IS THIS THE CHRISTMAS THAT YOU KNOW

Is This the Christmas That You Know?

We all unite in cheers and glee
To see a lighted Christmas tree
That's glut with gifts beneath its boughs
Each wrapped in silent, secret vows.

The shrills and thrills of children dear
All adding to the Christmas cheer
Thrashing open excitedly
All their presents carelessly.

Boxes, paper, lace bows and string
Are scatter over everything
They play with bright new toys with pride
While books and socks are thrown aside

Mom and dad are so exhausted
Stressed a bit from all it costed
So quickly did it come and go
Is this the Christmas that you know?

So when did this new Christmas stick
With elves on shelves and old Saint Nick?
Has all the gifts we have gotten
Made real Christmas be forgotten?

What about the fair young maiden
On the donkey's back was laden
Traveling to David's city
Asking for a bit of pity
From the keeper of the stable
To lend some space if he's able
And there upon the hay give birth
To the Savior of all the Earth?

What about the angels holy
Come to shepherds meek and lowly
Declaring tidings of God's plan
Of peace and joy, God's gift to man
And how they sang and filled the sky
With voices lovely from on high
That shook the ground in their splendor
Touching hearts like waves of thunder?

What about the star of light
Now shining newly in the night
Divinely placed by godly hand
To guide the wise from every land
Which long ago foretold would shine
 By sage and seer to be a sign
That marked the coming of a king
To man salvation He would bring?

What about when the child had grown
And in Gethsemane'd atone
For all the sins of who believed
Whose body from the grave retrieved?
For all the parts of this story
Would lack meaning without glory,
If never had that child grown up
To ever taste the bitter cup.

So when on Christmas with your gifts
When making all your shopping lists
Don't forget to take a moment
Pondering of Christ's atonement
That gift of gifts above the rest
Given to us when Christ expressed
A love so pure and fathomless
His birth we honor on Christmas.

NOW WITH MY LOVE I BIDE

Now With My Love I Bide

Drab and gray the clouds rolled in;
The sky was cold and chill.
Drizzly air to their chagrin
As drops of rain did spill.

The sun behind a clouded veil
Knew not how to shine
For Sorrow made its bright beams pale
And hid its warmth behind.

Birds of song weren't perched about
Nor seen in flight that day
The chilled blown wind chide and flout
Their sweet bright songs away.

Resolute among his kin
A man with age and ill
Standing hunched in soaked through skin
With grief, alone and still.

Weeping now before a hole
Hollowed out by men's hand
Harrowed up, a pitied soul
Holding his wedding band.

Why was he left here to roam
With his love departed?
Cursed he felt to be alone,
Lost and heavyhearted.

Felt forsaken by his Maker
To live a sorrowed life.
For why else did He take her
Leaving man without wife?

Nights are harder than the day
For what else can be dreamt
When life's hope is ripped away
In its place, vain lament?

But days passed by, and then weeks
Seven months in fine
Life wasted off the man's cheeks
'Til Death came by with time.

His kin gathered once again
To lay him in the ground
On that day gone was the rain
The sun its joy had found.

Love birds flew and sung their song
Amid the summer air
Freed from nights lonely and long
Loving the new day fair.

Though the crowd with streaming tears
For sadness that he'd died
Upon the breeze one could hear
"Now with my love, I bide"

REVELATIONS TO A PRINCE

REVELATIONS TO A PRINCE

Thou art a prince — unto you, 
I will impart at length 

Great blessing for thy efforts vast, 
And to thy family strength.

That surely they'll abide the day, 
And never wane the hour

Forever shall flow unto thee 
These blessings and their power.

Concerning the ministrations 
Of angels and their yield: 

Their time for you is not yet here, 
But for the future sealed;

Remember the words of prophets, 
Their words are given thee.

Know this, thy prayers goeth not unseen; 
I'v heard thy humble plea. 

Thou shalt do all thou doest 
In the name of Christ thy Lord.

Thy efforts shall not be in vain, 
Thy needs shall be adored.

For God has seen thy righteous work, 
He'll keep you in his hand

Seek with an open heart and mind, 
And heed his counsels grand

Thou art a prince, oh mortal man! 
From thee is much required

If thou art true and faithful here 
Below as I’ve desired

Unto thee I give treasures both
In Heaven and on Earth;

Ever shall you prosper my prince 
And live a life of worth.

This poem was compiled from some of the writings that I found in Dad's journal. At many times in his life, he felt forsaken. He desired recognition from God: a small word or direction. He lived his life by revelation. And, in the doctrine of the ministering of angels, he had a lot of questions. He prayed hard and long to understand angels and their work among men. Particularly, he wanted to know if he would ever see an angel. He shares an experience that he had in the temple where he claimed to have been visited by an angel. Yet, I believe even he doubt its veracity. To me as a kid, it seemed that he was stretching a bit to believe in this visitation. My grandmother Johnson had had many experiences where spirits and angels had visited her. My dad wanted that same gift. So, after studying much how he could acquire this gift, he received a revelation. This poem is a reflection of that revelation. It is also a poem of hope and how God sees you and me. Enjoy!

WORDS

 

I wanted to purpose a site:
As a means to purge the mind
From all my increasing plight
Plaguing with piths that bind.

I wanted to write such words:
As a means to set forth free
The flock of enslaved, trapped birds
Caged in my soul by me.

For words are alive; they move
The pure threads of love and hate.
Providing a stride and groove
All to which abdicate.

I want now an ear to hear:
As I bear entropic rhyme
To calm my ensemble of fear
Passing away Earth's time

December 4, 2017


After reading through my dad's journals after his passing, I was moved when I discovered his poetry. I knew that the poems existed. I had even heard them on occasion. Yet, I had never seen them as a collection. I felt that I needed to create something as lasting as he did. Furthermore, I find myself in a troubling time in my life. Through life's fate and mistakes of my own making, the beat of life has become off from the beat of my own heart. Or better put, the beat of MY heart is become out of synch with the beat of happiness and happy living. I want to get back to that, rather than just live aimlessly. I want to live with ambition and passion. This blog is my manifesto...in poem. And so I begin.