The Mountain Pool

Alone, unknown, a quiet mountain pool
Rests up among the rocks where none can see.
Filled to the brim with rippling water cool,
Translucent colored with green, like the sea.
A waterfall runs into it, and yet
It small disturbs the tranquil surface mood;
As water falls, and water flows, forget
The cares of life, else melancholy-viewed.
In all of nature, water is unique
In beauty, peacefulness, sublimity;
It flows, it falls, is ever-running sleek,
And brings to quarrels equanimity.
O peaceful mountain pool, run never dry,
But e'er reflect the peaceful, sky-blue sky.

Hymn to the Creator [Earth]

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. ... God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters he called seas; and God saw that it was good. - Genesis 1:1,10

Creator of the earth and sky and sea,
Who separates the water from dry land:
You formed the earth, you made it come to be.

The earth, with mountains, valleys, shoals, and sand,
With hills, plateaus, peninsulas, and all
Created by His ever potent hand.

The earth, with seasons: spring, and summer, fall,
And winter, too, then back to spring again:
New life comes forth at God's resounding call.

This all to man God gives for his domain.

Sunset

Among the mist and through the mighty trees
The sun's last ray shines dimly on the land,
And through the canyons deep the blowing breeze
Runs swiftly over flowing rivers grand.
As clouds diffuse the light, the gentle glow,
Pale yellow sky above, caresses blue.
I sit here, watching; light is fading slow;
Upon a rock, I have an awesome view.
The sunset slowly fades, the sun goes down,
And with it fades the view I love so much.
The world will fade to black and gray and brown,
A world with other joys, of stars and such.
But in the morn, the sun will rise again;
The sunrise: rising sun with fiery mane.

Sonnet for the Trinity

O Holy, everlasting Father God,
O Thou who made the earth and heav'n above,
Who rescued Israel, gave them Jesse's rod:
Rule over us, and seal us with Thy love.
O Jesus Christ, the Savior, perfect lamb,
Born of a virgin, Son of God and Man,
Who died for us, incarnate great I AM:
Stand by our sides, our brother, in the van.
O Holy Spirit, giver of our life,
Inspired breath from God to fire clay,
Who helps us pray the groanings of our strife:
Come dwell in us, inspire our hearts today.
O Holy, perfect Trinity in One,
We worship Thee, the Father, Spirit, Son.

The Messenger [Wind/Fire]

Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, "What did you go out to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ... But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' " - Matthew 11:7,9-10

He makes the winds His messengers,
Flaming fire His ministers. - Psalm 104:4

Some there came to find one shaken by the wind; they were mistaken.
John the Baptist came to waken, to prepare them for the Lord.
Prophets came to warn the nation, giving them a revelation
Of the Lord's so great salvation, coming through incarnate Word.
Jesus came to seek and save, but also with dividing sword;
Now through Him we are restored.

Messengers of wind and fire making up an angel choir
Singing with the harp and lyre praise our God with one accord.
Sweet the sounds of anthem singing to our ears the gospel bringing
All their voices ever ringing out a bright and major chord!
Prophets, angels, all together tell the coming of the Word,
Jesus Christ, the risen Lord.

The Righteous Man [Water/Earth]

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.

- Psalm 1:3

A stream of water flows through valleys wide
And giveth life to trees that grow nearby.
O flowing stream so clear, with sky blue dyed,
Nay, never, never, leave these trees to die.
O stream, life-giving stream whose water bright
Gives life to righteous men, to nourish them:
And so they yield their fruit, unhurt by blight;
Such fruit so bright, it almost seems a gem.
Unfolding green, and many other hues,
The leaves grow strong and far above the ground.
The water through the roots the leaf imbues
With strength and growth not elsewhere to be found.
The righteous man will flourish and bear faithful fruit
Through streams that give him life, and through his glorious Root.

Thy Kingdom Come

O God, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done!
I pray this night that, sooth! this may be true!
O, give us grace, that this world may be won
For Christ; may You, my God, this world renew.
I pray for peace, that many need, and joy;
Yea, peace, indeed, for all those aching hearts
Which loss, and pain, and sinfulness destroy:
May you renew their inward, inmost parts.
And so much more; my God, I cannot tell
The vastness of the suff'ring in this world.
You, You alone, can know the deep, dark hell
Which many suffer in, in torment furled.
Thy kingdom come, to bring us life again,
That in this world, You then may truly reign.

A Prayer

I know no thing of rock or bird or tree,
Nor anything of fire, earth, or air.
I know no thing of river, lake, or sea,
Nor anything of mountaintops so fair.
I know no thing of book or page or pen,
Nor anything of stories, letters, rhyme.
I know no thing of sinful-hearted men,
Nor anything of ever-flowing time.
I only know my Savior's love for me
Which runneth without end to make me white.
I only know his death on Calvary
Which bringeth me to everlasting light.
Now this I have, and this I have alone,
That God has made me His, His very own.

All I Have Is But Dust and Ashes

He raises the poor from the dust
And lifts the needy from the ash heap.

-Psalm 113:7

O God, my downcast soul can never rise
Unless You raise it up to live again.
You raise me up from dust so with mine eyes
Upon Thee I can gaze and say, "Amen."
I, needy, on the ash heap of my works
Can never reach to righteousness alone.
But God, who always loves and never shirks
Can lift me up to stand before His throne.
My God is with me always when I wake;
He gives me strength to face each day anew.
Without His help, my spirit quick would break
And I would die, and never make it through.
But now, through Him, my soul can live above
Through His great mercy, faithfulness, and love.

Psalm 106

O, blessed be the Lord our God above!
Who speaks of Him speaks but a little part
Of all there is to say of His great heart
And for His children, all of His great love.
His wond'rous deeds, no tongue can tell thereof,
And matchless is the grace He can impart.
His majesty is far beyond my art
To tell with tongue, yea, graceful as a dove.
For, lo! indeed, his Son has come to save
Those on the earth; He stood and blocked the gap
As Phinehas and Moses, face to face
With God, for us His life away He gave.
From dreadful sin, from Satan's deadly trap,
Christ saved us from the grave, by His great grace.