ENOCH

How many realised as Enoch trod
A separate way through earth's fresh thorn and thistle
It was because his was a walk with God?
Did such a path of faith make sinners bristle?
 
God gave the word to answer men's complaints,
Resounding to us still from Jude's epistle:
 
The Lord will come with myriads of His saints!

Urijah, posted last week, is a reposting of half sonnets on scriptural heroes and heroines; I thought I'd gradually repost the others.

Winter sunset over the Firth of Forth.

URIJAH

Having betrayed his faithful warrior's trust
Both David's soul and intellect were dark;
He sought to hide the product of his lust
So that the birth would pass without remark.
 
Urijah's instincts swerved him from that tissue
Of plotting through devotion to the ark.

Fidelity will not confuse the issue.

The Firth of Forth near Bo'ness in winter

BENAIAH

Into the den

Two foot-trails, lion and man.

Man's only outward.

One spear in the battle

An imposing Egyptian's; the staff-wielder

Turned it against him.

Thus Benaiah could lear

The runners,

And the king's guard.

Such a man would,

To a usurper,

Be a reject.

Such a man could be

Partner in action

To a priest and a prophet.

Such a man could partner

With a priest and prophet

To enthrone a king.

And in a fresh kingdom,

Freed from Joab's reproach,

Lead the king's host.

17 August 2024

Doha

I didn't want to be in Doha; my flight from Edinbugh to Doha was delayed, and I was stuck there for about eighteen hours.