REDEMPTION
by
Raymond J. Geraths
Edited by
Nolan Geraths
Copyright © 2010, Nolan Geraths
Published by Steven Schwindt Publishing
Smashwords Edition
I knew my father, Raymond J. Geraths, wrote poems since 1963. He even won a few awards for some his short poems.
But only after he passed away did we discover my father wrote what we call three “epic poems”, named Creation, Redemption and Sanctification. He wrote these poems in long-hand. Creation is 49 pages, Redemption is 56 pages and Sanctification is 92 pages.
We are providing the first 14 pages of Redemption for you to read and enjoy.
We do plan to publish each of these poems in the near future. Look for them.
My father had the ability to put stanzas in poems in rhyme as you will see as you read this poem.
After reading this poem you can find on a book of 16 poems by my late father, called Poems for the Spirit.
I do hope you enjoy reading this excerpt from Redemption.
Nolan Geraths
Editor
Copyright © 2010 by Nolan Geraths
______________________________________
Published by Steven Schwindt Publishing, February 10, 2010
REDEMPTION
by
Raymond J. Geraths
Edited by
Nolan Geraths
To divide redemption into stages
And bring a peaceful liveliness
It carries down through all the ages
The sin, the repentance, the forgiveness
Our holy banner unfurled
Has been torn to shreds
We have pulled this duly world
Right up over our heads
Now the darkness is dark
Our light no longer shines
Like a tree without the bark
Old brothers toward earth enslaves
I lust of my flesh, love of my life
To whom can we live now?
We stand in the world alone
Cold sweat on our hair
Of we living and run we stumble
No more problems from the phones
Calling for help we mumble
Showering in our home
If only we could start again
With hearts, born and free
We’d never bring forgiveness of pain
To last an eternity
Woe of woes our sin to bring
The shame of nakedness
No more the song of beauty to sing
In this lustful awakenings
Let’s run down to the lake
Where the fish terry
I’ll catch a fish steak
While you pick strawberries
We mustn’t stay outside the gate
Lest we get lost
And we mustn’t get home late
At any cost
When the shadow of the hill
Flits the waters frown
It will be time to follow the rill
That leads us home
If you catch enough fish
And the berries are good
We’ll have quite a dish
For our evening food
Creeping along the overhanging bank
With careful hands he feels along
The borough where the roots sank
And held the soil with strong
Strands of wiry fingers
Here is the cool shade
The lazy fish lingers
A victim of the boys’ raid
Into the primary of their siesta
Their mumble fingers clash
Their head and tail, for their fiesta
Before they’ve time to grasp
The meaning of their intrusion
Nor have they time to flee
And find safety in seclusion
Of deeper water where they
Cannot follow nor invade
Their humbling ground for food
Too deep for them to wade
Or dive and there intrude
One after another he grabs
And tosses to the share
And after each one he makes
He goes back for more
Having caught seven fishes
Enough for their evening meal
To satisfy the family’ wishes
He strings them on a vine with zeal
Meantime the berry picker was busy
Tilting her reed woven hat
Moving through the bushes in a tizzy
Searching this way and that
Now its filler to the brim
And she returns to the lake
Calling out to him
With the big fisherman take
“Obedience” where are you?
“I have enough berries”
“Here, faith I’ve enough too
For anyone who quarries”
Tell them we had good luck
Providing an evening meal
Plenty of fish, and vines to pluck
It was a real steal
If anyone asks I would say
Happiness is fishing a lake or stream
Not for me, any day
It’s eating berries with cream
Now two principalities
Depict them in their early teens
Dressed in chamois to their duds
Nibbling on sheep-shower greens
How nice of the Lord to furnish shoes
For a shepherd and shepherdess
And giving us the energy and luck
And giving the earth a dress
Marvelous how He takes the rainbow after rain
To paint the grass and flowers
Moving up and down the cane
Throughout the daylight hours
Painting roses red, violets blue
Poppies orange and black
Buttercups a yellow hue
With a master artist nosh
Dahlias purple, daisies white
All hues can be seen
A swaying, waving colorful sight
Our background of green
Their fragment scent within you transformed
In some miraculous way
Brought to the life vivid and warmed
My affection to sway
The violet is in your eyes
The roses in your lips
The buttercups in mild disguise
From toes to fingertips
Your rosy blush, He notes grace
There’s nothing that you lack
Your wavy hair frames your face
With the poppies’ black
Pretty flowers, bright and fair
Always stay in bloom
We will make a handsome pair
A lovely bride and groom
Tuck the flowers in your hair
Will enhance your beauty
Let its fragrance linger there
To fulfill its’ duty
How much prettier a blossom seems
When you inhale its scent
So also your beauty gleams
Much brighter with sweet content
Love ain’t no good without sincerity
And it can’t last
So be honest with me
Or I’ll leave you if I am lost
You are talking through your hat
If my love you want to sweeten
Don’t talk like that
Because you are a Christian
Wise words carefully
My dear good looking
Don’t get too direfully
So you’ll know what’s cooking
Let’s not forget what mother taught
“Never speak in a fraction
A careless word like a careless thought
Can lead to a careless action”
Dear faith, you are so right
Our words should always praised the Lord
Adorning Him day and night
Without malice nor discord
Then standing up with arms out stretched
With eyes cast to the sky
The way an adoring angel is elected
Thus did He decry
Oh Lord to Thee our hats we duff
Nor protecting us from all storm
Evening breeze to cool us off
Morning sun to keep us warm
Rocks to throw, flowers to hold
Spring it drink our fill
Sweat for when the sun is bold
And bathing in the rill
Rain to quench a nightly thirst
And make the flowers grow
Rainbows that through the buds do burst
And make our eyes to glow
Animals we love to raise
Vegetables to eat
Lambs that like to graze
And furnish us with meat
Eyes to see to sleep
Ears to hear Thy voice
Hands to eat, knees to creep
A heart that can rejoice
Two feet to stand and run and jump
A body firm and strong
A neck with a moving lump
A head to know right from wrong
And last of all but most of all
We thank You for our soul
To understand and to love all
Creation as a whole
How nice your voices sound in prayer
Like the wind laughing through the trees
Spreading their fragrance everywhere
With new turning in the clouds
The angels used their voices first
In praise and adoration
As on the silent heaven they burst
In a chorus of jubilation
I’ll miss your voice while you’re away
In the high pasture herding
Father says it’s best you stay
Five years in his wording
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
And strengthens love and affection
So His sending you way out yonder
For our own prediction
I’ve prepared a basket of plants
For you to take with you
Complete with worms and ants
To start a garden new
Vegetables, grapes and berries
I cover flowers and clay too
Fern, clover and cherries
To catch the morning dew
Our garden will be complete
By the time you return for me
With everything good to eat
As handy as can be
Father has given me seven ewes
My mount and a ram
Pets and animals in two
In veal and mutton and ham
The high meadow will furnish food
For animals and me
I’ll cultivate in happy mood
Preparing a home for Thee
My mount needs some exercise
Let’s gallop around a while
She’s just two-size
And will carry us in style
Leading the mount to a rock
He gingerly left upon her
Look Faith’s hands and helped her dock
Like a gentleman of honor
Steady God let Faith climb on
She worried happily when we met
So from that time on
I will call her my favorable pet
Having been mounted anxious to be going
She dances and prances
Then take off with no grass growing
Under her hoofs swift advance
Faith lets a shout of glee
As they cross the meadow wide
Circle a proud oak tree
In a rolling galloping ride
With gentle words and a sheepskin rein
Obedience guides her mount
Back and forth across her mane
Making every moment count
Then turning her head so faith can hear
He acclaims with a shout
Unto her eager ear
What joy is all about
Happiness is four leaves
A green meadow to race in
A girl that my heart moves
And a gentle wind to face
Let’s ride through life together
In meadow and green forest
Sunny or cloudy weather
Where the birds’ voices are chorused
Now two powers like the stage
To dispute the young lovers
See their late teen-age
This, their courtship covers
Faith stands on a grassy ridge
Beside a blooming orchard
Her eyes glued on a distant bridge
Her lonely heart tortured
With that thought will he arrive today
Or will it be tomorrow?
Why does he terry on the way?
While I await in sorrow
He said bird arriving with the blossoms
On the spring of the fifth year
Now the ace out will the hungry passions
Why isn’t he here?
Oh Lord hasten the pace
Hurry him safely back
I long to see his handsome face
And catch our yak
Hark, a loaf heat
Can it be him?
Is it the sound of feet?
Or just a passing whim
Now it’s louder and nearer too!
Must be first around the hill
Just dimming eyes of blue
Pounding heart, please be still
Oh there is fun, look at her go
Crossing the bridge in a bound
And abundance lending law
My absent love is found
Faith raises her hand with a shout
God perks up her ears
And turns her head about
Toward the outcry she hears
With a whinny of recognition
She changes her course
As if be inclination
Heads for its source
Obedience raises her head
To see why God has turned
And because so high spirited
See the one for whom she has year ended
Silhouetted against the sky
Broadcasting ditsy rams
Coyer arms wandering high
Shouting loudly “here I am”
A word to wisdom is enough
To speed up the hill
Dodging trees and ground that is rough
Giving a rider a thrill
With rolling heart and racing feet
Faith flies down the slope
Excitement mounting with each heat
In the fulfillment of her hope
Obedience hops from the sky
And lands on racing feet
With a loud shout from God
Impatient sweethearts meet
In fond embrace they whisper low
My love, my love, my love
The waiting maid and her heavy beam
While God gives them a loving home
Hand-in-hand they stroll homeward
With eyes only for each other
What a smile and a soft word
Complimenting one another
God follows close behind
With approaching eyes and nod of head
As throwing the trees they wind
Which sunset shadows spread
As Faith flicks back a curl
Obedience turns and beams
Happiness is a boy and girl
And a heart full of dreams
Where the orchard turns to clover
And their fragrance blends so sweetly
They hesitate to look things over
Reviewing the past five years discreetly
You have a new brother and sister
Born since you went away
Wisdom launched him, beauty kissed her
Both are here to stay
All day long he romps and plays
Calling like a magpie
She first creeps under mother’s gaze
The apple of her eye
Mother named her temperance
She’s so content and mild
Sacrifice doesn’t make sense
The name father gave the other child
Now the sun has gone to rest
Slowing closing his weary eye
On the morning full of zest
He’ll awake and click on high
With nature all in bloom
It makes me want to sneeze
To breath the deep perfume
Of twilight breeze that plays tag with the trees
I’ll put flowers in your hair
Stars in your eyes
Roses in your cheeks where
They’ll become your smiles and sighs
Honey is in your mouth
But here’s the best part
In flood and without draught
I’ll put love within your heart
I’ll tell you of the birds and bees
The fish and reptiles too
And how the flowers and the trees
Depend on rain and dew
Your eyes, nose, lips and chin
Emulate your beauty
Your lovely smile formed within
A golden halo, cutie
Tells my heart with joy and gladness
To know they are meant for me
I tatter on the brink of madness
Dangling precariously
Nothing can brighten my eyes so much
As the beauty of your face
In all the world there is none such
Can match your fond embrace
Now that you have finished reading this poem and you want to read more poems by my late father Raymond J. Geraths, Poems for the Spirit.