Tag: faith

from the book: From Dust to Stars, Poems by Jake Frost

At Saint Ailbe’s Abbey,
In the silent island f the sea,

Saint Brendan asked to stay,
But the ancient abbot answered, “Nay,”

“It is not to be,” said he,
“God calls you out to sea,”

“He has wonders there to show,”
“Wonders He wills that you would know.”

“He bids journey, sails unfurled,”
“Again into His wonder-world,”

“To search the secrets of His creation,”
“Secrets hid since time’s foundation,”

“To see what yet no eye has seen,”
“And know what yet no man has dreamed.”

And so upon the waves once more
Brendan pushed his coracle from the shore

And cast himself upon the brine
There to seek what he would find

Crossing wide the heaving swell
In search of what the world would tell

He set off to wander and explore
And knock upon the hidden door

And when he saw, but could not see
What some hidden thing might be,

He prayed to God fervently,
“Reveal to me this mystery,”

“Of Your world that You have made,”
“Let me know what is,” he prayed

And as he sought, so was it shown
And the secret of wonders to him made known

Thus many marvels did he find,
Dazzling to man’s questing mind

So that the hermit Paul confessed,
“Wandering Brendan, you are blessed,”

“For to you has God revealed”
“Things which were before kept sealed.”

So to all you who would seek know,
Who in dreams the seeds of wonder sow,

Nurture the wonder so that it grows,
And follow the way that Brendan shows,

For since first there was mystery to unwind,
It has been given to those who seek that they shall find