Poems by Eamon George Nelson

One Two, Three Four, Five Six, Sev’n Eight, Nine Ten;
Methinks my mind be but a boggy fen.
To think this aging world must pass away,
Is heart-ache ‘nough to make a verser pray.
Yet how approach my God the very day
He chose to bless this world with Faith’s birthday?
Ten thousand prayers would be to no avail,
For joy in Faith must make all sorrow fail.
Yea, beauty such as Faith’s doth ne’er appear,
Except when God so choose to banish Fear.
This then remains my only fear to weigh:
Mine eyes might not be graced by Faith each day.
O woe to me that such a fate be mine;
That I munch husks enmired with Faithless swine.
I will return to my father this day;
In Faith is feast for which all men do pray.
Yet Faith, alas, must one day fade away;
A withered leaf though still in flow’r today.
As trees grow rings this day doth line her train;
So regal now but, added to, a chain.
The angels weep to view her graded plight;
One of their own doth vanish in their sight.
How can this have become a day of dread,
When through her birth sheer joy to man is spread?
Yet in these lines dear Faith shall live for e’er;
And through her progeny shall all still share.
Mine honor as a scribe to ‘shrine the word;
I dare not proffer pen to sire blessed herd.
“If all the pens that ever poets held”
Did seek one final virtue by their meld;
Their glorious sum must needs, at length, but say,
“We Love You Faith! Have most happy birthday!”

Words oft doth fail the laurels of true intent to gain;
I thus confess my pen’s inadequacy to that crown.
Faith’s fulsome lips defy description, language is but vain;
Yet I press on perchance that even in defeat lies renown.
O for a verbal torch, to pierce this precious pair;
To sow within them the seed of Word of Love.
For they be but the gate and stair,
To Faith’s heart, equally all words-above.
The heart is fertile haven to unworthy words of praise;
It seems to understand and cherish ne’er-the-less.
There uttered seed is nourished and sprinkled through its mystic ways;
Bringing forth a tree-of-fruition all to Bless.
Then give birth those lips in poetic victory without remiss,
To the finest couplet e’er yet penned by God or Man: Faith’s Most Holy Kiss!

What words are meet for me to sing to glorify my Lord?
What song of praise may sinner sound to manifest true love?
Thy peace which passeth understanding all words doth defy;
Have mercy mighty Father on unworthy as such be I.
Wherefore have not I poem of love to pay Thee for Thy Grace?
Can have become my heart and lips a barren thankless place?
Was it not to thank its maker that this soul was made?
Help me mighty Son of God to phrase an accolade.
In spirit doth the soul express its place of true abode.
In spirit doth the heart reside within its treasure trove.
May Thy Holy Spirit invest all that we say and sing;
Have mercy Holy Ghost upon these penitent hearts we bring.
Father bless us that at the last we come ever to reside with Thee.
Jesus Thou art the Son of God who enlightens all eternity.
Holy Spirit it is Thy gift that we may sing, “Jesus Is the Lord.”
O Triune God may all our words, thoughts, and deeds shine and reflect

Knew Thou afore the Gentiles shouldst Thee scourge and crucify?
Yea, didst foretell upon the third day Thou alive would rise?
Shouldst not Thou then have been serene upon Golgotha’s cross?
For what pain fleeting couldst o’erpow’r Thy joy victorious?
Yet Thou cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?”
Yes Thou didst cry, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”
How was it that Thou felt forsaken upon the Cross foretold?
Shouldst not the thought of life regained have made Thee all more bold?
Or was Thy cry the nature of Thy stiffnecked people led?
Did it say that God-forsaken are those for whom Thou bled?
Hast Thou partak’n our wand’ring way that we, too, might believe?
Through Thee hast our abandonment become our Life received?
Doth prophets tell us over how we do forsake our Lord?
“Where is my wealth, my pride, my leek, my shade-providing gourd?”
“Who shall grave a molten calf that we may frolic about?”
“What new darksome beauty leads us to next adult’rous rout?”
For ages didst all seek Thy grace in gods they did not know?
And dost thou by Thy plaintive cry all ages God bestow?
“Can any good thing come out of Nazareth the city?”
How can it be that I withhold my heart and love from Thee?.
Do transient pains of life make us the Holy Rood forswear?
Didst Thou when all abandoned Thee still yet embrace our fare?
And shouldst Thou ask “Will you my chosen turn away also?”
Eternal Life bids us reply, “Lord, to whom shall we go?”

Go And Do Likewise, servants of the Lord.
Is not your neighbor him beside the road?
Forbear not aiding the wounded placed there,
Think how in his place thou wouldst rejoice for the care.
Neighbors choose not by color, cause, or creed.
Neighbors ask only, “Is this poor soul in need?”
Deeds of compassion dost the neighbor tend.
To be doers of such deeds the Lord’s chosen he sends.
Dost him with wounds question of thy faith?
Is he not thankful that one perceived his strait?
How can ye pass by him in such distress?
Know ye not that by him ye shall be ever blessed?
Once upon a journey some trav’lers the road didst grace.
There by the wayside the wounded had been placed.
They paused not to offer balm for his health.
Shaking heads in ignorance, they muttered, “Save yourself.”
Yet as the wounded heard their indiff’rence;
No bitterness did he return incensed.
As neighbor pausing to help them he did not eschew.
He prayed, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”
Go And Do Likewise, servants of the Lord.
Is not your neighbor him beside the road?
Withhold not mercy to the hurt least placed there.
Think how the greatest shalt rejoice in thy care

How oft we long to be amidst that early chosen band;
To see the brutal print of nail upon Thy risen hand.
Yet ’tis our fortune to be favor-ed above the rest;
For through belief, not having seen, we are most highly blessed.
Still yet we yearn to have partak’n that first Most Holy Feast;
To see Thee bless the Blood and Flesh Thou offered for we least.
Yet when recalled Thou shared, “Do This In Remembrance Of Me.”;
We now, as they, are Thy true Paschal company.
O to have been among those baptized with the cloven fire;
And seen those flames of Comforter which did new tongues inspire.
Yet when our hymns do lift our hearts with, “Jesus Is The Lord.”;
The Pentecostal fire of bliss becomes our great reward.
More still we long to win a place amidst Thine endless glory;
To praise by casting crowns before Thee ‘side the crystal sea.
“Whoso Believes Shall Not Perish But Have Eternal Life.”
How oft desire doth dim our Faith amidst this earthly strife.
Lord help us to recall Thy words amidst our love of Thee;
“I Am With You Always” does well-bespeak Eternity.
Let us never forget that Thy Remembrance liveth still;
And for us to be always with you be your Holy Will.

Refrain: E.G. Nelson – A variation upon the Descant translated from the Latin by James Quinn (b. 1919) and the refrain by Henry Williams Baker (1821 – 1877)

Refrain: God is Love and where True Love is Lord Jesus Christ resides.

How easily we fall in love with that which we do hate;
And thus ignore those things we love while upon sin we sate.
Superficial beauties do serve to hypnotize the eye;
And inner worth is treated as if it were but a lie.
God is Love and where True Love is Lord Jesus Christ resides.
If then we be enamoured to those things we do abhor,
To propose unto Satan seems to be our only chore.
Yes marriage with the Devil seems the sole hope we confide;
And Evil stands but ready to make us his willing bride.
God is Love and where True Love is Lord Jesus Christ resides.
A progeny of vile deeds becomes our heart’s sole issue;
A legacy of lesions left to spread our hate anew.
Generations thus are giv’n to carry on this disease;
The payment for what we thought love does end in soul’s decease.
God is Love and where True Love is Lord Jesus Christ resides.
Thus is seen ’twas not True Love with which we these sins embraced;
‘Twas false love masked as the true to where our hearts did race.
O that we might fall fast in love with that which is True Love;
We then would love that which we love and be with Christ above.
God is Love and where True Love is Lord Jesus Christ resides.
Lord Jesus give us hearts that do love Thee forevermore;
Make our deeds the works of virtue from ‘midst Thy holy store.
Let our hearts become the Bride of Thee and only Thee;
Though we have erred we now confess we long Thy Bride to be.
God is Love and where True Love is Lord Jesus Christ resides.
Lord give us hearts in which there only True Love does reside;
Meld our hearts in One Heart where only True Love does abide.
Give us the strength to make Thy Love our Love for all to see;
Reside in our hearts that we may, for e’er, reside with Thee.
God is Love and where True Love is Lord Jesus Christ resides.
To God the Father of True Love we ever offer praise;
To Jesus Son of True Love we forever hearts upraise.
May co-equal Spirit of True Love thus be for e’er adored;
May we praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost forever more.
God is love and where True Love is Lord Jesus Christ resides.

Upon their knees they offered the precious gifts they did bring,
To celebrate the humble birth of the Eternal King.
For to this fallen, sinful world,
Recovery thus was given.
To this world Jesus, the most precious gift was given;
He gave his life that all might live forever with him.
He asks only one gift from us;
Our hearts so that he, alone, may dwell therein.
“Not as I will, but as Thou will; on his knees prayed he;
Not as we will, but as Thou will make our lives to be.
May Jesus bless each friend and foe upon this joyous Christmas day,
That all may kneel to give their hearts to loving him without end.

How many poems doth serve to sing of life lived endlessly?
How many hymns of praise befit the theme eternity?
Thy kingdom founded on pure love doth space and time subdue;
Thus do our hearts both sing and praise love’s king forever more.
Numbers therefore do not apply to this thy loving realm;
An ending that always begins beginning without end.
The cross of life, the cross of love, the cross is God’s pure way;
One cross, one life, one love, one faith, upon thy word we stay.
If without number be the hymns of praise and songs to thee,
They merge to be but one adoring poem of trinity.
Thy peace which passeth understanding all words doth defy;
May cease we ne’er our praise of thee that e’er in love abide.
If all the pens of praise and song that ever poets held,
In search one final beauteous virtue didst conspire to meld,
Their noble sum of glory must indeed unceasing say,
“Alleluia, King of Kings, to thee we ever pray.”

“O fleeting joys of Paradise, dear bought with lasting woes!”
What painful ransom be the price to pacify these throes?
Would only but a fleeting pain so purchase endless joy;
Freely we should endure the same that virtue didst redeem!
Once long ago upon a hill a fleeting pain was giv’n;
And yet the joys which it did win to this day are living!
This is joy that lasts forever for ransom has been paid;
With such payment joy does banish all evil, pain and woe!
For us to also taste that joy, one crucial fee is ask’d;
Belief in him who paid for us, wins life then everlast.
Belief that he did pay the price, and now in glory lives;
O lasting joys of Paradise, the woes of cross now gives!
O lasting joys of Paradise, dear bought with fleeting woes!
Our Saviour hath thus paid the price to bring peace to these throes!
So it is a fleeting pain hath purchased endless joy;
Freely our hearts endure the same true virtue didst redeem!
Who fathered him who paid the price, all glory now be giv’n.
His son the propitiation, receives all praise in heav’n.
Who is co-equal spirit then, is blessed co-equally.
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost reign for eternity.

Be such it were that we so chose with silence receive thee;
Beneath our feet these very stones should raise a psalmody. (Luke 19:40)

Were not our hearts like unto stones indifferent to God;
They, too, unhardened into hymn should thank thee for Thy Blood.
If stones be capable receive thee with propriety;
Then surely hardened hearts might thus unworthily praise thee.
Were then it such we did so choose thee silently welcome;
Our hearts would cry in joyous praise of God’s true loving Son.
We spread our clothes upon the way graced by Thy Majesty’s ride;
That we may ever sing with chorus of white-robed crucified.
That ever we may choose to praise with heart and lips of dove;
Upris’n within Thine Endless City of God’s Most Holy Love.
All praise then to the Father of Life and Eternal Love.
So too all hymns are due his Ris’n Son of Love.
Belike them praise be sung Co-equal Spirit of Love.
Sing praise to Father, Son and Holy Ghost: Blessed Triune Love.

Dost thou by tongues of  fire to us thy spirit e’er bequeath?
So with one touch we are removed from all thy realm beneath.
Yet here beneath a furtive touch didst quell issue of blood;
While touch of spear didst cause thy side to flow water and blood.
So didst thy word, here beneath, calm storming seas of strife;
And didst thy word, as so thy touch, turn death’s evil to life.
As beneath the waves didst sink Peter through his fear;
Thy touch and words, “Be not afraid,” to all didst faith endear.
“But let thy faith open her eyes, for shee can behold him:
let thy faith put out her hand, and with the least finger she can touch him.”
Here is my heart, let it thee touch, and evermore be thine;
To feast upon the body and blood, touched evermore as thine.
Those hands that touched the bread and wine we nailed unto a tree;
Yet thou forgave, that in believing we might touch and see.
From thy side thy spirit poured in that dread hour of duress;
That by tasting all might see that in Christ we are blessed.
Beneath thy cross, thy church doth pray, to evermore remain.
From all evil, thy church doth pray, to never cease abstain.
Thy touch of life, thy touch of love, be all we yearn to feel;
Touch us Lord for thy hands only hast true power to heal.
Afore thy birth true beauty didst ne’er this fallen world so grace;
Amidst thy life true virtue revealed to us its face.
Upon thy cross didst true love touch each heart to believe;
With thy rising was death subdued by true life e’er received.
All Glory to the Father who didst salvation conceive;
All praise be due his living Son whose wounds are life received.
Like honor to the Holy Ghost that comforting touch didst send;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; Alleluia without end.