Poems

A wounded heart, Lord, I now raise, Made strong by hope and healed with grace, Each broken part your hands restore, Each hidden ache You help endure. My heart alone Once felt weak, Torn and worn, Yet you still seek To make me whole. So every scar and every tear Is shaped by love that draws me near. If I should fall and lose my way, Your healing still will make me stay. Please, make me whole and help me pray, And bless this altar day by day.

A torn heart, breath is seen. Plants are weary, animals are lean. Days get shorter and nights get longer. But people get stronger. April comes and warms up May flowers lay in cups Paschal tide all dressed in white Bells ring out with Easter light. Summer hums with skies of blue. Long bright days come back into view. Laughter rings from field to street. Warm sun shines on our dancing feet.

I used to be worshiped, but now I am studied. Most love me, but can dislike me just as easily. I stare alone at everything, but not a glance comes back. My wrath burns on forever, and nothing appeases me. Everything revolves around me, but most don't think about me. For all my days, I look at everything you love, and nothing at all. What am I?

Often am I seen on some cathedral door Made from metals found deep below the earth When cared for, I am noiseless, When abandoned, I complain, For those who are careless I am zhalange-guillotine What am I?

I run through fields but leave no tracks behind, You can't see me, but you always know when I'm there, I have no hands, yet I can touch you, I don't stay in place, yet I am everywhere, I can push heavy things, but can't be confined. What am I?

T'was on the morn of that autumnal day As rain beat on the green fields of France A gloom was on the land before the fray No sun there was to shine on helm or lance As those brave men assembled in their camp Who came from Avelon the shining isle To face the wind and drear and cold and damp To fight for justice, fight through any trial Many brave men there were assembled there The Dukes York and Exeter and Bedford And there the champion to most beware King Henry fifth, the greatest knight and lord He stood before his men so proud and tall And told them to stand bravely with the others He gave his speech and cried aloud the call "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" And then they took the field those weary men Wounded, weary, sore from long campaigning They knew they might ne'er see their homes again Yet they knew somehow the times were changing No more would they listen to French demands No more would they agree to live in fear They knew they would take back their precious lands The world must hear the cry, England is here! So on that day the battle did begin And lo behold the mighty Frenchman's host Sweeping forward with such a mighty din That certainly was not an idle boast And yet the brave yeomen they stood their ground They stood their ground and did not fear to die A hail of their shafts obscured the cloud And loud rang out the wounded's dying cry And so upon that day vict'ry was won The French they left the battle beaten down And so that battle Agincourt was done Yet not without much sorrow to be found No more would ride home Edward Duke of York Nor Sir John Mortimer nor Kyriell And many other bold brave English folk That on that field lifted sword and fell So came the end of battle Agincourt And many tales come down through long ages To tell of what those brave Englishmen bore When they stood up against battle's rages

It is around and inside It has come before and will go beyond It is not earned but found It can not be bought but is given In the whisper of the wind In the art of arches and valleys In chords of tangible beauty In the presence of the Eternal It is found.

Happiness knocked softly, Like it wasn't sure I was home. The door to my heart Had been shut tight for a while. Love and joy rarely entered - And somehow, they always left. No one cared enough to knock - Until now. Now Happiness returned To check on me at last, To see if I survived the wounds, To see if I had any strength left, To sit with me in silence When the world grew too loud. I have a friend again Who will stay awhile. I have a feeling I thought I'd lost years ago. I have someone Who found the key To my bolted doors - And waited for me to open them. I have Happiness, Not because it forced its way in, But because it cared enough To knock.