Faith Gathers Still

Faith Gathers Still

Darkness hovers
Hope though near
Trembles, shakes with fear.

Dream baloons begin to fill;
(Strength by faith gathers still.)
Darkness grows heavy,
Terrors all too ready.

Some balloons too delicate,
Break at first blow of it.
Others hold fast but let go,
Fly away; where no one know.

Still the darkness grows
Cloud on cloud come rolling in
The winds pile them up as one again.

Trembling, Hope stands firm;
Terrors lay siege, the winds may blow
But Hope, though trembling, won't let go.

"God help me!" cries the Soul she,
"Let me keep but one Dream!
Take the others if YOU must;
But leave one with me!"

Then the storm clashes,
The lightening flashes
Many balloons wander will;
Others break in the loud crashes.

Still to one she clings,
Fights off the hordes,
Covers it, hides it; restored
She battles some more.

The winds and the battle carry her away.
All's quiet as on the ground she lay.
She looks all around.
Her treasure's no where to be found.

Lost and wandering, hopeful yet hopeless;
Seeking help, yet fearing the help
Be destroyed once bought,
Just as her dreams for those once fought.

Sad and forlorn,
Shattered and torn;
Hope's friend wanders alone
Not knowing which way is home.

"Where's Hope?" she cried.
"My dearest friend, - died?
No! Not that! And Faith?
Where is she? Did she fly?"

Thoughts of death, of strife
Beset her every stesp.
Sould finds her journey long
Sits down, - and slept.

New day dawns. Soul stands alone.
Sands all about, not a tree or plant
Of any kind far as her eye shone.
Soul ponders her directions bent.

To the East, there the waters be.
No, the West is best for thee.
Nay, neither. There's North ahead, you see.
But, South, most pleasant be.

So the bewildered Soul stands bereft
Time and chance has her left
To find her way home
Herself. Let Death come.

Yet time and again Despair knocks
On her door. Soul trembles and prays.
She runs, now, and stumbles on rocks.
Hurrying, ahead she sees new ways.

Terrors, fears are everywhere she goes.
Hope brightens as every new chance appears.
But as they come, so do new fears.
Weary, she often pauses as fresh fears grow.

Soul seeks anothe Soul to confide in.
"But he seems so far I wonder if I'll find him."

Can ever any Soul pause to refresh, to find life, Faith, Hope and Happiness?
Or must they struggle til they perish?
And show nothing for all their weariness?

Do we dare let despair seep in?
Do we care about what creeps in?
Then where is my Ray of light to light my path?
Where is he who knows how to make me laugh?

Why can't I find peace and joy?
Why is it I cannot in you employ
The grace of yourth to enjoy?
I guess I'm just a wrecked toy.

I guess I'm just a bundle of trouble.
Every where I turn I sese nothing but stubble.
You, who gave me the gift of life,
Give me strength to survive this strife!

Slowly she begins to take that one step
The long journey begun.
A white thread in the sky lifts her up,
That pleading appeal has won.

The winds blow up, knock her down;
Still Soul struggles. Time passes.
No matter how much the wind tears her gown
Soul moves on till an oasis is found.

There she rests, musing awhile.
Songs rise from her heart
On her lips a smile.
Soon, uneasy, she must part.

Often on her way she falls
Often the terror on her, calls.
Still she struggles on
Barely able to move on.

She's aware that Hope is near.
Why else would there be such fear?
As Faith her unseen rope
She knows she can cope.

New dream balloons fill;
Strength by Faith gathers still.
And as each balloon burst Despair steps.
"Help me beat back this pest!"

What dream be strong enough to withstand
All his pricking? Where in all this land
Shall I find a Soul to give me a hand
Up out of this darkest of all evil land?

Then shall I find the grace,
The good rhythm and pace
That shall help me over each hill?
Have I lost all my will?"

Sould cries out both day and night.
"To be alive we must work and fight.
But work never seems right
And terrors kill my desire for the good fight.

I hate being alone
Yet in groups I'm unhappy
At times I can't stand home
But away I'm just as snappy.

Is there no way to be free?
Can't I ever find a way to be happy?
Or at least be satisfied?
Please tell me how and why.

Despair has gotten past my door.
He's trying to choke me.
I didn't want him in any more.
He's taken the fight from me.

He wears the garb of death.
God help me! I don't need him here.
Black even is his breath!
Get away from me! Take with you Fear!"

Soul's in a corner, wild-eyed with fear.
Tremors go all through her.
No one in sight and no chance to fight.
She refuses to give in though there is no light.

Soul is losing strength.
The body and mind is weary.
As each day pass eachi is more dreary.
Short now is her length.

Now a voice whispers in her ear.
"I am with you always, dear.
None can win with me around.
Death has been bound."

Soul looks around to find she's alone.
Inwardly still the sense of light shone.
Soul knows Hope has grown in that moment.
Strength is there; she is now unbent.

Now her head is high;
Backs away as she marches by
The ogres of death and fear.
"So the voice I did hear!"

She marvels with a glad cry.
With a leap, laugh and sigh,
Now she can run
Now a moment of fun.

Rejoicing she wants to sing
Truth and peace have giver her wing. SHe can soar at peace once more.
A fuller peace, deeper than before.

Who could give such a peace but GOd?
How great must to Him be my laud
For the rest of my days upon this sod.
Else I should be the worst of a clod.

New dream ballons begin to fill
For Faith Gathers Still.
Balloons are n to the best for dreams
Horses better and safer it seems.

So the dreams turn into horses
As Soul finds new courses
To take along the way to home.

Sourroundesd by a small army;
"Nothing can alarm me."
She exults as away she goes.
She dreams great dreams against foes.

Great were her woes and great were her foes.
But nothing can hurt; nothing shows
Of the suffering she faced as on she raced
To answer the call she had embraced.

"At last free; free to be the good me."
Now she sings in a great jubilee.
"For years was I bound
But peace I have found.

Nothing can keep me down
SO long as my Beloved is around.
When HE is gone yet I am not alone.
For HE has given me a special gown

Of prtection, of strength and love;
If I be true and all my doing be in love
His pretection remains cloaked around
And I can advance in HIS wonder sound.

Thanks be to GOd for the gifts He's shown.
Thanks ever more for all the help that's flown
My way from HIS hand to this day.
Now I can sing, laugh and play.

So hard I had to pray before I dared to play
Just to have a moment of peace in a day.
Now though battle be fiven I am fully free
To laugh and sing while I watch the enemy flee.

No longer do I fear if Faith Gathers Still.
I know it deep within my will.
And rejoice to see the balloons fill;
Fly away to give others a thrill.

Yes, Faith Gathers Still; strengthens my will
To answer HIS call to do for HIM my all.
Hidden are its ways but it always will
Be there when needed. Faith does gather Still.

the end