Rock, Rainbow, Poppy & Psalm





The Poppy

12 hours tightly shut
Many moments of waiting; paused in preparation
Sunlight shines signalling the time!
Time to unfurl the closely closeted joy.

Not purposely placed
Or carefully curated
Not singled out in a special place
But strewn, lost or abandoned.

But the poppy does, what a poppy should,
In poor path-land soil
It’s perfect place is born
Its blossom bursts forth

After the waiting,
The slowly growing,
as pilgrims wander by waiting, preparing,
for this bright and glorious morn

This morning I walked past one random isolated poppy growing by the side of a less well trodden path, I past it last night with the pod tightly encapsulating the flower then this morning saw it blooming with joy!






Rock Chapel Rainbow

Though thronged in orange sombre purple breaks through
Old fashioned pains become something new
Light dances as leaves blow:
A tired worn floor
new life it can know

Flickering flame & the dancing sun,
Ochre & ruby a rainbow of vibrant fun
How fitting and poignant on this day of prayer
that a rainbow should welcome and dance in the air.



3rd July written in the Rock Chapel at St Beuno’s 2019 the morning the British Methodist Conference debated the report ‘God in love unites us’ including recommendations to open up the possibility of Same Sex Marriage in Methodist Churches.







St Beuno’s Psalm
Oh my God
You are my creator.
In you I live and move and have my being.
When the sun shines, your blessings flow
When the wind blows, your Spirit moves.
When creation raises its voice in worship I add my voice.

At times when the shadows fall,
When the darkness enfolds,
When the numbness takes hold
Yet, you O God are my God, my strength, my redeemer
Through all of life, its times and seasons
You are God; my rock and stronghold
Like a mother hen shelters her chicks under her comforting wing
You enfold me in your loving care

Give me again your newness of life.
Take the detritus of life and transform it by your grace.
Take this hollow shell and fill it full.
Fill it till it overflows,
Till it cannot contain all that you offer.
May my life and soul, dance with your freedom
May your grace uphold, sustain and overflow.
May my life, O God reflect your glory
May my life sing your praise.
For you are the God of all.
The God of the inner depths and the mountain heights
May your name be praised forever.

3rd July 2019

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