Uncomposed

I'm thinking things of You tonight 
But it just don't rhyme
I'm listening to Johnny Cash
And crying all the time
I'm hoping that a day will come
When the sun will truly shine
And an unworthy wretch like me
Will feel Your hand again.

I remember when I was a little child
And I walked on by your side
You kept me safe from every harm
And nothing You denied
But now I am a grown man
I find I need You still
As now I sit alone and cry 
And hope to do Your will.

I'll go and have another
Whisky from the lonely fridge
Because I can't expect
Much more when living on the edge
But as I pour it down I know
That the hole inside will never fill
And tomorrow will always come 
And haunt my spirit still.

7/1/2004 MH

ACCUSER OF THE DARKNESS

In the black of the night, still he found me,

In a cliff-side beach bungalow.

As I tried to find peace in the darkness,

And solace in sleep's solitude.

Though I fled my own country, he finds me,

Whenever happiness dwells,

Whether in forests or beaches or cities,

He can always discover me there.    

                                       

He can turn my light into darkness,

My hope into loss and dismay,

All peace to distress and confusion,

And my dreams into terror and fear.

His tactics are always unchanging,

For when I wake he must flee,

So he waits till I peacefully slumber,

And he stirs my mind's cauldron again.

The relentless attacks of the Accuser,

As he whispers of failure and loss,

And he forms a mosaic of agony,

From the memories wrenched from my mind.

He speaks with the voice of my father,

And the words of death sound again,

And the faces of those who accuse me,

All live in the 'house of my friends'.   

  

I still hope in One who is greater,

Who can take all of life's pain away,

And I want to believe there's a Heaven,

'Cause I know that he can't reach me there. 

I believe in a world full of kindness,

In a place where all may be free,

And if I ever can find it,           

There'll be somebody waiting for me.

29/12/12

It Looked Like Death Had Won.

 19/2/2012

She was found there dead in her drug-strewn room,

A wasted, if privileged life,

And the songs that she sang

Were marred with the shame,

Of a wretched untimely end.

And the scornful voices rose loud and hard,

And the eulogies rankled the heart,

So the Internet buzzed with the sorry tale,

And it looked like Death had won.

They scorned too the one who hung a corpse,

He died a vile felon's death,

Even in death there, a soldier thrust,

A spear through his tortured side,

The ‘King of Kings’ lay there alone,

And although he gave up his own life,

And he’d offered no curse in exchange,

Then it looked like Death had won.

We live our lives the best we know how,

And we make some mistakes on the way,

And the times that we mess up seem scribed in stone,

With the eyes of the world watching there.

So the loser, the drunkard, the beggar, the fool,

Can hope in just one faithful word,

“Who shall condemn those that I have loved?”

If it looks like Death has won.

Inspired by the words of T.D.Jakes today about Whitney Houston.

The Pearl

Shaped by the suffering of the sea;

Caused by the grit that found its way

Into the former comfort of the shell,

The oyster built around to try

To give itself protection.

Until it ground inside with abject pain-

Each hour, every moment, formed inside,

From the excretions of agony,

A lustrous beauty there to hide,

For some most blest discoverer.

So when I find you, I’ll rejoice,

And tell the world of my great love.

And thrilled to find such beauty rare,

I’ll tell the heavens’ stars above,

Of the pearl that I have found.

Mark J. Humber. 

When a Thousand Times

When a thousand times I’ve said I love you,

And meant it from my deepest soul,

And my words have often wooed you,

Are there any other words to say?

When a thousand times I’ve kissed you,

And held you in my arms so tight,

And so tenderly caressed you,

Can I show you any other way?

When a thousand times I’ve seen you,

And marvelled at your beauteous face,

When your glory has enthralled me,

Is there anymore to see?

Yes, a thousand times I’ll tell you!

Of the love my heart sustains,

Oh, a thousand times I’ll hold you!

Yet the passion still remains.

When a thousand times I’ve seen you,

And your beauty turns to age,

For a thousand thousand times I'll love you,

Till I close my life's last page.

Maybe in that other world, I'll find you,

Where life does not dim with time,

When a thousand is no longer,

I'll spend eternity with you.

Mark Humber

Sonnet To An Enlightened Age

In this advanced and modern world of ours,

We find development that pleases most.

The freedom fiercely fought for boldly towers,

O’er ancient principles we once did boast.

The social classes once from birth bestowed,

Are now displaced by opportunity,

That beckons to the boldest on the road,

To recognition in community.

But honour, peace and tolerance we hold,

Are virtues proudly owned by modern man.

Throughout our world, great nations waxing bold,

Are claiming a secure and noble plan.

Why then this war, fear, sorrow all around;

What have we gained that hatred should abound?

Mark J. Humber      8^th October 2006

Voices

Voices now gone but ne’er forgotten,

Words left seething in my mind.

Whispers of rumours, innuendo,

Murmurs of trouble, loss and care.

Tunes of songs we once were singing,

Lyrics with words not understood.

Speeches of monotones so dreary,

Sermons told o’er and o’er again.

Shouts of bitter accusation,

Cries of pain and sorrow too.

Screams of terror in the night time,

Sobs of grief too deep to bear.

Echoes of phrases unforgiven,

Calls from distant hills of home.

Voices of children never heard now,

Voices of families left behind.

Mark J. Humber 10 September 2006

Only some readers will understand the terrible meaning of this poem.