have no care
for all that is and breathes
upon our planet
and are prepared
to blow it at one puff
all out of being
but God who once
watched his Son
nailed by man
and left to die
still watches and accepts
the consequences
of making man
able to love
and — when he fails —
even of making nails
ULTRASOUND
a man who does not love
the brother
that he can see
(in the womb)
cannot
love
God
whom he has never seen
JERICHO
The man who fell in with thieves
on his way to Jericho
may have been going there
– for all we know –
to murder his mother
he may have come
from robbing the Temple
or sleeping with his next-door-neighbor’s wife
– we are not told –
the man who finds him
half-dead
clearly does not know
and God seems to be hammering home
blow by blow
the thought
that worthiness is irrelevant
all we need
is to recognize need
I LISTENED TO THE SOUND OF RAIN
I listened to the sound of rain
upon the leaves
approaching with the wind
— the rain and wind were still some woods away
I listened to the terror of the wind
upon the leaves in anger tearing them
untimely out of life and swirling them
at random in the dark upon the ground
I listened to the calm that came
from nowhere on the leaves
when suddenly the angry air was gone
I heard them welcome with relief
the newborn silence of the night
and watch in awe for dawn
TRUNCATE
Redwood trees
have soared in silence
for thousands of years
along our shores
their age
their calm
their dignity
command respect
scions thrusting
from the roots of Jesse
across our land
towards eternity
are axed daily
without awe
out of being
MENTAL HEALTH IN BRITAIN (1)
womb vacant
danger gone
fetus dead
health restored
womb vacant
child gone
faith dead
health restored
womb vacant
fetus gone
God dead
health restored
womb vacant
child dead
hope gone
God save the Queen!
the mystery of glory
THE HIGHPRIESTLY PRAYER
O Father, it is my desire
That those You gave to me
Should be with me that where I am
My friends may also be.
To them I have revealed your love,
Your truth, your life, your way;
And now a word abides in them
Which
