The Crimson Orb

The Crimson Orb

21 JUNE 2016 · FRIENDS

I stood at the end of the bay and I watched, The perfect crimson orb, surrounded by its own rays, Drop from sight behind the distant hills. The day was good and I will recall it oft, But if I knew no better, I’d have thought, That it were gone forever. But I knew that sight was seen before, And so it would be oft again, Until the End. I hoped I’d not be there to see.

I thought of my life – what had I done? Indeed I had done much, And those who know me well will say, That I speak truth enough. But now I see the orb of gold move slowly and I know, That it will drop more quickly at the end. And will the crimson glow of all my sins, The life of constant loss and pain, Bring only sadness? I hope that there may be some serene reflection, Some recollection of some happy days, When time was not wasted.

So what is good? As one did say, “All then is vanity!” Is it enough to do some goodness where one goes? To tread with kindness in a coarse and bitter world? And offer some poor lonely soul, A shoulder to lean on, or an ear to listen, Some food to eat, some clothes for warmth? For now, I think it is enough. I shun the edifices and the temples built by man, For all their intent, they are cold as stone. The only warmth is in the human heart, Reflected sometimes in a child’s eyes, So now I’ll live for love, For love is all there is.

Mark Humber 9/4/2010

Peerless One

Peerless One

29 DECEMBER 2017 

The peerless One Still sits and listens As we croon our feeble song Lyrics of a tune So broken By the times that made us mourn And He catches Every teardrop That falls from our bitter eyes Just to water seeds tomorrow Blooms shall yet more glorious rise.

As we drag each faltering footstep And we curse the road so long In the evening We're so weary That our hearts can make no song But as we sit there in the silence We can still hear the blessed voice That still calls us From the darkness And can make the soul rejoice.

Peerless One, There's none beside You None so noble, None so kind There is no one more forgiving Yet more entitled to condemn But you stayed the hand of judgement And held out the sceptre high So the longing soul finds mercy And the ransomed one draws nigh.

29th December 2012

Brighter Days

Brighter Days

1.  I still think of all the hard times when an inch felt like a mile,
     I shed a tear as I recall now, all those awful days back then.
     And I know as I'm reflecting, the hurt was all worthwhile,
     But I guess if I could turn the clock back, I couldn't face it all again.


Chorus
I'm heading for a brighter day,
A day where the sun don't set,
I'm waiting for the moment,
When the heart feels no regret.
I'm longing for the Lover,
Who saved my wretched soul,
And I'm ready for the glory,
When He is All in All.

2.  The hard days aren't behind me, I know there's still more toil.
     The flower is always wilted by the fury of the sun.
     And the hardest iron will always rust, the moth will always spoil,
     But the treasure found in Jesus, will keep me till I'm done.

MJH 15/11/2016

If You Could See What I Can See.

If you could see what I can see,

If you saw with my eyes-

All that waits just there for you,

The natural sight defies…

If you could taste what I can taste,

The sweetest flavour known-

And keep that essence evermore

To be in memory sown…

If you could smell what I can smell,

The odour, sweet - of life.

Or draw into your nostrils oft,

Aromas of delight…

If you could hear what I can hear,

The voice of gentlest tone-

That calls with epilogues of love,

And warms the deepest soul…

If you could feel what I can feel,

So deep within your heart-

And feel the greatest love of all

From which you'd never part…

20th Dec 2004

Sometimes when one read the words one wrote years before, one feels one may have lost 

something.  At least I do now when I read this...

There was a last verse to this.  I did not post it - it is the answer to the 'If' question.  I leave it to you to answer.

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.