Finis Coronat Opus

                                         Horizon’s edge drowns out the sun As slow tide ebbs and flows,   And laps upon the shore so brown As daylight westward goes. The rushing sound of waters deep Stirs up my soul in thought; How swiftly Time escapes our reach And soon, alas, is nought. Oh! use it well, these years you have, For long they only seem; Yet swift away on evening wave   May drift away your dream. Photo of sunset in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

The golden sun casts forth its rays  O’er summer fields of green; In early morning fog there sing  The sparrows, yet unseen. As westward wends the glowing sphere,  Dark clouds now show themselves The light’ning cracks, the thunder peals  And torrents flood the dells. At end of day, when storm is gone,  The sparrows flit to nest; The grassland thrives ‘til day is done  When nature finds its rest.

Subject my will to Thine:  Your Word shall be my guide. Cause me to worship Thee,  And bid the old man flee. You called me out of sin (Th’eternal curse of men) To serve You evermore On earth, and Heaven’s shore. Make my mind seek Your face, All fear and doubt erase; Thou art my Risen King, I praise and glory sing. Cast out my hidden gods; You only shall I hold. Grant mercy, Lord, within, And turn my heart from sin. Let my joy be in Thee, No longer serving “me”,  Your grace be my refrain In pleasure and in pain. Your glory has no end, Your people You have sent Proclaiming evermore Your mercy from of yore. O! this resounding song Is powerful and strong; Lord, let your glory be From end of earth to sea! And when my time is done I’ll see Thy Kingdom come. My will shall then be free, Full resting, Lord, in Thee. Originally written April 2018

A tremor stirs the sea Amid the darkening skies: The waters roil and seethe Along distant shorelines. In midst of dire storm A small craft bobs along The surface of the ocean All tumult to defy. Hardy, battered oars Plunge headlong through the foam As towering surf collides With creaking oaken hull. Will such small craft remain When storm and wind subside? Or shall the ship and crew On ocean's floor reside? This was the first poem I ever posted on a writing forum, over 3 years ago. I recall experimenting with different phrases, figuring how I wanted the mind to paint pictures, what I wanted the words to convey, and I was surprised I liked the finished product (clearly I still needed to improve my skills with metering, alas). The mind is a powerful animator, and one of my aims in writing is to help unlock that potential and communicate meaning to the reader.

My eyelids grow heavy; The day has been long. My soul groweth weary, And mournful, my song. My thoughts are now drifting As my eyes start to close, And sights other-worldly Dart hence, to and fro. Like fireflies that linger In dusk's even glow, Images flicker As consciousness goes. In fair fields I wander, With fairies I fly; Worlds of such wonder Lie under my eyes. What dreams may then follow In blissful repose: All cares are forgotten, All silenced are woes. But soon with the dawn's Eastern glow I must rise, Departing my slumber's Fair journeys of night. Yet day's own enchantment Unseen will abound Til evening falls softly Again on the ground. My eyes will then close, My mind again drift Away to my magical world, Slumber's faery gift. Written September 2018

From whence do strife and rumor come? Why thus do they take hold, When poison drips from silvery tongue And falsehood dim the gold? Why thus do neighbors speak so ill Of friends and comrades dear, Who oft would set their hand to till And share their fellows’ tears? Such thoughtless chatter ought not be  Among the ranks of Light; Such darkened words no tongue should speak,  But seek to mend and right. Originally written February 2019

  In deepest solitude I sit; My mind begins to stray To thoughts of years in distant past And coming future days. The past lies just beyond my reach And aching, my heart yearns  To live again those moments fair, Those lessons to relearn. But fading, mem’ries of those days Melt deep into the mist Of Time’s dark chasm, shadowed dim, In lost lore locked away. Yet what I am came forth from such As now is long forgot; And stamped upon my features firm Is that which now is not. Now, forward wends my wand’ring gaze To times as yet unseen: The years to come hold myst’ries dark With many tales to glean. I know not what my life shall be,  What stories I shall weave;  But time to come is but a breath Before the One Who sees.        During certain seasons or times of the year, I find myself reflecting on the past (my own and in general), and musing on the future. What have I gleaned from past experience, wisdom that has been passed o...