Christmas Bells Ring Out With Joy
Christmas bells ring out with joy,
Announce the birth of baby boy.
Star that shines so bright above
Leads the way to heavenly love.
Angels singing, pointing, calling
Shepherds on the hills a-trembling
Leave their sheep to stand and gaze
On this baby’s face so grave.
Kings with richest gifts all laden
Swiftly travel, all doubt forgotten
To a humble stable bare
To offer gold, incense, myrrh
And to adore the trinity
Of Mother, Father and sweet baby,
While sheep and goats and silent kine
Look upon the scene divine.
Hush now, hush, the baby’s waking,
No wind’s sighing, no leaf’s quaking
But on His face a smile is breaking –
In dulci jubilo!
Shepherds, Kings and you and me
Angels, oxen and Wise Men Three
Hear bells ring out the whole world over
To announce the birth of Christ our Saviour.
Hilary Minor
Guildford,
July 2011
Categories:
guildford, birth, celebration, christian, christmas,
Form: Narrative
Yellow As Honey : Mary’s Song
Yellow as honey the bright stars shine
Down upon this babe of mine.
The folds that now around him twine
Are the colour of deep red wine.
Deep red wine? Or is it blood?
Dark thoughts threaten to intrude
On joy and peace that here infuse
This simple space of stable rude.
Hear how in heav’n the angels sing
With harp and flute and mandoline.
They sing of God’s great love divine
For Man and for this child of mine
Who He has sent Man to redeem.
Can this be real or just a dream?
No dream, I think, for safe and warm
Lies here this child who’s just been born.
So banish darkling thoughts and shadows
Of future woes and future sorrows
And sing with me sweet songs, all-hallowed,
For this child’s life and the World’s tomorrows.
Hilary Minor
Guildford,
July 2011
Categories:
guildford, christian, christmas, humanity, inspirational
Form: Narrative
A little known fact, one eerie night in this lovely city
The Omen was filmed, 'tis a pity
For I cannot pass the cathedral and appreciate it's beauty
Without thinking of Damien on his devilish duty
Poor Gregory Peck in an undeserving role
Played his father which took it's toll
Sequels two and three were filmed elsewhere
More encounters with Damien we could not bear
A grand and glorious cathedral tainted by the devil's own
In Hollywood's idea of a macabre tone
The uplifting view driving up the road
No longer can I see without forbode
I hope I did not scare you with my tale of sorrow
Goodnight, sweet dreams, we'll meet tomorrow
Categories:
guildford, film,
Form: Verse
Helmand hit army captain Nick hard in October 2009,
Where he stepped on an improvised while on patrol;
He was 27 years of age, in the Royal Engineers fine,
But a medic saved his life, but not his legs to control.
His rehabilitation programme took him into Para sport,
Where he became a Trunk and Arms canoeing rower,
And at Guildford he first rowed in April 2011, of purport,
Then he joined the GB rowing team with pair power.
He did take a medal, bronze, at the world cup, Munich,
But in 2011 October at the World’s they finished sixth;
However, they redeemed things at the 2012 hot pitch,
When they came fourth in the gritty revenge of the sith.
Nick’s from Stockport and will be going to Rio, affirmation,
He’s been helped by Help for Heroes veterans program,
The Sports Recovery Program which gave him definition,
And has done hand-bike charity events to save for ’em.
Categories:
guildford, boat, body, health, sports,
Form: Quatrain
Ford with golden flowers,
later written Guildford.
What a pretty name!
Imagine how it was,
this ford with golden flowers,
now busy street with cars.
Imagine how the people
came there to gather flowers,
instead of gathering speed.
--------------------------------
11/4/2015
Categories:
guildford, city, history, identity, nature,
Form: Light Verse