Sardis by William Cowper

“Write to Sardis,” saith the Lord,
And write what he declares,
He whose Spirit and whose word,
Upholds the seven stars:
“All thy works and ways I search,
Find thy zeal and love decayed:
Thou art called a living church,
But thou art cold and dead.”

“Watch, remember, seek, and strive,
Exert thy former pains;
Let thy timely care revive,
And strengthen what remains:
Cleanse thine heart, thy works amend,
Former times to mind recall,
Lest my sudden stroke descend,
And smite thee once for all.” 

“Yet I remember now in thee
A few that are upright:
these my Father’s face shall see,
And walk with me in white,
When in judgment I appear,
They for mine shall be confessed;
Let my faithful servants hear;
And woe be to the rest!”

(Rev.3:1-6)

 

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Before Sleeping – anonymous

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
Bless the bed that I lie on!
Four corners to my bed,
Four angels round my head,
One at head and one at feet,
And two to guard my soul asleep.

 

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I Cannot Live With You by Emily Dickinson

I cannot live with You –
It would be Life –
And Life is over there –
Behind the Shelf 

The Sexton keeps the Key to –
Putting up
Our Life – His Porcelain –
Like a Cup – 

Discarded of the Housewife –
Quaint – or Broke –
A newer Sevres pleases –
Old Ones crack – 

I could not die – with You –
For One must wait
To shut the Other’s Gaze down –
You – could not – 

And I – Could I stand by
And see You – freeze –
Without my Right of Frost –
Death’s privilege?

Nor could I rise – with You –
Because Your Face
Would put out Jesus’ –
That New Grace 

Glow plain – and foreign
On my homesick Eye –
Except that You than He
Shone closer by – 

They’d judge Us – How –
For You – served Heaven – You know,
Or sought to –
I could not – 

Because You saturated Sight –
And I had no more Eyes
For sordid excellence
As Paradise 

And were You lost, I would be –
Though My Name
Rang loudest
On the Heavenly fame – 

And were You – saved –
And I – condemned to be
Where You were not –
That self – were Hell to Me – 

So We must meet apart –
You there – I – here –
With just the Door ajar
That Oceans are – and Prayer –
And that White Sustenance –
Despair –

 

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Followers – author unknown

They followed Him by thousands when he took some fish and bread
And a banquet in the desert by His miracle was spread.
They sang aloud, “Hosanna!” and they shouted, “Praise His name!”
When in an hour of glory to Jerusalem He came.
They followed when He told them of a kingdom and a throne,
But when He went to Calvary, He went there all alone.

It seems that many people still would follow Him today
If He only went to places where everything was gay.
For the kingdom that they’re seeking isn’t one the world scorns.
And the crown of which they’re singing isn’t one that’s made of thorns.
Oh, they’ll follow for the fishes over land and over sea,
And they’ll join the church at Zion, but not at Calvary.

It’s so easy, friends, to follow when the nets are full of fish,
When the loaves are spread before you and you’re eating all you wish.
When no lands, nor lots, nor houses and no friendships are at stake,
When there’s no mob to mock you and you have no cross to take.
But you’ll need some faith to follow down through Gethsemane,
And you’ll need some love to follow up to Calvary!

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Preface To Milton by William Blake

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England’s mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England’s pleasant pastures seen?

And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark Satanic mills?

Bring me my  bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!

I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England’s green and pleasant land.

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Wisdom by William Cowper

Ere God had built the mountains,
…Or raised the fruitful hills;
Before he filled the fountains
…That feed the running rills;
In me, from everlasting,
…The wonderful I AM,
Found pleasures never-wasting,
…And Wisdom is my name.

When, like a tent to dwell in,
…He spread the skies abroad,
And swathed about the swelling
…Of Ocean’s mighty flood;
He wrought by weight and measure,
…And I was with him then:
Myself the Father’s pleasure,
…And mine, the sons of men.

Thus Wisdom’s words discover
…Thy glory and thy grace,
Thou everlasting lover
…Of our unworthy race!
Thy gracious eye surveyed us
…Ere stars were seen above;
In wisdom thou hast made us,
…And died for us in love.

And couldst thou be delighted
…With creatures such as we,
Who, when we saw thee, slighted
…And nailed thee to a tree?
Unfathomable wonder,
…And mystery divine!
The voice that speaks in thunder,
…Says, “Sinner, I am thine!”

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Three Miscellaneous Haiku by Dennis Lange

You Could Give Me A Cigarette

As camel,
I would walk a mile –
No farther.

*A long-running advertising line was “I’d walk a mile for a Camel” (cigarette).

——————–

—

Nor Talent

I’d carve too,
I just do not have
A mountain.

———————

—

Not Ours – His

A Christian –
The light of the world,
Christ shines through.

———————

Cigarette – photo by Karunakar Rayker at http://www.rgbstock.com/photo/mhoNhni/Camel

Talent – photo by Martyn E. Jones at http://www.rgbstock.com/photo/oQSRafQ/Presidents+Heads

His – photo by Bill Davenport at http://www.rgbstock.com/photo/mg1RPC0/Shining+Through+Me

——————–

* The haiku I write are lines of 3-5-3 syllables instead of 5-7-5.

See Haiku article here for explanation, if needed: https://thebardonthehill.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/haiku/

——————–

© Dennis Lange and thebardonthehill.wordpress.com, 2015.

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Escaping The Flames by Dennis Lange

A faggot’s a stick picked for burning.
If you are a faggot, be turning
…From wood that you are
…To the Rock that won’t char
And ways that earn matches be spurning.

———————————————

© Dennis Lange and thebardonthehill.wordpress.com, 2015.

 

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Three Miscellaneous Haiku by Dennis Lange

 

Sweet Bird Sandwich

Oriole?
Outside black; in, light –
Oreo.

——————–

 

A Haiku Knot

A knot hole
Is not not a hole
If knot’s not.

——————–

 

Mahogany? Try Jesus

It’s hidden:
The wormwood of sin
In our souls.

——————–

Bird – photo by John Boyer at http://www.rgbstock.com/photo/nl5WYtI/Friends+of+Birds

Knot – photo by Robert Lindner at http://www.rgbstock.com/photo/n145XA4/Knot+Hole

Mahogany – photo by Bill Davenport at http://www.rgbstock.com/photo/mg1Sl7y/Wormwood

——————–

* The haiku I write are lines of 3-5-3 syllables instead of 5-7-5.

See Haiku article here for explanation, if needed: https://thebardonthehill.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/haiku/

——————–

© Dennis Lange and thebardonthehill.wordpress.com, 2015.

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St. Agnes’ Eve by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Deep on the convent–roof the snows
…Are sparkling to the moon;
My breath to heaven like vapor goes;
…May my soul follow soon!
The shadows of the convent-towers
…Slant down the snowy sward,
Still creeping with the creeping hours
…That lead me to my Lord:
Make Thou my spirit pure and clear
…As are the frosty skies,
Or this first snowdrop of the year
…That in my bosom lies. 

As these white robes are soiled and dark,
…To yonder shining ground;
As this pale taper’s earthly spark,
…To yonder argent round;
So shows my soul before the Lamb,
…My spirit before Thee;
So in mine earthly house I am,
…To that I hope to be.
Break up the heavens, O Lord! And far,
…Thro’ all yon starlight keen,
Draw me, thy bride, a glittering star,
…In raiment white and clean. 

He lifts me to the golden doors;
…The flashes come and go;
All heaven bursts her starry floors,
…And strows her lights below,
And deepens on and up! the gates
…Roll back, and far within
For me the Heavenly Bridegroom waits,
…To make me pure of sin.
The Sabbaths of Eternity,
…One Sabbath deep and wide –
A light upon the shining sea –
…The Bridegroom and his bride!

 

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