Poetry « deviantmonk

Poetry

Litany of Light

Sometimes when you dig through old files on an old computer you find things you forgot you had.

When I was in college I bought a Dell which got me through all my studies. It had a whopping 256MB of RAM (this was in 2001) and probably about 4 GB of storage space. (Ha! I remember still carting around 1.44 floppies…)

Anyway, that computer is functional to this day, although right now it is currently not in use. Yes, Windows XP lingers on after a decade of dazzling us with visualizations in Windows Media Player.

But I’m getting away from the point. About six months ago I decided to grab all the files I considered ‘valuable’ off it and transfer them to my Mac. Initially I was concerned that it was going to be a lot, but then I remembered that the entirety of the hard drive could fit on the flash drive that hangs off my keychain…

250MB later I had the culmination of my college career and subsequent musical foibles all safely stowed on the Mac. I briefly browsed through the contents on and off, but never did a very serious examination of the contents. Continue reading →

Family / Life / Poetry — No Comments
18
Jan 12

Oh, To Be Awake!

Oh, the pains to come awake;
to part from the fancies of dreams,
and the pleasures of rest;
only to climb out of evening’s darkness.

Oh, the burn of the sun and its rays,
Only first light, so dim compared to midday,
yet still too bright for tired eyes,
How I wish to stay and not look into the sky.

The wakers claim the day,
they speak of the purpose of their toil,
but I don’t want to trade all of my comfort,
only to suffer the joys of a waker’s light.

Don’t they know the satisfaction of a dream?
To control one’s destiny into folly or flight,
And escape with a wondrous thrill?
And to rest in the shadows of the night.

Even if I were to climb the slopes,
and agree to lay aside my rest,
Oh, the great pains I would endure;
The sacrifice I would have to make!

Yes, the light asks so very much,
to come and concede to the daybreak,
and give up all my fancies here,
and to come awake, Oh, and to come awake.

Alas – the sun – it is rising!
The brightness, it pierces me to the heart!
How quickly do my dreams break under the weight,
In a daylight so devoid of the shadows of night.

I catch my breath, as if to breathe for the very first time;
My eyes are alight with the colors of the dawn,
And oh, I come awake! Oh, to be awake!
And have not slept the day away.

——————————–

by Megan Watson

Life / Poetry — No Comments
21
May 11

Poetry: In Patchwork Grey

I had started on this poem about a month ago.

As I was driving to work it was one of those mornings where thick clouds still hung in the air after an early morning rain, and the interplay of light and dark within them from the sun beginning to peek through was pretty incredible. Once I had parked my car I jotted down the first line of this poem and have been trying to finish it on and off ever since.

Yesterday was similar, and it reminded me that I was still working on this, so I finished it.

The rain was still collecting in puddles on the ground, even later on in the evening, so I thought that one of the pictures I took last night at Crown Center might be apropos.

Enjoy.

In Patchwork Grey

in patchwork grey a plaided sky
is woven strands of pale spring light
with blackened blur the spindles twine
a coat of cloud for day supine

a cenotaph encased in frost
where warmth was once reputed lost
fast shut for memories to bear
the weight of spring’s long-tarried air

at length the fire of heaven’s ray
to loosen threads of earthen fray
in veiled descent of wrath and love
comes, conqu’ring all, as all doest move.

Life / Poetry — No Comments
27
Feb 11

The Lightener of the Stars

This hymn comes from Carmina Gadelica and has been one of my favorite selections from that work. Some day I would even like to set it to music.

Behold the Lightener of the stars
On the crests of the clouds,
And the choralists of the sky
Lauding Him.

Coming down with acclaim
From the Father above,
Harp and lyre of song
Sounding to Him.

Christ, Thou refuge of my love,
Why should I not raise Thy fame!
Angels and saints melodious
Singing to Thee.

Thou Son of the Mary of graces,
Of exceeding white purity of beauty.
Joy were it to me to be in the fields
Of Thy riches.

O Christ my beloved,
O Christ of the Holy Blood,
By day and by night
I praise Thee.

Life / Poetry — No Comments
11
Feb 11

Poiesis: Winter

A new poem in honor (and indictment) of cold and frosty Kansas nights.

Winter

whetted, cold
as polished blade
reflects the faintest gleam of light
so locked in frost
and bound in ice
does languish here, this frozen night

her well-worn gaze
neath waning moon
in vain to catch her lover’s eyes
who on the morn
in faithless guile
does tarry late in mistress skies

oh! to beat
with winged joy
upon the winds to sun-drenched land
but woe to fall
on fettered soil
still cold, this night, so near at hand

Poetry / Theology — No Comments
26
Jan 11

The Sixth Day

the sixth day

the earth is aroused from its sleep
by uncounted feet upon its back
as life discovers its form
in numberless shapes and sizes
the cooing and baying and roaring
resonates the gift that fills each creature’s lungs

if only to find a face
the Almighty makes the clay into a king
if only to feel the cool of evening
God makes an image of flesh and of spirit,
an earthen palace to make into a heavenly home

the divine has never been more near
than when our parents first met
to complete the likeness of the Eternal One
but soon the Maker of clay
will clay become to prove
that the distance is greatest
when it is as close as skin

creation is complete
yet eagerly awaits
to be born anew

Poetry — No Comments
23
Jan 11

The Fifth Day

the fifth day

the untamed eternal wind
began to sweep over the rocks and the grass
as the giver of motion brought movement to our world

potency gave way to form
multiplicity stood victorious among
our first friends who would not share our voice
but would share our fate,
some who would even bear our sins

in this day is heard a new song,
lifting its melody with the lights
to give praise to the Creator
from the call of those who soar with the clouds
to those who plumb the depths of the sea;
if only to say that
the world is alive and
the world is good

the creativity of heaven’s great artist
has been bestowed upon this canvas
to brush the chaos and emptiness away
forever
to be filled with life
forever

your Spirit fills all things
and all things look to you for life
forever

Poetry — No Comments
20
Jan 11

The Fourth Day

the fourth day

the memory in the mind of the world
will forever look with fondness
upon the day when God taught the universe to sing-
their voices carried upon the wild eternal wind
to be burning images of the light

the night was born under the borrowed rays of the moon
in the cool of the sun’s slumber;
the mimicry of God’s glory
offered itself to warm the future home of deity,
to give light to the one who conceived of its essence

this unending waltz in the heavens
ransomed stillborn time
and gave us a season for everything,
to work and to play
to love and to hate
to live and to die

the universe is vast in its array
but cannot silence the stars
who guide our ships upon the seas
and chart the path to heaven’s shores
until their song whispers its final note
and awaits its maker to sing anew

praises rise from countless stars
the sun and moon dance for you
you dance for joy over all you have made

Poetry / Theology — No Comments
16
Jan 11

The Third Day

the third day

dusty feet
belie calloused care
upon the firmness of rock,
this blanket of a newborn earth

now we will have a place
to call our home,
beneath the silent gaze of the eternal mountains

the sea retreated with the tides today
if only in anticipation
of the moment when God
would mingle with humanity

the windows of time
veil future’s beckoning,
yet perceive when the Potter will
become the clay

waters and oceans and seas
wait patiently to recreate;
spirit is not so unapproachable
when there is dirt between the toes

ashes to dust
soil to sand
you fashion all things with your hand

Poetry — 1 Comment
14
Jan 11

The Second Day

the second day

there was a day
when the world was born
that the sky fell down
and its canopy stretched beyond
the futilely grasping hands of sight

the light danced for joy
upon the limitless oceans of heaven
to reach into the newborn
womb of life

chaos’ reign was overthrown
as the waters that once engulfed
all in darkness were now made anew in radiance,
to quench the thirst
of a world that would bear
the image of God

someday the waters
will make the divine image anew,
for the same dove still hovers
over the seas that open forth into eternity;
the breath of heaven rushes to fill the expanse
as the earth comes alive

winds that carry heaven’s fragrance
air of sweet, unending life
you still breathe in the air