On early passing

On early passing
Into time transcending
Tick by tock
It ceases not

Still time our ally
Or time our foe
Shall we e'er to know

The sand that sifts
Through the substance
Of our skin
Shall surely do us in

While still we may
Make something
Of the clay
That is drifting
Away

Its pathway
Unchanging
Though always
We engaging
In our own Imaginings

Of worlds and wonders
Beyond our own understanding
Of lives unending

Yet always
Descending
Deeper and deeper
Into the depths
Of our own depravity

Till gravity
Has its way
And our lives
In its play
Go swiftly
Away

As once more
Bits of clay
Are we dust
And decay

So what of today
Of yesteryear before
Shall we look yet far
Back to what we know
No more

Before we pass
Through that open door
Here's to life
And love
And hope

That we may pause
Before this season's past
Could be our last

In thanks
To fall
At the foot of grace
The author of time
And space
Awaits

Though patient
He may stand
His footprints
In the sand

Will soon
But fade
If we
Should fail
To follow

For waves of glory
Will soon wash
Away

Oh to pray
That we may
Not be caught
And washed to sea

Where we
In all our misery
Be lost
Eternity
At sea

-Joshua Lee Foist

Oh to grace for which I scarce can face

Oh to grace for which I scarce can face
The trace of thy indescribable embrace
For that of which I trust in word
Yet fear to accept in action

And this my reaction
Cannot grace to cover my shame
Cannot grace for scars of which
I am to blame
Cannot grace by any other name
For this if grace
I must depart

For know thee deep my heart
Is torn from thee
For that which full of envy
Malice and disguise
Tis full of fury and lies

How could thy way be found in me
How canst such good o'ercome me
These words reply me
Lack they truth
For mine own action
Is its proof

And foolish is it
Full of shame
For this I am to blame
Yet why pursue
Such loss
As me

Why take up thy cross
For me
My sin repent and return
In me
Though strive I
Not enough to free

Desire is deep
Yet deep despair
Doth shroud me in
Its lair of sin

What love is this
Betrayed in kiss
Still clings to cross
Tis all for loss

My faith so faint
The trials taint
And still remain
Thee to the course
The shadow of thy cross
Doth paint the path to life

Today and what remains
In me must cling
Though all but failing
To thy faithful charge

Though grace may drag me
From despair
Tis still enough
To carry there

Yet lift my eyes
From the dust
And faithful to
Thy way may trust

For hopeless
Are mine own
Attempts

Though daily
Must I repent
May this my
Steadfast joy
Be found

In he who
Blinded eye
Made see
Canst still
Redeem
Those lost
As me

-Joshua Lee Foist

Upon these last five minutes

Upon these last five minutes
For what shall be
Look back we
On a day
As spent

In part I do
Resent my way
Of which did err
This day

Twas selfish me
Caught in my own
Depravity
Longing for what
I could not see

Yet filling
More with
My own desires
And less for those
In need

The day as past
For what it stands
Yet foolish I
Watch it go by

And I alone
And wondering
Where again shall find
When a year by chance
Should come once more

Shall I at end
Look back in vain
Upon the day
I did not gain

Humility in me
Need more to grow
And less of selfishness
For which I do adore

Should stead abhor
The thing for which I bring
And live in love and servanthood
As He for whom this day has come

May love and grace
Carry me
Beyond this day
And all the rest

May I by them
Be ever blessed
If in part I live
By heart for all
And give of me
Though small
It be

-Joshua Lee Foist

On things fast approaching

On things fast approaching
While time is fast encroaching
All once anticipated
Tis now near its end

For what can we know
Of what may come
While we await
The world ahead seems
Great

All too oft the future we long
Yet forget the present near gone
That fading mist may pass us by
Before we know

So what to the now that remains
And the moments that may be
Wait and see shall wait
Shall we

Before they too shall flee
What shall we
Where will we
When such moments
Pass us by

May we rich
And full
Dwell them in
Before they yet
Are no more

-Joshua Lee Foist

Outside the eyelit hole amidst the muck and mire

Outside the eyelit hole amidst the muck and mire
There is a world of wonder and desire
Waiting, while within, one wonders
If tis all a dream or chance
Some scarce trace of hope
Beyond

Yet only a single eyelid sees outside
This rotting disease
So enshrouded and caught
In this waste and rot

Where ought one find
The strength to break
The bonds of these cords
That confine them

For harder one grasps
Then tighter they pull
Care not they for anything else

They joy in the misery of others
While the few remaining ounces of life
Ooze out in their last attempts
To fight the angst and strife

Till powerless end
Without the strength
To defend
Must bend to its will
Its hunger its
Thrill

Yet once did I see
A light outside
This misery
Illuminated mystery
Beyond this plague
This pond

Where colors around
In glory abound
Such wonder ere known
Of life here shown

Still how to come
This world beyond
Where tis chance
Evade from this trance

What power that be
Lets me see
Beyond the shadow
Of this shroud

Canst one be aloud
Outside this waste
Is there a hope
That hovers
The surface
To wait

To wonder
If such hands
Could sink in under
To grasp neath this
Perishing putridity

If there be any validity
In its ability
Oh might it seize
Me from this world
Of disease

May it please to rescue
This hemorrhaging heart
And pull me from this plunder
That hath prisoned me under

Yet at last when it came to it
No good could be found
To pull me from this shroud
I voiced aloud:
"How canst I endure to remain
Outside of this pain"

"Tis no hope thee shall
While still in this state"
Spoke he the voice that did wait
Outside the pond

"Thy only hope is release
When thou hath found thee
A steady peace
When thy body decease

Then come with quickening
Thy wondrous reckoning
For thy wrongs of waste
No more abhor
Now art thou chaste

When my will embraced
Shall find thee
In thy sweetened garden
Of grace

Where no poison
Scarce can thee trace
For such evils
Have now depart

When thou hath fully come
To know me by heart
So shall I be pleased
To see thee dwell
In my affection and art"

-Joshua Lee Foist