Poems

The gentle sheep are lying in the meadow On rolling hills of tender, dewy grass, While wakeful shepherds watch them from the shadow Of olive trees. The rustling breezes pass And die away, chill messengers of dawn, While in the east a radiant star shines on.

I will arise and go unto my Father, Far I have wandered willfully astray; Pursuing madly vain and selfish pleasure, Snatching at fancied joys along the way. All that He gave me I have vainly squandered, Forgetting quite to whom I owed my all, Giving no thought to home and loving Father, Reckless, responding to each earthly call.

Stand porter! Let no earthly dream Deface the tablet of thy mind; Open thy thought to heaven's bright beam Of light and truth, and thou shalt find The power of Love to fill thy day With joy supreme—in God's own way.

Help me, O Lord, this very day, to count The little blessings all along my way. In Thy great plan of endless little things, Beauty and grace hold everlasting sway.

All call him friend, This man who never seeks Acclaim for word or deed; Who never turns a deafened ear To those who seem in need. A man who never speaks of men Unless he can commend, But never leaves unsaid the words That urge an upward trend.

God spoke to me today, Today when sense was still; He said, Deny thyself And humbly do My will. I knew not what to do, But prayed for Love to guide; And in that humbleness, I cast away false pride.

A prophet of the former days Received command to cry. What shall I cry? his question ran: All flesh is grass, and only can Appear, to fade and die.

O Father-Mother God, this day May I reflect Thy purity, And cleanse my thought Of every taint of self, Till in humility I am aware Of Thy unfailing presence. May I reflect Thy truth, And through its shining light Destroy the shadows dark That crowd the path Of those not yet awakened From the dream Of mortal life.

When in one comradeship all hearts are woven, Obedient to the touch of Love divine, Then Life's far-reaching oneness will be proven In seamless tapestry of God's design.

All eagerly they crowded round him there, The gentle Master, whose almighty Word Did ope' the blinded eyes, and made them see, The eyes of him who from his birth had ne'er Beheld the light. And anxiously one said, Who sinned, his parents, or this man that he Was thus born blind? Then came those wond'rous words, So fraught with meaning, and so swift to heal; He sinned not, neither did his parents sin, But that God's works should be made manifest.