Valerie Dohren, 23 january 2013
Gladly will my heart surrender
At the closing of the day
When my eyes shall rest in slumber
Chasing sorrows fast away
Then to ‘bide in peace and silence
As the world soft fades from sight
Drifting into realms celestial
At the coming of the night
Yet the dark brings sweet redemption
Bearing thus another day
When the light shall shine within me
So that I am cast away
Floating high above in splendour
Where there is no thought of I
Nothing there will be my captor
As all fear shall pale and die
In the stillness of my being
So to seek the rising sun
With all worldliness transcended
Melding into all as one
Valerie Dohren, 23 january 2013
Captured in the fall of evening
Stilled my soul in sweet recline –
Spanning dark unclouded heavens
There the moon and stars align
Haunted by the night’s sweet music
With a song of sad lament
Soothing then my heart in solace
Filling me with pure content
Then to ‘bide in glow of fireside
Watching dancing shadows there
Nothing but the moment lingers –
Joyful just to sit and stare
O, the dark shall be my haven
So to rest with easeful mind
Fixing yet my eyes upon you
As in splendour so entwined
Night of nights I bow before thee
Come, O come and take my soul
Into realms where I may wander
There your beauty to extol
Quiet now, with calm acceptance
Sorrows borne now fly away
Gently sinking into slumber
Yet to know another day
Into somnolence then drifting
In your grasp my spirit keep
Dreams shall take my thoughts in whispers
Peaceful now – I’m falling deep
Valerie Dohren, 23 january 2013
Butterflies, sweet butterflies
Laughter lighting up their eye
For now they’ve gone to Paradise
Do they dance and do they play
Upon the stars so far away
Whilst watching o’er the ones who pray
And can they see, or are they blind
Lost to love and humankind
The unconstrained and unconfined
Are they dark or are they fair
With dusky eyes or golden hair
Like feathers floating in the air
And do they weep or do they sing
Fly with angels ‘pon the wing
Joyously or suffering
Fore’er to dwell in shining streams
Lost to life and lost in dreams
All lost forever now it seems
Lost in space and lost in time
But not in prose and not in rhyme
For still they dwell in thought sublime
And are they cold or are they warm
Whispering softly through the storm
But quiet now, the born unborn
Round, round and around they go
Backwards, forwards, to and fro
Swinging high and swinging low
Only those who love them know
Valerie Dohren, 23 january 2013
Heaven …
We speak of doves and cherubims
Of angels chanting mystic hymns
With shimm’ring, swirling mists of night
Enshrouding souls in heav’nly flight
Then wait in hope that all shall find
Eternal peace for humankind –
Beyond the stars, this holy place
We think to gaze upon His face
Yet here, in life, my soul is real
Within this heart, to love, to feel
The splendour of man’s richest prize
The gift of life, where here it lies
It’s not beyond, but ‘neath the skies
Reflected in two lovers’ eyes
It lingers in their tender kiss
Within their arms, entwined in bliss
It’s present in each flow’ring rose
In every living thing that grows
Embracing every baby’s birth
It’s not above, it’s here on earth
And if you look, you’ll see it clear
Within the things you hold most dear
Pervading every kindly deed
That satisfies each human need
It’s not a far and distant place
Reserved for those bestowed with grace
Immersed in every single breath
It’s found in life, not after death
And Hell …
The serpent lies in wait, we fear
The pangs of death, e’er drawing near
For those whose lives have not been pure
This place, accursed, they must endure
Set deep within the earth’s sweet light
We speak of hell’s eternal night
Engulfing all possessed of sin
So dark, this evil place within
Yet through this broken heart, I Know
It’s not some place that lurks below
It’s here in life, in every cry
In ever tear, in every lie
It’s found in every human pain
O’er every evil deed to reign
Concealed in all the things we fear
It’s not beneath the earth, but here
You’ll find it in each starving child
Within each living thing defiled
By man’s foul deeds, it lingers on
‘Til every spark of truth is gone
And Satan’s gift sure has a price
The cost is pain and sacrifice
Of love, of joy, of peace divine
In eyes so blind, no more to shine
The devil’s fires don’t burn beneath
The earth, you’ll find no gnashing teeth –
War-torn children will tell you well
Where lash the raging flames of hell
Valerie Dohren, 23 january 2013
"Oh sweet breath of eternal life
Dance ever ‘pon her silent breast
Released from pain and worldly strife
The one I love is laid to rest"
Her flaxen hair, like golden corn
Fell soft about her lifeless face
And round her shoulders to adorn
As limp she lay in death’s embrace
Still young, the bloom of youth today
Her life had barely yet begun
But all too soon to fade away
No more to dance beneath the sun
No more to laugh in sweet delight
Nor skip through pastures, wild and free
Nor hear the nightingales sing bright
In pure and perfect harmony
"I`ll ne’er forget her tender smile
Nor yet her face, so sweet and fair
Her gentle kisses to beguile
I`ll cherish every thought of her"
The teardrops glistened on his cheeks
Like stars plucked from the darkened skies
He held her hand, no more to speak
Then gently kissed her still, cold eyes
Valerie Dohren, 22 january 2013
Another year has set its course
Within the wheels of time
With many pathways to traverse
And mountains yet to climb
The seasons thus will bring their change
As through the year they pass
With flowers blooming in the Spring
And winter’s wilted grass
Then sunrise ever shall return
And set each closing day -
Young hearts shall tender love embrace
Soft words to fondly say
New lives will take their first sweet breath
Green fields be there to plough -
All those whose time has ceased to be
Will make their final bow
The year will bring great joy to some
Whilst others sorrowed be
Yet all we know for sure, the earth
Shall turn relentlessly
And this is as was ever meant
As nature leads the way
With time’s unfolding plan for all
Throughout each coming day
Valerie Dohren, 22 january 2013
Night falls, and only dreams remain
Dim dreams of all that might have passed -
Set deep in shadows, thus my soul
Beneath the dying sun is cast
For darkness steals tomorrow’s light
And folly be a trusting heart -
‘Tis those with feathered wings that soar
To vistas which new hope impart
So lost, as in a limbo’d place,
I yearn that I shall find a home -
With no more endless paths to tread
And no more empty fields to roam
But on through des’late years I fare
‘Cross barren lands beset with woe -
E’er searching for a place to be
E’er searching for a place to go
Ah, then to seek my heart’s desire
To cherish ever as my own -
The one to set my soul aflame
That I may be no more alone
(O should I ever, shall I dare,
With open arms to full embrace
Yet seek the thing I deem to love
Then gaze upon that one sweet face)
But faint my will to dare to do
All courage does my heart deny
For I am weak, condemned by fear,
And therefore shall my soul yet die
Soft petals from the rose thus fall
For I am but a wilted flower
Encaptured in a hapless world
And seeded in a shaded bower
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