Never To Be
for my niece
Unopened eyes Unblossomed leaves of flesh Blasted to smithereens By the deadly vacuum's Furious strength Satan's stealthy calm Mesmerizing our society's Moral grip "Our Bodies, Our Selves"- No! God's Body! God's Creation!
Little One, Though your radiant face Forever now reflects Our Father's glory, I can't help wondering How youd've grown Whether youd've inherited My sister's rosy birth-marked cheek Or my peculiar thumbs, How I'd hold you in my arms Or dandle you on my knee-
Never to be. Yet the unconscious scream Of the suctioned mother Is not the last scream satan You wretched cobra But the joyful cry Of creation in travail, Welcoming the Returning King!
Endurance
God opened not His mouth in anger Upon the cross So how can I voice a word of complaint The Holy Word's sinless nail-scarred flesh Dumb as a frightened animal yet Fearless, unrecognized and crucified By His own creation?
Lord Jesus, may I ever be so dumb Amidst deserved inadequacies And failures- till with further trust Your divine calm Stills these troubled waters.
The Stone
Some gods are made of stone Some men have stony hearts But the stone the builders rejected Of these stones has no part That stone is never-changing The same for past and future That stone is eternal truth And a mighty fortress of refuge A cornerstone of life Begetting living stone- That stone's a lamb to take our sins, Our Savior, Jesus Christ.
To Hollywood With Love for Pendleton Brown
An actor is flexible An actor has faith As to where his next meal Is coming from Or the evidence of things unseen In the conceptualization Of artifice The reliance On an invisible reality A child's sense of play Those whom Jesus loved so much Artless generosity A zest for life and camaraderie Emoting emotion Heartily engrossed A spiritual acuity Sadly corrupted By the occult, drugs And sexual perversion-
But most of all, an actor acts! Like that famous book He exudes a propelling force Kineticizing stodgy existence To memorable miraculous moments Of theatrical incarnation-
Oh, may the electrifying Holy Spirit Fall on our community Transforming gifts given without repentance To living sacrifices for His Glory!
Song of the Pilgrim
for John Bunyan
I'm keeping my eyes on the Horizon And not on my car As I drive I am not driven My course is fixed By a guiding Star And by His blessed light I run my race
And herein lies a mystery He soon will appear in Victory And yet He's sitting next to me Alpha and Omega The author and finisher of my journey.
Oh glorious Hope that eschews the evidence Of the eclectic, motley, contradictory sense This immediate landscape of pain and anxiety For the unspeakable joy set before me! Oh indomitable Love that allows me to forget Once-cherished wrecks of a sinful past By an all-encompassing healing forgiveness That pardons as freely and totally As East from West!
And this Love and Hope impel me. I have a wondrous home you see Prepared before this world's foundation And therein lies my primary allegiance- So to that mark I must progress, So to that Star I cling.
The Request
Give me the faith to scan uncharted seas To reach and dream where none had dared before To influence the World on bended knees-
All for Thy Glory, Lord All for Thy Glory, Lord.
Give me the strength to push and persevere Though all of Hell attempt to impede my path Through testing and temptation most severe In awe of only your most Holy wrath-
Let my path always lead and hold Enthralled unto thy Shepherd's fold.
The Response
My child, that faith and strength are always thine Eer since your lot and heart did with mine entwine That day you chose to render all to me alone The full and entire catalogue of my sustaining grace Became yours to own-
And every precious drop of blood I shed Has sealed my Spirit's power oer your head.
On The Road To Damascus
The hot Mideastern midday sun Could not hold a candle To the light of Christ blinding the eyes Of a recalcitrant and rebellious Son So he could finally see "Why are you shedding the blood of my body?" "Alas, Lord, is it truly You I slay?" "Yes, but I forgive you From now on your journeys will not be for death But to enlighten blinded eyes As yours were And to partake joyfully of my suffering."
Fourth of July(A Vision from the Lord while on "Campaign '85" with Jews for Jesus in New York City)
The masses are plunging toward the fiery abyss Eyes fixed forward for the fireworks by the river, Enslaved by the siren blandishments Of the god of this world- And we are standing in the gap, Passing out our gospel tracts.
Don't look back! Don't drop the baton, The slender buoy of life Despite the accelerating thrashings of the drowning Before the time- The deadline!
Maine
- for Dad and Mom
The loons are skimming Over the pure gray water Of the rocky-bottomed lake on Mount Desert isle, Booming their ancient wail- It's time for the daily swim.
They've been there every summer. There's a quaint rented cottage, More expensive over the years, Just down the road from Bar Harbor.
The hummingbirds and chipmunks visit- But I haven't, for at least 20 years. You see, I have come to know the God Who created the leaves and stones
And His Son, Y'Shua the Messiah (Which is sort of embarrassing, since my parents are Jews Who do not yet know Them, and would prefer Me not to share my knowledge with their friends,
A tempting condition in smoggy L.A.) But then I'd be betraying my Lord, not to mention That namesake Joshua and his 20th, who charged so bravely On a Pennsylvania hill in July, Bayonets fixed! So I must take my stand
Looking forward to cool walks with them Hand in hand at Jordan Pond and by the sea in 20 years- Or eternity, whichever comes sooner.
Novation
An oral contract With both subjective and objective proof "If you believe in your heart That God raised Jesus from the dead And confess Him as Lord You shall be saved" An irrevocable unilateral contract A will without written requirement Sealed by the precious blood of the Lamb For love, not legal duty or compulsion Eternal life and freedom from sin With the bare consideration Of submission to Christ's loving Lordship- A gratuitous promise of Amazing Grace.
The Spirit Walk
Tis not nails in my hands, But tis something; A fast, an extra prayer, Some hard-spared time to help and care; Just a little crucifixion day by day, Dear Lord, But that your joy would stay complete in me- To feel your presence near.
To An Old Love
I
New York is in blindness The lusts of the mind Outweighing even sensuality The devil has lied To Catholics and Jews That Christ is not alive
My old radical buddies My old loves My youth
They're somewhere On the guttural streets The Old New York sidewalks
Holy Spirit, Fall on New York!
II
In suburbia They're listening to opera On the radio On 2nd Avenue They're lined up for beer
In the park The jungles are heaving
Holy Spirit, Fall on New York!
For Patricia of Hartland Avenue- A Birthday Poem
Dear Hart, why do you run away From all I'd ask or all I'd say? You skip and murmur like a bird Imprisoned by the keeper's hand And newly freed on God's preserve You're living in that land wherein the blood Of Jesus beats and cleanses all impurity, Disease and pain- oh know you not That others be that dwell therein And they would romp and play with thee? But yet perhaps I'm not that dear, That sweet soul-mate whom God intends To tread with you life's mortal sphere Before our earthly frolic ends And we ascend to perfect pleasure- Then let me love you as a friend, A little treasure- Yet give me back my heart!
To take up the cross Is greatest joy The greatest joy of my soul To cast aside All selfish care Encumbrances of flesh and time Shouldering the rugged wood That Jesus bears, my Savior divine Sharing His passion for the lost And lonely plagued by satan's host- This above all fulfills my soul, This above all I need.
Salvation
There are wounds inside my core That God may choose to leave His grace is sufficient For all who believe His power made perfect In brokenness; Oh Lord, If my heart be broken now, What sublime opportunity To replace it with yours!
A new dependency I vow On thee and thee alone To be sustained and succored; In thee by whom all things consist Consists my progressive sanctity; Outside the shelter of thy wings Lies utter depravity.
Keep the reins close, Lord Jesus! Let my strength be perfected in weakness Let me crawl in fallen pride To the crucified And cry, "Oh continuously Bathe my brain In thy blood!"
To Pen and Jan on their Wedding
I
A pauper's gift Was not refused By the Master Himself
So please don't abuse This meager script On the occasion of honoring
Eternal felicity Of two becoming one Under Christ's benediction
II
As you humble yourselves At the foot of His altar's cross Please remember
When dire or mundane trials Would strain the bond Of your united joy
That the intent of that mite Offered by the lonely and bereft Swayed the heart of mighty Deity
And did they crucify the Lord of Love? And did they nail Him to a tree? And did they pierce His hands and feet For everyone to see? And did His side pour forth blood and water?
Then unashamedly I will go forth To the world's heartless market Though my innermost parts Be speared by its callous derision Proclaiming Love that chose to die That we might live with Him forevermore.
Good Friday
God created blood- So He would sacrifice.
God allowed debt- So He would pay sin's price.
God is Love- So one death would suffice.
The Story of Purim or "It's a Hamantashen Thang"
Let me tell you of a story of a man named Mordy He couldn't remember when he'd turned forty He had a pretty niece whose name was Esther (or if you prefer you can call her Hadassah). He brought her up in the ways of the Lord Although he was a servant of the Persian court. The man he worked for was King Ahasuerus (It's a name that could make you a little embarrassed) As our story opens Ahasuerus is feastin (The wine that he drank was way beyond reason) He called for Queen Vashti his favorite dame But she was a woman's libber- no way would she come! To make her an example he sent her out of town And arranged for someone else to wear her crown A beauty contest was now decreed To choose the lucky queen-to-be Mordy got word of Vashti's fate And persuaded Esther to participate With her shayneh punim and cosmetic art, It wasn't long before she won the King's heart.
Now the villain of our story, his name was Haman To be worshiped and honored he was daily claimin All the King's servants- bowed when he passed by Except for old Mordy- you understand why! This so enraged that dirty skunk It put him in a colossal funk From which he resolved not to kill just one Jew But to wipe them all out- Shades of you-know-who! So he cast the lot to determine the day His dastardly deed would be put into play He went to Ahasuerus and with words deceitful Talked him into giving his official approval. Then he built a gallows- 50 cubits high On which- to hang- old Mordy in the sky!
When Mordy heard- of Haman's wicked scheme He said, "Vay is Mir! It's like a bad dream!" In sackcloth and ashes- he hung out at the palace To fill in Esther- on Haman's plans of malice "Dear niece somehow you must intercede in time With your old man- to stop this monstrous crime "Dear uncle don't you know It could mean my life?" "Dear niece, if we're all killed You won't be spared the knife! And perhaps God called you For such a time as this Be strong and courageous And you'll pass the test!" So after three days of fasting and prayer Esther went to the King- and touched the golden scepter He was pleased to see her and granted her request For a banquet with Haman- on the day next.
When the King arrived at the banquet of wine, He asked, "Queen Esther, what's on your mind? I'll give it to you- to the half of my Kingdom" "Honey, all I want is for you to spare my doom And that of all my people, destined by decree" The King said, "Who's the rat that would dare convince me To do such a thing- to such a worthy nation?" Esther said, "The enemy- is this wicked Haman!"
The King went speechless, left the room to #### a fuse And Haman saw he had nothing to lose So he begged for mercy on the couch where Esther sat But the King would have none of that "Hang him on the gallows that for Mordy he prepared" Thus may all evil villains fare Who dare to hurt- God's chosen people For what you sow you soon will reaple!
The Two Fires
There are two fires
One is pleasant But leads to eternal torment
The other is purging and refining And leads to eternal life
Henri chose the former Of alcohol and ######
On his deathbed he sneered "So, you've come for the kill" To his absent father (the hunter) As the flies bit his sores
Poor Henri He could never forgive His stunted little body
But Christ was waiting
"A Short and Concise History of the Great and Exact Science of Evolution", or "I Think I Can, I Think I Can"
The universe felt barren So it created atoms from scratch. Then atoms got lonely So they bonded into molecules Which, suddenly attracted, were compelled To link in huge complex chains. Narcissists, they proceeded To replicate. Out of the blue, They added genetic code For their surrounding cell structure Which was soon to appear. The cells began to congregate also, Producing ever more complicated life. For example, a fish had an itch And when it scratched it, Legs were formed, so he or she figured It might as well crawl to land And lose those unsightly gills. Then reptiles, not to be outdone, Desiring a birds-eye view, grew wings and flew. After a sudden chill and a few broken eggs, Warm-blooded mammals emerged, Which, after a number of thousand millenniums, Deciding to kill more efficiently, Became human.
For Cassie
The killer asked if you believed in God You made an adult split-second decision at 17 To sacrifice your life And bravely answered, "Yes!"
(Christ's blood's Love to you more important than life, To enter Eternal Life without denying Him)-
And he shot- Trailing blood from your head
I have not yet resisted unto blood
Dear God, Help me to display the same courage As that young girl If called upon!
"Your light in me constrains me"
Your light in me constrains me From all that I would do of sin Ever growing brighter Unto that Perfect Day When I will see Thee face to face Oh glorious transformation Proceeding ever upward Unto a greater Glory Than we can eer imagine- Predestined to Your image! |