The Golden Singer There is no company but one who lives A hidden presence deep behind the heart, He is that which in us hopes and believes. We actors playing out each minor part Forget he gave us all a leading role And though we stumble and we often fail There is the continuity of soul, There is the searching for the Holy Grail, Our path a graded spiral winding high. Above our dark misfortunes, darker deeds We see descending through an aureate sky The golden singer with the new world's seeds.

God in Human Hearts Not as a pleasant picture in a frame Do I a seeker kneel and worship thee Or by endless repetitions of thy name Call down the power that would set me free. In a cabin made of clay I took first breath And woke to wonder in the waking morn. Did I take birth only to meet my death When all the coloured strands of life were worn And all my dark desires turned to dust And nothing left lest soul from ashes soar Above and all my life to thee entrust That God in human hearts might faith restore.

Songs of Ecstasy I have penned my thoughts on shifting sands Obliterated by the sea, What I have built with awkward hands Is but a dreamers' legacy. The depths of being I do not know, The heights remain unrealized, The spirit's lamp is but a glow, Immortal yet undivinized. But my soul is guided through the night In the unfolding mystery, By One who made me for delight To sing my songs of ecstasy.

Country of My Spirit's Birth Winter wraps his arms around my world As desultory leaves drift slowly down To cover beds in which the dreams of spring Shall rise again to greet the year alone. I leave you now to sleep in frozen peace, Flowers of my heart's undying past, And undertake the journey once again To seek my soul's direction in the vast And burning country of my spirit's birth. I will kneel and kiss the sacred ground again And feel the rapture of eternal life, Cast off all doubt, be done with death and pain. Love calls to me a continent away, I soar on wings of steel to that bright day.

Divine Infinities Though I have found in darkest night A harbinger of inner sight, In the compass of this steely world A golden banner late unfurled, I have not joined within this breast The thrust of energy with rest. I see each day the human plight, In darkness long for greater light, To balance the scale of joy and grief And know eternity though brief This life of days through births and deaths Inhaled in deep or shallow breaths, Irreparable loss with gain Of spirit-stature by our pain Illumination through our prayer Or offered selves to heaven's care, To recognize the god within Annulling sorrow, absent sin, To rise from ego a

Earth Blessings The soaring eagle lifted me Above the sameness of the days, Of earthly creatures only he Can gaze into the solar rays. No life experience of toil Can overtop the joy I live When fingers touch the living soil And earth returns the love I give. Each blossom speaks a fragrant prayer, The trees I worship overhead, The butterflies on scented air, These also are my wine and bread. I bless the rain, the clouds, the snow, And yes, I have borne human grief Too deep to sound and yet I know I am still gladdened by a leaf.

Sacred Journey – A Room Above I who found the world so sweet And knew a joy in everything, Who worshipped the earth beneath my feet Could not but laugh and dance and sing. And then my spirit called to me From a strange and distant place, Opening worlds for me to see And the haunting vision of a face. I gathered all my petty cares And packed them carefully away Attuned to bright celestial airs And the whisper of a golden day. I met Her in a room above The noise of earth and earthly tears Enraptured by Her heart of love, Who guided me uncounted years That I might stir the soul to wake, The heart's ena

Time of Youthful Tears I have thought upon this time of youthful tears And the origin of sorrow in your eyes; You weep for One who vanquishes all fears, Whose light in you no darkness can surprise. Do not be troubled by humanity For all the surface ripples we call fate Are foam upon the vastness of your sea. On the golden light your spirit concentrate And Mother's sweet embrace that holds you close. To Her consigned through ages grown aware Your soul from blissful realms of peace once chose To live in Her, entrusted to Her care. Go deep within and find Her in delight Then grief to joy transform as day the night.

Man of Sorrows Visits The Man of Sorrows visited today. I did not see his face but knew his mood. In an early morning dream I felt his grey Familiar presence bidding me to brood, Enticing me to go within and grieve. He showed me loss and willingly shared my pain And in my nightmare journey helped me weave The darkened past to thread the light again. All sun-bright memories he would despoil With taint of tears on a tormented breast, The mind with death and darknesses embroil, Denying peace and troubling with unrest. He comes in moments of the being's stress, Not often now the consciousness is turned A fraction more tow

An Overwhelming Dignity My mother was manipulative And fiercely possessive of her brood. She tried my patience, cheated me At checkers but defended me From all who threatened harm. I weeded her garden weary and sore From the hard day at my father's side. Even at fifteen the body fails At times from overwork and rest Gives insufficient time to heal. Eager for approbation and love I gave as much as one could give And then gave more than I could give. My dad too, tired and worn, Reaching ever for his dream, 'No child of mine will want for food', Drove himself and us to work Almost beyond our capacity To th