Advent Wreath

The pale sun, gliding low,

refuses to rise into leaden

grey skies, so bleak night

inters our sinful souls.

Oh! break out the candles

and place them around!

See how their fires

consume the dark ground.

Bouquet of flame!

devour our sins,

and ignite winter’s night

in holy conflagration.

(12/1/2010)

Debate

The man of science said
that in the beginning
there was nothing,
when
obeying some quantum urge,
suddenly everything
emerged..

and that was all.. .

that was just
the way it happened... no need
for God...just cold, hard
cosmic law.

But the poet,
hearing his breath
rush deep within his lungs,
feeling his heart pound in anticipation,
says to his beloved,

“Ha! I found You!”

(24 April 2014)

from a dark room

Van Gogh, A Lane near Arles (Landscape with Edge of a Road), 1888

“Our spirits were made for light, not for darkness.” Thomas Merton

This dark room
comforts me.

Tender eyes
are safe here from
the hot autumn wind.

Dark tears cleanse
as I gaze out
to the shimmering street
where rises the sacred scent
of yellow flowers,

heavy
and sweet.