Removed signs of your Presence, long believed
your Name unmentioned, false teachings deceived
icon-images viewed as obscene, Faith but a lie
unthoughtful, ungrateful - their self-belief would not try.

Renounced as irrelevant, irreverent use of your Name
pious platitudes unpracticed, denounced as inane
pronounced profits first and foremost, charity lies maim
to suffer for another's well-being - thought insane.

Received on notice, what have longly scaled
those ramparts, greed and gain kept darkly veiled
faith out of fashion, til belief finally staled
that cross forgotten - your Son high-hung and nailed.
CODA
Forgive us, accept our late-life mea culpa
awaken our hearts with faith's strength, sursum corda
love for one's neighbor - exempli gracia
pius hands once portrayed - of that Pieta.
August 18, 1999

Back then, candle’s flicker seen of late night interludes
evergreen's aromatic scent adding to our moods
recasting what each saw, as thought once dreamt to be
in the open barn-like, all those there - on bended knee.

Of infant birthed, then what grew up to do
not well understood, yet we sorta knew
créche cast Christmas with a rich religious sense
yet struggled between church then gifts - kept us tense!

Life wore through intervening days, weeks, months and years
bared itself, revealing stress of pain, grief and fears
as well as worth of hope, love, truth, knowledge and such
thereafter one grew up, found faith felt a different touch.

Now knowing what happened back then brought to birth
a message with lasting words of eternal worth
although confusing as may be at times - yet
no greater truths have emerged - with such Wisdom’s depth.

Despite two millennia of science and the arts
His messaged aims of life still clutched within our hearts
when life found disturbed, those truths remind of what He spoke
remembered, recorded, scriptured - all for gentle folk.

With aging eyes and wanning hopes, still see that créche
but not as childhood dreams fancied when early etched
now see beyond candle’s dim flicker, its ghostly light
Mystery once birthed, now seen with one's an inner sight.

Although I could not well explain, demonstrate nor show
yet before the crib shepherd-like, now kneel - and know.
December 15, 1999

Is it so rare or of common place
yet its usage unfound without a trace
few found knowing of or if believed
doubtful how such might be so conceived.

For out-run of Nature’s natural workings
far from being as fully understood within
even less, that internal sense of Spirit’s lurkings
mystery of miracles - seldom felt therein.

Since attributed to what God behooved
by His Spirit, beyond reach of Nature’s strength
when alleged, their clues often not well proved
if ever found, one's trusting goes to great length.

But are a few rare times, have felt such strength of someone’s hurt
so strongly wished to cure within, as if my heart might burst
with tearful eyes a-stream, hands out-reached - yet felt empty
til almost knew if God so wished, could do such - gently.

If my love but faith-firm enough, could believe such hope
til began to sense might be done - within Nature’s scope.

To allow, permit, Nature un-violated - could well-attend
for our Spirit but an extension of that love Divine
a natural out-flow of what one’s deep love could condigned
found able to heal here and now - should God be so inclined.

Miracles can occur, if work themselves in tune with Nature’s way
perhaps are very rare or common, tis we who un-sense their play
in any event, are brought about by only love - nothing else
if should be ever found or felt, will be faith-known within yourself.
January 11, 2000

Take life as given, thence letting it go
some see as suicide, yet others know
deeper worth wrought by one's inner Spirit
so normal when chosen - need not fear it.

Not to die, but fully live within
a freedom found unlike that of sin
til know what gave up, not missed at all
life, love, caring aims - a different thrall.
January 20, 2000

Between those old, chatter with idle talk
those widowed-left, daily take their walk
yet are found - those who pray.

Busied mothers tending their brood, years must strive
sunk in thought, those rushing past who daily drive
often found - those who pray.

Those souls enduring some endless life-long pain
spoke not with tongues, but murmurs of grief's strain
these are those - found to pray.

In that unheard silence, within each one's mind
a power there, if we but take time to find
those hopes within - found need to pray.
March 8, 2000

As ancient man, with but dim glimmers in mind
each day for six months all dark, then later find
at first, but a feeble glow of light cast up the sky
gradually growing brighter - yet unknowing why.

Til that precise moment, when sun’s brim brinks its crest
seen as hand of some god - you can dream out the rest
surmise how early man thought up that notion of divine
til Culture created Religion - soon their dead enshrine.

Well if not, pay no heed to this useless poem
but hope some who read, know - I speak of Home.
March 22, 2000

To know again, from such strains of prayer
Your Name is yet declared as hallowed
despite faith lost, those found not to care
souls over-run by tares - life fallowed.

As sat silent in that nave, with scattered others who came to hope
escape world’s outer din, there in church but to watch one hour with Him
here daily and nightly sung with their antiphonal intervening trope
as monks quietly gathered in cold stalls - to chant their Psalter’s hymn.
April 5, 2000

With time shared, not stolen from - but freely rendered of
sign dared by one’s Spirit, symbolized by a white dove
despite what may suffer of, given - as tendered love.
April 11, 2000

Now knowing, never fully understood
though early thought could gain its likelihood
late-life learned, so much taught true - a falsehood
what matters most - one has been truly good.

All else learned or gained, used for life below
well-worth efforts made, values came to know
but when Death calls us quits, here-life forego
hope beyond, Spirit’s love - will further grow.
October 1, 2000

Somewhat ritualized, theologized - such is true
yet one’s need to visit by - much as friends would do.
October 14, 2000

But should decide, let go Faith's clutch
needs greater strength, re-grow that touch
let not loose, or will want a crutch
resolved like love - for Faith tis such.
October 21, 2000

If born of another Culture, this would not be so
but since my time, place, past are real - this much I owe
since hold Nature primal, now convinced such will ever be
man’s Spirit those centuries won, told, retold - gifted free.

Oft tells of hidden things unspoke, full-known when music plays
binds soul, mind, body, Culture, Earth and Faith - when one prays.
October 23, 2000

As Your Spirit looked on me, with love in Your eyes
hoping, wanting, goading me be caring-wise
so much of what was given, now wasted lies
yet my faith in You abides - with loving ties.

Former strides still plodding, though age slows me thin
hopes enlarging those visions taught, could win by love
days converged as merely Time, while Life slows its spin
til hopes became quite otherwise - than first thought of.
October 27, 2000

With trusting Faith life-taught, and Love's worth for hope
when asked by that Master - might my eyes be ope
as faith he held, met with love Master felt
combined to sight Bart’s eyes - Christ’s kindness dealt.

In friendship, old Bart joined Master’s walk
since now saw - prattled on with endless talk.

What became of old Bartimaeus later on
untold of scriptured words, how Bart’s future life drawn
holds no purpose what might tell - only Faith and Love
for tis but these Christ preached, scriptured words telling of.
October 29, 2000

I do not presume to assume Death, the end of all
as if Nature forswore existence’s eternal thrall
I cannot conclude to preclude hopes, held beyond Death’s door
as if Faith-trust yearnings required - Life extended more.

Yet I am deeply grateful to be rather than not
firmly trusting innate yearnings, Faith-hopes inly plot
presumptive readings learned, one's childhood early taught
and all that after came to pass - future years have brought.
November 29, 2000

Solitudes, arid winds, listenings of one’s soul
echoed whispers one may hear, like some distant toll
notes flung from beyond the stars, to scatter down their years
humanity hungers for, joy, love - yet with tears.

Know at last, earth-life but a first venture out-dared
hungers oft left with vacant hands, others un-shared
meager grains gathered, tightly clutched - as but bread for their day
or life’s worth shared with others, midst rocks and wind - taught to pray.

Yes, One once came with a hopeful message, long learned within His heart
gently yet firmly preached a thrice of years, to those with selfless ears
so profound, true enough - outlasted all visions others might chart
tender gospel stoutly striven, eyes that see, words - one’s silence hears.

Unheard, unfelt, unheeded when life lived, drowned out by clanging cymbals
unread, unlearned, where minds seek truth - merely from outward signs and symbols.

Rather a Faith fashioned from within, time taken - sift sands of the heart
thence shared and cared with tendered hands, though may suffer as one left apart
time spent with parched thoughts, hearing hallowed winds that voiced the Spirit’s call
like holy One fled from time to time, catching words - His Father let fall.
December 10, 2000

Remembering, six billion scramble across world's wide latitude
recalling all bred before, those countless still held in servitude
each and all Spirit fashioned, life given - long lived through
freedom flung to gain, grasping gathered needs - false or true.

Yet, how does one love of these before, now and after
sharing worth of profundity with hopeful laughter
knowing the Father searches each, with sparkled loving eyes
hoping like us, will respond in kind - before each one dies.
December 11, 2000

Once told then remembered, finally written
in Mark’s earliest gospel ill-smitten
powerful, ponderable if such be so
those words still stand - a painful puzzle though!
December 11, 2000

At last acclaimed, required deep need for a god
every Culture, individuals know not odd
although different wisdoms may fabricate far more than one
humanity still yearns, how powers of their God - be won.
December 18, 2000

A place so distant, no semblance here abides
what scriptures tell, mere words leave one but guessing
til inly learned, only as a hope resides
its yearn so strong - believed but with Faith’s blessing.

From those now dead, beyond their grave naught is ever heard
if are, but faint echoes recast within a grieving mind
their teasing taunts, launch questions of what lies afterward
finally learned tis simple trust - all one will ever find.

Some proclaim life beyond, simply absurd
after toiled years, naught of Faith occurred
first taught at mother's knee, her hopes once stirred
I surmise for them - Heaven but a word.
December 18, 2000

Until I become one with dust, at last found to die
of all have done or came to deeply known, life brought by
will plead my father God, of His eternal love - why?
February 16, 2001

Yea a daring-do, to launch upon such an Odyssey
breast those waves of danger, armed with one's faithful modesty
trusting a Spirit vaguely known, so chart one's passage true
fashion a fresh world within - from discoveries found new.

Allowing words of Trust, drifts one into some distant port
still within the Cosmos, yet far beyond those clouds of Oort
affirm wider dimensions, no matter distance might go
though one creatured of Nature - tis our Spirit seeks to know.
April 6, 2001

Long before texts wrote their hopes of after-life
ancient graves attest, even then belief was rife
His wisdom revealed, telling how one should live
share unpossessively - for love is meant to give.

Easter again, liturgies celebrated
message clearly given, uncomplicated
a truth any hope should find most apropos
still wears those years since first told - so long ago.
April 11, 2001

Later One did of such with a special touch
could see it coming for had spoken too much
til powers plotted death with spiteful tongue
life offered up - ceded from a cross be hung.

That event led to hopes that lie beyond the grave
resurrecting deeper truths, passing centuries save
a love so unpossessing, one's life is given
gifts life to those who believe - for He is risen.
April 13, 2001