So cynical are we

So cynical are we
Our minds are so easily
Caught up in dissatisfaction
We share not in others
Attraction or success
If it is not our own
It is meaningless

How selfish
We are so very
Much caught up in
Our own desires
Can we not rejoice
In others happiness

No, it seems this too
Is beyond us
So we shall sneer
And mock
If we are in misery
Perhaps we too
Might draw others in
To our own company
They shall despair

But we do not care
At least now
We have robbed them
Of what joy they had
And in some twisted way
We are glad

None should be so happy
As we, when we should be
All things are so temporary
Why make such a show
Of a thing
It too will pass

As we sip from our glass
We strive to forget
Our troubles
If but a moment
Our heartache may cease
Perhaps then
We shall find peace

But this moment too will fade
And all our energy
Will be spent
As we make our descent
Even deeper into despair

Why do we so often linger here
Do we truly desire this company
Do we cherish this feeling
This moment of solitude
And loneliness
All seem so
Very distant

There was once a time
When we did long
For so many things
We did hope
And dream
We believed
Most anything

Anything seemed possible
Then...
When our sphere of safety
Rested secure
But when that thing was pierced
And the nucleus
Of our dreams was shattered
Then...
Nothing mattered

So we wandered
In exile
And denial
We lost all memory
And recognition
Of those days
The pain was too
Severe
We did not
Go near

For fear
We should be
Struck down again
Such a thing
We could not
Endure
Again

So now, how we become
So jaded
We hate, everyone
And those who
Say they are happy
And laugh at the days to come
We think, how dumb
Are they
They too will pass away

How naive
They often seem
Yet, somehow
There is something there
Some innocence
We covet
And we shall have none
Of it
We should wish
To snatch
What little joy they have
From them

No one should be so
Fortunate
For even a moment
They shall not remain so
For long
Only time and trouble
Will ravage them
Of youth

For the folly of man
Is born with it
Scarred from birth
Doomed to die
To hate
All that is pure
For it will never be
In and of itself

Once was there a chance of it
But man did follow his own desire
His pride, did trip him
And he fell from its wire

Now as he does retire
To the mud and the mire
He sees no way
He may
Rid himself
Of this waste
And wrong

Night and day
He does pray
To the gods
Of his lineage
But none answer him

But there is one
From long ago
Who did share
Company with his kin
Before madness
Did drive them
To sin

Twas he
Who did enter in
To this world
To reclaim
Humanity
And take the blame
For their
Profanity

If only
A remnant
Would remain
And follow
They should gain
Restoration
From this
Stain

But not without a cost
To this redeemer
Would it require
He must
Plunge beneath
The murk and mire
Into the pit of hell
To dispel
All the sins
Of humanity

But he would do it willingly
That a few may find
Hope, and rest
In him
That they would be
Restored
And rejoice once more
In the hope of all humanity

-Joshua Lee Foist

With an evening in view

With an evening in view
I am oft but perplexed of what to do
There are many choices lain
before me
Though the "right" decision plain
It is not oft my habit to choose

What can I stand to lose
If a wallow about
And sing the blues
Or if so preoccupied
Catch a bit of the news

There's oft but much to distract
From what should be done
But what's the fun
In what is proper and plain

What does one gain
Or lose if to abstain
From the norm
Of reason and right

I think I'll stay in tonight
Ah, such a fright
I might go out tonight
This paper's not due
Till noon
Why not check out the latest tune
At the club

Yes, youth will oft try to so inspire us
We've all the time we need
So serious lead
These academic folk
They can't take a joke

Too much of books and brains
Can lose all sense of fun
They know none
Of the scene
Beyond the library
And coffee shop

Yet, as I dream away
The remaining hours
I pray
That perchance these
Evening showers
Might turn to ice
And delay what work is due
Another day

So is the "unselfish" prayer
Of one who wishes for
But a few hours more
Of sweet pleasant rest
And this no jest
Tis for all he'd care

But an extra moment here or there
To call his own
Snuggled safe and soundly
In the pleasant comfort and warmth
Of home

-Joshua Lee Foist

Here I sit in wondermeant

Here I sit in wondermeant
As I contemplate
What things may lie ahead

I cannot say
What a day may hold
Or an hour
Or a moment
Will unfold

Yet still
As I gaze out
From my window pane
I gain a sense
Of what could be
And what might be
Or in some sense
Should be

The future lies before us
And we are much amazed by it
For at times as though all time
Stood still
And we had but the will
To turn things as we'd see fit
If for but a moment of it

To get the stuff
Deep down inside
Underneath
And take it with us
To spread a little here
Or a little there

Oh what we could do with time
If we had but a moment with it
To do as we'd see fit

Yet though it is outside our control
We still have the wisdom
And foresight
To plan what course
We may so desire

And even still
We hearken not to our own will
But to one much greater than ourselves
For this one knows the very motives
That lie behind each choice
It is this one that did call
All into existence with
A loud and glorious voice

So as I gaze out into
These future days
And ponder
And amaze
At what might be
May I seek the council
Of one who has made
Each and every one

For with such wisdom as this
One might even privilege
At a glimpse of what lies beyond
The ocean and mountains of this place
And might for but a moment
See into the gardens and fountains
Of that country that lies
But a distance of space and time
From our own

And if one is so privy
May they not look with envy
But joyous delight
Upon that which surely will be
In the future one day they will see
All that should be
When all is made right
And pleasing
In the great creator's sight

For it is he who determines what shall be
Whether a storm or a calm at sea
Though to our kind
It is a mystery
Such a thing he holds in his hand
And beckons at his command

Indeed one day
All will stand
In his presence
Those both good and evil
Will kneel
In that place
And he shall call
All who are his own
To come home
And all those unrepentant
Of sin
He shall deny them in

But yet still
While the future lies ahead
May we be fed
On the words
Of that great one's own son
May we indeed all come
Everyone
Who are heavy laden
And come find our rest
In him who gave his life
To end all our wandering and strife
That we might find new life in him
Who has called us kin

Indeed may we
Repent of our sin
And enter in
To such fellowship
In that place
Which lies beyond
The senses
Of this place

And may we
In these few remaining days ahead
With all passion and zeal
Live such a life
That would inspire
And point toward
That one
That indeed
All would come
And be freed
From sin
May they long
For him
And him alone
Who calls each one
To come home

-Joshua Lee Foist

We do as we like

We do as we like
We say what we wish
We are quite selfish
And we do not care
Indeed it seems
This is the world in which we live

We give little attention to others
We care much less for our sisters
and brothers
Life is career, is cash
We want it all
We want our own
Separate stash

A piece of the action
On our terms
We want to make a statement
We like to offend
We cast our morals
To the wind

Our way is right
We pick a fight
We make our demands
We delight
In the fate which
We deem to rest
In our own hands

We are flippant
We are foul
And there's no end in sight
This is our right
So is the world in which we live

What is right and wrong
But a point of view
Which so easily
Can be overlooked
What is right for you
Is fine
So long as it doesn't
Conflict with my time

What are we trying to prove
What are we rebelling against
In all things we glory in
If there is truly no sin
Then why do we still feel
A since of shame
As if somehow deep down
We are to blame

Is there still some truth to be found
Is there some standard that remains
Unchanged and uninfected
Or is all lost to the wind

As the teacher once wrote
All is meaningless
A chasing after the wind
So are all things
Under the sun

No submission
Have we but one
We answer to none
But our desires
And they too
Begin to lose attraction

All passions
Begin to lose their flame
At last we remain
Stripped bear
And who is to blame
We are abandoned
And unloved
At last we begin to feel
The reflection
Of our own
Infection

We are sick
And dying
And there is no denying
So now we await
Our glorious end

So naked and cold
So we shall behold
Our so long awaited end
Without hope
Or friend
All is wasted
All is meaningless

Yet still
Outside
This abandoned place
There stands
A trace
Of hope

Truth remains
It still pleads
Forgives
It can wash away
The most confused
And afflicted
The most rejected
And convicted

It can heal the most
Vile of disease
It only requires
The bowing of will
And the bending of knees

All it asks
Is full acceptance
And allegiance
To confess
With all humility
That one has
No ability
Apart from
The truth
To save themselves
Indeed all is meaningless
Under the sun
For only the Son
Can set one free

-Joshua Lee Foist

So what is there really

So what is there really
In this business of relationships
Some we happen upon
Others we initiate
For our own devices

We love
We hate
Such adventure
Such struggle
In debate

We do not hesitate
We infatuate
Upon what might be
Ideal

Perfection
In every collection
We make for ourselves

We lead such perfectly
Shallow lives
We torture
Our minds over
Fine things

Fine wines
A pleasant picture
A colorful drape
A superb fate
We can hardly
Appreciate

If only today
We muse
Perhaps
They'll come my way

It most certainly
Must be today
Something in the air
I said the perfect prayer
My favorite song just played
And this all not by accident

Romance we seek
At least once or twice
A week

Are we so shallow
Must we always
Be entertained
By such
Petty things

Sure they are fine
In their own kind
But they do not
Fulfill
As such a heart
We long
Could
Thrill

Surely it will in time
With just a precise
Measure
A little fond
Indulgence
Of a certain
Pleasure

It must be so
I just know
Mustn't it
Be so

Perhaps I do not know
Oh, how very sad
Have I truly
Thought
I could buy such a thing
With such a pleasant
Gesture
Or a pretty ring

It takes more of character
And commitment
Of trust
To build
Just
Such a thing

But in time
I believe
Such a thing
Could blossom
Into such a flower
True love
Is awakened
In such an hour

-Joshua Lee Foist

This wind around me

This wind around me
How it toils and it grows
It blows wherever it goes
It takes with it whatever it will
It gathers and scatters

To remain in this place
To not be caught up with it
It takes much purpose
Much conviction
Such a foundation
Is hard to find

Too often
It is easy to be caught up with it
There is pleasure for a moment
To feel the breath of life
As one is caught up in its currents

But when its course is run
And the winds have changed
All is rearranged
Yet still we remain
Lost, without direction
And full of pain
In this, what did we gain

True a lesson was found
In this present purpose bound
But have we the skill to gain
The wisdom in the pain
Or will we again
Be caught up in
These gusts of wind

Who can know when they
Shall return
Either we can burn
With passion
Or yearn to grow
To learn to know

How to build a foundation
That will not yield
To such intoxication
It will remain steadfast
Till the very last
Breeze has blown

While all others
Are scattered
Here we find shelter
In this unshifting sand
For it is stronger
Than that which is made by hand

This rock, this cornerstone
Before all others were known
Its purpose was shown
Its plan would shelter
Would save......man

For those who would seek it
And cling to its foundation
And not be scattered
Or shattered by it
Would find its worth
In this one that came to earth

For in time
When the currents grow
And the winds blow
When the heavens quake
And the earth shakes

Then will all creation
Desire this firm foundation
But they will be scattered
Shattered by its force
No earthly thing can stop its course
Its source of power is not of this earth

So while still this eye of the storm remains
May all creation cease to be amazed
By such earthly desires
And come to trust in that
Which remains sure and steady
May all come ready
To receive this assurance
Found in this rock
Which shall not be moved

May they seek it earnestly
And humbly
Not for what can be gained by it
But what can be found in it
Without it none shall live
It requires all one can give
And more
It desires full control
One must give full allegiance
With heart, and hand, and soul

But what is received is beyond all
Imagination
Nothing more can be desired
For from this rock flows
The springs of eternal life
And with it all longings
Are fulfilled in this
Rock of Ages

-Joshua Lee Foist