Invoking St. John of the Cross

by Thomas Squiers

St. John of the Cross:
You speak out to me loudly
as my soul, too, encounters its very own
'Dark Night.'

It is true.
I am not ashamed to admit it.
I, like many, have encountered
such a moment in my life.

My dark night is not permanent,
but it is very real.
I feel it.
I see it.

Whereupon the journey's lane
I seek refuge, safety -
Alas! I am standing alone...
at least what feels like such.

I know that Maker is standing near
Though not near enough;
Otherwise, my night would be day.
Sunlight of the Soul would be nice.

St. John of the Cross
If you are listening -
If you can spare some time -
Stay with me til this Night passes.

*'Dark Night' refers to St. John of the Cross's writing titled "Dark Night of the Soul," which you can read more about here. 

Fallen Angel

by Thomas Squiers
© 2013. All rights reserved.

I fell from the sky
I hit the ground
softly
greeted by green
greeted by Earth

This new place
This new shell
This new life
This new hell

This is where I
fell

Was this a set up?
Was this my fate?
A 'Fallen Angel'
written
on my name plate

I fell from the sky
I hit the ground
softly
greeted by lovers
greeted by haters

This new life
This new skin
This new world
This new sin

This is where I
fell

In Pursuit of Peace

The following poem was written in response to the bombings in Boston, the tragedy in Texas, and to all forms of violence and corruption around the world in recent weeks. 

In Pursuit of Peace

by Thomas Squiers

© 2013

So much going on

or perhaps it is just

that it appears

that way

And yet

my heart is

heavy

heavy

heavy

Amidst the turmoil

and the angst

I ask myself

where is the peace?

The news

the media

picks up on

everything going on

and I cannot divert

my eyes

My heart remains

heavy

heavy

heavy

Despair and confusion

and rage consumes

but we must

look for peace

As I look

for answers

to what is going on

I pray for

peace

Though my heart remains

heavy

heavy

heavy

Struggle

For those who suffer from Bipolar Disorder and other Mental Health Disorders

Courtesy wallpaperpassion.com

I struggle

        to be me

        to be free

        to breathe

This pressure in my mind

stifles any sense of productivity

I am

        suffocating

        at times

        then

        lifeless

        to the world

Depressed one minute

Manic the next

Mostly the former

I struggle

        almost daily

And yet I must keep moving forward

lest I dash my foot upon a rock

Would that be so bad?

Perhaps not

Doesn’t make the struggle

        any less of a struggle

So I wait

        and see what the morrow brings

©2012 Thomas Squiers. All Rights Reserved. 

Redemption

by Thomas E. Squiers

All Rights Reserved

I took the silence

that was

in my head

and placed it on the outside

of me

I asked the silence

to protect me

but it did not 

I took the rage

that was

in my head

and placed it on the outside

of me

I asked the rage

to protect me

but it did not

So I began searching

for a clue

to this game

and realized 

the answers are before me

And the wind carried me up

And the clouds fell all around

And the sparrows began 

dancing, dancing

And Mother Earth 

took me

and wrapped me in 

Her arms

and I began 

dancing, dancing

And the silence

and the rage

were no more

And Father Sky 

took me

and wrapped me in

His arms 

and I began

singing, singing

And the silence 

and the rage

were no more

"Golgotha's Revelation"

by Thomas Squiers

All rights reserved

 

The crowd was angry along the road,

although they knew not why.

The propaganda used to defile Him

caused a million angels to cry.

 

And the women, ah yes, the women:

How they followed behind him there.

Even his mother in all her wonder

followed close while others glared.

 

The weight of the wood sat on Him

like a boulder pressing down.

And when he fell, you could hear a thud -

flesh and bone and blood and crown.

 

The mockery – it waved over the crowd

and left a stench of distress.

The chants of hate and evil hearts

were all the crowd could confess.

 

And reaching the hill beyond the town

where skull and raven lie,

He was nailed and hailed in mocking tone -

the acts his followers did fie.

 

The noonday sun parched Him dry;

vinegar and sponge and reed did they give.

But nothing could soothe the dying One,

except praying for the Father to forgive.

 

And as He exclaimed "It is finished!"

and His soul had left the shell,

the spear revealed the water and blood

giving witness for the guard to tell.

 

The mother, the maid, and the son remained

well after the rains did fall;

and when the earth began to quake

the veil awoke them all.

 

O my Jesus, by Your Cross,

You did redeem the world.

Make in me a clean heart I pray

that doing so may remain unfurled.

"Eucharist"

by Thomas Squiers

Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.

When I behold the beauty of creation, I am at Eucharist

When I am in the company of family and friends, I am at Eucharist

When I hear the laughter of children, I am at Eucharist
When I listen to the robins singing in the trees, I am at Eucharist

When I am in the still with candle lit, I am at Eucharist

When I gaze upon the moon in all of its splendor, I am at Eucharist

When I hold the hand of my beloved, I am at Eucharist

When I am surrounded by both sorrow and joy, I am at Eucharist

When I find myself laughing, I am at Eucharist

When I am assembled with those of my faith, I am at Eucharist

When I wake, I am at Eucharist

When I sleep, I am at Eucharist

Thanks be to God