YELLOW

Yellow, yellow-- falling, so--
Life so swiftly, softly goes.
Light and shadow
Twist below.

A tree, perhaps, can stand alone,
Still yearning for a forest home--
Limbs ever reaching
Over frozen stones.

So, I love the stripping wind,
And still regard that scrape, as kind.
God rakes away
The useless rind--

And mountains stand, while edges call
And yellow teardrops gently fall.
Come lean into
His golden wall.

The season gathers flocks to flight
And lifts the darkening wind from white
Uncloaking dreams
Brought forth in night.

In this dream-walk, still we sleep,
And cast all yellow underneath--
The gold, untarnished
Thus, to keep.



--Abby Elizabeth Charland

FAITH

Who can deny God's judgment
When societies spin, askew?
Everything we thought we had,

And what we thought we knew--

Such arrogant assumptions!
Such selfishness, and pride!
Only those who love the truth
Will not bow down to lies.

The world will split-- oh, judgement then--
But the righteous need not fear;
The sky will tear from end to end--
Redemption drawing near!

Hope whispers in the darkness;
As the storm our faith perfects,
The truth of Jesus will prevail,
And all the world confess.

Then, why fear the scourge of evil
So soon to be purged away?
Rather, rend my heart on trembling knee,
Before the vengeance of that Day.

Father, teach of mercy,
For guilt despairs it's need.
Lend us strength to follow you--
Oh, help our unbelief!

The world rages but for a moment
'Til it's delusive towers fall down,
Then the throngs of heaven will exult in praise
For the holy Promise, shown.




--Abby Elizabeth Charland

SWEPT AWAY

All the burdens of this world--
Every heavy care--

I lay down at heaven's throne
And find sweet comfort, there.

For your glory, Lord, let me be broken--
Thus the dross to purge away.
Help me to not falter
Lead me through this day.

Without grace, I would be hopeless
Just a silly, empty thing
But in your presence, there is mercy
In gratitude, I sing.

Cleanse this vessel-- make it useful;
In thy bottle catch these tears;
Forgive me for my bitterness--
All faithlessness, and fear.

Surely, your provision
Is enough to cover these;
Help me ever walk with you
From condemnation, freed.

The rains and water gather,
But I shall not resist this storm,
For every stain be thus swept away--
And every delusion, formed.

Father, guide your people
And fortify our faith
To bless us as we bow, each day
Unto your amazing truth, and grace.



--Abby Elizabeth Charland

Abby Elizabeth Charland Art

TRAILS

An edge of moon sways in mist
As Venus sparks below.
All await the blustering heave--
The final gasp of snow.

This wasteland, yet, is vanquished
To release the captive bud;
Under the blast-- that screams, aghast--
The crocus conquers mud.

For all that wonders, waiting--
For all that holds us down--
Roots twist in Earth and suffer
But blossom to a crown.

Oh, paths strange and ever winding
Seem sometimes lost to snow,
But we do not fear the storming;
We will not cease to go.

The righteous Son has tended,
What angels soon shall reap--
This seed of sweet devotion
And faithfulness, to keep.



--Abby Elizabeth Charland

THE GARDENER

Here, within an earthy cage,
Sorrows whirl--
Tribulations rage.
The Spirit that loves and leads
Fills and holds, beneath.

Faith endures the dark, alone:
The simple wing--
The heavy stone--
Flickering in this final night,
A quiet and tender light.

The heavens stretch; the world presumes--
All contemplate the Maker's plume.
Dust sweeps through each star-- these bones--
It buries everything.
It moans.

So what was cast from the windy Hand?
Just a mortal mote-- a glint of sand?
But flesh consumed in that final deed
Is just a shattered shell--
For a seed.

The little shoot yearns for that One
By whose blood death was undone;
And he that planted, yet is he that reaps--
The One who promised
Tends, and keeps.

All the Earth will shortly shake
Heaven's wheat caught in his rake--
The purposed anguish
In a twinkling-- gone:
Gathered up to resounding song.





--Abby Elizabeth Charland