The dew this evening fell
To refresh the ground again.
We thought it would be well
And remembered then the pain.
The pain of leaving home,
Of walking in a strange place,
But freedom then to roam
Gave to pain a new brand face.
Each day we walk uncertainly,
Not knowing of the end,
But the God of grace and mercy
Knows well how to defend.
He saw the world before it was
And knew how it would be.
And yet he made it all because
Of love for you and me.
The pain that we all feel
For the wrongs that we have done
Though grievous to his soul
Yet for it he would atone.
There on the Roman cross
His blood for the world was shed.
It was for him no loss –
Let us now by him be led!
Another year has passed away,
Another now employ.
May you know joy and peace alway
In him without alloy.
Poetry
A song for April 2025
| In the days when the winter wanes The winds do turn the weather vanes To point toward the coming spring When birds shall fly upon the wing. They shall return the air to fill And we shall climb once more the hill Which overlooks the festal day When all our cares shall flee away. Now if this rhyme non-sequitur Know that this bard is truly dour He writes not logic for to make But merely hopes yo’enjoy your cake. |
The darkness – Psalm 88
As we approach the time of year which is called Easter or Passover by those who observe such things Coco thought to offer a few words on Psalm 88, as we number it, which speaks eloquently, though darkly, about the things which took place at that time. First of all read the psalm itself:
A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. To the Chief Musician. Set to Mahalath Leannoth (The suffering of affliction). A Contemplation (maskil) of Heman the Ezrahite.
Continue readingA song for March 2025
| In the bleak midwinter days, When frost and wind the ground did cleave, We wandered round in a haze As spiders in their webs did weave. The days must close, We must not doze, For springtime soon the air must breathe. The springtime comes with a blast Of fiery flowers and florid hues. We know this soon will be past And summer’s sun will then amuse The singing lark, The children’s park, ‘Til winter shall its shadow cast. Once more rolls the year around, But what is that to you and me? Once we thought it was quite sound But time itself has left to flee, Another year Ran like the hare To carry love where ere you be. |
α και ω
Amethyst, beryl, candles and gold
These were the things that were found in the hold
Of the great ship that sailed on the wave
‘til that great day when it went to its grave
The fields adorned with lilies are fair
The hills crowned with fir provide a good lair
The kite and the eagle soar above
While the sheep in the valley speak of love
The shepherd watched o’er his flock at night
For the ghouls clothed in fur that give a fright
Ready with rod and staff in his hand
He watched and waited in that wearied land
Ships on the sea continued their trade
Men gave their houses another upgrade
The plans were laid in ink’s blue design
Yet none of them asked when they crossed the line
Amethyst, beryl, candles and gold
These are the things that the ground still does hold
But on it they build caring no more
For all the nations that had gone before
Alpha and beta come and they go
This is the way of it, all of us know
Will we be ready on the great day
Alpha and Omega returns to stay
Would not go away
As the heat of summer parched the land
The river flowed on towards the sea
Which drank with gladness from its hand
The cool water of austerity
The waters moved, the waves did break
The tide ebbed to and fro
But naught availed the rock stood firm
He would not go away.
As the leaves of autumn slowly fell
The river flowed full flush with glee.
The flowers on the ground knew very well
Winter’s cold would follow in the lee.
The waters moved, the waves did break
The tide ebbed to and fro
But naught availed ‘gainst winter’s might
He would not go away.
Then spring again o’er the earth shall fling.
As rivers flow the earth to heal,
A verdure green, so birds on the wing
Shall delight in all of spring time’s weal.
The waters moved, the waves did break
The tide ebbed to and fro
But naught availed, though earth did melt
He would not go away.
Then summer’s sun at the last shall come.
The fields in refulgent pulchritude
Shall flourish towards the harvest home
When dawns the day to which we allude.
The waters moved, the waves did crash
The tide ebbed in the bay
So all availed, we wear a sash
For you, it is your day
Turkeys for Christmas?
Whilst it is voting day in the UK, it is quite a different day in the former North American colonies. One of Coco’s friends pointed him to The False Prophet Rising: Part 2 – The Merging of Church and State 
. It was not something that would normally grab his attention. Listening to the analysis of a Trump speech at the National Religious Broadcasters’ Convention – 2/22/24 
reminded him very much of encouraging turkeys to vote for Christmas and not letting them know that they are on the menu. Having no influence as far as the choice of their new president is to be makes the detail of the various presentations in some ways superfluous which is a view contrary to that of the BBC (see US election 2024: Why the world is watching so closely 
).
Evidence
To try to find the evidence
That we’ve never been apart
Is to bind the wind in bundles
For to load upon a cart.
It has now been many years
Since we face to face have met.
Yesterday with its many tears
is but snow of winter’s art.
Have I forgotten what was said?
The words you spoke, to this day,
Ring aloud to inform the mind,
In their vast and bright array.
What thoughts there are, they must pass by
Another day is present.
The past remains now but a sigh,
Onward, forward, we are sent.
And so, again in April’s reign
Another year transgresses
Then if it be that so you deign,
Be pleased with him who blesses.
1831 Katsushika Hokusai
Tulip blossom
The tulip blossoms in the spring
The beech leaves wait their turn to fling
Their verdure o’er their golden dress
Which spoke of winter’s weariness.
The beach then beckons those who run
To come to join in all the fun
Of summer days and sandy feet
Which quickly come, but soon do fleet,
A year has passed, another day
So what then shall we now convey?
We cannot let this day pass by
Without a tear found in the eye.
A tear of joy, of hope, of love
A tear which points us far above
This world and all that is therein
Unto the One who inhabits heaven.
So, for your good I now must pray.
In words the Spirit shall relay,
That in all your ways you may know
The power of him who lived below.
1831 Katsushika Hokusai
Translation
We use the word translation in many different ways, accountants and theologians having quite specialised uses of the term which may befuddle, without a translation, the poor man on the Clapham omnibus.
When you try to translate Do you feel special? and Do you feel different? into certain Romance languages the distinction found in Germanic languages may be lost. Difficulties abound when seeking to give the correct and proper meaning of words in one language in a second. But have you noticed that there is as much difficulty when translating from even very closely related languages?
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