Hymn The war within

What is this law at work I see?
What makes me live this way?
The Holy Spirit lives in me
But sin's a foe to slay.

It is not that I refuse to fight
Nor that I can't do right,
It's just that somehow all God's lght
Gets swallowed up in night.

The wrong I wish I did not do
Still stares me in the face.
The right I know that I should do
Is slow to take its place.

O who shall rescue me in life?
O where shall I find grace?
Thank God, my Lord, who ends the strife,
For Jesus took my place.

So, I myself am, in my mind
To God's own will a slave
But in my flesh this too I find
The way of sin, I crave.

Lament for the 82 bus

O bus! Red bus sublime!
Up whose steep steps I'd climb,
Looking for a seat (having stood before);
When again will you arrive on time?
No more - No, never more!

Not in the day or night,
Our bus has taken flight;
In spring and summer, and winter hoar,
The 82 that used to come – delight!
No more - No, never more!

(From April 1 the 82 bus has stopped running).

That Night

Cold night wore black,
Heaven's stars stood still.
Moon showed a track
Through Winter's chill.
Her urgent cries
Could forests fill
As this lone woman dies.

I still recall
That cold clear night
When I stood tall
Despite the sight
Of falling tears
She could not fight
As she succumbed to fears.

In your arms

In this case the connection between music and words is only that both have the same title. (I originally headed my words Held in your arms).

Trouble comes over me,
The world gives me pain,
But my heart is at rest -
I'm held in your arms.

When I'm held in your arms
No wave can floor me
No lion subdue -
I'm held in your arms.

Pop song

Some years ago I wrote these words to the tune you can find here

I don't believe in limbo
But I am there I know,
You're far away
Where? You never say.
And I wonder ...

Why did you say you love me?
Yet you don't call on me.
I still love you
And I need you so.
Do you still love me?

I suppose it's just the way things go for me
But I still love you

Why can't we be together?
Why must we be apart?
Why can't it be -
You and me again
Let's end this misery.

Prayer for the start of the day

Lord, accept my worship
Lord, accept my praise,
Nothing is a hardship
When on you I gaze.

Lord, be at the centre
Of my life today.
Every place I enter
Sanctify, I pray.

Lord, don't let me wander
From the narrow way.
Lord, may Christ's blood ever
Take my sins away.

Lord, grant your Spirit, too
'Til my days here end,
'Til I'm in heav'n with you,
My Saviour and my Friend.

Attention wandering

Line up on lecture notes ...
"In 1857  ..."
Heat increases.
Beans on toast and a refreshing cup of ...
"Fully intended to include this important concept.
Plato is interesting as ..."
When I rose, I wasn't as tired as this, was !?
"As we can see from the following extract ..."
Aah, a rest.
Time to think of just twelve and a half minutes more
Then home for my tea at the end of this bore.

(Written long ago in an undergraduate lecture)

Four minutes

Classical trumpet, vi'lin strings
In the shops they're selling things
TV, chocolate, magazines,
People live beyond their means.
Music, makeup, pleasure and wine,
Work so hard then waste your time.
Just four minutes left
Then it's all gonna go.

Looting, vi'lence, drunk in the streets,
Old ones standing, men in seats,
Light fingered workers moving slow,
Unemployed, nowhere to go.
Crooked scientists, fake results
Politicians trade insults.
Just four minutes left
But no one wants to know.

Perplex

Sometimes, it seems to me,
I can be
Master, faster, clearer, brother,
Longer, stronger, purer, lover,
Than any on earth.
This I call confidence,
The other despair

Sometimes, it seems to me,
I must be
Lower, slower, coarser, dimmer
Sneaker, weaker, liar, sinner,
Than any on earth.
This I call humbling,
The other sheer pride.

How can I
Meekly inherit earth,
Not overestimate my worth?
Not knowing,
I keep going.

i loved her hair

I knew a woman
I loved her eyes
She put on glasses
Now hear my sighs

I knew a woman
I loved her hair
She changed the colour
I was in despair.

I knew a woman
I loved her face
She changed her make up
I sunk without trace.

I saw the limes in the sugar bowl

I saw the limes in the sugar bowl,
Placed there before she left for work.
Reminding me, God is good.

I walked over the hill to Highgate,
Drank a black coffee while I read,
Reminding me, God is good.

Back at home my son's new 'phone had come,
How pleased he was it had arrived.
Reminding me, God is good.

My Coffee Card

Someone will use my coffee card,
When I'm dead.
It's not likely I'll use my points,
Then decease.
No, I'll have so many and then
On the street or in bed
I will depart this earthly life.
At last my life will cease
Then my coffee card they will see,
And use the points and think of me.

Outside my window

Outside my window, there stands a tree
Its leaves are blowing in the wind.
The sun is shining down on me,
On life's Author my hopes are pinned
For he's the God who sent his Son
Who by his death my love has won.

Night has fallen, the blinds are closed,
I cannot see the scene outside.
To saddest thought my mind's disposed,
I think of all the tears I've cried.
But soon the glorious day will come,
No longer will my heart be numb.

The shape I'm in

I've tried to see it from different angles,
The truth is I'm emotionally wreckt.
Pent up frustration inwardly strangles,
Oh exaggeration, nothing correct.

But now at last I have been he'pt to see
I ought not to have made such a demand,
Should have been a real non-starter for me.
So here on the deck of the ship I stand
Trying to shape up and see what went wrong,
Now I'm all alone and my Polly gone.

Enjoying old age

I once was young
But now I'm old.
Silver I was
But now I'm gold.

I knew it all
I'd not be told
So confident
Yet now I fold.

A man of ice
Now not so cold.
I grabbed it all,
I've lost my hold.

Once up for sale
By now I'm sold.
Such a shy one
Now oh so bold.

Predictable,
I broke the mould.
Things are better
I think, all told.