Poetry

Who is on the Lord’s side?

~ admin

Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King?
Who will be his helpers, other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for him will go?
By thy call of mercy, by thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side: Saviour, we are thine!

Not for weight of glory, nor for crown and palm,
Enter we the army, raise the warrior psalm;
But for love that claimeth lives for whom he died:
He whom Jesus saveth marches on his side.
By thy love constraining, by thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side: Saviour, we are thine!

Jesus, thou hast bought us, not with gold or gem,
But with thine own lifeblood, for thy diadem;
With thy blessing filling each who comes to thee,
Thou hast made us willing, thou hast made us free.
By thy great redemption, by thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side: Saviour, we are thine!

Fierce may be the conflict, strong may be the foe,
But the King’s own army none can overthrow;
‘Round his standard ranging, vict’ry is secure,
For his truth unchanging makes the triumph sure.
Joyfully enlisting, by thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side: Saviour, we are thine!

Chosen to be soldiers, in an alien land,
Chosen, called, and faithful, for our Captain’s band;
In the service royal, let us not grow cold,
Let us be right loyal, noble, true and bold.
Master, thou wilt keep us, by thy grace divine,
Always on the Lord’s side: Saviour, always thine!

Words: Frances Ridley Havergal (1836-79)
Music: Someone will say that it bears some similarity with, a passing resemblance maybe to, a song by Mavis Ford, in which case Coco is flattered and she perhaps annoyed. Coco finally got around to putting pen to paper for a new tune for Who is on the Lord’s side. Any similarity between this and an other tune may be coincidental, deliberate or unintentional in the manner of Brahms first Symphony and many other hymns whose first lines appear to have some resemblance to each other.
The copyright of this arrangement of the music is held by Stuart Moffatt (© 1999-2021).
The midi file was produced using Noteworthy Composer.
The mp3 was produced using Myriad software.
Also on CPDL and NWC Scriptorium

Who is on the Lord’s side is usually sung to at least two different tunes, but obviously not at the same time in the same place that would be anti-fermionic not to say cacophonous:

Rachie

Music: Rachie – Caradog Roberts (1878-1935) and adapted here by Coco
The copyright of this arrangement of the music is held by Stuart Moffatt (© 1999-2021).
On NWC Scriptorium

Armageddon

Music: Armageddon – C. Luise Reichardt, arr. by John Goss, 1871 and adapted here by Coco
The copyright of this arrangement of the music is held by Stuart Moffatt (© 1999-2021).
On NWC Scriptorium

These words of Mavis Ford fit quite nicely onto Armageddon and Rachie, do you not agree?

You are the King of glory
You are the Prince of Peace
You are the Lord of heaven and earth
You’re the Son of righteousness
Angels bow down before you
Worship and adore, for
You have the words of eternal life
You are Jesus Christ the Lord

Hosanna to the son of David
Hosanna to the King of kings
Glory in the highest heaven for
Jesus the Messiah reigns

The One who made

~ admin
The One who made the heavens above
Is Lord of you and Lord of me
To him we owe unfeigning love
For he’s the One who set us free

He set us free from Satan’s power
He set us free from sin and guilt
He set us free in that dark hour
When was his blood for sinners spilt.

For sinners gave he up his life
For sinners he to die had come
For sinners fought he in the strife
To call poor sinners to his home

The call is not to one but all
Who will surrender to the same
Not righteous to repentance call
But sinners to his lovely name

The name he has is Lord of Lords
Not just of heaven and all above
The earth and all that it affords
Are his, redeemèd by his love.

The One who made the heavens and earth
Is Lord of you and Lord of me
We praise him now to show his worth
And shall for all eternity.

Words: Stuart Moffatt © 2021 Music: Stuart Moffatt © 2021
The copyright of this arrangement of the music is held by Stuart Moffatt (© 2021).
The midi file was produced using Noteworthy Composer.
The mp3 was produced using Myriad software.
On CPDL and NWC Scriptorium

Another year

~ admin
Another year, so long,
How wrapt are we in bonds
Which flits from bloom to flower
With heavy hum and burr

We wear with hidden pride
Not knowing what the cost
Yet still the world turns on;
The golden dawn awakes,

The winter frost gives way
Preparing earth once more
As April’s pitterpat
And dew drops in the night

So now I think of you
Do not forget to do
The Lord give strength to you,
According to his will		has now passed away; see
unlike the happy bee
along the border neat
pursuing nectar sweet.

the mask upon the face
of leaving our safe place.
it circles in the sky.
the silver moon glides by,

to spring in earnest hue
with whistling songs for you.
brings showers on the lawn
the flowers well adorn,

who once encouraged me:
to be what you would be.
now make his face to shine
on you and your true line.

Perhaps again the bee

~ admin

Perhaps again the bee…

Perhaps the moor’s heather shall stand proud
Enchanting, by its vibrant purple shroud
Rutilant below heaven’s snow white cloud,
Her eyes, as if she had long since vowed
Again to no more vainly cry aloud;
Pleading after the bee’s sweet secret kiss
Sweet aromas softly yielding bliss
Around the tender form of gentle miss
Gath’ring nectar – such gracious benefice –
Accomp’nied by a quiet burr and hiss;
In time shall we perhaps the honey taste?
Not though ’til then, shall we again embrace.

Another time

~ admin

Another time, another year

The bluebells in the woods
have raised their heads to thee
Who in the shadows of the past
the garth of Arundel didst tread.

The daffodils in gold
have spread a mat for thee
Who in the mists of days of old
the Surrey fields didst oft frequent.

The roses red have yet
their beauty to bestow
‘pon thee who in the present day
much happiness shouldst know.

Another year

~ admin

Yet now for Yu a year has passed
Under the bridge of life to flow
Into the future yet unknown
Silently o’er pebble and stone
Hidden in reeds on sandy shore
I muse whereon her shadow ‘s cast.