The letters belong to me.
They move at my command.
They line up in curious rows
To express my poem and prose.
The words huddle together.
They make friends and hold hands.
They chat with one another
To put forth the idea I demand.
The sounds do sing my song.
They whisper and they laugh.
They weep and love and play
To render my thoughts of the day.
Copyright 2014. L.L. Shelton.
In earth a cold harsh path
Had been mapped to feel my feet,
Carved especially for me the ruts,
Groove often ran most deep.
Residing in a violent storm
Black sludge encased my limbs,
Offering to smother me,
Yet He produced a hymn.
Attuned only to that song
Anchored firmly in my heart,
Shadows might have overtaken me.
But I was meant to whistle in the dark.
She says I tend to stir the soul
Unaware the spoon within my grasp,
Noticing too late the moments,
Tangled solidly within my clasp;
As a murderer stands heedless
To the blood upon his hands,
As a lover lies his passion spent,
Incognizant the thorns upon the land.
Oblivious to markers obvious,
Simply noted by an ordinary mind,
Mid-event I’m visionless,
Maybe I was by His Grace made blind.
Experience lies fixed I find,
Dwelling soundly in my being,
As I am rendered only feeling,
Sightless I am seeing.
Impetuous is flip side
Of spontaneously kind,
Fanciful a weakness
Until one must escape the time.
Copyright 2016. L.L. Shelton
Into the rabbit hole she fell
Searching for heaven- reaching hell;
Entangled then in his embrace,
Destined to die there in that place.
“Save me,” He heard her strangled plea,
“Where is The One to rescue me?”
Into her soul He poured just then,
Himself to triumph over sin.
He marked her with His Holy Seal.
He loved her with unending zeal.
No longer did she lie confused,
But rather stood; with Him bemused.
Said He, “Your cause has been my own,
And now I’ve come to take you home.”
In garment bright and clean arrayed,
She by His side forever stayed.
©2011, L.L. Shelton
Be not discouraged, Royal Bride!
The Prince of Peace is at your side.
The Wind within you chant and chide,
Throughout eternity you’ll ride!
Mine, forever! My grace abounds!
Saints stand with you gathered ’round.
No harm beset you while I’m found,
Be glad you stand on 
holy ground!
My angels with you through the night,
Dispatched to aid you in my sight!
I will turn all that’s wrong to right,
Just as the day that swallows night.
©2011, L.L. Shelton 1/28/2011
For Emily, Donald, Anna, Jonathan, Alexander, Jaxon, and Little Madelyn, with great and genuine affection
Man began before the ages,
Thought within Eternal Pages.
By stirrings of His mind was wrought,
A lover for Himself He sought…
My Love be mine, by me fashioned,
Will be brought to know my passion.
She, placed in Paradise to rule
Will meet The Serpent, come to woo.
The choice be hers to honor me,
She’ll fall into her destiny.
Convinced she is not truly free,
In selfishness she’ll flee from me.
Into her nature she’ll descend,
Still I to hers my soul will mend.
From dust to dawn I will transcend,
Myself in Christ will recommend,
Restoration through salvation,
Genesis to Revelation,
And though it cost me all, I Am.
I’ll be for her The Spotless Lamb.
I will buy back what once was mine,
Will burn away the dross- refine.
I will most purposefully die
Restoring luster to her eye.
In Hell I’ll stand to take her place
To earn for her redeeming grace.
Her true identity once lost,
She’ll find once more nailed to the cross.
Now in mine be One, gentle, wise,
Truth full, who sees with my own eyes;
Who’ll convict and comfort ever,
Who’ll from grace be severed-never!
Once lover of the world made wise
Will come her nature to despise.
My nature now she’ll learn to crave.
She will be mine beyond the grave!
Thus she will wander lost no more.
She will be with me as before.
All be mine by my own power-
Redemption be our finest hour!
©2011, L.L. Shelton
Who are you, Mr. Bly,
And what do you realize
When you ponder the things you see?
Do you know that
Those who realize The Baby
And then ponder the things they see
Are new forms of creation
And that too, for each of them
A glass ceiling has been destroyed?
Do you know, my friend,
Setting stars never disappear
That they only hide for an instant?
Will you understand the
Language you seek to recover
Has been recovered by the new?
And it is now sung
Throughout the universes
Known and unknown for all ages
And the stars which twinkle,
Hide and reappear once more
Are named and they sing the same song!
©2010, L.L. Shelton
Is this she, made to give her precious son
To mouth of beast, small body now undone;
Calm, serene, stands to sing His Word, far flung
Strains echoing today pushed from her tongue?
Is this she, His forgiveness still doth seek
For enemies who plot to make her weak,
Heart gladdened, mind made strong, thoughts gathered round
The Throne while body slumps beneath the mound;
Who dipped in boiling oil, her mind took flight
As joined with You she hoped, conspired to write
The story, draw the picture that depicts
The Final Word above The Crucifix;
Whose persecutors mocked her, caused her frown,
When preaching loud her Lord and by them found,
Proposed to murder her such as The Crown,
She rallied, Will you hang me upside down?
‘Tis she! Who burneth brightly whilst she sings,
Truth, Love, Light, Beauty founded by her King,
Established for eternity her thoughts
To bring Him glory by His Word was bought.
‘Tis she! Who smells the smoke of ugly zeal
Yet marches forward carrying His Will.
She shudders not as gazing on that hill,
Knows where her Master’s passion leadeth still.
Her head she places squarely on the block,
Surrenders up her self, blood smattered frock.
Small price is paid. Forever with His flock!
She reigns eternally upon The Rock.
Her heart emboldened, empowered to feel,
Her mind enlightened by His plan to heal,
His people to redeem, selfishness kill,
She glories on marked with His Holy Seal;
His Good Love never failing to inspire
In her the most magnificent desire
To see Him face to face, behold her Sire.
Let God be true and every man a liar!
©2011, L.L. Shelton
You came and kissed the earth
With lips so soft and sweet,
To grant mankind new birth
That we would worship at your feet.
Eternal optimism now within my heart aflame
For You have beckoned to me-
You have called my soul by Name!
And I will mourn my passing never-
Won’t sing as one who has no hope!
To own You be my sure endeavor,
It was for me the world You spoke.
©2010, L.L. Shelton
To The Christian Patriot:
Brothers! Raise your eyes and see
The plain great cost of your liberty!
Price t’was not paid in blood alone,
But laid in each foundation stone
That marks where pilgrim feet have trod
As onward toward the goal did plod
Eyes on the prize, His Word to prod,
To save, to keep thoughts up on God;
That marks where colonists did spend
The lives of sons and fellowmen
To stand opposed kinship with those
Who looked to king to end all woes,
For kings of earth, in death’s repose
Must lay humanity exposed.
As sorrows deeply interposed
O’re ages spent and now disclosed,
Had taught that freedom’s sincere bent
Is anchored in the hearts He sent,
United in ideals perceived,
First rooted, in True Liberty;
Whose Author, though man may not know,
Stirs yearnings deep within the soul!
The Patron, though by most unseen,
Ignites in us eternal dream.
He makes of us who stand to sing,
Our anthem of the bold to bring,
His Song: Let Truth and Freedom Ring!
Decree no wrong- no abject thing!
He volunteered, did pledge to die
To lead the forward battle cry;
To end oppression, crush the head
Of him who’d leave mankind as dead!
America! For truly free,
A haven may you ever be!
Allow all those who disembark
To stand with us on this our Ark,
Behold Beloved Patriarch
Who keeps our foot from stifling dark!
Refuse we evermore to stand
With tyranny, offer our hand.
Instead its forces we disband!
Allow it never rule our land!
Oppression be our only foe;
Against such ever strike the blow!
©2010, L.L. Shelton