I took my dream and spade in hand
I ventured out into the land
To plant it in a special hole
To shore the breaches in my soul

Alas the tree when autumn came
Did no fruit yield of worthy name
Such lifeless buds and bitter taste
Did prompt to burn it down post haste

I savoured thus the burning smells
Of erstwhile idols sent to hell
Now onwards hence I could proceed
With plans afoot for fresh new seeds

The plant which grew up from the ash
Of dreams which had all burned and crashed
Did please indeed, yet for a while
For soon I had no cause to smile

It grew and grew and blocked the light
And turned into a ghastly sight
It drew me up into its arms
And lured me near with deadly charms

The danger I did fail to sense
Until the foliage was so dense
That no way out was to be seen
And none drew near to hear my screams.

Entrenched was I in endless night
With no recourse to change my plight
I served my dreams, those dev’lish thoughts
Which made my paths of no import

Then grazed my ear a foreign sound
A tortured scream though much profound
And at its noise my dreams did fade
As light my darkness now unmade

And in its place a tree of light
Which scattered sweetness o’er the blight
This tree is life and joy and peace
The balm to make the nightmares cease

The seed a man whose dreams were pure
Who did not choose to stay secure
But took my shame and fell to earth
And rose again to give new birth

Running, always running
Towards an unlocked gate
Turning, always turning
In trying to thwart my fate

Hiding, always hiding
From monsters in my head
Crying, always crying
To drown this sense of dread

(To be sung to the melody of “When I Survey”/«Προσβλέπον τον σκληρόν σταυρόν»)

More than the hairs upon my head,
The sinful ways in which I tread
Yet still your mercy never fails;
Your steadfast love, it still prevails.

The piercing of your only Son,
Who not one sin had ever done,
Is life to me; the guilty free;
The righteous stricken on that tree.

I look to self and fain would weep
At my disgrace; it runs so deep.
I look to Christ and praise your name,
For he has covered all my shame.

The shadow comes and casts its blight
Obscuring grace and masking sight
Here in the small hours of the night
Far, far away now seems the light

The sound of weeping in the soul
A filthy sheep lost in a hole;
When least my thoughts I can control
And ne’er my will would be cajoled.

My foes they mock and gather round
The battle lost, the captive bound
The sheep it seems was never found;
The shepherd safe on higher ground?

But wherefore do I now survey
Myself removed and in my place
The selfsame shepherd I betrayed
Yet wearing my disfigured face

The shadow darkens and they flee;
Alone and torn upon that tree,
My shepherd, glorious “I AM HE”,
He pays and dies to set me free

The shepherd never left my side
Though I in selfishness did hide
He stood against the wrathful tide
That I in him may e’er abide

So bleat will I through endless days
In joining with creation’s praise
Exalting him whom God did raise
And glory only in his gaze

Thought I would Wordle this blog to see what my collected writings thus far might look like as an image.

Voila!