Hymnals

24-Hour Solo

A night alone beside a stream
With nothing but my wits,
A coffee can, a pocketknife,
And only three matchsticks.

I thought that I could build a hut,
A fire to keep me warm,
Instead I lay upon a rock,
And felt a chilling storm.



Sistine Chapel

The day in Rome was hot and clear
As Roman days can be.
The chapel air was crisp and cold,
The folks a churning sea.

These walls contain a sacred place,
The artist, touched by God,
And as I gazed, I felt a tear:
A critic’s subtle nod.



Beluga Whale

The water is a thrilling blue,
It’s almost like the sky,
And suddenly a massive thing,
A streak of white swims by.

My breath, it stops, my eyes are huge,
I really don’t know how
That in this world below the waves
There lives a swimming cow.



Rainy Beach #1

The beach is full of driftwood fresh,
A fog hangs in the air,
When wet the wood has such a sheen
And many colors fair.

Along the wall a row of rocks
In towers many lie,
I built them as a monument
To rain and sea and sky.



Rainy Beach #2

Not long ago the island stood
Against the cold gray rain,
The fog and clouds, they have returned,
The island’s gone again.

And when the sun breaks through the clouds
And burns so strong and bright,
The island with its foggy trees
Will once again delight.



Rainy Beach #3

I like to sit out in the rain,
And feel the drops come down,
A soothing touch upon my frame,
The mist becomes my crown.

The air is wet and so my face,
And yet I will not leave,
The rain it brings a calming grace,
A state beyond reprieve.