Early Dawn
Sometimes in the still and early dawn,
I chase dreams so near and yet so far gone,
And wonder at the place my heart has drifted,
The swooning flight of feelings shifted.
Grasping sense of faith begotten,
Forestalling surge of sins forgotten,
And welcomed in the silent throes,
A fresh supply of sweet repose.
Illusive touch that fuels the fears,
The yearning silence fleshed in tears,
The hardened hold of hope renewed,
Relentless in those dreams pursued.
Herb Williams
09/08/18
When He Gave His Heart To Me
If you could look into my mind,
And watch behind my eyes,
Where the motives, means and masks unwind,
In subtle compromise.
If you could peer into my silent stares,
Where the thoughts define desires,
Invading wheat with hidden tares,
Prepared for purging fires.
And surely fail to see the beauty shared,
From One so pure as He,
But He loved me so with nothing spared,
And He gave His life for me.
At times I since a clear reflection,
As I wonder at His grace,
I often hold the mirror near,
And long to see His face.
If you could reach into my heart,
Past the failures, fronts and fears,
To the sculpture of devotion’s art,
Formed and forged by tears.
Only then to see the beauty shared,
From One so pure as He,
For He loved me so with nothing spared,
When He gave His heart to me.
Herb Williams – Aug 18, 1996
Seaworthy Dreams
Sail Away,
Just for the day,
Got nowhere special to go,
Feel the breeze,
The swell of the seas,
Gently rocks to and fro,
But when the stubborn wind refuses to blow,
We pull down the sails and row,
In seaworthy dreams.
Frequent repairs,
From the decks to the chairs,
This vessel is ready to ride,
Far from land,
Perspectives expand,
Where there’s no place you can hide.
Soon the night dons its canopy face,
And the stars display their splendor in space.
In seaworthy dreams.
Me and you,
A trip for us two,
Leave the past far behind,
Open doors,
To distant shores,
Never know what we might find.
But as the squalls begin to fluster and flail,
We pull out or raingear and bail,
In seaworthy dreams.
Seldom has something ever matched,
The awe the oceans raise,
And seldom is there more need,
For solemn praise.
Exchanging white lace and satin gowns,
For a wayfarers cowl,
And dreams a life-time crowns.
Seize the day,
Welcome the spray,
Me and you,
Sail away.
To: Joyce and Dean
Gethsemane
Branches bare,
Tucked so unaware,
A ransomed share,
Lies inside your wall.
Winding path,
Beckons the righteous wrath,
For the One to come,
And lay down His all.
All alone.
Direction straight,
Through your garden’s gate,
Agonizing fate,
On alters of stone.
In angelic care,
He offers ferverent prayer,
As He labors there,
And struggles alone.
Oh Gethsemane,
Drops of blood,
Staining your fertile mud,
His crimson flood,
Remains on the sand.
With each gasping breath,
Grasping the cup of death,
The final step in redemption’s plan.
Oh Gethsemane,
Can you feel the dawning drawing you near,
As it searches for the comfort of your shade,
Torches in the mist,
Greeted with a kiss,
The Savior of the world betrayed.
Scattered sheep,
Disturbed in restless sleep,
Sifted wheat,
To wrestle the fears.
Unyielding will,
Poured out on this vacant hill,
Standing still,
The remnants of tears.
Oh Gethsemane
Herb Williams 5/91
Disillusioned Hearts
In the midst of disillusioned hearts,
Where the means forsook the end,
A detailed fabric stitched with care,
A fraying cloth to mend,
A friend,
With broken dreams to share.
Images that betray the night,
As shadows oft’ deceive,
A heart that thinks it sees the light,
Yet unable to believe,
Retrieve,
The dream that fades from sight.
1988
When You Ask Me
Wrapped up in my many fears and failures,
Hiding from Your presence all alone,
Perhaps this time I’ve gone to far to share Your grace,
And I’ve lost the bond so precious at the throne.
But as You look me in the eyes and start the healing,
And restore to me a standing You’ve preserved,
I owe You so much more than I could offer to repay,
Pursuing with a love so undeserved.
The fervor of desire to be found pleasing,
Often wanes within the struggles of the chase,
And lost along with promises unchanging,
Are moments that my life can not replace.
But as You look me in the eyes and start the healing,
And restore to me a standing You’ve preserved,
I owe You so much more than I could offer to repay,
Pursuing with a love so undeserved.
But when You ask me,
Do I love you,
I have to turn and look the other way,
I’m learning that I can not live without you,
And I trying to obey the things You say.
But when You ask me,
Do I love you,
I have to say I’m prone to love me more.
Please give me the singleness of heart,
To leave behind the pleasures I adore.
Herb Williams 11/92
Rainbows Never End
Are you caught in the ways,
A mouse in a maze,
Chasing rainbows?
Enticed by the lure,
Thinking heaven stands sure,
You pretend?
Presuming on God’s grace,
Attempting the alter the race,
For the pot of gold that lies beyond your reach,
Rainbows never end.
Illusive as dreams,
With their scandals and schemes,
Just like rainbows,
They dance in the air,
And solicit the fare,
For a ride,
But you always seem to spend,
So much more than you intend,
And are left to soothe the ache inside,
That rainbows never mend.
With one hand, we reach for His hand,
As our wandering ways unwind,
And with one hand, we wrestle the past,
We’re dragging behind,
Balancing a delicate blend,
Of golden wheat and chaff in the wind,
While the shadows cast,
With the hope we find,
In our shallow world descend,
For foolish dreams,
Like rainbows never end.
Have you counted the cost,
Opportunities lost,
Chasing rainbows,
When you stand at the throne,
Will the deeds that are shown,
Turn to flame,
And when you look into His face,
And you rise to take your place,
Will the gifts you have to offer cause you shame,
Chasing rainbows to the end.
7/15/89
Wings and Windows (A Victim’s Lament)
Castled hearts left jaded,
And walls that rose from dust,
Of failures pressed unfaded,
Afraid to feel and trust,
Protection has it’s price,
A prisoner’s device.
Empty answers for the longings of the heart.
A moonlit night’s crescendo,
And wings prepared for flight,
Ascend the highest windows,
And escape into the night,
And though the night air beckons on,
The journey ends before each dawn,
With a promise to fly another day.
Wings and windows,
And the strength to pierce the skies,
The hope to break the bondage,
And share the sacred prize,
To see the rainbow’s end,
With a dream that never dies,
From a castled heart that only time will mend.
Rising through the echos of the memories,
Resist the fears to look the other way,
The feelings come alive,
With the struggle to survive,
With the hopes to find the courage someday.
To fly away.
May 92
Candles in the Wind (They’re Home to Be With Jesus)
Storm worn shrouds in shambles,
And candles in the wind,
With hardened hands to nurture the glow,
Faint is the flicker,
And feeble the flame,
Withstanding the wintry winds that often blow.
Huddled stands with handles,
Holding candles in the wind,
Joining every wick to strengthen the light,
Melted molds that mingle,
Mortared in a mass.
Mirroring the merging of our might.
Without a flout, a wick runs out,
And it leaves behind a hole,
With a coarse and callous crust to console.
They’re home to be with Jesus,
What a comfort just to know,
They’re home to be with Jesus,
Clothed in joy the overflows,
The hope of our reunion,
Will blossum on that day,
When we will be like Jesus,
And He takes us home to stay.
Vagrant vows like vandals,
These candles in the wind,
For fleeting is the fervor of flight,
Vernal veils and vapor trails.
That appear for just awhile.
Then vanish from the venues of our sight.
Moments rise to capsulize,
The songs we love to sing,
A salve to the silence of the sting,
And the glory His victory will bring.
12/28/91
Watching Me Sleep
Rested and steady,
Dressed up and ready,
Appearance enhanced with her smile,
Poised in the middle,
She gets out so little,
The life of the party for a while.
I see her expressions say its time that we should go,
‘Cause she doesn’t want anyone to know.
She’s fading so quickly now,
As goodbyes have all been said,
And I fight back the tears as I help her off to bed.
She winces and sighs,
And the pain leaves its mark in her eyes,
And I promise to welcome her smile,
And try not to weep,
Facing nights with a courage unknown,
She struggles and prays all alone,
And suffers in silence,
Tenderly watching me sleep.
The mornings are harder,
For the nights grow much longer,
So she tries to fit her living in between,
Fear of tomorrow,
Resounds through her sorrow,
Still she finds enough to give me everything,
Late at night when illusions take control,
Roaming through the echos of her soul,
Fighting the demons that drive her heart away,
With morning light renews her pledge to stay.
How can I be worth of a love that cost so much,
When a smile and tender touch,
Are all I have to give.
Herb Williams 10-5-94
He is the One
A father’s hearts delight,
First steps soon turn to flight,
Protecting precious children as they grow,
Little feet soon stray,
And as He lets them go away,
He keeps them from the harm they never know,
Once again.
Feeble and frail,
So prone to fall and fail,
Yet no moment fails to catch His careful eye,
Restless and confused,
Sometimes He seems amused,
At the clamor of our doubts as we pass by,
Once again.
He is the One,
Who clothes the lilies with their grace,
He is the One,
Who holds the planets in their place,
Sovereign decrees,
Aren’t you worth much more than these,
Is He worthy of the trust you long to share,
He is the One,
Who calms the raging of the storm,
He is the One,
Who hides the sparrow safe and warm,
Unfailing love,
Descending from above,
To snatch us in the clutches of it’s care.
Footprints in the sand,
Clinging tightly to His hand,
As He gently guides our steps along the way,
Lured by foolish gain,
And as our hearts are purged in pain,
We feel His tender mercy as we pray,
Once again.
As we hunger, heavy laden and distressed,
We cast our burdens down,
To take His yoke and enter rest.
8/15/89