Begging Bowl
I was jostling thru a crowd
in a far-off land.
People passing every way
and no path at hand.
Suddenly I spied
a beggar squatting down
out of people's pathways,
and his eyes cast down.
I started to go by him
but hesitated there,
decided to go over,
and cast a pittance there.
As I was walking fast away
I felt him draw me back.
"What is thy wish," he said,
in a world so vast.
I thought of one oh quickly
and then I turned to go—
He held his hand in prayer,
then motionless sat so.
I left and walked more slowly
and pondered as it were,
if this man had power
or if I rightly heard.
It came about some later
that my wish were true
and I wondered deeply
what this man could do.
Sometimes God assumes the form
of men of low estate,
a beggar with a begging bowl
and a soul await.
If you go back to look for them
they are seldom there,
but wonder of their powers,
or chance acquaintance there.
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Grotto
The Grotto is a quiet place
of solitude and prayer.
And trees that reach up to the sky
in outdoor setting there.
Moss and ferns and greenery
fill the space below,
and quiet pathways lead along
the rocks and water flow.
Scenes of inspiration
of the saints of yore
meet at every turn
that we may love Him more.
High above a cliff of stone
draws our gaze on high.
In a crevice Mary mourns
because her son did die.
In the front are candles
sending many prayers
of comfort and compassion
from those who worship there.
Mass is held in summer
and when the weather's fair,
but you can go at any time
to gain the solace there.
Amid the beauty of the trees,
uplifting atmosphere,
setting for a worshipper
to feel that God is near.
Fill us with thy spirit,
come among us now.
Breathe into us purity,
and cleanse our lives somehow.
Leave with us compassion,
and wisdom strong with years.
Impart thy soul to us,
and help us to stay near.
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Inner Light
If I had one gift for my country
I know what it would be,
a gift of inner light
giving inner beauty.
A radiance pouring from within
that gave a golden glow,
pulsating with the spirit
in every overflow.
A beauty coming from within
from the soul's core
and radiating outward
in this life and more.
A prayer for inner beauty,
a prayer for inner light,
making right our nation,
holy in Thy sight.
Beyond the wind,
or the night sky
lies a dream
I'm hoping by.
Hoping that it
will come true,
tho I can't
explain to you
just what it is,
or why or where,
but only that
I feel it's there.
People laud the football heroes,
and a lot of other stars,
but me, I'll take the saints,
which I prefer by far.
They're mellow and electric-
inspire us thru the years,
that sometimes God would touch the earth,
and give us something dear.
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The Pearly Gates
I wonder if the pearly gates
are those attached to us
inside the entrance of our mouth
that we use so much.
Can it be like Heaven,
admonished to do well,
we must not let a single word
slip thru we shouldn't tell.
Are the gates to guard our tongue
and never to let thru
unkindness or hostility
to anyone we knew.
Do grandpas talk in heaven-
would mine talk with yours—
would they sit for hours
and steadily converse?
And meet there for the first time,
of their children known below,
and say "He's mine, my grandson,
that all your people know."
Strange we'd get acquainted
after life was gone,
and find we were related,
and to one kin belong.
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Hidden Chambers
Are there hidden chambers in the mind
lying silent, still, unused,
waiting for an echo or a touch
to come alive and mean so much.
Or will it be in death only
we find another melody,
one close to God in beauty and in tone,
and make its melody our own.
Your Guardian
Your guardian angel,
if one chooses you,
watches from above
in all you think and do.
Sometimes, very rarely,
he may rescue you.
Do not expect that they will look
like pictures that you see,
for they may come as men,
you know not who they be.
Years will pass and time go by
and many memories.
You may not ever know or guess
their true identity.
Give me a clear channel, Lord,
with the signal loud and clear.
Tune out all impediments,
so I can hear.
Save from half-knowing right and wrong.
Let us hear thy message strong,
and not neglect the difficult,
before the moment's gone.
Let us clearly go thy way,
without confusion or delay.
Ever let thy will be done,
from day to day, and setting sun.
Lovely lady burning bright,
so harsh by day, so soft by night,
that in our wildest dreams can't free
ourselves from deathless love of thee.
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Living Soul
'God breathed into him the breath of life,
and man became a living soul.'
What gift is imaginable
of any we could know
than for God to make us
a living soul.
Qualities of Godhead,
and brought unto them life
with a gift of love
and a prayer besides.
Cautioned us to love
both him and other men
and said we were his children
in his image yet.
Gave to us surroundings
so beautiful it seems
that all of his creation
is almost like a dream.
Gave us life and soul,
but power be his own
lest we misuse a force
as creatures on our own.
Being may be perfect,
and living be like God,
ever to attain
the best that we know of.
We should keep some distance
from this world that we're upon,
to not become too real
and our distance vision gone.
For some day we part company
with all things that we see,
and if we looked beyond,
we have serenity.
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Turnabout
Could it be that sometime
a person makes a plea
to the Great Creator
to please let something be-
maybe a request
for a quality.
It may be some time
before decision's made
approving your request
and quality okayed.
Could it be that then
they hand it back to you
and say achieve it now,
you have our approval.
And what you wanted most to see
is left to you to do,
to show your dedication
to this advancement too.
Will We See...
Will we see in other lives
the things we long to see—
great cathedrals, waterways
and verdant scenery.
Will we see the places
of which we have read.
Will we traverse ancient ways
lived in by the dead.
Will we see the vastness
of which this world is made.
Will we see how narrow
our thoughts brought us to shame.
Will we see the beauty
our creator made,
asking only love for him
and fellow men the same.
The power of God is absolute
to hold us in his sway.
To him who made the universe
it is child's play.
He can make you strong or weak,
raised up or put you down,
like soldiers whom the angel saw
and fell upon the ground.
To those who've felt the power of God
they know this claim is true.
The power of God is absolute,
and power over you.
God search the heart of man
and his soul too—
what were his intentions,
and what did he do.
He knows us very well of course
every day we live.
It's not just at the end of life
we ask him to forgive.
How he sees the things we do
or what we feel or say
only he determines
tho he pointed us the way.
Neglect, abuse, contrition,
all are counted in
or weigh against the holy ghost,
the unforgiving sin.
Altogether we don't know
just how we stand with him
nor with our greatest efforts
how good our life has been.
His love and yet his judgment
of all creatures that he made
is only his decision
as it is every day.
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Spiritual Laws
Many things escape the eye
of the most careful man.
For we can never know as God
the causes as he can.
Relationships we think we know
may yet be bound as one
with causes subtle, hidden,
underneath the sun.
For inner causes yet unknown
by the most of men
may rule yet more potently
than all material can.
For God that is our ruler
has no preceding cause,
and by the spirit made us,
and every other law.
Does one soul call another
from 'way out there in space
and ask them to come with them
to a better place.
Do you feel them call?
Is your time at hand...
Weary of just living
outside the promised land.
We ask of thee oh God on high,
bless our souls before we die
and step into eternity
that space ruled alone by thee.
In thy realm where thou alone
rule all life and all unknown.
Inhabit every pore of space
and time and power, essence, grace.
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Xmas
The day the Christ Child was born,
there was a football game that morn.
And it continued until noon,
and evening was thought far too soon,
so it went on into the night,
and no one got the least respite.
And next day it was the same,
all day long were football games.
And as this custom grew,
hardly anybody knew
the reason for this time of year,
except the football games were here.
Xmas eve and Xmas night
had football games alike.
It seemed that in each family
regardless of their views,
someone had to watch the games,
and all the late ones too,
nor ever make apology
for all that they did do.
As this continued thru the years,
and made its way at last-
one day a small child
a pointed question asked.
"Who is this baby Jesus
I heard mention of?"
"He was born this day,"
his grandpa said with love.
"Oh, I thought the football games
were born upon this day,
and all the time they celebrate
the very best of plays."
God speaks in a whisper too,
and hears our inmost voice.
He hears the heartbeat of the world,
and smallest little choice.
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God's Own
Mon Cherube'
How I love thee, babes so frail,
Hide thee from the wintry gale.
'Fold thee on thy mother's breast,
Haven of our fitful rest.
Hard the world doth deem thy ruse,
Thy meager gains in cold abuse.
Thou wanton of thy mother's love,
Thou are pure as mourning dove.
All thou lovest, seemest near—
Thy love thru sorrow holds thee dear.
But in this world, thou'st not alone,
For God bends near to tend His own.
The Last Page
No one knows what's written
on the last page of our life,
the one decided after
the day on which we die.
No one knows the verdict,
or outcome that's beyond,
what God will decide,
or base his judgments on.
His judment is not based
on this world's point of view.
Neither does success
leave any type of clue,
or the fixed opinion
of people that we knew.
The very best among us
may have inner flaws,
or arid passageways
unknown in their cause.
Both the seen and unseen,
known and what's unknown,
there for his perusal,
It's different than our own.
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Point of View
If you hold a gem
in a certain way
you can see a ray of light
that thru it plays.
Even semiprecious stones
may have an inner light
if you chance to look at them
in a way that's right.
And so it is with people
in many cases too
if we take a certain slant
we'll see they're lovely too.
If the angels were listening
what would they hear?
voices of anger
or voices of cheer.
Would they gather to listen
or flee from the scene-
linger and listen
or restless, it seems.
Would they flee to the forest
and quietness there,
away from a world
entoiled in care.
Where would they go?
What scenes would they see?
Happy to know us,
or anxious to flee?
If even the angels
would flee from our side,
how much harder
for God to abide.
A difficult task,
and unpleasant too,
to stay by our side
our whole life thru.
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Mind Pollution
Your time has come
when in your mind
is filled with trash
and filth like mine.
Hour by hour
and day by day
trashy news
and what folks say
seeping in
and scattered lays
till the body is a shell
filled with filth that they've heard tell.
And even if against their will
more and more a trashheap till
they are a worthless sordid heap,
victim of the trash they're steeped.
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