Life's a Battle Son
by Andrew Richards

"Life's a battle son, by the strong the victory's won."
His father's words of solid truth rang in the old man's ears,
His father's message told the boy, how his life should run,
Remember "Life's a battle son," repeated through the years.

The man was old, his body spent, from battles down the years,
He had a name, great wealth and fame, but morals he hadn't any,
Full of pride, he didn't care, he'd conquered all his fears,
He'd beat them all, one by one, and the people he hated were many.

He sat alone in a large old house, the grounds were vast and spacious,
His mood was dark from faces recalled of people he'd battled and won,
He looked at plans to gain more wealth, his appetite was voracious,
His father's words, he heard in his gloom , "It's all a big battle son!"

An adopted child, raised in wealth, his parents he never knew,
His mother had said, the father's last words, in the leaf of a book they were written,
The book now lost, had come with the child, his father's words so true,
His father'd died in some far off land, by the lure of travel'd been smitten.

Alone in his room, the old man did jump, as the telephone suddenly rang.
Twas the doctor who said, the cancer has spread, for you the battle is lost,
Cursing the doctor, the phone he did throw, he threw it down with a bang,
Life was a battle, he'd won every one, he'd never counted the cost.

Alone in his room, he reached for the drawer, he opened it very wide,
He thought of his father, hating his words, and the life they had led him to run,
He pulled out a gun, and his mouth he did open, placing the barrel inside,
As the trigger he pulled, he hated the thought, "by the strong the victory's won."

The funeral took place, and the people he hated, shared in the old man's gold,
Cleaning the cellar, a book they did find, from a father to his son.
In the leaf of the book, a message they read, from a loving father old,
"Bless you my son, of truths I might leave you, all are summed up in one."

"The good we do lives after us, like a hand within a glove.
For in giving we receive, and in spiritual strength we've won.
The world, the Flesh, and the Devil are beat by overcoming Love.
So remember life's a battle, son, and by the strong the victory's won."

End

A Mystery Revealed
by Andrew Richards

The soldiers chained his body to the wheel,
Asleep he was from feasting and the wine,
His body was muscle and sinews of steel,
His skin of bronze made him a god divine.

With sudden lurch, he came alert, as roaring filled the air,
Through bloodshot eyes he saw the beast, he saw the open cage,
He looked about him at the crowd, and heard them jeering there,
And then he saw the bars of steel that kept the crowd away.

The Lion crouched and hugged the ground while creeping toward the wheel,
The crowd grew tense with hold'en breath, the lion moved with care,
The man did tense and one by one he broke the chains of steel,
The lion froze and fixed him with a cold, hypnotic stare.

The man moved not, returning back, the beast's full-glaring stare,
Then, a sudden turn, and he faced the bars, he faced the jeering noise,
The beast stayed still reacting to the man's commanding air,
With muscles taut he bent two bars, like children's metal toys.

The fearful crowd did turn and run, the lion gave a roar,
The beast sprang up to chase the crowd leaping toward the bars,
The man reached out with arms like steel and knocked it to the floor,
The beast sprang back upon the man, all speed like shooting-stars.

A mighty jolt, he gave the beast, from the power in his fist,
The lion fell back all-bloodied now in terror and alarm,
The man leaped forward on the beast and laughing nearly missed,
He grabbed its mane and swung it round full circle with one arm.

The beast in flight did hit the wheel and fell dead to the ground,
The man looked round at soldiers now a weapon in each hand,
The squad of men with swords and spears peered through the bars all round,
At one command they threw their weapons aiming at the man.

With a warrior's yell the man deflected weapons side to side,
Then grabbing bars he bent them back and darted through the hole,
He snatched the soldiers, one by one, like an eagle in full-glide,
Their bodies fell in one large heap as each gave up its soul.

The man beheld in wonder now the devastation made,
Then kneeling down he questioned God, his Majesty and King,
Why Lord, he prayed, must I an ever constant battle wage,
Why can't my life be only joy, a quiet, peaceful thing?

In his prayer, while kneeling there, he heard the answer then,
"Brave Samson, made with strength divine, how you wonder so?,"
"The Heroic Heart of Eternal Love must be learned in the world of men,
"And battles fought do heroes make, a mystery now you know."

End

A Singular Event
by Andrew Richards

The scientist asked, in words loud and clear, the formula for the death-ray,
The machine it could talk, powered by a chip, it was smarter than man some now said,
An amazing machine, it even had laughed, as it stated the answer that day:
"The power of the ray equals mass times sound squared," by such force, "all foes will be dead."

The scientist built the energy ray, then he sent it out for a test,
To NASA he sent it, the group selected, by the computer smarter than he,
To outer space they would take it, the death-ray they'd aim, at the moon whereon it would rest,
He thought of the money, he thought of the glory, how famous his name would be.

To the machine he did say, like the Biblical God, your power will now astound,
I've taught you all things, so you'd be like God, even taught you the words He did say,
Said the machine with a laugh, I remember them well, God said, "Let there be sound!"
Then fear chilled his spine, as the machine did say sound, rather than light, as in day,"

The scientist jumped up, to the blackboard he ran, where he wrote the machine's math for the ray,
"Mass times sound squared," the machine had said, when it meant light squared, instead,
He the formula changed, from sound to light squared, in which the true power did lay,
Solving the math, he was stunned by the force, shocked at the power he read.

Now turning with hate, he cursed the machine, the one that was smarter than man,
With fear in his heart, through a window he saw, the moon rising full in the sky,
He thought of the ray, and the test under way, as to the window he ran,
At the moon he did stare, while he heard the machine, say laughing "all foes will soon die!"

With his telescope then, he looked at the moon, looking for signs of the ray,
The moon was all red, with a glow like the sun, and the sight left him nothing to say.
Then from shock he did faint, as the moon blew apart, killing all mankind that day,
As the end had come near, the machine it did sneer "all foes will die on this day."

End

The Man Who Blest Trees
by Andrew Richards

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,... But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalm 1)

Dressed in ragged garb, a smiling man moved through the crowd,
In his spirit he rejoiced, his manner was cheerful and bright,
First a murmur filled the crowd, then laughter full and loud,
As animals and trees, he blessed, in fullness of morning light.

A group of men spoke back and forth, is this the crazy merchant's son?
Why comes he back to this bazaar, why comes he to the village square?
In times gone by he was so bold, in feats of arms, he always won.
Why has he changed his soldiers garb and why such rags he dares to wear.

Just then a former soldier friend beheld his ragged style,
He yelled aloud, "You there, come here! I'll have a word with you!
The man complied, and over he went, smiling all the while.
The soldier threatened, "Tell the truth, or I'll certain run you through."

With smiling look, the man did say, "What truth is that dear sir?"
The soldier slapped him cross the mouth, and blood did trickle down.
"You're the one who's stole my purse, tis you I know for sure."
The soldier's purse was on his belt, he saw it with a frown.

"Good friend," he said, "I see your purse lies hanging on your belt."
For well enough the soldier knew his purse had nowhere gone.
And then he slapped his face again, raising a bloody welt.
The man upon his knees did fall, while the soldier strutted on.

The crowd did jeer at sight of the man, a coward on his knees.
To himself he said, "Oh Lord I pray, make me a channel of peace!"
Then, up he got, and moving on, he continued blessing trees.
Then when he reached the end of the street, his smile did quickly cease.

He saw a group of drunk-crazed men knock a soldier to the ground,
One of the group had taken his sword, then raised it up to the sky,
Then over he ran, he who blest trees, facing each one all around,
With love in his heart, he said to them all, "Let me be the first to die!"

Each of the men was seized with fear, at the bravery of the feat,
The sword was dropped, as one by one, the group did steal away.
The ragged man at the soldier smiled, him kneeling in the street,
While kneeling he said, "Francis forgive me, for sinning against you this day!"

The crowd that had run from fear of the fight returned now awed by the show,
No longer jeering, Francis were they cheering, as tears fell to the ground,
Then to his feet, the soldier with Francis, on down the road they did go,
"Where there is injury, pardon Oh Lord," they sang to the cheers all around.

Then Francis stopped before a tree,
And kneeling there he prayed aloud:

O Blessed wood, O Blessed tree;
Whose apple blood brought death to me;
Your blessed wood restored my loss.
As God, Himself, bled on the Cross.

End

Chapter XIV. St Francis of Assisi on "poverty of spirit."

"Blessed (are) the poor in spirit, since theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" (Mt 5:3). · There are many, who persisting in prayers and (liturgical) offices practice many abstinences and afflict their own bodies, · but because of a single word, which seems to be injurious to their bodies or because of anything, which is brought against them, being scandalized, they are continually disturbed. · These are not poor in spirit; since he who is truly poor in spirit, hates his very self and loves those who beat him in the face (cf. Mt 5:39).(St Francis of Assisi, "Admonitions")

End

A Mother'S Kiss
by Andrew Richards

What latent power launched the stars in space,
What ancient wisdom ordered each relation,
Who made light speed at such a frantic pace,
And who made me a witness to creation.

Why does my inner self not change,
As all about me comes and goes,
Who made my spirit stay the same,
While flesh grows old and filled with woes.

And when past death my "I" is still observing,
Where will I find the world I left, and people yet to die,
As a newborn babe in heavens light unnerving,
What mother's kiss will warm my soul, what mother's joyful sigh?

Suddenly a dawning truth began to flood within my soul,
Then like a comet in the darkness all my questions turned to light
Suddenly I knew the answer, I knew life's secret and the goal,
The mother's kiss is God's own Love, a Triune torrent of delight.

End

The Therapist
by Andrew Richards

"Doctor," she said, "I'm terribly sad, my marriage is broken you see,
We married too young, I'm sure you'd agree, my feelings are all in a stew.
I know I need more, I've told him before, I know I just want to be free.
I called you today, then came over here, I knew you'd know just what to do.

Calmly he said, with a smile on his face, "I know, please tell me some more."
Well Doctor, she said, I can't stand my kids, they're driving me crazy, too,
And his mother's the pits, always spoiling her son, her own life's a terrible bore,
He spends all his time away from the house, I just don't know what I should do.

Calmly he said, with a smile on his face, "I know, please tell me some more,"
Well doctor, she said, I cry all the night, wanting to run away,
I tried talking to him, with the game on TV, but swearing he near missed a score,
I'm seeking the answers, Oh, Doctor please help, I need you to tell me today.

Calmly he said with a smile on his face, "I know please tell me some more."
"Oh doctor," she said, "now it's answers I need, without them I've no more to say,"
The Doctor did ponder, the Doctor did muse, he straightened the tie that he wore,
Then, smiling he said, "Sorry, time's up, will I see you next week Mrs. Gray?"

End

The Papal Answer
by Andrew Richards

The vain young man, the Pope's ring he did kiss, as he asked 'bout a churchly vocation,
"Although God I love much," to the Pontiff he said, "my I.Q. is exceedingly high,"
"A Dominican priest should I be, or should Jesuit be my station?"
The Holy Father did smile, he pondered a while, then finally said with a sigh:

"Some they say that brains and the faith have an inverse correlation,"
"Our Faith arose from simple folk; its Gift from their prayers was the fruit,"
"For by foolish ones the wise of the world are humbled in each nation,"
"How else could we get Dominican priests and the Jesuits we recruit?"

The young man got up from the Pope to take leave, his face now all red like a cherry,
He wasn't sure why, but embarrased he felt, it must have been something he said,
He looked at the Pope, and the Pope winked his eye, smiling and no longer scary,
He smiled in return, and joy filled his heart, his embarrasment totally fled.

End

THE SEANCE
by Andrew Richards

They sat in the darkness, a circle of hands,
They were tense with anticipation,
The medium spoke in the voice of a man,
Who was Chief of the Indian nation

The group holding hands, welcomed the Chief,
Each member gave him his greeting,
"Silence!" roared the Chief, or you'all come to grief,
What purpose this spiritual meeting?

Then in the darkness, one brave voice did sound,
"Oh Chief, how's my husband, he recently died?
He promised he'd contact me, once in the ground,
And though John wasn't much, he never did lie.

No-one spoke, amongst the seance folk,
As they awaited their stern Indian Guide,
The Chief he did sneer, and made a lewd joke,
And all laughed, though one quietly cried.

Then another spoke up, "Oh please tell me, Chief,"
"Am I punished forever in hell?"
I murdered my husband, and married the priest,
And we're here seeking wisdom as well.

The Chief he did growl, the Chief he did shriek!
"Where comes such a stupid opinion?"
"God's all about love, He cares not for rules,"
"All things are within His dominion."

The group did applaud, they did praise the stern Chief,
For his "wisdom" was deep as the sea,
The lady did cry, "Oh thank you, dear Chief,"
"Now our marriage in peace it shall be."

Then a man, he spoke out, he spoke to the Chief
"Tell me of Jesus the Word?"
"What of His suffering, what of His grief,"
"Was He God, or just something absurd?"

In words most profane the Chief did reply,
Why make you a man of the Word?
For Christ was of earth, and God of the sky,
I find Christians are most absurd!

The seance did cheer, the group did applaud,
For "wisdom" they wanted to hear,
"Oh thank you, brave Guide, Oh thank you dear Chief,"
"For telling us truths so dear!"

End

SILVER AND GOLD
by Andrew Richards

Now Peter and John, to the temple they did go,
It was their custom at this hour of the day,
Familiar was the gate to the path they did know,
Which they entered saying prayers all the way.

On the ground was a man, on a bed made of palms,
For he was lame and sat daily at the gate,
He called out "alms," Oh give me "alms!"
Crying loudly, seeking pity for his fate.

Now Peter looked at John, and moving toward the man,
He fixed him with a powerful stare,
But the man looking down, in his mind he did plan,
"Of such men I might best to beware."

With a shout to the man, Peter cried, "Look on us!"
And the man he looked up with a stare,
And the man, even though, he was frightened by the fuss,
Was yet more frightened of the power in Peter's air.

Then a voice of command heard the man very meek,
As he heard Peter's words strange to say,
"Gold and silver have I none, the very alms that you seek,"
"But what I have, I give you freely, on this day."

Peters voice filled the air, "In Jesus' Name rise and walk!"
"For from God Jesus came, and there's power in His Name,"
Then Peter took his hand, and the man could not talk,
Though he made a mighty effort just the same.

Then Peter pulled him up, as his right hand he did hold,
While his ankles and his bones filled with power,
Then the man, up he stood, with a shout very bold,
Praising God for Peter's gift, that very hour.

End

THE VOICE OF THE NIGHT
by Andrew Richards

In the beginning, there was only the dark,
And a void filled the face of the deep,
Then God heard the song of the lark,
And the melody caused Him to weep.

So God said, "Let there be light!"
And brightness flowed from His Word,
He illumined the light from the night,
Remembering the sound of the bird.

Then God formed a world, which we call the earth,
And filled it with plants, and the spring,
Yet He could not forget the need to give birth,
To the joy that the skylark would bring.

For deep in His Heart, God had a plan,
For someone to share the delight,
If only, He thought, there were someone like man,
Who could hear the bird's song in the night.

So in His own image, God formed a spirit,
To live in this world of Delight,
The lark's crystal song, man was able to hear it,
Then God freely wept in the night.

End

SCIENTIFIC PRAYER
by Andrew Richards

Doctor James was a practical man they did say,
He said meaning is found in the doing,
And children learn truth only at play,
So an orderly classroom would be their undoing.

Doctor James said the world was a contstant change,
And he taught the "same thing" in lectures each day,
He said Einstein showed truth was a "relative" range,
Though science "was certain" of all he did say.

Doctor James sought for truth the scientific way,
In seance groups he sorted truth from fraud,
Answers he'd find from what dead spirits say,
They'd be the ones to know if there were God.

Doctor James brought science to mystical matters,
Now the world calls him expert on such prayer,
His unholy views left religion in tatters,
But to question his credentials none would dare.

End

HIS LITTLE DOVE
by Andrew Richards

I awoke from a dream of love,
Alone in the Garden of Delight,
Eve was asleep like a dove,
Undisturbed in the growing light.

Then I heard again that voice,
Saying, "Is it really Me you love?
If you really had a choice,
Would it be Me or the sleeping dove?"

I said, "You are my soul's very breath,
Does one not love his own life?
Our love is stronger than death,
Much stronger than love of my wife."

"Adam, my friend," said the Voice,
"I'm going to depart for a while.
Remember my Love's a hard choice,
In the face of the dove's lovely smile."

Adam thought of the fruit bringing death,
Remembering the smile of the dove,
Then she ran to him all out of breath,
Eating fruit forbidden to love.

She said, "Darling I've gained inner light,"
Yet in her eye he noticed a tear,
"Why that old serpent was right,
But hold me, it's cold and I fear."

Adam looked at his dear little dove,
Now bereft of her smile of delight.
No longer to share his Great Love,
For her joy had turned into fright.

In his heart he said, "This is not fair,
Where's God with His Justice and Power?
The pain of my wife I can't bear,
So I'll help her this very hour."

And Adam the fruit he did eat,
So good from evil he'd find.
The dove said, "Isn't it sweet?"
He said, "You're out of your mind!"

For the fruit was bitter to taste,
And in anger he looked at his love,
His life now seemed such a waste,
And gone was his love for the dove.

And Adam felt lonely inside,
All joy was gone from his life,
Now with hatred he looked at his bride,
Whose weakness had brought him such strife.

Then Eve to Adam did say,
You're lazy and don't like to toil,
I'm hungry and need food today,
Get busy in planting this soil.

Then Adam cursed the earth,
Which gave bread from the sweat of his brow,
His life seemed all work and no mirth,
And his children so think, even now.

End