My Psaltery: miscellaneous

98.    “East of Eden”

 

East of Eden toiling long

In the earth from which we come

Hiding, seeking, wandering far

Sin-entangled, dark in heart

Morning Star of holy light

Cleaved into our darkest night

Swaddled and be-mangered there

Lowly birth, the clay-formed Heir

Father God’s begotten Son

With His blood redeems as one

All the humble, yielding hearts

Westward home to ne’er depart

 

22Dec2020 cja

 

103.    “Ode to God”

 

All to You

All to You

My dog, my self, my camp

The hours, the days, the years

Me in You, and You in me

I will not let You go

You hold me even surer

All to You

All to You

Your love will not let me go

Your gentleness makes me great

All glory and honor and power and praise

Belong to You

 

14Feb2021 cja

 

 

105.    “Tunstall Forest”

 

I come from love

I go to love

It’s the dash across that hurts

 

Ducking for cover

From tree to tree

Fleeing pursuit at my back

 

I mourn love passed

I hope love promised

The cavalry charges the highroad

Climbing through bracken

Bereft and stunned

Puzzling the motives of hearts

 

To Holywood I fly

With love at my side

Silent, but never forsaken

 

20Feb2021 cja

 

 

108.    “Ode to the Listening Ear”

 

It catches me, fully received

There’s room for both; a two way street

The speed at which the words do flow

Must needs abate for depth to grow

But when the pace is tampered down

New pleasant rooms can then be found

As with the table where we eat

One should not starve while others feast

More than a ravenous appetite

The listening ear serves with delight

In friendship we are satisfied

Each heart is heard and edified

 

21Feb2021 cja

 

 

116.    “This Do In Remembrance Of Me”

 

Do this in remembrance

Remember Me, fail not

So many things to look at here

Thus easily forgot

When I fail You bring me ‘round

When I “squirrel” You call

Clear my mind

Clean my heart

Turn my toes to Home

 

25Feb2021 cja

 

 

123.    “My Bell”

 

I love to hear the bell ring

The Chapel of Saint Louis

A call to prayer and worship

The sound of hope renewing

Unashamed it rings aloud

Midst flats and shops and streets

Ding-ga-ding it heralds

The Sabbath of the King

All who will may enter

Quite easy turns the latch

The lock that barred is broken

Our sin has been dispatched

So enter now His Rest

The bell, it rings for you

Midst shops and streets and hub-bub

The clapper hammers truth

 

7March 2021 cja

 

 

126.    “Boules Among the Roots”

 

Boules among the roots

Greatly complicated

Surely such pursuits

Are worthless of one’s time

But there betwixt the toes

Of some old, shady chestnut

They laugh and joust their foes

All challenges sublime

 

30March2021 cja

 

 

129.    “My Happies”

 

Yellow roses

Doggie noses

Pencil tip on paper clean

Thread and needle

Cook a little

Cup of coffee, toast and cheese

Hope renewing

Dreams abrewing

Jesus Christ alive in me

 

8April2021 cja

 

 

130.    “The Little Belfry”

 

I have a little belfry

It lives across the way

I see it through my window

As I sit and pray

When Sundays come, I hear it

Ring-ga-ding-ga-ding

My heart’s bells ring out wildly

In hope of Christ our King

 

10April2021 cja