Sing me to Heaven

For Scotland

(Another poem. I'm on a roll! ;-)

For Scotland

As I stand beside the doorway
Of our little Scottish home,
I watch the men and boys go out,
A'searchin' for renown.
Such trials are before them-
I can see it in their eyes.
But they'd rather go and fight for truth
Than hark to England's lies.

Chorus:

It's for rocky crags and spires,
Crystal lochs and castle towers,
For the purple hills and wild, barren moors,
It's for Scotland they will fight,
And it's for Scotland they will die.
And in my heart I wish that I was going too.

I wonder how it feels to wield
A sword in Scotland's name.
But the men who go so bravely
Only have their sticks and staves.
Oh it's hard to be a lady
When our freedom is at stake.
'Tis so hard to be content here
While men die for Scotland's sake.

Chorus

I say a silent prayer
As they slowly march away.
I hope their homes will still be here,
When they return someday.
Yet if King Edward slaughters them
Like Wallace and the rest,
We're still so proud they took a stand;
The last of Scotland's best.

Chorus

Copyright © 2008 by GraceElizabeth

Change

Change 

(This is written like a song- the pattern is verse, bridge, and chorus. Three of each.)

The cry of America now seems to be:
“The winds of change are blowing!”
In business and art, change is the key-
In fashion and media, all that we see
Is change, as its praises are growing.

Too busy changing our dull, boring lives,
We forget to look up towards the leaves and the sky.
We want to control everything that we can,
But have we forgotten God’s wondrous plan?

Change is occurring, though we pay no heed.
Seasons still change, and brown still yields to green.
Change is essential, but there’s only One
Who can change death to life and give light to the sun.

The modern-day businessman takes to be true
All that the media tells him.
“If you want to be happy, focus on YOU.
Your house and your car and your phone must be new.
The ones that you have are out-dated.

How can we focus on such useless things
As up-to-date trends that exist on a breeze?
We constantly change to be in with the times,
But is it worth it to give up our lives?

Oh, change is occurring, though we pay no heed.
Seasons still change, and brown still yields to green.
Change is essential, but there’s only One
Who can change death to life and give light to the sun.

A young mom walks into an appliance store,
Toting her three-year-old son.
He’s trying to show her how lions can roar,
But she wishes his daycare was open past four.
More intent on price-tags than his fun.

Our children, our loved ones, are we so hard at heart
That we don’t cherish them for the time that we’ve got?
Time passes, change happens in other ways, too,
Apart from the fashions and taxes and ‘rules’.

Oh, change is occurring, though we pay no heed.
Seasons still change, and brown still yields to green.
Change is essential, but there’s only One
Who can change death to life and give light to the sun.

Awake the voice, awake the string!

What sweeter music can we bring
than a carol for to sing
the birth of this our heavenly king?
Awake the voice, awake the string!

Dark and dull nights fly hence away
and give the honor to this day
that sees December turned to May.

Why does the chilling winter's morn
smile like a field beset with corn
or smell like a meadow newly shourn.
Thus on the sudden, come and see.
The cause why things such fragrant be.

Tis' he is born who's quickening birth
gives life and luster, public mirth,
to heaven and below on earth.

We see him come and know him ours
who with his sunshine and his showers
turns all the patient ground to flowers.
Turns all the patient ground to flowers.

The darling of the world is come
and fit it is we find a room to welcome him.
The noble part of all the house
here is the heart.

Which we will give him and bequeath,
this holly and this ivy wreath.
To do him honor, who's our king, and lord
of all this reveling.

What sweeter music can we bring?

Edit: By Robert Herrick

A Lady

"Flowers spring to blossom where she walks
  The careful ways of duty;
Our hard, stiff lines of life with her
  Are flowing curves of beauty."
--Whittier

I love this little excerpt from 'Among the Hills'! You notice I was NOT looking at the actual poem, though, when I was typing the text into the image. :-/

Copyright © 2008 by GraceElizabeth

A Sonnet

 I'm sure you all think another entry is due, and I happen to agree! I give you a sonnet that I wrote a couple weeks ago. Not very good, I fear, but it was my first attempt at a sonnet. I'll improve. Don't think I will always post poetry- I wanted to post some of my other writing today, but the excerpts I was considering needed revision, so I'll work on that this week and *hopefully* post it next week. I'm also working on posting some of the recordings I've made of my singing, but I'm still trying to get past the html barrier! Look for them eventually.

  Of Loyalty

Tense, restless stallions paw their feet and blow,
And seasoned warriors clench the cold sword hilt.
Even the bravest make themselves breathe slow.
They contemplate the fortress, strongly built.
Each warrior knows this ride may be his last.
His last attempt to rally for his king.
Each is aware that when the trumpet blasts,
His wish will be to die or do this thing.
"Seize it!" the royal words rise on the air.
Striking courage into the hearts of all.
Their king has faith in them, and so they'll dare
Before the night is gone to scale the wall.
They have no fear, though death this night may bring.
They willingly will die to serve their king.

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Here is a beautiful piece of music you might enjoy- sent to me by a person who is normally very critical of music and only accepts the best. But he shockingly doesn't like Handel!!! So this is for all you classical music lovers:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JYhnx3Jj6w

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I'll be going to a Vision Forum conference this weekend, so I'll (sadly) be absent for a few days. I'll be back on Monday.

Thank you all for being so welcoming- I never guessed I should receive 70 comments in 3 entries! Y'all really are amazing! (Yes, I do say y'all quite a lot here in Texas!)

~Grace~

 Copyright 2008 by GraceElizabeth

~My Favorite Things~

  ~My Favorite Things~

 Raindrops on roses and snow-laden pine trees,

Wind as it swells and then slows to a soft breeze,

Intricate patterns in Celtic designs,

These are a few of my favorite things.

French horns and film music, chocolate kisses,

Towering castles and piano glisses,

Long, sweeping gowns, moonlit glades, noble kings;

These are a few of my favorite things.

Clear, haunting notes of a violin fading,

Frisbees and spell check and black pencil shading,

Middle Earth, Rivendell, Lord of the Rings;

These are a few of my favorite things.

Friends that I know will be faithful for always,

Black pointe shoes, oranges, and long, open hallways,

Pixar films, thunderstorms, running full speed;

These are a few of my favorite things.

Green hills of Ireland, big, daunting bookstores,

Calendars, waves softly lapping the seashore,

Rich velvet cloth, perfect vowels when I sing;

These are a few of my favorite things.

When the dog bites,

When the bee stings,

When I’m feeling sad,

I simply remember my favorite things,

And then I don’t feel so bad!

I know that's more stanzas than required, but I was enjoying myself too much!

I got this lovely idea from Rose, and decided to do my own. It wasn't helpful that I thought of just the right words while I was lying in bed, making me have to get up and write it all down... at 11:00 pm. I seem to have good ideas at the worst times- does that ever happen to any of you? It's awful when there isn't any paper around and I have to recite it (story, sonnet, or song) over and over in my head until I feel I'll never be able to think of anything else! But the finished product is usually worth it. 

~Grace

By the way...

I had wanted to get a blog earlier so I could record the memories from a trip I took in February to San Antonio, Texas. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, as is obvious!

Some of you serious musicians may be familier with the All-State audition process. Basically, a bunch of high school musicians, singers in my case, go through months of auditions to determine who shall be chosen to participate in the All-State choir. It's a tedious and complicated process, not very enjoyable, but if you are chosen it is WORTH IT!!! I was blessed to secure a position in the choir, along with my wonderful bouncy friend Josie. She is recording the experience on her blog, Pennies from Heaven, and I would encourage you to go visit and hear what I wanted to say in her words! She's too funny!

Farewell, until we meet again.....................

Copyright 2008 by GraceElizabeth