Crown of Thorn

The burning brand of mortal stigma,
neither god and neither still
the cruel hand of life’s enigma
stinging rod, I’ve had my fill.

I’ve lived despairing, and unknowing,
eyes screwed shut as men who die,
marked with death, and slowly going
through the rut and through the lie.

Taking reason, I uncertain,
push it back and draw it near
Daring treason, rend the curtain,
loose the rack, and scatter fear.

Crown of glory now supernal,
blood and foam, I bear with pain
Until the trail of life eternal
Brings me home to thee again.

The Crux

Upon the hill,
the golden thrill of sun
upon my face

I gaze above,
can there be love beyond
the earth's embrace?

The mind of eye,
as broad as sky at dawn,
I blindly bold

The black abyss
yet more than this I know
I shall behold

There, heaven's gate
much more than fate, I press
and open find

Tis very odd,
For, where is God in this
if not the mind?

Then lo, a voice
that speaks of choice and hope
and there, a ridge

Here thou shalt find,
'tween fact and mind, thy faith
shall act as bridge

And here I faint
For I, no saint, feel fear
that I shall fall

Is life a plan,
or work of man to make
and conquer all?

There, long I dwell
much worse than hell and darkness
where we sleep

But then I choose
to live or lose. I bend,
and boldly leap.

Love's Allegiance

The Modern Myths
All, the same flavor they will have
and say to the reader much on God and angels
but each, a spirit speaks to them, and not of Christ
who, if we find a mention
on but one page, they think it overmuch
and say of him "great teacher"
and "divine exemplar"
all of which serve only to dismiss true divinity
and meaning of the cross
and state with ultimate finality:
Here is but a man, and not God made flesh
and we, with but knowledge gleaned
from these spirits, ever wise
are as great as he, or greater
No, I come not with peace, but a sword
to set at odds son against father, and daughter against mother
Who shall love me, but the unrighteous?
Oh, my father,
though I may not swear by heaven
or by earth
or by even hairs upon my head
with what ferver I may make
I would love you
If the earth were mine, I would give to you
though in thought and deed
a thousand snares I fall into
so that my works of hand and heart
betray you

I wish to be
alike to Christ thy son
not so that in heaven I might rule
but only so
that you would know the depths of love
Not for thy power, or glory crowned supernally
in grace, and patient sacrifice
for these things, though great
I cannot love alone
but thee I love
And unto thy throne, I would come
dressed in virgin white
to be thy servant, or thy bride
both undeserved
Oh father, these things in my true heart I wish
but in my hands are sin and treachery
that overturns this love unendingly
to meet repentance yet again
and kiss the cross, to know the grace of Christ
Father, of all the powers in heaven,
the least of which against
I, less than a flea,
will never bow or glorify
I bow to thee