22.THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.

The Lord is my shepherd forever and ever,

When I am worn out by sun and shower,

Whenever burn with fire and boil,

And when I am tired by harm and toil.

When I travel for long, way dark,

Everywhere His gleams of light which spark,

In my voyage across the stormy sea,

The Lord is my shepherd for ever you see.

When dreams melt into tears forming flood,

Deluge the life with crimson coloured blood,

When the lamps are not lit even in horror,

The Lord is my shepherd forever and ever.

When I am baffled and long for hope,

When I am captive in the meshes of rope,

When all my limbs are aching with pain,

The Lord is my shepherd in the holy shrine.

When I sigh and faint and droop,

Being many petals into dust which drop,

Leaving all vanity and charm to a stop,

The Lord is my shepherd who dwells in the top.

When every step is hampered merciless,

And compelled to travel companion less,

When no bird gracefully chants or sings,

The Lord is my shepherd who gives me wings.

When I am abandoned with doors all shut,

Stay as an alien in my own hut,

When I am crucified and thorns are put,

The Lord is my shepherd, I fear not.

When songs remain unsung and wind never blown,

Desires remain unasked, gifts not given,

Gloom comes unbidden, deeply hidden,

The Lord is my shepherd, lifts me to heaven.

When I stray alone in woods and groves,

When my basket is empty of loaves,

When I know not where will be the shore,

The Lord is my shepherd, the center, the core.

When I float and linger in waves,

Like the fluttering and falling dead leaves,

When I traverse in silence, thick dark,

The Lord is my shepherd to bring me back.

When everyone outdo in wealth and power,

When I've nothing to amass as treasure,

The Lord is my savior, sing door to door,

The Lord is my shepherd, sing door to door.

  

21.THE SPRING OF SPRINGS

Where is the spring? The spring? The spring of smile?

The earth lost its spring, the spring within a while.

Where is the sea? The sea? The sea of love?

Its heart lost the sea, the sea, the dove.

Lamented the earth, “O my soul! My soul!

When will I rest from all? Rest from all?

My heart aches,aches,eyes overflow,

Not with tears,but with blood,you know."

"Like a child lost her dearest toy

Wails my heart, away from all joy…

When I see the spring, fades to wither,

When I see the spring wanes forever.

My star, my star, in the starry night

Sparkling only in my own sight

Thrills me ever, its flickering flame,

My soul, my soul, my own flame!!"

"Tell me, spring, will you blossom here?

Will I smell the perfume, the scent of myrrh?

Will I see the wild flowers bloom again?

And the sweetness filled in yards of vine??

How lovely the spring! How charming its glee!!

My dearest, my dearest, how you delight me!!!

How pleasant the shadows! The cedars, the cypress!

How soft the lilies, which greatly impress!!!"

"I love to sit ever in this splendid spring,

To hear the hooves of stallions coming!

In chariots, to refresh, to refresh everything

Towards my passion, passion, my darling!!

Let me hear the enchanting voice,

Let me see the loveliness of eyes

Let me feel the blowing morning breeze

Return, my love! Let the darkness close!"

"Day after day, night after night

I dreamt the spring, I did wait,

Looked around and went through street

To hold the bunch and feel the scent.

No music was heard, no brooks gushed

No door was opened, no streams flowed.

Vanished everything behind a veil,

Leaving the dreams fragile and frail."

"Being a live corpse as good as dead

Life, a death struggle all leaves shed.

Heart burned, wishes faded, shattered,

Burst into flame, flared and smashed.

O Christ! Give me love and only love!

Bless me to give out love and only love!

For love fills new hope in all dead hearts,

For love joins everywhere the broken parts."

20.MY HEART LEAPS WITH JOY...

   

           

My heart leaps with joy, not twice, nor thrice,

For Oh! Jesus! You raise me to the paradise.

The doors of heaven open, hear the voice

The sweetest of rain showers to rejoice.

The honey rain, the dream in a dawn,

When the morning star sheds beam in my lawn

All dreams merry and morale, all hopes jolly,

All sights pleasant, all songs mellow and lovely

For Jesus turns a lurid, lighted lantern

To glow while I travel the muddle alone.

As a sweet flute of reed, I slowly rise

Through which only His glaring glory I  praise.

He moulds me as a candle, humble

Brightly blazing ever in His holy temple

And makes me the gum, the frankincense

Smouldering in altar, with pure fragrance.

As a white lily in an enchanting garden

Germinates me in the orchard of Eden

To grow all my glimmering, weak foliage,

Withering petals and nectar in all the age.

Bloom again the dahlias, the geraniums,

The carnations and chrysanthemums

In colours pink, red, purple and white

And marigolds orange, yellow in sight.

Rivers flow, flow towards great oceans

Waves curl, curl towards endless shores.

Breeze of love embraces the lonely isles

Away away from thousands of miles…

Travel alone through the corridors of past

The two sparrows silently, though did part

To meet again, again, the eyes glowing

With love, the face smiling, smiling
 Like sentinel stars glittering gently

And peeping from the sky slowly, slowly.

 While the reminiscences blossom in mind

Will the sweet, sweet odour ever end?

19.HOMAGE AND PRAYERS TO THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

Homage and prayers

To His Holiness, The Patriarch

With folded hands, with tears

To The Good Shepherd of Antioch.

The successor of St. Peter

The rock to build the church

Towards the Christ, the Blessed Savior

Towards the Holy Spirit He did search.

The keys of the kingdom of heaven

Are vested on Him, the Good Samaritan

The Powerful Intellect through His sermon

Victorious to free all from demon.

Homage and prayers, the Patriarch

To His Holiness of Antioch.

May the gates of paradise

Be opened with grace,

May the saints and holy arch-angels

Marshal with lighted candles.

May the Holy Soul rest in right

Of The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.

Pray for us, the Good Shepherd

His holiness, Ignatius Zakka 1 Iwas

When turmoil and violence is heard

And for everyone who is in chaos.

Pray for us, the Good Samaritan

The Patriarch, the Holy Pilgrim

When we pass thorns of persecution

Till we reach the New Jerusalem.

18.THE SUN WILL RISE

Wet among leaves, hidden, the birds sit

Hear about weather cold a bit

“The sun will rise high to make our feathers dry

And towards our prey we'll soon fly.”

Under the soil deep, soundly sleep the seeds

Listen the quest of decay as weeds

“The sun will rise high to make rays sing

Opening our eyes we'll soon swing.”

Covered with ice, the dales calmly rest

Face a puzzle whether freeze next

“The sun will rise high to melt all snow

Plants again bloom no doubt you know.”

Thick dark clouds spread in horizon bright

Listen a doubt ‘does come light?’

“The sun will rise high to make winds blow

Away all clouds and sky will glow.”

The worried, the rejected, the tortured, the lost

Confuse, puzzle, and lament a lot;

Get courage enough when hear a sweet

Voice heavenly the voice soft;

“The sun of eternal truth, the immaculate right

The sun of endless peace, the universal light,

The sun of justice, the sun of immortal love

Will rise, will rise soon and rule above.”

17.LISTENING TO THE RAINDROPS

Listening to the raindrops

Still I wish to be a child,

An innocent bud, smiles mild,

Wonders at the sky, wide

At the stars shine,hide.

Listening to the clarion call

Still I wish to be a bird,

A skylark whose chirp is heard

While it flies high and high

Up in the cloudy blue blue sky,

  And still I wish to be a drop

  Of snow, shines in hill top

  Where thin streams peep peep,

  To flow downwards steep, steep.

Listening to the raindrops

Still I wish to be a rain

Of honey to fill again, again

The petals withered, dried

In dreams everyone wish to abide.

Listening to the clarion call

Still I wish to be a shore

Near a sea,the cradle of lore

Where waves curl to embrace

Sands,shells and pebbles with grace.

And still I wish to be  engraved

In your heart,oh! God! Enshrined,

As glowing emerald,enveloped,

Always entailed and enhanced.

16.MY DIAMOND

My diamond, see, the precious gem,

A shining jewel adorned green stem

Of joyful days of pleasant song,

A gift from God, before very long.

But floods overflowed, droughts did parch,

Tempests shattered the tender birch,

Severe quakes broke the earth’s heart,

Tongues of thorns cut friends apart.

Lost the diamond. Among the mountains?

Between the dales? Deep in oceans?

Under shallow springs? Beside a lofty hill?

Or elsewhere? Elsewhere? Who  knows still?

Birds flew from trees to trees,

Made nests, then heard babies' tweets,

Butterflies did rest in blossomed bud,

Left alone leaving to bury like dead.

Spring filled flowers in grass in heaves,

Summer poured sunshine gently on leaves,

Autumn sang dreams sweetly in ears,

And winter did ice over many years.

Then I found my lost diamond one day,

Far away, far away, away and away,

Awhile, a star, azure a ray,

Awoke my soul in awesome way…

Never I saw, but saw the glitter,

Nor I heard yet heard the twitter,

Never did I touch still felt the comfort,

Nor I spoke though whispered a lot….

Whispered a lot... ‘Here is my diamond...

The bliss and bless, the friendship bond,

My diamond, my diamond, only mine…..

Forever the ages mine and only mine…’

15.WHEN DREAMS DWELL

Again a dazzling dream blooms,

Withers away all petals of gloom,

Nature adorns herself in spring,

Rays of hope gleams in swing.

It rains in dales, over the plants,

Chills flowers, leaves and fields,

Embellishes the earth, fresh green,

Opening seeds’ eyes are seen.

It snows in deserts and valley,

Makes dew glow in peeping buds, jolly

Decorates each and every foliage holy,

I stay in foothills to enjoy lonely….

Rainbows among the silvery cloud

Flash a blaze for amazing crowd,

Sing in horizon a lullaby loud,

The glory of immortal love, proud…!

Melts golden rays, the rising sun

Pours on leaves, grass and fern,

Mesmerizes souls towards the luster,

Unfolds the eternal care towards nature.

Drops of pearls, the waterfall

Bursts from woods, a milky flow,

Droplets, drizzles and hails fall,

Tilt and thrill when winds blow.

Dreams are only dreams, whatever it may be,

As delicious nectar gathered by honey bee,

Withers the flower soon you may see…

Remains the sweet honey, ever fresh with glee.

Still a dazzling dream in heart dwells,

Withers away all gloom and fills,

 Joy, pleasure, everlasting jewels,
Mounts me towards the golden hills...

14.MAID WITHOUT WAGES

Before the dawn she awakes,

Where a bundle of work awaits,

Cooks, washes, neatly cleans,

Cares, loves, highly concerns,

Always works without any rest,

And consoles everyone with much zest.

Settle disputes often arise,

Among kids with enough patience,

Waits everyone ends his dine,

Have the food calmly alone,

Much pain silently adorns,

To make both ends meet, not mourns.

Arranges the cloths, different things,

Thrown away by wards which hangs,

Bakes spongy cakes and soft buns,

Makes them tasty with jolly funs.

Dress worn out soundly stitches,

Irons, darns, and readily patches,

Waters the garden myrtles, the plants,

The branches trims well and cuts,

Tired and frail in all twilight,

Yet continues till midnight.

Isn't she an ardent labourer?

The mother, the patient homemaker?

Just a pat gentle and soft,

Filled with love and care a lot,

The precious gift ever she needs,

The only tribute for her deeds…..

13.OH! LORD! MAKE ME YOUR BRANCH!

Oh! Lord! The Olive Tree!

Make me your branch!

Me, a branch of wild olive tree,

A branch broken off,

Rejected, unwanted and downtrodden,

Rounded by raging fire,

Shattered by furious storms,

Completely crushed, being defeated,

Fiercely attacked, swarmed round

Like bees, lost and fallen down.

      Oh! Lord! The Olive Tree!

      Make me your branch!

     You, The Holy Olive Tree,

     The Root supports me.

     In your grace I do believe,

     In your power I am afraid,

    Join me, a natural branch,

    Spare me not, since you change

   Foes into friends, unseen to seen

    Let me continue in your kindness.

12.FRIEND

Friend…

Beloved and the best,

Sweeter than honey,

Whiter than snow,

Dearer than all,

And the greatest.

Friend….

A relief in sorrow,

A solace in agony,

A help, a care,

A smile, a virtue,

And a praise.

Friend…..

An angel from heaven,

A messenger of God,

A companion,

A fellow traveler,

And a grace.

Friend….

A marvelous miracle,

A dream and truth,

A lasting spring,

A vineyard of love,

And a jewel.