WHERE THE BATTLE RAGES

 LAKELAND LIGHT Dappled day wars scudding clouds  Wincing light and dullest shroud A land the late-sun longs to kiss Is wreathed again in gowns of mist The rippling light plays on those fells  Where a deeper darkness dwells  All the high places of our land All our Bethels, all our Dans Then all at once the skies are clear The sun returns to rout the drear! As if a siege at last were breached Bestowing a grace so long-beseeched  Basking in the evening rays The Lakes exult in revival praise Arise! Shine! Thy light is come!   Herald of England’s golden gloam?

 AS GODS   It's just a tool, saith the prattling fool   No deity or golden calf   Just a tool cuts work in half  Mows our lawns and drives our cars Frees us all to reach the stars! From now you'll know such liberty  Compose that song, paint that tree,  Even write some poetry!   Escape a world we've always fought  (even if we're being out-thought)   Have you had the new upgrade? No, I'm not at all afraid!  Bone and steel so neatly fused No enhancements I refuse   With soulless smile and unreal sheen The Imago Dei's now half-machine With brain implants and carbon rods   We very soon will be as gods!   Well, at last and it's past time! The latest model's rolled off the line! An image of gold with spreading wings  A silver mouth that speaks great things   God gives it power and grants it breath  To ascend on high and...

  STILL AHEAD The hair that's greyed and bleakly thinned The eye that's all too swiftly dimmed All my gathering aches and pains My creaking bones and muscle strains These speak of ends that are to come Would take my hand and lead me home And I could soon consent to go Save for a dream that I yet own  The passing years I hold at bay For vision cast stands in the way   A dream that does still daily feed To which my life must ever yield That quickening dream is ever young That dream as yet is fit and strong    Though old and withered I do grow  Like aged Simeon I've been told This mortal frame shall not pass  Till Caleb's mountain rear up fast Such weary stairs I still must climb  So much road is sprawled behind  So much worn and faded tread Yet the dream is still ahead.

 A PAST TENSE GOD  There lingers still a strange belief Of which the Bible does not speak   That though in yesteryears God spoke That voice did cease at a stroke!  He'd guide men through in latter seasons But that has ceased (for sundry reasons)  So it's fine and well to be a theist   But know that God has gone all Deist!   Now in the past, twas never thus   No hush there at that Burning Bush In dream, did Joseph hear Him twice    Samuel, he was summoned thrice   Visions and dreams He then allowed Seems that was then, but not for now!  Today He does not wish (it seems)  To give to us  our plans and dreams  No gifts, no words, no prophecy These we should not hope to see To hear from God you must not look Except and only through His Book The Book is wondrous, the Book is fair, The Book for us is always there  But this our world is not ...