brian francis

A Few Men Faithful

By brian francis

When honor rallies those few who hear her call
Blood burning hot beneath the cause
When the tempest rises in the hearts of men
And righteousness becomes a cry

Clenched fists and determination echo remembrance
Of when others rose to challenge
When other causes drove the fray
When other fires burned

When honor rallies those few who hear her call
To gather around them the followers
To urge and raise the tempest within their souls
And to guide them in their stroke

Like waves crashing against the stone and rock
Only the smooth rubble of other days
Reveals the slow defeat of all that was
The wearing away bit by bit of all that is

When honor rallies those few who hear her call
Those few men faithful are born of need
Hearing the call – a distant refrain
Passing on the winds of change

Copyright © 2020 brian francis

New Dawn

By brian francis

Watching the clouds break
it’s the end of the storm
feeling ravaged and weakened
looking shredded and torn
it’s strange how it happens
when the storm first sets in
you don’t really notice
that it’s raining again

When the storm turns torrential
and it’s beating you down
broken loose of your moorings
you’re just drifting around
your vision and reason
leave you somehow betrayed
you’re lost in your own pain
your soul being flayed

I’ve walked in that valley
the one called Despair
It has nothing, nothing living
no sustenance there
But watching the clouds break
at the end of the storm
The weight somehow lifted
A new will to go on.

The List of Good and Bad

by Brian Francis

Excitement builds as the temperatures fall
the coming of Christmas all children know
with gifts and feasting and decorations galore
preparing for Santa in the season of snow

The goodness of Santa, his sack bearing gifts
His wonderful reindeer whom everyone knows
He flies through the night as he studies his list
remembering the deeds that each child sows

The good children share in his bounty of joy
His gifts laid beneath their beautiful Yule tree
They will cry with excitement tearing at bows
ripping at wrapping, trying to set them all free

there is another besides Santa who shares that list
His name it is Krampus, he is a demon you know
Half man and beast, the coat and horns of a goat
he seeks out those children with badness to sow

stalking in the night of the whole Christmas season
His bundle of thin green birch sticks close at hand
in a faggot over his shoulder as he studies the list
seeking those children who deserve reprimand

Sometimes he snatches those mean little children
to a place they can’t leave or find their way out
in the shadows he waits until they are sleeping
there is no place safe with him stalking about

He’ll lash you if you deserve such a thing
if you’re nasty and mean or selfish or curt
his green birch sticks are sturdy and strong
they never break while he delves out his hurt

So remember that joy is found in the giving
and spend all the year in kindness as you grow
So when next winter comes and the list is compiled
you can sleep without fear of feeling Krampus’ blow

Author’s Note: Krampus is a pre-christian god of the germanic peoples. He was the god of witches. He was adopted as a demon by the christian locals and he is said to haunt the christmas season with a bundle of sticks with which he beats bad children.

A Christmas Hymn

by brian francis

The world once laid in quiet repose
A star was shining bright
The shepherds stood among their flocks
protecting them through the night

The town was quiet the streets were still
as they sought a place to abide
They found themselves turned away
from the warmth of the hearth inside

A manger was found on the outskirts of town
it was the best that their silver could bring
With straw for a bed she laid herself down
giving birth to our savior and King

lovingly the animals all gathered round
their eyes locked upon where he lay
a beautiful singing could be heard outside
As angels announced a new day

A feeding trough made for a fair crib
as the wise men gathered around
following a star bringing them here
they knelt bowing down to the ground

Mercy was found shining in his eyes
absolute joy was found in his gaze
The promised gift from the Father above
A light to burn off our sin’s haze

Copyright ©2020 brian francis

Eve of Excitement

by brian francis

The gifts are tucked beneath the tree
the children are asleep
With milk and cookies placed carefully
by the mantle piece,
The snow is falling, large gentle flakes
as I look out on the lawn
I can barely wait for Christmas day
the children’s favorite dawn
Excitement stirs within my heart
on this still and quite eve
now to lock the doors
and drink my milk
and take a Santa bite
Then off to bed
to try and sleep
through this restless night
I’ll cuddle close to pass the time
Our love will keep me warm
I know that I will hardly sleep
as I wait for Christmas morn

The Perfect Tree

by brian francis

There in the corner is where it would stand
An undressed Christmas tree gathered by hand
Father would take us in search of just one
To find a tree worthy to honor the Son

There were gifts to remind us of the greatest gift
The one who was worthy to span judgement’s rift
It was he that we honored and praised with our song
It was he who was given to make right what was wrong

On Christmas eve we would gather to trim and to dress
That one tree found worthy the one we’d deemed best
While the children were sleeping, dreaming their dreams
The gifts were laid out beneath its sparkles and gleams

Echoes

By brian francis

A soldier left for war one day
Tears were flowing as he walked away
The soldier marched with honor and pride
Knowing that God was on his side

And in the field among his friends
He served with valor, true to his code
Whenever a task drove others to balk
Stepping forward he would carry the load

Compassion though uninvited to war
Seemed always near to his heart
Seeing battlefield children’s needs go unmet
With kindness he tried to do his small part

And after serving his tour and more
And bidding goodbye so many times
To flag draped boxes — the refuse of war
He returned at last to the family he loved

As the end of his journey through war neared
The ever present feel of it somehow remained
Deep in his soul lasting scars were seared
Unknown changes forever made….

True Harmony Redeemed

By brian francis

I ran from Him and hid
among the lost, with proud deceit.
I mocked His name and laughed at those
who’d kneel before His feet.

Until one day I understood
and claimed Him for my own,
and pledged to be a warrior
loyal to his throne.

The words within His teachings
became my sword, both sharp and strong;
yet, in battling evil in the world
it seems that I did wrong.

For the sword was meant to guide me
not to swing with all of my might;
And in using it in battle
of the Truth I had lost sight.

Yet, in the blindness of my rampage
I came upon a man
who had a sword just like mine
cradled in his hand.

When I urged him into the fight
He smiled and asked me “why?”
“You fool for the glory of our God”
was my ignorant reply.

Then motioning for me to sit
He showed me where I’d strayed,
And proved to me how in my hate
My God had been betrayed.

He talked with me ’til I understood
how the teachings were a song,
that would give me strength and guidance
in my heart my whole life long.

And in revealing that the secret
was in singing true to key;
so that others around listening
would want to sing with me.

He then rose up and walked away
singing his song to God.
And I soon up and followed
on the path I knew he’d trod.

There were others on that narrow path
to sing the song with me–
as we made our way back to the throne
singing true harmony . .

The Forgotten Gift

By brian francis

They never seem to understand
Why this season brings me down
They laugh and throw their parties
Always asking me if I might come

I moan expressing my deep regret
Commitments seem so daunting
If I had time, I’d surely be there
But alas I must attend another’s

The songs they sing bring back joy
Remembering other holiday seasons
Walking in snow to sing a caroling song
In a group from church or family time

I refuse to endure their jollification
Exchanging gifts, a sure waste of time
The birth forgotten among the joy
I’ll spend my time at the manger

Nativity

By brian francis

A trough of hay the only place
for Him to lay and rest
A babe among the flocks of men
A loving God’s bequest

His birth a gift to everyone
A teacher for all time
A lesson for all loving men
A message so sublime

Author’s Note: Merry Christmas to All -bf

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