Tag Archives: nature

Psalm: Lilies (The Cornucopia of Heaven)

After Antonio Vivaldi, “Le Quattro Stagioni – La Primavera: II. Largo”  Creator God, whose praise and power are proclaimed by the whole creation: receive our morning prayers, we pray… (A Prayer Book for Australia) Consider         how the lilies open – Watch them enter     into light… Solomon in all his        splendour wasContinue reading “Psalm: Lilies (The Cornucopia of Heaven)”

Canticle (The Cornucopia of Heaven #3)

Canticle After Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, “Venite Exultemus Domino”   So lift – lift high the horn of praise O praise – O come to praise the One who made the dawn and made the stars and gave the dawn to brighten hearts and praise the morning star of Truth, praise Him who hurls! the hailContinue reading “Canticle (The Cornucopia of Heaven #3)”

Call to Praise (The Cornucopia of Heaven #2)

Call to Praise After Gustav Holst, “Psalm 148: Lord, Who Has Made Us for Thine Own”   His glory is above earth and heaven:             and he has lifted high the horn of his people.                         (Psalm 148:14) Listen: what begins small soon grows… Let our voices rise –  Continue reading “Call to Praise (The Cornucopia of Heaven #2)”

Les Feuilles Mortes

Yes, the leaves die as they go golden,       yet this does not speak to me of death, as hand-in-hand we walk below bowers           which colour      the world’s bright defiant grave.   Tombs carry promise, still dormant – a longing –      life hidden by theseContinue reading “Les Feuilles Mortes”

Schoolyard Grace (After Les Murray’s “Equanimity”)

It is with slight trepidation that I tackle Les Murray’s masterful poem “Equanimity”. For one thing, it is my girlfriend’s favourite Murray poem, so I would hate to destroy it for her. It is also a very complex poem, with a challenging style to imitate. But the central idea – the beauties of common graceContinue reading “Schoolyard Grace (After Les Murray’s “Equanimity”)”

Evening Prayer

The leaves whistle change; no longer burning, the air sings a softer tune, and I wander in the evening street attuned to change, yet stuck within the day’s exhaustion, mind empty, spirit vacant. I lift my arms to walk, to pray, the day ahead uncertain, silent – cooler, but still not within my arms’ reach.Continue reading “Evening Prayer”

Morning Song (After Peter Steele’s “An Ordinary Evening In Kew”)

Time for my last poem for Peter Steele, this one based on his simple and delicate “An Ordinary Evening in Kew”. Less theological than the other poems I have chosen, this one is a wonderful tribute to the simple beauties of God’s gift of life. Morning Song (After “An Ordinary Evening in Kew”) The KensingtonContinue reading “Morning Song (After Peter Steele’s “An Ordinary Evening In Kew”)”

Autumn Soul

Poor leaves – gold before the sun is gone, heat-confused, your brothers green, fallen now before your time, the street lined thick with your mistake – leaves, lie still and wait. Last week summer ruled the street; spring creeps in, winter retreats. We mourned the heat, we dreamt the dreams that drove the leaves downContinue reading “Autumn Soul”

This is the day –

leaves dance in spring-wind,                       the flowers sit and sway and calm the street.            The still-point-petals line the garden; brick-walls gleam and fence-posts stand            attentive to the silent day. The day hums in rest;    Continue reading “This is the day –”