Freedom in Faith
HIS MIND alone is kingly who (though one)
But venerates of present things or past
What he believeth good, kneeling to none
Save God and Truth! Who awed not by this vast
And shadowy scheme of Life, but anchored fast
In Love and sitting central like the sun
So gives his mental beams to pierce and run
Through all its secrets while his days may last;
And thus progressive, little faith hath he
For mysteries, till sounding them he hear
The gathered tones of their stirr’d depths agree
With that religious harmony severe
Which anthems to his spiritual ear
The invisible Presence of the Deity.
poem by Charles Harpur
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Greatness
That man is truly great, and he alone
Who venerates, of present things or past
The absolute only,—is the liege of none
Save God and truth; who, awed not by this vast
And shadowy scheme of life, but anchored fast
In love, and sitting central like the sun,
So gives his mental beams to pierce and run
Through all its secrets while his days may last.
While thus progressive, little faith has he
For mysteries, till, sounding them, he hear
The gathered tones of their stirred depths agree
With that religious harmony severe,
Which ever anthems to his spirit’s ear
The hallowing presence of the Deity.
poem by Charles Harpur
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The Prison Bell
Hark to the bell of sorrow! - 'tis awak'ning up again
Each broken spirit from its brief forgetfulness of pain.
Its sad sound seems to me to be a deathwail from the past,
An elegy for buried joys too pure and bright to last.
It haunts me like an echo from the dark depths of despair,
And conjures up the fiend-like forms of misery and care;
The saddest of the sorrowful, its tones bright dreams dispel,
For waking woes are summoned by the harsh-toned prison bell.
It tells me that I am not now what once I used to be,
A dearly loved and loving boy whose heart was light with glee;
It tells me that life's coming years must be long years of pain,
And that my brow with innocence can ne'er be wreathed again:
That I must wander through this world all friendless and forlorn,
Unsolaced by affection's smile, the thing of shame and scorn.
Those fearful tones, those dirge-like tones, what fearful tales they tell!
It rings the death of hope and joy, that sadly sounding bell.
How oft when some bright vision of the days of olden time
Comes o'er me like an angel dream from heaven's own hallowed clime,
And beautiful and holy things - the bright stars and the flowers,
And childhood's prayer - were dear to me as in life's sinless hours.
How oft, too, when in such dreams I wander by the side
Of one fair form whom virtue might have won me for my bride,
They come, those tones so horrible, those drear tones through my cell,
And memory shuddereth to hear the harsh-toned prison bell.
That bell! - how many hear it sound who've ceased to struggle long,
Who, reckless of crime's after doom, have linked themselves to wrong;
And heard it is with shuddering and tearful vain regret
By those who for one first bad act for years must suffer yet.
'Tis also sadly heard by some strange-struggling beings who
Cling to the false and evil while they love the good and true;
And some - a few - all innocent, who've learned, alas! Too well
That man's best judgement sometimes errs, may weep to hear that bell.
I've heard it when bright memories have crowded to my brain,
When hopes and aspirations high have whispering come again;
And it hath sought to crush each thought that fain would save from ill.
As wildly it hath chanted forth, 'Despair; be evil still.'
But no, a prison oft hath proved a holy place of yore,
And if the heart yearns for the good, God will the good restore,
Then courage soul: let faith's bright beams grief's darksome shades dispel,
And days of joy may yet be thine far from the prison bell.
poem by Owen Suffolk
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Any Faith
Belief it comes in every kind; faith that grips the heart and mind,
But faith’s deeper than belief, like a branch that holds each leaf,
When you’re planted in the Tree, within the Branch of all Eternity,
All leaves never wither or fall, being nourished by the Lord of all.
There’s men with faith, although, are not rooted enough to grow,
Head belief but no spiritual root, within this life, produce no fruit.
And a faith with only head belief, produces withered, falling leaf.
Rooted only in spiritual sand, upon The Rock they cannot stand.
There are beliefs in many a place, having faith less God’s Grace,
In many beliefs, it’s understood, that mankind is basically good,
Men building a faith down here, without that need for Godly fear,
Ignoring Truth wanting His love, thinking all get to Heaven above.
Some with a faith about the earth, see no need for spiritual birth,
Never looking up to The Creator, with no thought about a Savior,
Being stewards of God’s creation, with no need of His salvation.
As saving earth is the urgent need, the only truth men must heed.
Any faith, as noble as it may be, cannot save a soul for Eternity,
If that faith has ignored, the blood atonement of Christ our Lord,
If it fails to embrace this Truth, ahead will only be strong reproof,
As faith in Christ is the only belief, that gives a soul eternal relief.
(Copyright ©08/2008)
The Past
To-day's most trivial act may hold the seed
Of future fruitfulness, or future dearth;
Oh, cherish always every word and deed!
The simplest record of thyself hath worth.
If thou hast ever slighted one old thought,
Beware lest Grief enforce the truth at last;
The time must come wherein thou shalt be taught
The value and the beauty of the Past.
Not merely as a warner and a guide,
"A voice behind thee," sounding to the strife;
But something never to be put aside,
A part and parcel of thy present life.
Not as a distant and a darkened sky,
Through which the stars peep, and the moon-beams glow;
But a surrounding atmosphere, whereby
We live and breathe, sustained in pain and woe.
A shadowy land, where joy and sorrow kiss,
Each still to each corrective and relief,
Where dim delights are brightened into bliss,
And nothing wholly perishes but Grief.
Ah, me! -- not dies -- no more than spirit dies;
But in a change like death is clothed with wings;
A serious angel, with entranced eyes,
Looking to far-off and celestial things.
poem by Henry Timrod
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Love
Although i speak in tongues
Of men and angels
I'm just sounding brass
And tinkling cymbals without love--
Love suffers long--
Love is kind!--
Enduring all things--
Love has no evil in mind
If i had the gift of prophecy--
And all the knowledge--
And the faith to move the mountains
Even if i understood all of the mysteries--
If i didn't have love
I'd be nothing
Love--never looks for love--
Love's not puffed up--
Or envious--
Or touchy--
Because it rejoices in the truth
Not in iniquity
Love sees like a child sees
As a child i spoke as a child--
I thought and i understood as a child--
But when i became a woman--
I put away childish things
And began to see through a glass darkly
Where, as a child, i saw it face to face
Now, i only know it in part
Fractions in me
Of faith and hope and love
And of these great three
Love's the greatest beauty
Love
Love
Love
song performed by by Joni Mitchell
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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In true remembrance, unsullied by creed.
Effect and consequences play their part
regardless of the perpetrators' role.
Their own departure dislocates their heart.
Perhaps their mind's mistaken for their soul?
A million atoms separated then
in one misguided act of gormless god
No deity did this, but mortal men.
No deity would need to be so awed.
Revered and worshipped by a clever ruse
of quaint select translations from the past.
The role of most religions? To confuse.
Prolong their selfish doctrines to the last.
No matter that they cannot justify
a faith that deems one innocent must die.
poem by Hola Mentirosa
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Struggles Within
Nothing good in this flesh of mine, creating havoc from time to time,
For with this heart, deceitful at best, I am wearied and seldom at rest.
Who knows the depth of my heart, from which, I would like to depart,
With wickedness deep down within, it causes me to stray towards sin.
And with my sinful darkened mind, while living this life, it’s so unkind,
Reaching way back into yesteryear, my old sinful past is always near.
Dragging up my old sinful ways; causing me pain in my present days,
Giving the enemy old things to cast; at my present life, from the past.
In this head, these wandering eyes, looking at those things I despise,
The things of lust upon this earth; things which have no eternal worth.
Straying towards those things of lust, that in time simply turn to dust,
This causes my new faith to wane, while creating in my heart old pain.
These struggles I have with my flesh, is not from God a spiritual test,
But my struggles are from within, from this body that was born in sin.
Struggles that I have day to day, when I do not let God have His way,
Allowing God to change all my life, through The Savior, Jesus Christ.
For God sends to me when I believe, The Holy Spirit, whom I receive,
Christ embraces me as His own, and changes my old heart of stone,
From all that sin I’ve been freed, with no more struggles soon indeed,
As Christ this day is preparing me, to live without struggle for eternity.
(07/2007)
Bridgework
Links the present with the past.
Joins two very different worlds.
Points the way into a future blast.
Adventure road for curious boys and girls.
It's strong and beautiful over waterways.
A time durable structure over rough terrain.
Able symbol of progressive nights and days.
The meeting place of those special ones.
Stands large and true wrapped in fog.
Travelers head for home when the tasks are done.
Supports the weight of freight moving rock and log.
The masterpiece of a innovative, creative mind.
In full light display has quite the presence.
With the mental bridge we seek and find.
Looked upon with great amazement and reverence.
poem by William Blackman
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Go Mental
Out of the hospital out against my will
Life is so beautiful Ive gone mental
Mental mental
Ive killed my family they thought I was an oddity
Life is so beautiful I am a vegetable
Mental mental
Ive gone mental Ive gone mental
Staring at my goldfish bowl popping phenobarbitol
Life is so beautiful Ive gone mental mental mental
Sitting on my window sill life is so beautiful
Ive become irrational Ive gone mental
Mental mental Ive gone mental
song performed by by Ramones
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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An excellence
Thy excellence
Thy glory story
Thy euphony cacophony
Psalm chant Universal
Booze blotto me in
Rhapsodic richness. It is nice to live I glorious past too and mind that history never repeats. Pick the threads from past weave it in present and present it for beautiful tomorrow...
On glorious past
Doubts never cast
Life is so precious and fast
Sky and horizons are also so vast
Only we are mortals and may not last
Live gracefully in presence
Understand its utility and essence
Not to forget past easily and hence
Just peep through and minutely glance
Bring drastic change in stance
Answer honestly to the call
Prevent any further fall
House all epics in one hall
Break the prevailing hatred wall
Peace and tranquility shall
poem by Hasmukh Amathalal
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The invisible wisdom of God.........
Do we know the truth of heaven and our God's love?
Do we understand the knowledge of invisible wisdom of God?
We must understand that God's wisdom rests on the
foundation of spiritual practice of compassion and love
Learning spiritual power and prayers could make us
to realize the truth of heaven and God's love
We all born with God's love and care at the beginning
and the problem arises how to remain till our end
Our spiritual journey starts with understanding on God's trust
and continue with perception of God's precepts till the end
The spiritual perfection could be achieved not only by meditation
but also teaching others to reach the knowledge of wisdom
That is why God appointed wisdom as his goal for mankind
God loves his people and enjoy their knowledge in wisdom
and he feels proud of his rational creation on earth
Our choice is live with the wisdom to delight in God
or choose path of that leads to miserable life on earth.
poem by Ravi Sathasivam
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Lover's Quarrels
JOIN hands, my dear, clasp long and close and fast,
Even this present we shall soon call past,
And lay among the unforgotten days,
Not the less loved because they could not last.
Make haste to put our hasty words away,
And hide them with dead leaves of yesterday,
Cast them aside among forgotten things,
Keep the love warm that turns to green life's grey.
Each little thorn that pricks these present hours
Is sure to hide under our memories' flowers,
Till we shall say, turning the dry wreath over,
'How sweet they were--these dear dead days of ours!'
poem by Edith Nesbit
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An ocean of Love
Have you ever sailed on vast ocean,
With no island to see, and things are out of reach?
With dreams and mysteries filled this ocean,
And a never ending faith that someone would teach?
Have you ever felt that feeling,
Of a deep calmness within you that's hard to fight?
And no one could help you believing,
That you're striving for the right?
Did you ever sailed on an ocean,
That further placed upon your heart?
For deeply below this ocean,
Lies a silent whisper, where love starts.
An ocean of Love, the ocean of dreams
Where you can find solace and exceptional truth
Though pain resides even if you don't dream
As the existence of love bears its fruit.
The fruit of harmony, bliss, and wonder
Without the seed that's buried down below
Like a pearl that lies down under
The ocean of love they call, starts hello.
Upon this vast ocean, two souls were me and you
Over the waves and across the surface
I have found a love so true
The ocean of love was then the wondrous place.
poem by Lovelyn Layon
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Maybe I'm crazy
I am not Emo
I’m not a Goth
I’m perfectly normal
But I know what it feels to be lost
Stuck in the crowd
Can’t hear a sound
Feels like I’m pushed back in the distance
Can’t come out
Do people see?
Do they believe?
Or am I just crazy from being lonely?
The words burst from my lips as I scream
But the people around me don’t seem to hear a thing
Am I invisible? Am I going crazy?
The world is acting like they don’t know about me
Am I forgotten? Am I just crazy?
Am I just lost? Am I just lonely?
Somebody hear me
Somebody save me
I check my phone, nobody calls
I can’t help, but feeling so forgot
I put on a show, nobody knows
Where did all the people I used to love, go?
I see a face, forgot its name
But they don’t seem to recognize me, anyway
All of my friends are with somebody else
And now I’m sitting here all by myself
(All by myself)
The words burst from my lips as I scream
(From my lips, as I scream)
But the people around me don’t seem to hear a thing
(But the people, don’t hear a thing)
Am I invisible? Am I going crazy?
(Am I invisible? Am I going crazy?)
The world is acting like they don’t know about me
(Acting like, don’t know about me)
Am I forgotten? Am I going crazy?
(Am I forgotten? Am I going crazy?)
Am I just lost? Am I just lonely?
(Am I just lost, maybe I’m lonely)
Somebody hear me
(Somebody near me)
Somebody save me
(Somebody save me)
Or am I just crazy?
Or am I just crazy?
(Maybe, oh maybe)
I took a chance, got sick of the burn
There’s no need of me, to feel so undeserved
People walk by, I try to say hi
But they even try to talk to me, why?
Is it my face? Is it my name?
Or am I just overreacting, and going insane?
I know they see me, I know they see me
So why are they leaving?
Why did they leave me?
The words burst from my lips as I scream
(From my lips, as I scream)
But the people around me don’t seem to hear a thing
(People around me, don’t hear a thing)
Am I invisible? Am I going crazy?
(Am I invisible? Am I going crazy?)
The world is acting like they don’t know about me
(Acting like, don’t know about me)
Am I forgotten? Am I going crazy?
(Am I forgotten? Am I going crazy?)
Am I just lost? Am I just lonely?
(Am I? , maybe I’m lonely)
Somebody hear me
(Somebody near me)
Somebody save me
(Somebody please save me)
Or am I just crazy?
Or am I just crazy?
(Maybe, oh just maybe)
Live life they say, it’s the only you’ve got
But how can you live? How can you give?
If there’s nothing you’ve got
Well I’ve got myself, and I’ve got my dreams
But I guess I’ll just have to live them separately
Stuck in the shadow, I need someone else
How can I get them to notice me, so I won’t be by myself?
Do you hear?
Do you see?
Or am I just another nobody, who has nothing? (nothing)
The words burst from my lips as I scream
(From my lips, as I scream)
But the people around me don’t seem to hear a thing
(People around me, don’t hear a thing)
Am I invisible? Am I going crazy?
(Am I invisible? Am I going crazy?)
The world is acting like they don’t know about me
(Acting like, they don’t know me)
Am I forgotten? Am I going crazy?
(Am I forgotten? Am I going crazy?)
Am I just lost? Am I just lonely?
(Am I just lost, maybe I’m lonely)
Somebody hear me
(Somebody near me)
Somebody save me
(Somebody save me)
Or am I just crazy?
Or am I just crazy?
(Maybe, oh maybe just maybe)
When I cry, I only cry to myself
I’m alone; I wish I had somebody else
Oh
When I cry, I only cry to myself
I’m alone; I wish I had somebody else
Oh
When I cry, I only cry to myself
I’m alone; I wish I had somebody else
The words burst from my lips as I scream
(From my lips, as I scream)
But the people around me don’t seem to hear a thing
(People around me, don’t hear a thing)
Am I invisible? Am I going crazy?
(Am I invisible? Am I going crazy?)
The world is acting like they don’t know about me
(Acting like, they don’t know me)
Am I forgotten? Am I going crazy?
(Am I forgotten? Am I going crazy?)
Am I just lost? Am I just lonely?
(Am I just lost, maybe I’m lonely)
Somebody hear me
(Somebody near me)
Somebody save me
(Somebody save me)
Or am I just crazy?
(Am I crazy?)
Or am I just crazy?
(Maybe, oh maybe)
Just maybe
Maybe I’m crazy
(Save me)
Maybe I’m crazy
(Don’t forget me)
Maybe I’m crazy
(Don’t go baby no)
Maybe I’m crazy
Just maybe
Maybe
poem by Sugar Bear
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Delight In Variety
Others tell us what ‘truth’ should be when we
are small and with this tunnel vision we tackle
the world of experience and symbolism, bored
in our mental citadels
My life began when I discovered mysteries of
the unexplained: Egyptian pyramid blocks too
heavy for forklifts, ancient astronaut theories,
spontaneous human combustion
The face on Mars, levitation, spiritualism, the
Bermuda Triangle, UFO’s, theosophy, Sufi
dancers and the Mahabharata – requiring
a new definition of ‘truth’
Which I found in Terry Pratchett’s Discworld
law that belief always manifest in reality, thus
faith is the magic ingredient which determines
‘truth’ and being
By using beauty and harmony, love and wisdom
as guidelines, I choose how much reality to
accord any symbol I come across without
demanding consistency because
Quantum physics allows for everything to be
possible in an infinity of space and time; I do
not allow assumptions & preconceptions
to limit my mental freedom
As I strive to embrace everything which inspires
wonder, love and respect in my heart, no contra-
diction allowed to spoil my delight in variety
as the spice of life
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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For I do not believe God means us thus to divide life into two halves - to wear a grave face on Sunday, and to think it out-of-place to even so much as mention Him on a week-day. Do you think He cares to see only kneeling figures and to hear only tones of prayer - and that He does not also love to see the lambs leaping in the sunlight, and to hear the merry voices of the children, as they roll amoung the hay? Surely their innocent laughter is as sweet in His ears as the grandest anthem that ever rolled up from the "dim religious light" of some solemn cathedral?
quote by Lewis Carroll
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Invisible Man
You don't see me.
But I stand right here.
For my past mistakes.
Made me disappear.
The invisible man.
I am to you now.
I want you to see me.
Please let me know how.
Your loving gaze.
Pillow talk nights.
The laughs we shared.
Let me be in your sights.
Sharing our dreams.
Where did they all go?
Are they invisible too?
Don't let this be so.
Fun times with the kids.
Last minute trips.
Holding you close.
Your warm sweet lips.
Your gentle touch.
Your beautiful smile.
Are they gone forever?
Or just for a while?
Things taken fore granted.
But now I can see.
You through the Lord's eyes,
And not those of me.
Invisible people.
In an invisible world.
Now the sight is obtained.
As His plan unfurls.
I now see you clearly.
You're invisible no more.
You're even more beautiful.
Than ever before.
One day you may see me.
But for now I'm unseen.
He can make things much better.
Than they ever had been.
Invisible, I'll wait.
Until you see me again.
Until your trust I rebuild.
And your love I regain.
It will not be easy.
But I know it is right.
For love endures all.
So for yours I will fight.
God says it is worth it.
And I have to agree.
Through His love I will show her,
And one day, she'll see me.
I'm the Invisible man.
With my love of no end.
All the pain I will feel.
You are worth it my friend.
poem by Ryan Lee Morris
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Time Line
I try to read what you wrote down
The letters are in pencil and age has made them fade
Memories follow me as I walk through town
My heart for yours was not a fair trade
I tried but maybe to much
You told me secrets and I did the same
We exchanged a gentle but rough touch
Equally to blame
In the past
I too jealous
Too fast
And over zealous
In the past
You, low self esteem
Too vast
And ripping at the seem
Now in the present
I wish for the chance back
No longer to resent
The love I had and now lack.
poem by Jeremy Rascon
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My soul mate
Oh soul mate of my soul it's good to share with you
things that no one else is aware of that I do.
Secrets told to Christ alone, things that hurt Him so
is it fair to bare my soul and share these secrets with you?
I've seen the anguish such sharing brings to you my dear
the tears portraying your sorrow, the pain and the fear.
It's made me realize for the very first time in my life
The pain they bring to both Jesus and to you my wife.
My life seems such a bag of worms before me now
I wish it had never been and to change myself somehow.
I want to it them to the feet of Jesus and start afresh
Determined to love you and be worthy of your faithfulness.
If it is too difficult let me know and I will spare the pain.
One word from you will end it all and silent I will remain.
I'll cease the sharing of these wretched secrets in my life
And spare you the pain and woe it brings my loving wife.
I've been so foolish and there is nothing I can say to you
I am the man I am and I'm so sorry for the things I do.
I've only partly loved you as my wife in the years past
I wish to love you with my soul with a love that will last.
I have never known loves power before I must admit
such love is so new to me but now that I've tasted it.
Please walk with me down this hard repentant road
I cannot walk it on my own and carry this awful load.
What we have been through this past few days
is awesome and bizarre caused by my awful ways.
On this switch back road we have descended so low
from such heights of bliss to this awful depths of woe.
I would love to know you as the soul mate of my life
to love you as you deserve to be my wonderful wife.
For you are the soul mate of my soul and my helpmeet
the only one for me and you make my life complete.
Wedding-Hymn
Thou God, whose high, eternal Love
Is the only blue sky of our life,
Clear all the Heaven that bends above
The life-road of this man and wife.
May these two lives be but one note
In the world's strange-sounding harmony,
Whose sacred music e'er shall float
Through every discord up to Thee.
As when from separate stars two beams
Unite to form one tender ray:
As when two sweet but shadowy dreams
Explain each other in the day:
So may these two dear hearts one light
Emit, and each interpret each.
Let an angel come and dwell to-night
In this dear double-heart, and teach!
poem by Sidney Lanier
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