Poems from the Past

"Greeting from the Untied States!" wrote a friend recently, and I marveled that with a creative typo she could express more than I could with a well-thought-out paragraph! In reviewing my history, I have come across some poems that I reluctantly share to try to fill in my lack of pictures and adventures. (Three samples follow.)

NEW MERCIES
New are Thy mercies each morning;
Fresh dew Thy grace falls on me,
Bathing my soul in Thy beauty,
Light, life, love, liberty.
Let the bright dawn of Thy glory
All hosts of darkness o'erthrow.
Let Thy sweet sunrise of favor
Life's clouds set rosy aglow.

Let Thy bright rainbow of promise
Span the dark clouds in my sky.
Let raindrops fallling refresh Thee;
Someday Thou'lt wipe these tears dry.
Ever to live in Thy presence--
Now and when dawns cloudless Day!
East clouds I'm watching while longing.
"Come for me with no delay!"

ELW. 8-13-99
Here's one where a bit of Chinese technique was attempted:

MOON SEA

Moon sea;
Silk mist;
Waves free,
Star-kissed.

Moon hides;
Spray chill;
Wild tides
Bode ill.

Fierce gail
Whips shore.
Winds wail,
Waves roar,

Surge, dash,
Beat , rip,
Crash, smash,
Sink ship.

Lone gull,
Wild cry.
Ship's hull
'Gainst sky.

Night flies,
Storm's gone.
Hopes rise
With Dawn.

Storm -dark
Life's wreck:
Sunk, stark,
Lost speck.

Mad waves,
Hopes gone.
Christ saves!
Hopes dawn:

Grace heals;
Faith springs;
Love seals;
Joy sings!

ELW 6-14-99

Trying to put Oswald Chamber's prose into poetry resulted in this:

SHADOW OF AN AGONY

Through the shadow of an agony,
Redeemed and reconciled;
By the tragedy of Calvary
Transformed to be Thy child.
It's by virtue of Thy death that I
Thy life enter into.
In forgiveness, Thy heredity
Makes me a creature new.

Not God's Fatherhood, but Babyhood
Bought back the human race--
Weakest thing in His creation,
Wee Baby bringing Grace!
Absolutely single-handedly
He levered back creation
To a better place than ever was
It's original station.

In the shadow of His agony
I rest me undismayed;
Face dark Suffering's shadows trusting He
Will keep me unafraid.
Shade of Hand stretched caressingly,
This shadow over life.
Understanding baffled, Faith yet stands
Courageous in the strife.
ELW 8-13-99