NOW, JERUSALEM
Roger N. Taber
Holy city
on a humble beast;
witness to Eternity
Pharisee and Sadducee,
beggars at the feast;
Holy city
Leadership integrity
put to the test,
witness to Eternity
Day grown weary
like the beast;
Holy city
Donkey, no more free
than the rest;
witness to Eternity
Night, come early;
Light, put briefly to rest;
Holy city,
witness to Eternity
OCEAN CROSSINGS
Copyright © 2004 R. N. Taber
See the ocean on a fair summer’s day,
gentle waves kissed by the sun’s golden light,
a kindness of dolphins come into play,
ballet of an albatross in full flight
See the ocean when the sky in a rage,
a crescendo of waves bearing down
like terrified beasts, driven to rampage
by Man’s compulsion to steal Nature’s crown
See the ocean when stars shining brightly,
the moon sailing boldly where angels fear,
dark swell spawning the same brute history
that brought us, laughing, weeping, praying here
Oceans apart, let’s follow freedom’s cry...
swimming with dolphins and learning to fly
THE SEWING MACHINIST’S SONG
Copyright © 2004 R. N. Taber
O, how I cherish such wonderful dreams
of an end to wars and a lasting peace
in fair lands falling apart at the seams,
their pain, like acid rain, falling on us
O, how I long for such dreams to come real
but can only despair, scenes on TV
compounding horrors, letting wounds congeal
for all they command our soap box pity
What worth, politics of a century,
a crass tit-for-tat culture prevailing
for the love of an evil called Money,
its arms dealers busy consecrating?
O, how I cherish such wonderful dreams,
Love, resolutely, stitching tearing seams
SUMMONED BY GHOSTS
Copyright © 2004 R. N. Taber
Come a late hour’s whim, witness home hills turn
to silver ghosts, shades of midnight’s children
playing with stars, prisoners of the moon,
unable to sleep, anxious for the dawn
Above, chance to watch an owl’s graceful flight
see it circle, swoop, soar, but can only
guess at its prey - victim, too, of a night
no friend to the vulnerable, lonely...
I have wandered, asked questions of shadows
mocking me, teasing me with solutions
chasing grey rabbits across dark meadows,
party to a sad mind’s convolutions
At last, hills and sky hosting a new day,
ever hopeful of keeping ghosts at bay
FOREVER TO REMAIN
Copyright © 2004 R. N. Taber
Among the world’s passions piling high,
Love and Hate near breaking even,
twin towers reaching for the sky
Fear and hope - in a cruel storm’s eye
ascent into pain, ladder to heaven
among the world’s passions piling high
Though dogs of war may not pass us by,
pray Peace and Mercy be shown,
twin towers reaching for the sky
Political ambition, religion’s blind eye,
spiralling us into confusion...
among the world’s passions piling high
Let us plant flowers where loved-ones lie,
seeds of Joy for Remembrance sown,
twin towers reaching for the sky
Though terror its ugly tentacles try
again, again, to drag us down...
Among the world’s passions piling high,
twin towers reaching for the sky
TRIUMPHANT VOICES
Copyright © 2004 R. N. Taber
Through terror strike fear
into the heart,
we shall persevere
Listen, and we can hear
a pop song start...
though terror strike fear
Here, there, everywhere,
lives torn apart;
we shall persevere
Listen, young voices clear;
we play our part...
though terror strike fear
Pity the poor slaves to war
losing out;
We shall persevere
No matter the arms dealer
politicking clout;
Though terror strike fear,
we shall persevere
LAMENT FOR A GRASSHOPPER
Copyright © 2004 R. N. Taber
Once I heard a grasshopper sing,
heard the dawn chorus...
where, now, trucks thundering
I have heard bluebells ring
sweet sounds of silence;
Once, I heard a grasshopper sing
I saw a stream, twisting, turning,
haunted by otters...
where, now, trucks thundering
I have watched birds mating
in leafy trees;
Once, I heard a grasshopper sing
There used to be a graceful flying
of kingfishers...
where, now, trucks thundering
Needs must, called ’progress’
through the centuries;
Once, I heard a grasshopper sing
where, now, trucks thundering
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