Ikon
The door creaks, as she opens it
and the fall of the heavy iron latch
echoes through the empty church.
The atmosphere inside, this cold day,
is heavy, as such holy places are,
locked now at night; heavy,
with what? Anticipation? Memory,
of all the human emotions
that have passed through them?
There’s still the clinging promise,
the fragrance of yesterday’s incense;
it could almost be a midnight forest
in its wood-scented mystery.
She lights a candle, drops a coin
slowly, as those do to whom
each coin has a meaning.
She is small, shrunken as the aged are,
wrapped into roundness against the cold,
yet neatly; today there’s an extra sense of purpose
about her walk towards the glittering
gold ikonostasis –
is it the anniversary of the day
her husband perished in the labour camp?
Or the day her son died fighting
so that such as she might live,
to mourn him, proudly, all her life?
Or was she, is she, that unmarried, famous
junior lecturer who lost her job
for speaking truth, whose students
carried her shoulder-high and placed her
on the tank outside the university,
challenging its gun?
She kneels in front of the ancient ikon,
framed in gold; the ikon that tourists
note with a glance, as ‘Christ’…though when painted,
it was known as ‘Son of God’; now they call it
‘Son of Man’ – that seems to suit it.
She looks intently into its eyes
as she has so many times; each time,
a new day, asking what He has in store for her.
As intently as its painter, praying as he worked,
that He might come and fill the painted form
with His eyes, His heart, His soul; all that He brought to earth
from That which sent Him…
She looks into the eyes of the ikon –
or does the ikon look at her?
In some other world, there is mighty sound,
perhaps a word; the air is filled with soundlessness;
there’s fire that burns forever; great waters flow
like grace itself; new earth is watered.
She sees, in some great where between
herself and all things, love that cannot be measured;
mercy that can only explain itself with itself;
grace that’s only known; her life
opens itself to her clearly, soundlessly;
all is revealed to the seeking heart.
The candles flicker; the door creaks,
and the heavy iron latch echoes
once, in the empty church; the Son of Man,
in the form of an old woman wrapped against the cold,
steps out into His kingdom. A few snowflakes;
a pale winter sun. But look into her eyes.
[revised]
poem by Michael Shepherd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
The eyes of the ikon
The door creaks as she opens it
and the fall of the heavy iron latch
echoes through the empty church.
The atmosphere inside, this cold day,
is heavy, as such holy places are,
locked now at night; heavy,
with what? Anticipation? Memory,
of all the human emotions
that have passed through them?
There’s still the clinging promise,
the fragrance of yesterday’s incense;
it could almost be a midnight forest
in its wood-scented mystery.
She lights a candle, drops a coin
slowly, as those do to whom
each coin has a meaning.
She is small, shrunken as the aged are,
wrapped into roundness against the cold,
yet neatly; today there’s an extra sense of purpose
about her walk towards the glittering
gold ikonostasis –
is it the anniversary of the day
her husband perished in the labour camp?
Or the day her son died fighting
so that such as she might live,
to mourn him, proudly, all her life?
Or was she, is she, that unmarried, famous
junior lecturer who lost her job
for speaking truth, whose students
carried her shoulder-high and placed her
on the tank outside the university,
challenging its gun?
She kneels in front of the ancient ikon,
framed in gold; the ikon that tourists
note with a glance, as ‘Christ’…though when painted,
it was known as ‘Son of God’; now they call it
‘Son of Man’ – that seems to suit it.
She looks intently into its eyes
as she has so many times; each time,
a new day, asking what He has in store for her.
As intently as its painter, praying as he worked,
that He might come and fill the painted form
with His eyes, His heart, His soul; all that He brought to earth
from That which sent Him…
She looks into the eyes of the ikon –
or does the ikon look at her?
In some other world, there is mighty sound,
perhaps a word; the air is filled with soundlessness;
there’s fire that burns forever; great waters flow
like grace itself; new earth is watered.
She sees, in some great where between
herself and all things, love that cannot be measured;
mercy that can only explain itself with itself;
grace that’s only known; her life
opens itself to her clearly, soundlessly;
all is revealed to the seeking heart.
The candles flicker; the door creaks,
and the heavy iron latch echoes
once, in the empty church. The Son of Man
in the form of an old woman wrapped against the cold,
steps out into His kingdom. A few snowflakes;
a pale winter sun. Look into her eyes.
poem by Michael Shepherd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
To Holy Russia
The door creaks, as she opens it
and the fall of the heavy iron latch
echoes through the empty church.
The atmosphere inside, this cold cold day,
is heavy, as such holy places are;
locked now at night; heavy,
with what? Anticipation; presence; memory
of all the human emotions
that have passed through them?
There’s still the clinging promise,
the fragrance of yesterday’s incense;
it could be a midnight cedar forest
in its dark wood-scented mystery.
She lights a candle, drops a coin
slowly, as those do to whom
each coin has a meaning.
She is small, shrunken as the aged are,
wrapped into roundness against the cold,
yet neatly; today there’s an extra sense of purpose
about her walk towards the glittering
gold ikonostasis –
is it the anniversary of the day
her husband perished in the labour camp?
Or the day her son died fighting
so that such as she might live,
to mourn him, proudly, all her life?
Or was she, is she, that unmarried, once famous
junior lecturer who lost her job
for speaking truth, whose students
carried her shoulder-high and placed her
on the tank outside the university,
challenging its gun?
She kneels in front of the ancient ikon,
thick with gold; the ikon that tourists
note with brief glance as ‘Christ’…though when painted,
it was known as ‘Son of God’; now they call it
‘Son of Man’ – that seems to suit it.
She looks intently into His eyes
as she has so many times; each time,
a new day, asking what He has in store for her;
asks as intently as its painter: praying as he worked,
that He might come and fill the painted form
with His eyes, His heart, His soul; all that He brought to earth
from That which sent Him…
She looks into the eyes of the ikon –
or does the ikon look at her?
In some other world, there is mighty sound,
perhaps a word; the air is filled with soundlessness;
there’s fire that burns forever; great waters flow
like grace itself; new earth is watered.
She sees, in some great where between
herself and all things, love that cannot be measured;
mercy that can only explain itself with itself;
grace that’s only to be known; her heart
opens itself to her soundlessly;
all is revealed to the seeking heart.
The candles flicker in the draught; the door creaks,
and the heavy iron latch echoes
once, in the empty church; the Son of Man,
as an old woman, wrapped against the cold,
steps out into His kingdom. A few snowflakes;
a pale winter sun. But look into His eyes.
*
(revised)
poem by Michael Shepherd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Prayer
A sailor drowned in the sea's depths
Unaware, his mother goes and lights
a tall candle before the ikon of our Lady
praying that he'll come back quickly, that the weather may be good
her ear cocked always to the wind.
While she prays and supplicates,
the ikon listens, solemn, sad,
knowing the son she waits for never will come back.
poem by Constantine P. Cavafy
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Hospital
Large, heavy, wooden, daunting doors
loom before my eyes as I enter.
An empty side office, reception
with old fashioned filing cabinets,
dark now, glass shutters, closed.
Another heavy door in front of me,
this one leads to a wide, cold floored corridor.
I baulk, want to turn heel, go home.
The black and white tiling, lofty ceiling,
does nothing but repulse me.
More heavy, locked doors
with tiny, peep hole windows, all barred.
Screaming, faint screaming echoes,
ghost like, as it drifts towards me
gradually getting louder.
I reach a wide, stone staircase.
Everything's locked and bolted,
no one passes and the screaming echoes.
Asylums, those old mental hospitals,
where we still send the forgotten
to live out their lives and rot.
You wouldn't ever call this home
and the world outside rolls on
as the traffic drifts by.
poem by Ruth Walters
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
An Echoing Truth
In a world of right and wrong, we have Truth, that echoes strong,
And from the world’s ancient past, God’s Truth shall forever last,
To be for men a guide and light, for discerning wrong from right;
God’s Guiding Truth for every need, when souls choose to heed.
God’s Word echoes loud and clear, as men of true wisdom fear,
God who reigns above the earth, who gives The Word true worth,
God, Who spoke this world in place, opens hearts by His Grace,
And with that Grace He will impart, Eternal Truth into man’s heart.
A Book, that many seldom read, has the Truth that all men need,
While others never even heard, the Eternal Truths in God’s Word;
Eternal Truths that man can trust, which were written for all of us,
Truth revealed to all the world, which all believers need to herald.
This truth’s more than knowledge of, The One who reigns above,
But what He had did for everyone, sending Christ, His Only Son,
His Truth, revealed to every nation, leads a soul to His Salvation,
When they come to Jesus Christ, that soul, receives Eternal Life.
Open The Word and you will see, Truth about our present reality,
And you will see through history, others pointing men to eternity,
How Godly men of old would tell, others about Heaven and Hell,
Knowing all are just one breath, away from Eternal Life or Death.
(Copyright ©06/2010)
Darshana
Who looks to whom?
And who looked first?
Everything that has direction
has its contraflow.
The ikon whose golden frame you gently touch
painted its painter so that it might look within you.
That white-bearded man whose photo
you just glanced at, was photographed
by the Ganges’ snowy swirling waters
to be there to bless your eyes, to smile your mind.
For you who arrived, hot, dusty, saddle-sore,
the saint has waited patiently to see you become him.
For you, the whole world awaits
with answers to your questions yet to ask.
poem by Michael Shepherd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Cynicism, and Hope
as i grow older
my cynicism grows...
i've grown tired of paper kingdoms
& dreams that end
with the taste of blood in my mouth.
i do not believe that
God lives in synagogues & churches,
or in the exhortations of evangelists,
or in the rituals of priests...
or in hell-fire & damnation,
the sword of judgement, the end of time,
or in holy graves...
i see God in the eyes...
the eyes of small children,
of homeless men beneath the bridge...
in the eyes of young lovers
madly lost in each other...
in the eyes of the old woman dying
in the empty house where she raised her children...
in the eyes of the activist arrested
& confined to a cold cell for believing
in human rights...
in the eyes of the addict
whose life is lost in the hole of the memory
that the needle fills...
in the eyes of dead soldiers
forever staring into the rage of war...
in the eyes of those struggling to survive
drowning in the despair of cold reality...
in the eyes that stare at me in the night,
& wont let me sleep without feeling...
in the eyes of the dog lying faithfully at my feet,
with no need to be anywhere else...
who is this God? of form & formless,
of light and shadow, dissolving, redefining...
who's not always male, but often female!
not owned, and not owning....
like the waves that carve the shore,
& leave it nameless...
(hungry for the footprints
of human desire!)
not aloof, but immersed,
almost drunk with sadness & joy...
not bound by dwelling or canyon,
but as free as the wind
that cant be spoken!
do i believe? yes! madly! ecstatically!
in life, & stillness, & even death!
in the song that takes no prisoners,
leaving dew in the parched grass...
& in the Lover who opens & closes the door
of eternity in the human heart...
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Heavy Love
I may not mystify you
In your search for higher love
I may just slip right by you
With your eyes turned up above.
We may not compromise
I may not suit your taste tonight
My love
But as the time goes by
You might think that Im all right
My love, my heavy love.
A noise, your phone is ringing
Or is that someone at your door
Inside your head Im singing
Inside your heart I cry for more.
You may not hear me calling
You may not feel me bawling out
My love
But heavy rocks are falling
Heavy love is coming down
My love, my heavy love.
A noise, your phone is ringing
Or is that someone at your door
Inside your head Im singing
Inside your heart I dig for more.
We may not compromise
I may not suit your taste tonight
My sweet love
But as the time goes by
You might think that Im all right
My love, my heavy love.
My heavy love.
song performed by by Neil Young
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Poured Out By God
Every day our God uses us, as His Instruments for Christ Jesus,
Pouring out our lives for Him, the One offered up, for all our sin.
Using our lives for His Glory, as He continues Salvation’s Story,
The story beginning at the cross, where He died for sinners lost.
Pouring out what He puts in us, empty vessels made from dust,
Filling us up with Truth and Love, through The Spirit from above,
As we empty these lives of self, God fills us with eternal wealth,
Putting in us the Spirit of Christ, He uses us throughout this life.
A life surrendered to Jesus Christ, becomes for God a sacrifice,
For God to use us as He wills, while Christ’s purpose, He fulfills.
As Christ is building His Church, someone may end their search,
When that one is ready to know, Truth inside you God will show.
God fills men with all He needs, to pour Truth on seeking seeds,
The souls who were witnessed to, before they ever came to you.
He then pours His Truth and Light, from you, to give them sight,
Sight that opens up their heart, as you continue to do your part.
As we live our life for The Lord; blessings from God are poured,
On the men we come beside, through The Spirit who lives inside.
So fill your heart with His Word, and as His Truth inside is stirred,
The Truth inside, God has stored, for His purpose will be poured.
(Copyright ©01/2008)
Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace, how sweet God is, and all because of this,
The Gift He sent upon a Cross, God’s Gift to all those lost,
A gift that is deserved by none, the Gift of God’s own Son,
Our Blessed Savior, Jesus Christ, who came to give us life.
His Grace reaches far and wide, and no one shall be denied,
Who comes by faith to Him, Christ, who died for all their sin,
And all who seek His face, receive from Him amazing Grace,
Grace that opens up that door, to life with God forevermore.
It is a Grace that’s from above, guiding us here by His love,
A love that sent His only Son, to be the Savior of everyone,
With His love, comes a peace, that from God will not cease,
Peace unlike the world’s friend, inner peace that has no end.
God’s Grace truly changes men, in Christ they’re born again,
Sinful men of this earth, now bound for heaven by new birth,
Fallen men, now changed for life, in a world where sin is rife,
Now living life for the Lord, since His Grace was not ignored.
Grace will soften a hard heart, giving a life a brand new start,
By giving a soul eyes to see, God’s Truth, regarding eternity,
Turning a soul to the place, where they receive saving Grace,
At the Cross of Calvary, where Grace began for you and me.
(Copyright ©09/200)
Wisdom From Above
The Word of God is so very clear, yet, so many men have no fear,
Within their hearts, of The Lord, and so God’s Word goes ignored;
A fear that begins wisdom for all, men everywhere great and small,
Wisdom which opens eyes to see, Truths from the Lord of Eternity.
The Lord revealed Himself to Israel, revealing His Purpose and Will,
And today the Lord’s Revelation, is available to every single nation,
For God spoke through His Son, not just to Israel, but to everyone,
God’s Son was revealed to all men, in a world that was condemned.
My friend, this day as in ages past, only Heavenly Wisdom will last,
A wisdom, which you will receive, when God’s Truth you do believe,
The Wisdom from The Lord above, greater than what men speak of,
Far surpassing the wisdom of men, that, Christ Jesus will condemn.
With this Wisdom, you will heed, the words of Truth which you read,
And as the Spirit opens your eyes, worldly wisdom you will despise,
Embracing Truths of God’s Word, over empty wisdom you’ve heard,
As The Spirit of God does impart, Truth and Wisdom into your heart.
Man’s worldly wisdom my friend, God makes foolishness in the end,
As God frustrates their empty ways, for The Lord’s Glory and Praise;
This all begins through Godly fear, of The Lord, Who is so very near,
And God’s Wisdom, you will see, leads a heart to New Life, Eternally.
(Copyright ©05/2010)
Heavy Heart
Heavy heart think of yesterday
And you're torn apart
Thinking of the ways it was easier to smile
More than today love grew wild
Heavy heart like a perfect stranger
You make it hard
Taking all the blame - still you hear the sound
Calling your name - troubles coming down
Too heavy
Turn it around
It's pressing me down
Heavy heart
This time I find
It weighs on my mind
Heavy heart
It's just like you to take it all so far
Then you feel abused and wonder who you are
Everything you've done - anything you start
Can turn and run
Ain't it true - it's only just a stage
Gotta give it room - start an empty page
Get back in the game - but do it your way
You don't have to play so heavy
Turn it around
It's pressing me down
Heavy heart
This time I find
It weighs on my mind
Heavy heart
When your heart is strong it leads you on
But when it breaks you
It devastates you for so long
Turn it around
It's pressing me down
Heavy heart
This time I find
It weighs on my mind
Heavy heart
Turn it around
It's pressing me down
Heavy heart
This time I find
It weighs on my mind
Heavy heart
song performed by by Heart from Passion Works
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The Iron Cross
THEY pass, with heavy eyes and hair,
Before the Christ upon the Cross,
The Nations, stricken with their loss,
And lifting faces of despair.
What is the prayer they pray to Him,
Christ Jesus on the Iron Cross?
The Christ, neglected, dark with moss,
Whose hands are pierced, whose face is grim.
Is it forgiveness for great sin
They plead before the Iron Cross?
Or for some gift of gold or dross?
Or battle lost, that they would win?
With eyes where hate and horror meet,
They pass before the Iron Cross,
The Cross, that ancient words emboss,
Where hangs the Christ with nail-pierced feet.
His hair is fallen on his face.
His head hangs sidewise from the Cross —
The Crucified, who knows all loss,
And had on Earth no resting place.
'O world of men,' he seems to say,
'Behold me on your Iron Cross!
To me why kneel and tell your loss?
Why kneel to me and weep and pray?
'Have I not taught you to forgive?
And bade you from my Iron Cross
Believe, and bear your grief and loss,
That after death you too may live?
'You have not followed at my call!
You keep me on this Iron Cross,
And pray me keep you from all loss,
And save and comfort you withal.—
'You ask for love, and hate the more! —
You keep me on this Iron Cross!—
Restore to me my greater loss,
The brotherhood of rich and poor.'
They pass, with weary eyes and hair,
Before the Christ upon the Cross —
The Nations, wailing of their loss,
And lifting faces of despair.
poem by Madison Julius Cawein
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Sack Full Of Stones
(Travis Tritt/Marty Stuart)
I used to be the kind of guy
I could laugh as well as cry
With a heart feather-soft and summer-warm
Since you've left me I've been faced
With emptiness that's been replaced
With a heart that's hard and heavy as a sack full of stones
I never thought I'd ever see
The man my mirror is showing me
Lord I must have aged ten years
Since you've been gone
The longest mile you'll ever crawl
Is the one after you fall
Draggin' around a heart that's heavy as a sack full of stones
With the world upon my shoulders
And my feelings on my sleeve
Every time I close my eyes at night
All I do is watch you leave
But by far the biggest curse of being left alone
Is draggin' around a heart that's heavy as a sack full of stones
Well I tried turning to a bottle
But the bottle turned on me
I've tried everything
But nothing sets your memory free
I'm serving life here in a prison
That we once called a home
With a heart that's cold and heavy as a sack full of stones
With the world upon my shoulders
And my feelings on my sleeve
Every time I close my eyes at night
All I do is watch you leave
But by far the biggest curse of being left alone
Is draggin' around a heart that's heavy as a sack full of stones
Yes by far the biggest curse of being left alone
Is draggin' around a heart that's heavy as a sack full of stones
song performed by by Travis Tritt
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The Vigil
THE rain is falling on the roof,
And no sound else disturbs the wife,
Except the trees and winds at strife,
Now near at hand and now aloof;
But listening, leaning evermore,
She waits a knock upon the door.
Her hair is braided round her head;
Her eyes are large and fierce and bright;
Her shapely throat is soft and white;
And on her mouth there burns the red
Of that rich, storied gem that shone
Upon the breast of Prester John.
Upon the couch her husband lies.
How is it that he lies so still?
Why sleeps he there so pale and chill,
The lamplight on his lidded eyes?
Has she not fire, and more than fire
To thrill his flesh with hot desire?
Anon she lifts her rounded arms
As though to feel that she is free;
And her large eyes exultantly
Light up, as when the dawn-glow charms
With roseate lights that gleam and glance
Twin pools to sudden radiance.
The rain is falling on the roof;
Yet, though her ears are open wide,
There is no other sound outside —
No fall of foot, nor tramp of hoof.
And on his couch with lidded eyes
The husband, cold and pallid, lies.
The midnight sky is wild and black
And drenches earth with ceaseless tears;
And now it seems to her she hears
Hoof-strokes upon the sodden track;
And now she rises, sweet as sin,
To let the late night-strayer in.
The lamplight gleams upon his face,
And glistens on his reddened spur;
He stretches out his arms to her
And folds her in a rude embrace. . . .
How can it be the husband lies
So still, with heavy-lidded eyes?
Perchance he neither sees nor hears,
And sleeps unmoved by chance or change.
And yet. . . .and yet, it seems so strange —
If he be dead there should be tears.
Not love nor smiles, nor midnight bliss,
Nor mouths that marry in a kiss.
The loud winds thrust upon the door,
The raindrops plash against the roof,
The trickles from a waterproof
Make little pools upon the floor;
No foe between, no more apart,
They stand, heart throbbing back to heart.
Anon she says: 'He died this morn.
He did not die a whit too soon;
Life's day, alas, makes towards its noon.
He should have died when love was born.
He should have died long since. And now
Kiss me again — my mouth, my brow!'
poem by Roderic Quinn
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Meditations Upon A Candle
Man's like a candle in a candlestick,
Made up of tallow and a little wick;
And as the candle when it is not lighted,
So is he who is in his sins benighted.
Nor can a man his soul with grace inspire,
More than can candles set themselves on fire.
Candles receive their light from what they are not;
Men grace from Him for whom at first they care not.
We manage candles when they take the fire;
God men, when he with grace doth them inspire.
And biggest candles give the better light,
As grace on biggest sinners shines most bright.
The candle shines to make another see,
A saint unto his neighbour light should be.
The blinking candle we do much despise,
Saints dim of light are high in no man's eyes.
Again, though it may seem to some a riddle,
We use to light our candles at the middle.
True light doth at the candle's end appear,
And grace the heart first reaches by the ear.
But 'tis the wick the fire doth kindle on,
As 'tis the heart that grace first works upon.
Thus both do fasten upon what's the main,
And so their life and vigour do maintain.
The tallow makes the wick yield to the fire,
And sinful flesh doth make the soul desire
That grace may kindle on it, in it burn;
So evil makes the soul from evil turn.
But candles in the wind are apt to flare,
And Christians, in a tempest, to despair.
The flame also with smoke attended is,
And in our holy lives there's much amiss.
Sometimes a thief will candle-light annoy,
And lusts do seek our graces to destroy.
What brackish is will make a candle sputter;
'Twixt sin and grace there's oft' a heavy clutter.
Sometimes the light burns dim, 'cause of the snuff,
Sometimes it is blown quite out with a puff;
But watchfulness preventeth both these evils,
Keeps candles light, and grace in spite of devils.
Nor let not snuffs nor puffs make us to doubt,
Our candles may be lighted, though puffed out.
The candle in the night doth all excel,
Nor sun, nor moon, nor stars, then shine so well.
So is the Christian in our hemisphere,
Whose light shows others how their course to steer.
When candles are put out, all's in confusion;
Where Christians are not, devils make intrusion.
Then happy are they who such candles have,
All others dwell in darkness and the grave.
But candles that do blink within the socket,
And saints, whose eyes are always in their pocket,
Are much alike; such candles make us fumble,
And at such saints good men and bad do stumble.
Good candles don't offend, except sore eyes,
Nor hurt, unless it be the silly flies.
Thus none like burning candles in the night,
Nor ought to holy living for delight.
But let us draw towards the candle's end:
The fire, you see, doth wick and tallow spend,
As grace man's life until his glass is run,
And so the candle and the man is done.
The man now lays him down upon his bed,
The wick yields up its fire, and so is dead.
The candle now extinct is, but the man
By grace mounts up to glory, there to stand.
poem by John Bunyan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Despair Is Heavy
DESPAIR IS HEAVY
Despair is heavy
And I am heavier than I have been in a long time-
The cold and the dark and the damp
Also weigh me down.
I still can move
But more slowly now
And with much more aching.
When will the minor pain become paralysis?
And when will the weight kill me?
Perhaps I am done forever
And will never move again
And the weight will take me all the way down
So low I will not even be aware anymore of my despair.
It is a heavy day now
And I am too heavy a person
And Heaviness is in the air
And rules the Universe
And everything is sinking down
And falling into its own meaninglessness.
Life is heavy
I am heavy
Everything is heavy now and getting heavier.
poem by Shalom Freedman
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Flos Lunae
I would not alter thy cold eyes,
Nor trouble the calm fount of speech
With aught of passion or surprise.
The heart of thee I cannot reach:
I would not alter thy cold eyes!
I would not alter thy cold eyes;
Nor have thee smile, nor make thee weep:
Though all my life droops down and dies,
Desiring thee, desiring sleep,
I would not alter thy cold eyes.
I would not alter thy cold eyes;
I would not change thee if I might,
To whom my prayers for incense rise,
Daughter of dreams! my moon of night!
I would not alter thy cold eyes.
I would not alter thy cold eyes,
With trouble of the human heart:
Within their glance my spirit lies,
A frozen thing, alone, apart;
I would not alter thy cold eyes.
poem by Ernest Christopher Dowson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Lets End Bulling!
Pain drawn near.
Breathing has gotten hard.
Tears fill my eyes.
My thoughts go crazy.
Blood flowing free,
Welts on my wrist.
Splits in the skin,
No more suffering.
Little girl,
Sitting alone.
Her thoughts are sad,
The pain is heavy.
No one will help her.
There is no one there.
Any body save this one,
Bulling and torment,
Haunt her in her dreams.
They don't see,
Their words have killed her.
Blood on the ground,
Life leaving her eyes.
The bedroom door,
Locked on the inside.
Yelling out,
To my only daughter.
Banging with all my might.
I finally kick the door in.
Froze in shock.
My daughter in a pool of blood.
A shocked mother,
Just found her daughter.
Pale and cold.
Note on her bed,
Saying that she is sorry.
Bullied and talked down.
Pain was her last thought.
She wasn't good enough.
The mother runs for the girl,
Knowing it is too late.
Tears flowing free,
She was to late.
The little girls life,
Is lost to the razor.
I lost my little girl.
She is all I had.
My husband died in the war.
Sad and lonely.
I'll do my best,
To make sure any other little girl,
Doesn't have the same fate.
A strong mother,
Lost the one person she loved.
Due to bulling at a school,
Not even at the brink of life.
Just the begining of the journey.
Never to see,
The meaning of her life.
poem by Mariah Simpson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Unwavering
In a world where hearts can waver, we serve an unchanging Savior,
Who walks ahead strong and tall, to lift believers up when they fall.
Christ, the same today as yesterday, Christ is faithful in every way.
With a heart which changes never, Christ remains the same forever.
Changing times and varying roles, in the world even changes souls,
Following what this world may say, can even lead a Believer astray.
But always near and always true, Christ’s there to always guide you,
Back to this world’s only stable place, on the Rock by God’s Grace.
Saving Grace in God’s economy, remains the same for you and me,
God’s Grace, unchanging as it is, in fact changes sinners, to be His.
Grace which reaches near and far, to accept anyone where there are,
Moving us into God’s own family; into Christ’s Kingdom for Eternity.
The Grace which Christ unfurled, is still the same in a changing world,
As His unchanging Revelation, remains true and sure to every nation.
With God’s purpose set into stone, to build a Church, to call His own,
With all of those called out from, the world, to remain true to His Son.
As this world changes, be assured, there is a true stability in our Lord,
And in this Truth we can proclaim, through the power of Christ’s name,
As His Eternal Truth sets men apart, instilling The Spirit into their heart,
For the unchanged purpose in life, unwavering service to Jesus Christ.
(Copyright ©11/2007)