So tonight, I wish you
a quiet heart,
a warm home,
and a soul filled with light.
May this Christmas Eve remind you
how rich we truly are—
not in things,
but in moments,
in people,
in the love we carry
and the love we give.
May this holy night
lay its gentle hand
upon your home,
and may each of you find
your own small moment of peace—
the kind that warms the soul
and restores faith in goodness.
Perhaps it’s the glow of the nativity,
perhaps the smile of someone you love,
perhaps the silence that finally
rests upon your heart.
Whatever it is,
may it fill you completely.
May your Christmas Eve be tender,
and your Christmas brighter than ever.
From my heart to yours—
warmth, peace,
and a wish that every good you’ve given
returns to you doubled.
"Joy Was Born This Night"
On Christmas night, so calm and bright,
The stars shone soft and clear,
As in a small and humble place
Our Savior came so near.
A baby born, the promised King,
In straw and manger bed,
No crown of gold upon His head,
But love was what He spread.
The angels sang of peace and joy,
Good news for all the earth,
The shepherds came with open hearts
To see the Savior’s birth.
O come and kneel by Jesus now,
This child so small and mild,
For heaven came to live with us
Through Mary’s holy Child.
So let us sing with thankful hearts,
Let songs of joy be heard
On Christmas Day, our King was born
The Savior, Christ the Lord.
Let every voice proclaim
Joy to the world our King is born!
Forever bless His name.
Cold winds
Void whispers
Silence in the shadows
A world relying on forgiveness
Hatred brings suffering
Separation comes without being heeded
And our paths are to be walked, alone
Cold winds
Unageing sceneries
Empty hands
Flames which burn for eternity
Moods swell
Comfort in the goddess
Temporary world
The stars hide and laugh at us
Cold winds
Cold hearts as well
Words forced back
Let's plunge in dreams
Pools of amnesia
An outcast this night,
I mournfully sigh with gloom:
but, I make war, fight!
to defeat my rising doom,
and defend my haunted tomb.
Late this night
the electric lamps flickered out,
I am sitting on the window sill
gazing through the window.
The calm moonlight
falling over the silent earth
making me remember
my distant past of agrarian life,
the days where there
were no electric lamps
but kerosene lamps shone.
Oh ,flutist of the distant
agrarian landscape then,
please play your flute
in this solitary moment
as during those days.
Today there is no hey stack heap
in the courtyard
as in the long past,
nor the thatched-roof stable
where cattle ruminate and rest
occasionally wagging their tails
But Oh, flutist,play your melody
from the distant horizon
echoing the ancient tune.
protective over bright star in the east
newborn baby lying in a manger
iridescent angel watching closely
farm animals gather around
he is a prince sheep whisper
there is a reverent feeling in the air
bunnies hop over to take a peek
streams of spirit glide from star to Jesus
He is My Son, of whom I am well pleased
The voice comes from the cosmos
Many do not hear, but we all feel it
A savior has been born this night.
“we could dream this night away”
by all means not
the last beans but
close to closing the
growing season so
appropriately for
this Friday’s
harvest
moon
This night I hope will last forever, Dear.
A night so warm it is like soft cashmere.
The more beautiful it now is to me -
being here with you. Moon of gold we see.
Bright stars are glittering around that moon.
I won't be leaving here any time soon.
With you I sit as up at sky we gaze.
Your arms go around me. I’m in a daze!
Your romantic eyes whisper to me of
the beauty of your tenderness and love.
You light up the night with simply your smile.
You’ve won me over, Darling, with your style.
When finally your honeyed lips meet mine,
I shine like heaven’s stars this night divine.
May 8, 2023
Premiered at Swami Ramalamadingdong’s
Meditation Den, Bridgeton, ME – 1/10/2011
ACT 1
Fantasy Man
Louder Than Words
Once Upon a Time in the West
Moonshine Shuffle
Ctrl-Alt-Delete
Signs of My Addiction
Not Enough Rose
Thin Ice
ACT 2
The Way You Carry On
Ministry
Museum of Time
Vow of Silence
Current Discomfort
Dirty tricks
Just about Gone
The Wolfman’s Revenge
ACT 3
Cherry Tree Way
Twenty Years in May
The Bridge at Argenteuil
Symmetry of Grief
Suspicion of Love
With longing, the thought of her burns,
secret — mischievous, rather sinful touches,
curls of hair,
dissolved by white breasts
And screams scream painfully in the temples.
It's a long time before dawn.
Imagination played out,
on the edges of soft beds,
catching her trembling shadows.
This night she is not here,
she left me, still hope wrapped in a white handkerchief.
The moon sang over the plain,
cheering the warm wind,
which, like unhappy divorced women,
wept and cried in the branches of the pines,
under which I waited for it.
In this night, the colors of a sad violinist.
Looming shadows ‘neath sapphire skies;
“whooo whooo” the hooty owl cries.
Jack-o-lanterns scowl beneath the trees
as we shiver in the chilling breeze.
Where tombstones tower above the lands
and a blue corn moon glaringly expands;
beware the zombies that walk the night
and werewolves howling in the moonlight.
Amorphous specters flit and float,
as Charon rows past in his boat.
Keep your neck wrapped up very tight,
for vampires are all out tonight.
All Hallows Eve’s a frightening time,
for lurking monsters it’s just sublime!
Lanterns on a black canvas.
Fireflies dance, prance like ponies on a carousel.
Ricocheting cricket-squeaks,
Bounce among the frog-croaked airwaves;
Bouncing from one wet tip to another.
Spectral trees in the distance
Dance their ancestral dance to this music;
The heartbeat of the waves, keeping time;
natures’ metronome.
One hones the spirit to perfection here;
In the bosom of Mother Natures’ womb.
Touching life’s essence.
Feeding the soul on the nourishment of Gods’ artwork.
We never really leave the womb, you see.
We only re-position ourselves and dream yet, another dream.
No, we never really leave the womb.
This Night Under Pale And Pallid New Moon
In sad moonlight I mourn for thy soft hand
for your loss, is more than I can withstand
you were my all, orchard's sweet fruited bough
alone in hollow realm, this heart weeps now.
This night under pale and pallid new moon
waiting in your favorite month of June
each gust of your gentle breeze a godsend
upon this eager face, hope never ends.
Come swiftly my love, eternity calls
from its golden depths, its most loving halls
I hear your sweet voice and beg your dear touch
no other treasure bequeaths me so much
as does this fleeting hour you and I meet
with prayer, I again fall at your feet.
Robert J. Lindley, 7-23-2019
Sonnet, ( Epic Depths That Death My Bring A Lost Soul To )
After the sunset of happiness
there was only darkness
every tripper had went to their zone
only one birdie had lost his way to home
he stood by hope and nothing moreover
when this night will over...
By wiping some memories with tears
Searching a way in the dark with fear
Was knocking every close portal here and there
Searching a hope from somewhere
After all ill fated tries he just think over
When this night will over.....
This night should over for the new sunshine
So that birdie can flew in the welkin
With new dreams he will swing
He was ready with his unfurl wings
By wiping tears he was repeating over and over
When this night will over...
When this night will over...
Stay with me, this night and forever
But you leave me when you fall asleep
Without you I feel useless, without you I’m weak
Nothing like when we’re together
I think about it more than I should
Something coming and breaking us down
Just another day in this changing town
When I wish nothing really would
It feels so fragile when we’re apart
The foundation built beneath our feet
The touch of your hand brings rushing heat
You’ve always calmed my little heart
I think about it more than I should
The dark abyss that seems so deep
I face it alone now that you’re sound asleep
You fight the battles that I never could
Stay with me, this night and forever
Stay with me, I’m breaking down
You lift my lips to erase my frown
I’m so much better when we’re together
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