My Psaltery: miscellaneous

98.    “East of Eden”

 

East of Eden toiling long

In the earth from which we come

Hiding, seeking, wandering far

Sin-entangled, dark in heart

Morning Star of holy light

Cleaved into our darkest night

Swaddled and be-mangered there

Lowly birth, the clay-formed Heir

Father God’s begotten Son

With His blood redeems as one

All the humble, yielding hearts

Westward home to ne’er depart

 

22Dec2020 cja

 

103.    “Ode to God”

 

All to You

All to You

My dog, my self, my camp

The hours, the days, the years

Me in You, and You in me

I will not let You go

You hold me even surer

All to You

All to You

Your love will not let me go

Your gentleness makes me great

All glory and honor and power and praise

Belong to You

 

14Feb2021 cja

 

 

105.    “Tunstall Forest”

 

I come from love

I go to love

It’s the dash across that hurts

 

Ducking for cover

From tree to tree

Fleeing pursuit at my back

 

I mourn love passed

I hope love promised

The cavalry charges the highroad

Climbing through bracken

Bereft and stunned

Puzzling the motives of hearts

 

To Holywood I fly

With love at my side

Silent, but never forsaken

 

20Feb2021 cja

 

 

108.    “Ode to the Listening Ear”

 

It catches me, fully received

There’s room for both; a two way street

The speed at which the words do flow

Must needs abate for depth to grow

But when the pace is tampered down

New pleasant rooms can then be found

As with the table where we eat

One should not starve while others feast

More than a ravenous appetite

The listening ear serves with delight

In friendship we are satisfied

Each heart is heard and edified

 

21Feb2021 cja

 

 

116.    “This Do In Remembrance Of Me”

 

Do this in remembrance

Remember Me, fail not

So many things to look at here

Thus easily forgot

When I fail You bring me ‘round

When I “squirrel” You call

Clear my mind

Clean my heart

Turn my toes to Home

 

25Feb2021 cja

 

 

123.    “My Bell”

 

I love to hear the bell ring

The Chapel of Saint Louis

A call to prayer and worship

The sound of hope renewing

Unashamed it rings aloud

Midst flats and shops and streets

Ding-ga-ding it heralds

The Sabbath of the King

All who will may enter

Quite easy turns the latch

The lock that barred is broken

Our sin has been dispatched

So enter now His Rest

The bell, it rings for you

Midst shops and streets and hub-bub

The clapper hammers truth

 

7March 2021 cja

 

 

126.    “Boules Among the Roots”

 

Boules among the roots

Greatly complicated

Surely such pursuits

Are worthless of one’s time

But there betwixt the toes

Of some old, shady chestnut

They laugh and joust their foes

All challenges sublime

 

30March2021 cja

 

 

129.    “My Happies”

 

Yellow roses

Doggie noses

Pencil tip on paper clean

Thread and needle

Cook a little

Cup of coffee, toast and cheese

Hope renewing

Dreams abrewing

Jesus Christ alive in me

 

8April2021 cja

 

 

130.    “The Little Belfry”

 

I have a little belfry

It lives across the way

I see it through my window

As I sit and pray

When Sundays come, I hear it

Ring-ga-ding-ga-ding

My heart’s bells ring out wildly

In hope of Christ our King

 

10April2021 cja

 

  

My Psaltery: autumn collection

 

90.

 

Wellies on and dog on-leash

Striding down the mud-pocked path

River flowing, twilight chasing

Through the raining, treed arcade

Raspy golds and ardent plums

Salute and twirl with open hearts

Oranges an octave high

Hold their note beyond the tune

Husky browns with stoic grace

Let go, earthed and resolute

Fainting greens give up the ghost

Bid Adieu and wave goodbye

And then the ruddy ruby ones

Like Celtic mothers, unafraid

Sing out their wandering children’s names

Above the howling roaring winds

To come home

      Of which, I am one

 

1Nov2020

cja

 

 

 

 

91.

 

Leaves may drop

But they don’t drown

Over weirs and muck they ride

Floating free

Bob topside

Faces moist and fearless rise

Gregarious

They congregate

Touching tips they form their train

Prismatic

Irregular

Mille-de-fleur in dark’ning rain

River flows

Strong wind blows

Their numbers rise, so do I

No fear

No doubt

Just grace

 

 

7Nov2020

cja

My Psaltery: Christmas

 

Begotten

 

The days were dark

The times were grim

Did God still see

And think of them?

 

Israel held down

In Rome’s strong fist

A census tax

None could resist

 

A carpenter

And his betrothed

Long walked along

The southern road

 

It wasn’t how

They planned it’d be

A boy, a girl

A canopy

 

But Heaven tore

The earthly veil

And came with love

That would prevail

 

Prevail against

Their captor’s chains

Break off their fears

Remove death’s stains

 

He cared for her

Who bore the One

The LORD’s only

Begotten Son

 

 

 

13Nov2020

Crystal Alexander

See Matthew 1:20-21

 

 

 

 

“But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife:  for that which is conceived [“begotten”] in her is of the Holy Ghost.  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS [“Savior”]:  for he shall save his people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:20-21

 

*The words in brackets are from the side-notes in my grandma’s KJV Bible.

My Psaltery: be brave, my heart

 89.

 It feels like a tick

Not a tock, just a tick

It sounds like a timer

Deep inside

 

But the fear is a trick

Not a truth, just a trick

It’s the fear that’s afraid

And is begging a ride

 

Cast away with a kick

Not a whine, just a kick

Perfect Love now fills

The house I abide

 

Faith leads the parade

Feelings learns to be staid

Fright, black-eyed and gob-smacked

Now ditched and defied

 

14 Oct 2020

cja

 

 

 

 

My Psaltery: spiritual struggle

 37.

 You who think you’re in control

Wag the dog and rule the world

All these closed-door schemings set

Off the radar, behind the web

God of Heaven laughs at you

Mocks your plans and scoffs your crew

Black masks will not hide black hearts

Clear as day He knows your arts

How you planned to seize the power

Set the clock and chose the hour

So you think you’ve struck a match

Gonna burn the world and watch

Holy Lord enthroned on high

Sees your folly, knows your lies

The match is struck, yes it is true

The ones who’ll blaze, though, will be you

Repent, oh sinners, turn and live

Kiss the Son and He’ll forgive

Therefore rulers and earth’s kings

Serve the Lord with trembling

Humbly heed the Lord’s decree

Or be dashed like pottery

All these nations that you claim

Raising them for selfish gain

            BELONG TO CHRIST

Lord we need a new beginning

Spirit breathe on fires waning

Lamps now filled are burning bright

Come Lord Jesus, set things right

 

2 June 2020

cja

 

 

40.

 It’s the thin end of the wedge

Again

It’s the crowbar at the boards

Trying to loosen me

 

It’s the entrance of a lie

Again

Give some ground, learn their song

Tring to put me to sleep

 

It’s a challenge to the truth

Again

“Sit down in our silver chair”

Trying to ensnare me

 

It’s devil’s shell-game heist

Again

Focus hard, but don’t see

Trying to kill me

 

            ENOUGH

 

I will not play your game

I will not take your hand

I will not let you in

You can’t camp on my land

 

I will not give an inch

You cannot write my story

God’s seated on my throne

To whom I’ll give all glory

 

God’s Holy Spirit comes

Baptizes us with pow’r

To witness to the world

In this their darkest hour

 

This Baptizing is real

And physically shown

By speech other tongued

That we’ve never known

 

The early church lived it

The Holy Spirit gave it

I have received it

And I won’t deny it

 

            PREACH THE WORD

7 June 2020

cja

 

41.

 Baptize with fire, God

Blaze like no other

Send Holy Cyclone

And rattle our shutters

 

Burn with your cleansing

Purifying Light

Baptize Your people

With Holy Ghost might

 

Take hold our tongues

Those wicked wee flames

We ask for forgiveness

And sanctified Spring

 

Rebellious and fractured

Thus scattered at Babel

Pentecost blazed

Redeemed the babble

 

Languages foreign

You put on our tongues

Holy Ghost unction

Pentecost sprung

 

No teacher taught us

These words of new praise

Proclaiming Your glory

Wind-swept and ablaze

 

Come Holy Spirit

Ignite us again

Gather the kindling

Breathe on the flame

 

Build up Your bonfire

Stack up the timber

Pour out Your Spirit

Revive the low embers

 

The hearth of our hearts

We’ve left unattended

Busy and bustling

The world we befriended

 

It’s time to return

To God’s fireplace

To tarry and pray

For the Pentecost grace

8 June 2020

cja

 

 

 

My Psaltery: improved sight

 #83.   "Crocodile"

 

Crocodile with jaws agape

Big enough to eat me whole

Stiff with fear I daren’t move

Crouched and shaking for my soul

 

Back behind me, from a distance

Comes a tiny, cold hard laugh

I would turn and see who’s leering

But for danger in my path

 

Minutes tick, and hours too

My heart is stiff and sore and numb

Merciless the laughter titters

My temper starts to come undone

 

Quick as a wink I tear my eyes

From Death’s dread teeth and throat

And glance behind to see the one

My end brings cause to gloat

 

That wee glance was all it took

I roared with primal wrath

My back full turned to toothy smiles

I hurled my shoe ka-thwack!

 

There by a candle sprawling

Lay senseless and unarmed

An imp of worthless stature

Whose fingers no more charmed

 

21 September 2020

cja

My Psaltery: Be of good cheer!

 

67.

Play your discard and be still

The Lord has a hand to play

If we dally with our turn

We keep His blessing at bay

 

11 Aug 2020

 

75.

Hair shorn

Heart sore

Not what I’d planned at all

Three-sided winds push me along

A path that I’ve not sought

 

Hair shorn

Heart sore

My heart and feet of lead

I bear a scroll and compass

I daren’t turn my tread

 

Hair shorn

Heart sore

With face of flint I stride

The promise I carry resolves me

And I will not be denied

 

26 Aug 2020

 

78.

Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer

Though th’watery world ‘neath us heaves

Fear not, buck up, and steady your hearts

Even so, as God said, it shall be

 

The ship will sink, ah yes, ‘tis true

But neary a soul shall be drowned

Stay where you are and wait for the LORD

In no other source is help found

 

Cast four anchors, wish for day

The lifeboats of self-help cut free

Fourteen days, driven and fasting

Tossed in a ravenous sea

 

Receive God’s bread of nourishment

Give thanks, break and eat

Lighten your vessel of all you’ve held dear

Good cheer comes from God’s Mercy Seat

 

Then take up the anchors, commit to the sea

And loose the rudder band

Hoist up the mainsail, aim for the shore

Collision is key to God’s plan

 

And in your submission, He’ll buoy you up

Redeeming your life from the grave

The vessel thus broken will give you the planking

On which to float and be saved

 

Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer

Though this you started in pride

The LORD of All commands the waves

And in His grace you will ride

 

31 Aug 2020

(Acts 27)