So to return to such dimmed delusion

So to return to such dimmed delusion
Wander within the grand illusion
Yea still to at times despair
Or what seemed yet nearly there

Tis gone, once more
To think as to be so wild eyed
Too zealous to allow
What ere may come

And in time to see how numb
And cold so easily the heart is changed
Thine idols reveal
What desires most: the thrill

To seek thy own will
For a time
Seems but sublime
Though tis foolish
And folly

Twill not satisfy
All round lie
Counterfeited copies
Counting on the smallest
Deception to divide
Spirit from mind

If only to pierce
Such a space between
What then
Could one make
Of the heart
Of men

All are but fragile
And futile
To think
One to abstain
From their
Natural desires

Only something
Far beyond
The strength of man
Could ere o'er take
For loves own sake

Tis not of this race
Twould seem as ere disgrace
To be brought so low
And take the blow
For thine own
Fallen brother

None but one so just
None but one so rare
Would take the risk
For all

To forgive
To love
And bare the blame
To restore
That which was broken

In hopes
That some may return
In favor again

None could be found
In the hearts
Of men

None but that which is found
Beyond all heaven and earth
None but that one
Didst give them birth

Could carry
Such a burden
Bearing deep
For all the souls
Of men

Tis that which divides
Between the two
That can save
From all
Destruction

-Joshua Lee Foist

Here I stand and sit

Here I stand and sit
Within this great hall
Yet wait I
While time
Tis passing

So gaze I at others
Passing, pausing
Then each one
Finding his particular door

As if twas always this one
Or that (without question)
They enter

Yet still I
Remain
In this hall
Waiting
Wondering
In vain?

When shall the time be
When shall the light I see
Shall it come all at once
Or in simple small doses
Nudging me from my chair
Closer and closer
To that doorway
To that arch
Which stands waiting for me

But do I yet see
Which one is 'best' for me
While still I sit here and remain
How long shall it be

Such time a grand mystery
And oft a misery
To go on pondering
A mind so wandering

Musing
While the seconds and minutes
And hours I sit losing
Are not all they of your choosing

When shall I stand
When shall I depart
Must I remain
Within this hall
Throughout all
Of life

Though I think at last
I begin to see
Why each in time
Remains a little longer
Or shorter
Than the one before

Each requires
One's own particular time
Before they're ready
To stand
And enter
The destined door
For which their heart desires

Each purpose is different
Each path a different climb
But in time doth discover
Twas all the same

Was all such striving in vain
Who can know but Him
Who is to gain

Such glory is found
At last
When each enters
The door destined for him

Yet as he enters
And see those
Still remaining
Within the hall
May his prayers
Be for them
Whether friend or foe

For all need nudging
Towards that final end
Yea all need the encouragement
Of a friend

Who desires one's best
For he too once
Sat in silence
While others passed by
And in time found he
Forgiveness

And fortune
Found eternity
Lying but just
A mere distance ahead
Past this grand corridor
Of longing

-Joshua Lee Foist

(Inspired from "A Gentle Welcome," from the Preface of C. S. Lewis' 
Mere Christianity")

If this be love then let it ere be remembered

If this be love then let it ere be remembered
If this be love may it cease to fade away
Throughout the morning to the darkening of evening light
May it shine forth with all it's might

May it not be quick in motion
But slow and steady on
May it wrap all in its arms
And embrace in humility

May all desires be for those around
Seeking what's best for all
Bearing all things towards such a hope
That longs to share

No sign of selfish affliction
Twill be its inscription
Such a love that would burst
The most brightly beating of hearts

A love that shines through
All troubles and trials ahead
That takes joy in all things
Whether light or heavy to bear

So may this love (so rare)
Ever be
With great sincerity

If this ere be love
May it so be in every way
That shines through the shadows
That sorrow one through the day

And give one hope
That will carry them
Through all the journeys ahead

So shall its course be guide
With no inhibitions to hide
Yet steady and true
Shall it remain

Giving beyond
What scarce can be imagined
That its passion
May be seen
Through all with whom
It hath been

So shall this be love
Love ever lasting
Never passing
But enduring
Through all
Of life ahead
Into eternity

-Joshua Lee Foist

Why such hatred

Why such hatred
And anger is found
In the hearts of men

When shall all it cease
Must always war
Bring it to peace
No

Love must be
Love not only for oneself
But his brother too

If ever to find
Forgiveness divine
Must here be devised

Acknowledged lies
In truth piercing
The deepest disguise

Broken and bitter
May all strivings depart
That would lead thee
To sin

Restore
Within thine hatred
Tis found
And let His love
Fill thy fear
Repair

Shall He
When all are given Him
Shall love thy brother
Forgive all other men
Whom hath wronged

And love
Shall fill thy heart
And reconcile thee
To thy enemy
And friend

-Joshua Lee Foist

Farewell fair friend

Farewell fair friend
Of which I know
Yet not
So well

Farewell may life
Find thee
Joy
In all the roads that lie
Yet for thee ahead

Tread not thee
On any man
But softly
And still

Break thee
Thy will
To His

May thy pride
Which doth divide us
Cease in quickening
Release
All those
Held in thy grip

None unbruised soul remain
Still love I thee
Amidst thy pain

As brother to sister
Tis love so true
Hold this in I
A love for you

May so this love too
Be in you
For all thy fellow man

Whether in good or ill
May it remain with thee still

And so alas
Though our time
Now must pass

Shall memory
That remain
Not stain
What yet
Have we
To gain

May the lessons learned
Linger awhile
And carry thee on
The many mile
Ahead

And so tread
On and on
Until thy
Days grow few

Know that still
Shall love
I you

As brother to sister
Shall always be true
In folly forgiven
In full

Found only in Him
Who holds all things
In His control

-Joshua Lee Foist

Still tender heart still

Still tender heart still
Lie thee soft
Amidst thy troubled heart
Ache in thy trials
Awake for not all here
Need lead thee to despair

Open thy eyes to see
The wide expanse before thee
Gaze within this devined glory
For here lies a far grander imagined story

Fields flourishing in the fullness
Of this presence
That hath given all existence

None so faithful as this
Doth envelope all truth
Sweeter than the most splendid kiss

All warmth and imagining is found in this
Through trial and tribulation
Thy one destination tis here

Where the air is so sweet
Here shall fall thee
At His feet
In wonder

Where all thy troubles cease
In a most profounded peace
Find thee release
From all thy worries of mind
And remain forever
Separated from thy former pain
Ne'er longer twill it remain
With thee

For now tis none other
Than thy once forgotten
Brother

Hath borne all thy trial
In His body
That thee may share a life
Far greater than can words express

No more shall sorrow
And loneliness fill thee
None but His love
So rich and full
Faithful and complete

May all desires
And passions meet
Within this one
Who shall carry thee

While still awhile
Remain in this place
This grace shall
Thee embrace

When over and again
Find thee in the bondage
Of thy sin
Run in run in
To Him

Who hath borne
Thy sin
Within his skin
And reconciled
All the defiled
Of men

And called them
His own kin
All who would
Run to Him

Come and bury
All thy doubts
And fears
That hath plagued thee
Through the years

All shall be made new
When thy dept laid
Upon Him who can only
Bear all the price
Thy burden be paid

All restored
In Him
Thy brother, thy friend
Thy captain, thy king
The great ruler
Of everything

-Joshua Lee Foist

Ere now grand illusion

Ere now grand illusion
Hath thou brought me
Some solution

Doth reflection find
Always correction
To mind

Or ist by chance perspective
Blind

For when one gaze
Upon thy form
Then swear they
All is but forlorn

Yet gaze intent
And see beyond
Mirror shade
Hath shadowed
Thy view

So sink thee not
Within thy skin
Let not all image
Take thee in

For some is true
And some is sin
Yea be not kin
With all
That draw thee in

What is revealed
Is for thine reflection
That in time
May give perception

And there within
Shall thee see at last
Tis not all ill alas
Which lies between
Thine looking glass

-Joshua Lee Foist

What wondrous fresh the eye that sees

What wondrous fresh the eye that sees
Beyond the least of these
When tempted, trial, and tortured true
Give this oft wearied soul a grander view

All much clearer and more real
All has but greater depth and thrill
To take in breath and to breathe it
Complete and full

To watch the passing of time
To ponder to reflect
What a richly depraved despair
Lingers in this air

All round a mindless humming is found
None can say where it goes or where it comes
Who but ceases and stops for it
None shall wait or hesitate

For in this deception
Only one remains
Its desires only drive within
And lead it to all sorts of sin

How easily it gets under ones skin
So smooth, so sweet
Yet how it burns, it bites
It yearns for more

Til the whore is ravaged
And left for dead
Still self served
Steals away
To seek its next prey

Ah, where then is hope
Doth it remain
In the streets of this bleak existence
In the shadows

No, it is here
Amidst the despair
Amidst all the wild
And drawn out affair

It waits patiently
For any who would cry out
If your there
Come quickly
And free me
From this despair

Come now before all breath is gone
Release me (if thee can) from the bonds
How they bear me down

Oh if to be free
Shall it scarced ever be
If eternity
Hath any hope
Beyond this human hell

Than bring it me
And cast me from this cruel spell
For all surround are criminal bound
Stealing all that may be found
Before daylight reveal

Yea there is still light
That lingers down this narrow corridor
It still shines (faintly)
To all those who seek to find

So may they find
Peace to a troubled mind
Release from the worries that bind
Freedom from the bondage within

And so cry out in joy
At last at last
Hath found an end
At last hath found
Thy greatest friend

Hath restored this sorrowed soul
And brought it home
At last at last
These sorrows cease
For joy hath here found
In this Prince of Peace

-Joshua Lee Foist

When oft I wonder

When oft I wonder
How long must it be
And silence in answer me
Tis hard to live (at times)
In adversity

To long for nothing else
For no one else (my first love)
None other but thee

None before or beside
No one else in whom
Truly can I confide

For thoughts are not hidden
From thee
Thine love ere true
Beyond all that I can yet see

When passion desire
Doth run me up this wire
When all are out and around
Passing round
In wonder I

Here stand
And watch and wait
Longing and hoping
Striving to remain
Yet still the pain
Inside is fed

How long to wait
Before the day
Will it come
Shall I yet remain

Or perchance shall it be
That I shall not but here see
That in time twill you and me
None but thee

For though I know
Through ebb and flow
Tis none so fair
And loves as thee

Yet oft I wonder
In moments in passing
Shall I here
Within this breath
Share another
Whose shadow
But sheds a dimmed light
Upon that which
All is right

So fragile so frail
May love prevail
I know but one
Yet still
I toil

Grant me some grace
Till that time
When I shall dine
And see thee
Face within face
But a moment
Shall trace
No sorrows
All cease
Shall rest
In peace
Eternity
Awaiting
In glory
For me

-Joshua Lee Foist

That which was and is and are

That which was and is and are
Shall but be had been will be
Where ere the days and hours go
Whether fast or slow

Seize that which is
Whether in a moment it fade
Or last ere long
Till its finite note
Hath tolled

If we but grow young or old
In what fashion shall see
May it be simply surprisingly
Splendid indeed

For moments cannot be gathered again
But reflected and reminiscent at best
Tis all that life shall give

So look round
And pause to touch the ground
Look round to see
The granded mystery

Discover while thee may
What newness brings this day
While all are but stealing away
Embrace each moment and memory of day

Smile that cheer
All others are near
Fear not but love
Despite what hostile plight
Engage the wrong with right

So shall thee find all
That is pleasing in thy sight
Fighting for good
Forgiving that which is unkind

And surely twill find
A joy like none other
When thee live at peace
With thine brother

The days will be brighter
The nights far quieter
When thee love one another
Throughout all the strife
Thee endure in life

-Joshua Lee Foist

Ah, now to morning rise

Ah, now to morning rise
Look up I with expectant eyes
Fill me with warmth and love divine
So let the light of hope in me shine

As chirping calls the early hours
Encompass me in thy raining showers
May they radiate from all of this faint existence
And shine forth into the bleakest of beings

For in thy rays of light
Find I pure delight
The coldness oft drowning within
Hath melted away in thy warm refreshing wind

So draw me out
Into this glorious day
Live I life in truth
For every day

To shine amidst the sorrows come
And love surround all mindless hum
So shall the day appear for me
So walking eagerly

In the light that shines
On yet to come
Unknown yet wondrously soon the hour
When meet we thine divined grace
Shall wash us pure and true
From all disgrace

For in that hour soon shall see
We as we shall sooned be
For all other thoughts shall flee
At last at last are home with thee

-Joshua Lee Foist

So wrap me in thy wondrous arms

So wrap me in thy wondrous arms
Safe and peacefully from all harm
When in shadow steal me away
To thy glories rise upon waking rays of day

Catch me in thy tender wing
Shield me from the blazing stream
That bears me down till near I break
Open thy golden gates burst them forth
With thundrous quakes

For all doth settle as the sea and sand
Where ere thee direct them with thy hand
Shall not one speck replace
Without thy abounding grace

Till we shall see thy glory full
Twill be to see thee face to face
For then thy mysteries shall reveal
When we shall see them for what is real

Until the dawning of that day
Steadfast remain we
Expectantly
Until thee shall take us all away

For then what sin
Shall be shadows ceasing
When we decreasing
Thou increasing
Find thy peace and rest
For there shall we be
Forever blest

-Joshua Lee Foist

Come now ye trials that lie but just ahead

Come now ye trials that lie but just ahead
Come and soothe amidst where sadness hath fed
Thy torture is but as the tossing at sea
Thy glory but yet a mystery

Fear not I what thee can do
Fear not I what thee can take
Whether in heart, or hand, or earthquake
For thee are but sweet revelation
Of the work which lies within

When all within
Is but beaten and battered
By sin
This skin doth shrink and shrivel inside
Till there is nothing in which to confide
But you

For you have brought the trial
Tis you who brings triumph in tribulation
Where ere this dismal destination
You forever shall remain
Through sorrow and in pain

Thy joy within
Shall obtain in me
Some gladness
And soften what sadness
Would steal me away

How long the night before the dawn
How far the sea till it is gone
What universe or planet
Can plummet thy summit

Thy heavens are but glorious rays
That oft and always give thee praise
They shine amidst the darkest of places
And bring warmth to all by thy good graces

Though one should strive in vain
To run from thee
None shall surely obtain such "victory"
Though all paths by man be chosen
Their steps of thine composing

And none can know
Where they shall go
But life is in them
Would take thee in
To forgive their sin
And fill them

The soul in sorrow
Doth breathe brighter tomorrow
When it rests in thy love
When it flies on the wings of the dove

For all life's journeys
That lie ahead
All paths and pilgrimages untread
Begin and end at thy command

For tis you who breathed expanse into existence
Before existence had a name
Gave birth thee too thy starry hosts
For who other of them can boast

Time and space
Are within thy grace
And none shall live
Apart from thy mercy thee give

And so in all that doth here exist
May it be transfixed
In thy treasure
Of life
Of joy without measure
For thine and thine alone's
Great pleasure

-Joshua Lee Foist