, it drops
Down below it becomes a pool
Gently falling, it cannot stop

Some drops are for conviction
When your life, it is displayed
Other drops are for repentance
Shed as your sin washes away

More drops are shed for cleansing
As you’re washed white as snow
Those tears, they keep on falling
Proclaiming a changed life they show

Change comes by shedding a tear
When your heart begins to melt
When the Holy Spirit visits you
Your heart tugged, His presence felt

There’s no shame in shedding a tear
When it brings you to your knees
For God honors those who shed tears
And in you, He is well pleased

A SLAB OF ROCK

 
On a slab of chiseled rock, He lay
That broken shell of a man
Betrayed, ridiculed, and broken
“Crucify him!” the crowd demand

Now He lay dead inside a tomb
Linen wrapped, anointed with spice
A stone, it sealed the entrance
Until the sun, it came up thrice

That stone? it was rolled away
For an angel, a simple task
The sun was on the horizon
The entrance its rays it basked

An angel loosened His shroud
Then began to slowly unwind
The face of our Savior appeared
The visage of a man treated unkindly

Suddenly His eyes opened
He filled His lungs with fresh air
Sitting up, He faced the morning sun
His rising He needed to share

A prophecy, it had been fulfilled
The Messiah would rise again
No tomb could hold His body
Nor His identity have to defend

From a babe lying in a manger
To our Lord Jesus crucified
On Earth, He had one purpose
For our sins, He willingly died

Now He anxiously awaits us
He will welcome us at that gate
Into His embrace, we will go
Eternal life with Him as our fate

A SIX-CYLINDER SURPRISE

 
Into the parking lot, it pulled
It was the car of my dreams
Long, sleek, and shiny red
It’s cost, way beyond my means

To my surprise out they came
A man and woman about eighty
With a cane, she hobbled around
Met her husband with her frailty

Astounded, to say the least, I was
As I went over to see their car
Something I had always wanted
Owned by an elderly couple on a lark

No motor size emblems were seen
Confused, I know that I was
Out of the Dairy Queen, they came
I wanted answers, just becuz

“Nice car you have there, Mister”
“I have always loved that make”
“I’m surprised to see you in it”


“I thought you in it was a mistake”

“Young man, I’ll answer your questions”
“Just ask me what you wish”
“If you don’t mind, please hurry”
“My ice cream’s melting in my dish”

“What motor is under the hood?”
“When you came I heard no roar”
“What to me is totally confusing”
“No motor size on fender, hood, or door”

“I’ve always loved the body style”
“It was special ordered from the factory”
“Under the hood is a six-cylinder”
“Plenty of power for my wife and me”

They left me standing there speechless
And the memory stays with me yet
Never again would I ever see
A bright red six-cylinder Corvette!

 

This actually happened to me many years ago.  I was at a Dairy Queen in my hometown when the couple pulled in and parked.  I still can't believe it was a six-cylinder!

TAMING A BULLY

 
Every high school has a bully
And his school definitely had one
His luck, they rode the same bus
The trip to school wasn’t much fun

He knew he couldn’t whip him
He was outweighed by forty pounds
The bully was strong, lifted weights
Could pound him into the ground

All the kids hated and avoided the bully
Out of his face, they always kept
For him, the situation was different
More than once he openly wept

The bully made his life miserable
Called him names, liked to shove
More than once was knocked down
With the bully glaring from above

Then one day the bully did it
In his face, the bully laughed and spit
He balled his face, tried to fight
His face then was repeatedly hit

The bully stood over him and laughed
Then he slowly sauntered away
He knew that one day very soon
He would make that bully pay

It happened on a sunny spring day
Everyone was down by the ball field
He picked up a baseball bat
Liked how in his hands it did feel

He walked up behind the bully
And took a home-run swing
Knocked that bully down and out
Enjoyed the feeling it did bring

From school, he was expelled
It was all right, he didn’t care
He became an overnight hero
Because against the bully, he dared

The bully, he eventually recovered
And from then on he ceased
Was warned if he did it again
Another bat, his skull, would crease!

TAKING A SHOWER

 
I want to take a shower
Stand beneath that Heavenly flow
Feel His power restore me
As it saturates ever so slow

I want to be totally cleansed
Have Satan’s filth washed away
Be a perfect living example
Of a restored piece of clay

I want to be Heavenly molded
Into what I’m supposed to be
I want that Heavenly shower
To make a brand new me

I want to be so squeaky clean
Both on the inside and out
I want people to know
I’ve been changed, there’s no doubt

I will stand there forever
If that is what it takes
I want it to forever change me
Into something real, not fake

Heavenly Father, I am ready
To get inside and outside wet
Please keep those showers coming
You’re not done with me yet

THE CAMPMEETING

 

He could see it in the distance
Cars were parked beside the road
His truck, he had to downshift
He was hauling a heavy load

People were heading that way
Had their Bibles in their hands
Up ahead he could see the tent
And he began to understand

What he saw was a camp meeting
He had seen them there before
In the past, he had always driven by
Stopping would have been a chore

Slowly he crept by that tent
Something told him he’d better stop
Up ahead he saw an open field
It was barren and void of crops

Parking the truck, he began to walk
Feeling summoned, to the tent he went
He took a seat in the back row
What he witnessed made him repent

He saw miracles happen that night
Saw walkers and canes thrown away
Hundreds went to the altar call
Right up front with them, he prayed

A calling, it was on his life
And to miss it he couldn’t afford
He had gone there with the Devil
And he left there with the Lord

THE CRIB VISITOR

 
                FROM IT’S HIDING PLACE IT CAME
                SLOWLY CREEPING THROUGH THE LEAVES
                SEEKING ITS VICTIMS BY THEIR WARMTH
                HOPING ITS HUNGER IT WOULD RELIEVE

                A PATIENT HUNTER IT ALWAYS WAS
                IT DIDN’T CARE WHAT IT CAUGHT
                AS LONG AS ITS PREY WAS BREATHING
                ITS SEARCH WOULD BE FOR NOUGHT

                SLOWLY IT MOVED, EDGED FORWARD
                AND HARDLY A SOUND DID IT MAKE
                ITS NOSTRILS TESTING, SEEKING A MEAL
                NO MATTER HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE

                IT HAD BEEN WELL OVER A MONTH
                SINCE IT HAD EATEN ITS LAST MEAL
                NOW HUNGER HAD FORCED IT OUT
                HOPING TO MAKE A VICTIM SQUEAL

                THROUGH THE SHADOWS IT STALKED
                INVISIBLE IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT
                INCHING ITS WAY EVER FORWARD
                IT WAS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FRIGHT

                JUST AHEAD IT COULD SEE AN OPENING
                CURIOSITY FORCED IT TO ENTER IN
                SILENTLY LOWERING ITSELF TO THE FLOOR
                AMONG PILES OF BOXES, ASSORTED TINS

                IT COULD SENSE A MEAL WAS HERE
                FINDING IT, JUST A MATTER OF TIME
                ALL IT HAD TO DO WAS LOCATE IT
                AND THEN COMMIT A HIDEOUS CRIME

                INTO A ROOM IT SLOWLY CRAWLED
                STOPPED AND SLOWLY TESTED THE AIR
                SATISFIED IT WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE
                IT KNEW ITS NEXT MEAL WAS HERE

                INTO THE CRIB IT SLOWLY CRAWLED
                ITS WEIGHT HOLDING ITS VICTIM DOWN
                ITS VICTIM, IT TRIED TO CRY OUT
                SUFFOCATED, IT COULD MAKE NO SOUND


                WITH JAWS WIDE OPEN, IT SWALLOWED
                HEAD FIRST, IT SLOWLY BEGAN TO EAT
                DOWN ITS THROAT IT SLOWLY WENT
                A LUMP OF SUFFOCATED BABY MEAT

                THE PYTHON, IT SLOWLY RETREATED
                RETRACED ITS PATH TO THE HOLE
                THE UNDIGESTED LUMP IN ITS STOMACH
                THROUGH THE HOLE ESCAPE WAS STOLE

                IT WAS FOUND THERE THE NEXT MORNING
                ASLEEP, RELAXED AND TOTALLY UNAWARE
                THE GUN WENT OFF AND IT CONVULSED
                AND OTHER VICTIM’S LIVES WERE SPARED

                SO, KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR BABY
                ITS SAFETY IS YOUR FIRST CONCERN
                YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IS PROWLING
                OR A HARD LESSON YOU MAY LEARN

TWO RED EYEBALLS

 

Little Billy pitched his tent
Underneath a magnolia tree
Started a fire, cooked a meal
Went to the woods to pee

Behind a bush, he stood
Started to unzip his fly
Saw two eyeballs watching
From nearby, made him cry

From behind a tree, they were
Blood red, they intently stared
Billy was too scared to pee
He thought it was a bear

What to do, he didn’t know
All over he began to tremble
His thoughts; went astray
Them he tried to reassemble

Slowly he turned to flee
He then heard a tree knock
A loud screeching whoop
Put him into a terrible shock

To his tent, he quickly raced
Little Billy began to cry
Was it going to eat him?
He was sure he would die

From the tent flaps, he watched
As it stooped, licked his skillet
Saw a bunch of bananas
Its mouth, it began to fill it

With a grunt and a howl
It raced into the woods
Stopped, and looked back
Then was gone for good

Little Billy emerged from his tent
He chuckled, then sat down
What he saw eating his fruit
Made him smile, not frown

He knew his sister was weird
And liked to do strange things
She had come to scare him
Took joy in the fright it brings

Now, payback would be terrible
As he began to scheme and plan
When the appropriate time came
It’d be more than she could stand

Little Billy still pitches his tent
Underneath that magnolia tree
Of his sister, he has no fear
She’s locked up, she’s not free!

AUCTIONING OFF MEMORIES

 
Is there anything more disturbing
Than watching a life being sold
What once was deemed so important
Is now being auctioned, it seems cold

The family pictures of relatives forgotten
Unwanted heirlooms destined for resale
And every dish, clock, or rocking chair
If it could talk it has a story or tale

The antiques, the children don’t care
All they see are the dollar signs
They get rid of them soon as they can
Out of sight then they’re out of mind

And unfortunately, it is inevitable
Lives are sold every day of the week
The things once cherished, held onto
Are sold indiscriminately, so to speak

When you think about it, it is sad
Watching one’s life work sold away
Why do we think it’s all right to do
It may come back to haunt us someday

Sometimes at auctions, I become sad
As I watch the avid bidding wars
Knowing that a life once so important
Is being sold, to be remembered no more

WESTERN MEMORIES

 

I grew up with the Lone Ranger
Rode the range with Roy and Dale
Hopalong Cassidy was my hero
And Zorro, he always prevailed

Marshall Dillon ruled Dodge City
Bat Masterson was a dapper man
Lucas McCain had a special rifle
Maverick played a good poker hand

Cisco and Pancho were sidekicks
Gene Autry rode a horse named “Champ”
Palladin advertised “Have Gun, Will Travel”
Rowdy Yates drove cattle, brand stamped

Seargent Preston was a Mountie
Cochise, for his people, fought
Josh Randall was a bounty hunter
Miss Kitty’s saloon was often sought

Rin Tin Tin was an army dog
Victoria Barkley dressed in style
Annie Oakley was a good shot
Hoss was gentle until he was riled

Blue Boy rode among the cactus
Cheyenne was a towering man
Hawkeye knew how to trap
Gabby Hayes, hard to understand

Quint Aspen was a halfbreed
Smiley Burnette could sing songs
Little Joe had a quick temper
Festus was there all along

Chester was a limping deputy
Daniel Boone wore a coonskin cap
Sugarfoot was a tenderfoot
Gil Favor wore rawhide chaps

All of these I grew up with
Episodes, I hardly ever missed
I watched how the west was won
Using six-guns, whips, and fists

WHISPERS

 

They usually start as whispers
Those voices you barely hear
In the background, they lurk
Their purpose? To create fear

Those whispers will never stop
You must exercise mind control
If they are allowed to continue
Will wreak havoc on your soul

Those whispers, they prompt you
Telling you what to do
Putting thoughts into your mind
Their origin? You’ve no clue

The entity behind those whispers
Is both subtle and sly
He knows what he is doing
His evilness you can’t deny

Those whispers are nasty things
They are a tool Satan will use
The choice is totally up to you
Whether you listen or refuse

Refuse, they’ll hopefully go away
To be replaced by another voice
One bound from Heaven above
On hearing it you will rejoice

This voice is soft and sweet
It arrives on an angel’s wings
It is the voice of the Savior
Announcing the love it brings

DIRTY WATER

 
It is sold by the cup full
And usually poured from a pot
Full aroma, decaf, breakfast blend
It’s best served piping hot

Most people drink it early
It helps them start their day
Others drink it twenty-four seven
Downing countless cups along the way

From a simple brew to the exotic
They come in a cappuccino or latte
Whatever your heart, it desires
Maybe expresso, mocha, or frappe

As caffeine goes, it has it
Giving a jolt to keep you awake
Some tend to drink it to excess
Addicted? - you it will make

Me? I can’t stand the stuff
All it is…. is dirty water
Caffeine, I get all of mine
From something cold, not hotter

So, all of you coffee freaks
Keep on drinking that nasty brew
If it makes you happy, drink it
Dirty water side effects will get you!

UNDER THE BED!

 
Late at night, I heard it
A rustling came from below
From my bed, I got up
Under my bed, flashlight shone

In a corner I see movement
Surprised, I see shiny eyes
Whatever it is, I don’t know
It begins making hideous cries

I jump back into my bed
Pull the cover over my head
Thoughts of what could happen
Filled my mind with dread

I heard it climb upward
Felt its weight on my bed
I begin to whimper out loud
Will I soon be dead?

Then I heard a loud knock
And a cry, “Open the door!”
It was my brother, Randy
To the door, I quickly tore

Looking fearfully behind me
I opened the door to find
My brother searching everywhere
He was almost out of his mind

“Squeals got out of his cage!”
“I can’t find him anywhere!”
“Have you seen him tonight?
“He has long, brown, stringy hair!

With a mighty sigh of relief
I picked up my baseball bat
Slammed the door, went hunting
For my brother’s escaped pet rat!