"Light Of The World"

Like blind salamanders, we were all born
Into a world of nothing but darkness:
Going to and fro, stumbling all the more,
Held captive by a tempter most heartless;

To ever grope about, a life of scorn,
Oft falling into dread sarcophagus;
For clothes, it’s rags, already tattered, worn
Thro’ to reveal our shameful nakedness;

How to see, to grow? How to fin’lly shine,
Exit this awful and cavernous maw?
We can’t ever even begin to be;

Our only hope, the only way to thrive,
Rests solely with one who paints every dawn;
Lord Jesus, you are the One, you are He:
Died and buried; then suddenly alive!

"The Narrow Path"

In ancient times, all of Egypt did grieve
Failed to recall what Joseph had started
After ten plagues, king demanded they leave
Moses did pray, led through Red Sea parted
On a more recent night, long before morn,
For an answer, Nicodemus quested
Then spake the Truth: you must again be born
He went away confused and perplexèd
Two months after most recent December
I witnessed again a momentous joy
(The other two I clearly remember):
Blood accompanied arrival of boy
 Nation, spirit, person: births unfolded
 Narrow path unveiled: Beauty beholded

"The Same As Ours"

In Bethlehem, in a manger one night,
Was born our Lord, a child with skin like snow;
No, no, no! He was dark, as black as night!
I have to ask: why do we argue so?
What color, do you think, were His new eyes?
They were probably a dark shade of brown,
But what’s it matter? He created skies!
This season, we honor that God came down
Let’s stop our fighting and our bickering;
He was not born for one color of skin
Celebrate Jesus Christ, our new born King!
And remember, later, He died for sin
 We must not forget—and His was a flood—
 What matters most: the color of His blood