Sonnet VI

The time that passes slowly now, today,

Tomorrow is irrevocably lost

Unless eternal Truth grasped on the way

Reach out and quench, of mercy, time’s great cost.

A raindrop falls, and nevermore the same

Falls from the self-same sky, or colored clouds—

As silver arrows showered once they came;

Another time with wind and thunder loud,

With stormy passion, flashing bolts of light,

They struck the shattered earth, as with a fist:

And once, a scarlet sun sank into night

Among the hills and swirling rainbow mist.

Each moment falls through these gray shadowlands

Uncaptured hope, save in the Master’s hands.

Sonnet IV

The shaft of lightning wit was swiftly thrust,

Was parried and returned in glinting sparks;

A fire, kindled on mere mental dust,

Arose to counter swordlike, bold remarks.

The stimulus of conversation good,

Of living soul outstretched to living soul

In simple frankness (as we always should

But often don’t): these taken on a whole

Encourage, humble, strengthen, and renew.

It was alive, this conversation raw

And rife with meaning, and its end was true—

A zephyr, rumbling forth a springtime thaw.

The silver fellowship of souls is sweet

When minds awake with brother minds can meet.

Prayer and Being

In faith I write a humble shred of thanks,

Defying fear and shame to do their worst;

To try and make me leave the pages blank

Through all of time and life as at the first.

To make created nature hold its tongue

When longing to burst out in golden song,

Fear would from me have craven silence wrung.

But in my heart arose a river strong,

Of words, of wildness, both deep and sweet;

And flashing forth a flood of gleaming light,

You sprang into the midst of fears replete

And showered stars upon a gloomy night.

From agony of being, Fear has fled.

You rescued one that fear had left for dead.

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