THE RED SHIFT

Men's hearts collapse, astonished by
Billowed mists, like nebulae--
That turn a tinge of red.

While in the spectrum of the eye
Streaks a comet's shooting sigh--
Might darkness fall, instead?

For in the shadows in between,
There are forces, yet unseen--
Determined deeds of dread:

A bridge half-crossed, but overthrown;
The sorrow in a windswept womb;
An angel's fallen seed.

The harlot Earth heaves up in shame--
Corrupted by that dark Un-Named;
The void that sucks, between.

As God regards us, then and now,
In circles bright, mountains will bow
To sync with glory's rills.

Love spins-- enormous-- lest we be lost:
And we stand upon that Crimson Cross:
He holds us now, and stills.



--Abby Elizabeth Charland

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
                                                                                                  --Psalm 90:1

THESE HALLS OF NIGHT*

The storm weaves lace on trees and stones,
All that mankind knew-- is gone.
Icicles spun and honed in shrouds;
Fall to earth with silver sounds.

Evergreens lift great fans of quiet;

Mountains guard these halls of night.
Cold sinks and drifts on every thing--
The moon disdains: a frozen ring.

We witness all the shifting ice--
Treachery, in ever glittering white,
But supplications ever stretch, unbound--
And Heaven's promises resound.

The night is long; the world deceived,
All those lies we once believed!
But yet we pause, to consider, still--
The sacred Word, fulfilled.



--Abby Elizabeth Charland

THE PROMISE *

Is there a song in Heaven
That calls for a life, apart?
For some have known the difference:
That separate, startled heart.

If there is a song, eternal
One would keep it's uttered gold,
For without it, nothing matters--
Earthy toys and fears fall cold.

The heavenly orchestra resounds in circles
Ever our delight so to spin and turn--
Embraced and yet embracing,
All earthy echoes spurned.

Rills of living water
Were spilled for each broken heart.
The Son that bled, that carried all
Will lift his friends, apart.

This is the song, eternal
That carries us, right through-- 

Jesus Christ exults, Almighty
And all the world made new.



--Abby Elizabeth Charland