What Was It Like?

What was it like to wash the feet of sarcastic Thomas? Or hear bombastic Peter claim, by withholding, his superiority? Or what to smell the earthy mix of sweat and dirty toes while awkward glances flitted round? Or what to wash the traitor’s feet? Did he pull back or full extend, eagerer than anyone to […]

The Man

Long the war had torn the world apart with souls the casualties and souls the cause. The enemy ensconced and great in art made war the hope, and hopeless doom the laws. Silent lay the prophets’ dusty truths that glittered once like lanterns in a mine. The wise men slept in silence while the youths […]

Sunday Morning

Here at crimson dawn he prays, the sounds of morning, futures near. Beside, a honeysuckle’s curled like serpentine around a pole as far away a restless chaos rides the breeze. – Low, a patterned spokenness: rising pleas and murmured, earnest prayer. A form in quiet conversation lone. Just away, a vineyard tower, Tended by the […]

A Prayer for Grace

Oh, Lord, please strip the darkness from the night; and dull the blade of bitter-sworded wrongs and pulverize the teeth of terror’s bite and mend the wounded heart with Heaven’s songs. Scrub off despair from where the hope burnt out and lift away a thousand pounds of loss and clear the grey from riddled days […]

Living Water

The land is cursed— this desiccated earth stripped of life and cracking— the sun, a fire from the sky the seas and rivers, all run dry. I can feel the lacking in the cup You drank of dearth. And yet I do not thirst.

The Sphere

A sphere of black the earth around and daily year by night more dark with grime and smudge becomes as spreads the ancient blight of sin’s deluding reverie and people bound. – It breaks like new, the hope-full old that here and born tonight: that flash of glow, the light to come an ancient spark […]

Yahweh Saves

Long ago, the promise came to a man and woman wrung from their first grasp of evil. Justice, yes, but mercy’s flame flickered brightest in the words the Wronged Sovereign gave. He Himself would take our frame— the Maker knit together in a virgin’s womb. Angels at His birth proclaimed hope for all the earth […]

Christ, the Thorn

Sing praises to the Mighty One and worship Him this morn, enlarge your heart to praise the name of Jesus Christ the thorn. – There obscure and unadorned was baby Jesus born yet Shepherds, angels, wise men bowed in praise to Jesus Christ the thorn – No glorious beauty He possessed the faithful, long fore-sworn. […]

He Built His Church

He built His church upon the earth where fires kill and demons rage. He tried His words and proved their worth in humble men of every age. He spread His kingdom everywhere though kings of men forbade Him come. He crushed the serpent and his snares and brought His outcast servants home. He gave Himself […]

Happiness

Elusive— a whiff in the air a flash in the night the sparkle of dew before it is gone. ••• Locked— water beyond guards gold behind glass homeland of exiles who may not return. ••• The key— a nail through His hands my sackcloth and ashes the balm of chains unlocking joy. ••• Ubiquitous— a […]