The Rocking Chair

The porch-boards creaked, under the young rocker’s feet

Happily singing her song,

Mommy and child, swept away, while the wind gently sang along.

Making memories, they were oh, so sweet.

But time flew by, and the child grew wild

No more rocking or lullabies were heard, no more tender smiles.

And there in the garden, sat the old broken rocker to rot.

Seasons come and seasons go and so,

Vines grew around the rocker’s feet, thorns and thistles intertwined and meet

Silenced the song once sung so sweet…

No longer needed; this was the ole rocker’s fate.

Closed behind the garden gate.

There comes an old man bent, bending low and suddenly,

Low and behold! He opens the garden gate.

Spotting the ole rocker, he gasps with dismay

Remembering the songs with his mother she’d say…

Life won’t always be this way!

Darlin boy, you’ll grow up one day…

Remember our songs as you live and pray…

Mommy loves you, sweet boy, rock and play!

Eyes fill with blinding tears; he rushes to the ole rocker…

Taking her to his workshop, he repairs, all the broken, tattered tares…

Removed the vines that kept her bound. Fresh paint applied, set free, supplied

With freedom for the ole rocking chair.

Made brand new under the master’s hands…he sits on the porch and sings again…

I remember mama…he holds his hands and prays.

~Marla Shaw O’Neill April 14, 2025

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 King James Version Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.