Ruth Truman
From the joy of being alive through the days of falling in love, raising a family, finding faith—questioning and living it—changing, maturing, and finally facing life’s closure, this book of poetry presents it all. Then, in case that isn’t enough, a bevy of songs are added to express life yet another way.
There is joy: “The laughter started way down low,
Maybe in my great big toe—“
Contemplation: “A wing-ed bird chirps out the first dawn call
And soon pink sky is flooded with the sound. . .”
Love: “Spray bounced off the strictest cliffs,
Coating briefly lovers’ lips”
Life’s changes: “The emptiness
the quiet space
The laughter gone
Some other place”
Faith: “I am no longer my own, but Thine.
Put me to what Thou wilt.
Rank me with whom Thou wilt.”
And facing life’s closure:
“Fine old house,
We have outlived them all
And you shall remain
When I am gone.
Then you will fill again.
You will never be alone.”
Then, after the poetry, comes music of faith and life that ends on this spirited note:
“Kick up your heels, baby!
Life is to be lived!
It’ll take all you can give,
So kick, kick, kick!
Kick up your heels, baby!”
Ruth Truman is the author of five published books: Underground Manual For Ministers’ Wives and Other Bewildered Women; How To Be A Liberated Christian; Spaghetti From the Chandelier; Not Of This Fold; and an academic book entitled The Mission Of the Church College. Married to a United Methodist pastor, her writings range from the comedic happenings of life with four children in the parsonage to her Ph.D. research at UCLA where she was the commencement speaker at the age of 46. With the exception of The Mission of the Church College (UCLA Press), her books are available through her website, www.ruthtruman.com, or by order from www.amazon.com or local bookstores.
To Life! A Book of Poetry and Songs is a compilation of a lifetime of thoughts written in all phases of life, and music and theater which has accompanied her life journey. Whether at the keyboard, in church choir or chorale, the community theater, or singing as she works at home, it is music and a fascination with words that defines and lifts her spirit. She, with her husband Lee, have passed this on to their four grown children and five grandchildren who reflect this in their involvement in music, art, and theater.
Prominent in her writing is her Christian commitment as the foundation of her faith and life. The reader of To Life!, etc. will recognize the struggle to search for an understanding of God and life’s purpose, along with joy and rejoicing in the goodness that life presents when lived in faith.
LOVE COMPLETE
Love is a strange, demanding word.
At first it seems all hearts and flowers,
Teddy bears and warm fuzzies.
And then it changes.
Love begins to demand commitment.
No longer is love self-pleasing
or self-serving, for you or me,
And it makes us grow.
Love grows and then requires our bodies,
Not just our wombs or lips,
but our hands and feet, our sleepless nights,
And it enslaves us.
Love is our captor in the end.
It has taken our selves and given them away,
leaving an empty shell for filling--
And those whom we have loved rush in to fill the
void.
Love is then complete.
