Category: Poems

This piece, entitled “Time” is the final movement of my ‘little symphony’: The Creature Loves its Creator. I wanted to share it because the message I attempt to convey through it, I think is important—that even within the effects of time—with its losses, sorrows and ultimately death—we can still experience beauty, and even an ecstasy of love!

I call this a ‘Symphonic Poem’ in that the music portrays distinct and vivid images of our progression through time. The piece has three main components: we are first ‘in time’, and then ‘out of time’, and finally we are ‘beyond time’.

‘In time’ the clock is ticking, and the bell is tolling, and our life is passing in toil and struggle.  But with hearts and minds kept open to God, beauty exists within and alongside our life’s greatest challenges. Not only can this beauty carry us through, it can elevate us above the pain.

There is a moment in the piece when sound suddenly and abruptly stops—our moment of death, when we transition ‘out of time’, when our soul leaves the body.

And then our soul calls out to God—plaintive, like a lament—but hopeful. And our hope is answered, the angels echo our soul’s call, calling out to us. And their call grows stronger, as they come to us; and our hope, and all of our love is fulfilled, as they carry our soul up into paradise.

The build-up to this paradisiacal conclusion is one of my favorite musical moments. I hope you also will find it comforting, joyful and hopeful.

Here is the link, on youtube to listen:

​:)

~Francis

Do not cry for me.

For I have lived long and well.

Though my time is short, you say,

And I am too young to die.

You are kind but do not know.

When it is my time,

I will go without a fight,

For I have fought a worse foe-

Than death.

Do not will for me another day,

Pray that I have spent my days for victory,

In my battles against vice-

Every evil thing within me.

It is grander to live but a day,

In purity of heart and mind.

Than it is to live a thousand years,

Enslaved to those enemies.

And to die a birth into new life,

Is a dream and a joy,

That no disease of this world,

Can deny us.

~FS

To love oneself is a prison.

To love another is the key.

To love God is freedom.

We are born out of a tiny cell,

Into a wide world we emerge,

We grow into this world,

Filling it with our presence.

Oh, has there ever been one like us!

But who is the one who can make themself small again?

Returning to the land, this one quietly tills the soil of their heart,

They make it fertile, and able to sustain others,

They subdue the wild beasts, and put to death the raging war,

They make peace in the world.

The one who can make themself small again,

Who can vanish in love for another,

The one who will love God more than self,

This one will witness heaven on earth.

~FS

My love gave me the green grass,
I lay down there to rest.

He gave me flowers of many colors,
Which line my ways.

Though the world rages like a tempest,
As I look to him, He gives me peace.

He watches over me.

His stars brighten my way by night,
And my day is adorned by His sun.

Know that the Lord is love.

His love is a living blanket,
Covering all who love Him and do His will.

My love has given me the green grass,
Where I lay down and rest.

~FS

Getting on with the business of spiritual life~

All the doors are closing,

The old desires dropping,

Like so many articles of clothing,

Falling to the floor.

Let’s get on with the business of spiritual life~

So you couldn’t quite do it?

You couldn’t really make it?

‘Cause life’s too long,

And love’s too short:

And everything is moving all around,

It’s impossible to keep your feet upon the ground.

It’s time to get it going, get it going,

Live like spirit you are,

The spirit you are, you are spirit,

You are.

Jesus loves you, yes He does,

In the fields and in the woods,

You’re flying beyond land and sea,

In your holy spiritual body.

Time to get going,

Eternity is waking,

This world fading,

Look and see…

Come with Me, come with Me.

The life you’ve wanted,

You’ve always vaunted,

Will be lived only,

Spiritually.

~FS

Has the world ever produced,

a man or woman:

Who sought perfection,

humbly,

to be like God?

Rather than,

pridefully,

to be a god!!!

Are not mankind’s perfections,

all his aspirations,

the deadly fuel,

of selfish ambitions?

Bound by this earthly frame,

all activity leads to infame,

hopes and desires inflame,

and sadly make men insane:

Worshiping ourselves,

and not our Creator.

~FS

I’m very glad we’re still together you and me,

Although we’ve lost so many others,

So many, many others lost already.

Thank you Lord, for raising Lazarus,

And giving hope to all of us.

I touch you as I hold my breath,

Are you still breathing?

Yes, you’re still breathing.

Thank God! That you’re still breathing!

You’ll be with me a little longer,

Though the clock is ticking,

Predicting weeping,

Before this day is over.

I’m glad that we’re still breathing,

For one more day of living,

Forestalling days of crying,

Bewildered days of dying,

Losing all the ones we’re loving.

Loving all the ones we’re losing.

~FS

I am strong in body,

I am sound of mind,

I am alone in spirit,

Abandoned in soul,

Aching in the quiet,

Silent in the darkness,

Waiting in hope,

Hoping in awaiting,

Abiding in action,

Passing this life,

In endless motion,

Hungry and thirsty,

Never satisfied,

Yearning for Jesus,

Expecting salvation,

Sighing inwardly,

Anguishing emptily,

Under this sun,

My eyes searching,

Looking to the stars,

Lit by moonlight,

Watered by tears,

I am planted in this earth,

Rooted in this soil,

Grasping towards heaven,

A timeless vessel,

Made to be filled,

Holding open…

~FS

Crossing over the river Jordan,

Leaving those other things behind,

Crossing over is the joy I’m having,

And I’m believing;

It’s a whole new state of mind.

He touched my soul,

That set me free,

I could walk on water,

Or nearly.

I found it in a desert land,

Bare feet in the river sand~

Naked,

Walking under a desert sun,

Oh, that life’s nearly done,

Oh, this one’s just begun,

Yes, I’m crossing over,

The river Jordan.

~FS

Approaching You, within my heart,

With nobody else in the way, I ask:

What have I to give you, Lord?

You, who made it all?

Searching, it would seem,

I have only gifts of vanity,

Sundry rationalized items,

Made ‘pure’ in a crucible,

Of base desires and good intentions.

Am I true?

And my gifts to You~

Is there any vein of gold,

In this fool’s dross?

What would You have me give, O Lord?

For I am only a question in the presence of You.

I am filled with every kind of uncertainty,

Shrouded in layers of abject perplexity~

Am I a whisper of your humility?

Or a dissolving vapor of pride?

God, am I Cain or am I Able?

~FS