Give me a Grateful Heart

Give me a grateful heart Lord

Open my eyes to see

The wondrous things that you have done

For the world and for me

The azure blue sky

The wind in the trees

The good green earth

And the boundless seas

The good weather on a bad day

The message from a friend

A smile from a stranger

When you fall, a helping hand

Oh Lord, give me ears to hear

To hear deeds of your love

To hear and to know

Who you are above

The music of the birds

The rippling of a stream

The roar of a wave

The whisper of a dream

The friendly hellos

The longing goodbyes

Words of encouragement

That bring tears to the eye

Oh Father give me the heart

To feel and truly know

The one to whom

I owe my soul

The one who built the mountains

Who studded the night sky

Who planted the forests

And taught birds to fly

The one who first laughed

The one who the desperate saves

The one who for one and for all

Died and his life gave

Oh give me the heart Lord

So I can finally see

Who you are

And who you’ll always be

Copyright © 2017 by Kwek Yi Zhen

Originally from: http://poemsforocassions.blogspot.com/2017/11/give-me-grateful-heart.html

Deeds Great and Small

He built a tall and sturdy tower

And labelled it with his name

She sat down with a lonely child

To play a simple game

He made grand speeches

That drew universal cheer

She spoke a helpful word

Every day for a year

He ran a glorious race

And held the medal up to the crowd

She cleaned up another’s mess

And never said what it was about

When he spoke, people gathered round

And filled the gaps with praise

When she spoke, the intended heard

And a spirit was raised

When he walked through the halls

People got out of the way

When she walked through the streets

It was an ordinary day

And when he died he had a statue placed

With the wish ‘remember me!’

When she died the world forgot

And she faded even from memory

And so it is till that last final day

When they meet the Master above

And finds he cares not for idle fame

But little acts with great love

Copyright © 2017 by Kwek Yi Zhen

Originally from: http://poemsforocassions.blogspot.com/2017/10/deeds-great-and-small.html

He took me

I stood alone in the marketplace

As the others bustled about

Eager, like all new souls

To join the lively crowd

Some people came and I asked

If I could join them

They looked at me appraisingly

And said I was not worthy to be with them

So to the next group I offered

My love and my care

And they took it but left me

Once they’d had their share

Bereft I offered the next

My skills and knowledge too

They used it greedily

But then they left me too

And so alone I continued standing

Offering all I had

People came, they took what I gave

But left me with a ‘that’s too bad’

Then as the crowds thinned

I saw a different face

It was the Lord of Everything

He had come to the marketplace

I searched my full pockets

But in his sight they were empty

I hadn’t a single thing

I could offer with me

So I checked my appearance

But a hideous visage met my sight

A liar, a sinner, puffed up with pride

That was who I was under his truthful light

I bowed my head as he came near

So I wouldn’t have to see

The just anger and disgust in his eyes

At the sight of one like me

I heard him stop before me

And waited for him to turn away

After all, I had nothing to give

And that’s how everyone had acted that day

But then he held out his hand

And offered it to me

By some miracle, where others left

He decided to take me

Copyright © 2017 by Kwek Yi Zhen

Originally from: http://poemsforocassions.blogspot.com/2017/09/he-took-me.html