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A change of pace from Francis today. He shares with us just four poems written between 1997 and 2002 which he sees as expressing a contrast between his experience of hell and resurrection.
 Four Poems
The poems included in these pages are some of several that I wrote prior to my venturing into expressing in prose some of the feelings that have been present to me. They express the contrast between my experience of hell and resurrection.
Only Love Is
[See Ps 31: 15. "My trust is in You; I say, 'You are my God'"]
Many "gods" my self did make,
That seemed not but idols to me,
Who thought them dear for the sake
Of uniqueness in me, you see.
You are my God — You alone: my Lord.
Such idols controlled the life I chose.
I, with no thought of their falsity,
Gave much attention to those
And needed specialises to decree!
You are my God — You alone: my Lord.
In spite of me with them so loyal
These gods of mine failed me so,
As emptiness in me was all
That they at best did bestow.
You are my God — You alone: my Lord.
Behind the emptiness was a yearning.
For something so far forgotten
By me who had made a mad turning
From the One from Whom I'm begotten.
You are my God — You alone: my Lord.
My memory helped me to realize
These idols never existed.
God alone is my Love, my prize
The One Who alone persisted.
You are my God — You alone: my Lord.
You alone satisfied my constant yearning
To be true to my original connection.
From idols of fantasy my mind is turning
To You the One of my creation.
You are my God — You alone: my Lord.
As I awake from my mad, mad dream
I see God's love that never left.
And I but arrogant would seem
If of love I thought myself bereft.
You are my God — You alone: my Lord. April 2000
Child of God
Where rises the source of such real imagination
By one seeming limited by dreamed up separation?
No doubt such a dream has affected my life.
But separation as real is surely not right.
How can I, who am of God an extension,
Possibly dream up such an assent-ion?
Separation in God is beyond speculation.
My sharing with God is no mere simulation.
The Jesus-taught forgiveness is my salvation
From thoughts held about unreal separation.
Spirit-filled life now makes me aware
Of oneness with God; so I can prepare
To live out my life, without worry or care;
Renowned and loved as one who will dare
To proclaim myself Child of God and Heir. 2000
The Good Thief
Confused and fearful, a wretch am I,
Condemned by those I let say die;
Guilt filled and tortured in my mind,
For judgment sake, the crucified kind.
Lo! One beside me, hanging there
Is Jesus, condemned like me, I'm aware;
He gave but love in all he thought;
True innocence is all that I can report.
With me this day paradise is there
As always is God's plan to share.
If such great knowledge I do truly own
Gone past the judgement made by me alone.
The Jesus who beside me hangs
I see the Son of God I always sang.
He gave thought to me that with him mated
I am the Child my God created.
Of us, despite our fearful self,
But one God: His extending Self.
One Child He made and loveth still;
Condemned not: always His will. March 1997
On the Cross
Jesus seems crucified there.
Apparently abandoned.
I feel crucified here
With fear deeply planted.
His holiness, forever remaining intact,
Perfect in Yahweh's creation,
He sees in me as matter-of-fact
Innocence beyond all perception.
The wonder of Heaven is present to him.
Never been otherwise really.
And me he sees as free of sin,
Holy and loved so dearly.
His life as he lives it now,
Dreams not bothering peace,
Is such that he can show me how
Demons of mind will cease.
He calls on me to give up sleep
Imagined to make a space
In which on myself I mistakenly heap
Fantasy and dreams to embrace.
To save me he calls on me to awake,
Reality never gone at all!
He wants me to make a right-about-face,
Memory of Truth to reinstall.
Jesus on cross in my sight
Can be no more.
His living is my delight.
My fear will withdraw. March 2002
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Francis Brown
 Francis Brown is a priest of the Roman Catholic Rite who was ordained in St Stephen's Cathedral in Brisbane in 1953 after completing study and training at St Paschal's College in Box Hill, Victoria. He served as a missionary in Papua New Guinea with a group of fellow Franciscans from 1955 to 1973. Having obtained permission to marry in 1973 he worked amongst the villagers on road construction and continued as their elected representative in Local Government. At the end of 1973 he, along with his wife, Mary, continued family life in Australia. He worked as a Probation and Parole Officer before retirement and has continued an active engagement in the parish and community life of the suburb of Kingsgrove South-West of Sydney. His main hobby is writing poetry and prose endeavouring to help himself and others gain a greater awareness of God and all as One.
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©2009Francis Brown
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Michael Morwood: "The Challenge in Resurrecting Jesus in Society Today" In this address given to WATAC (Women and the Australian Church) members on 26th March 2013, Michael Morwood outlines the challenges he sees the Church facing in the years ahead. This address was given in the theatrette of the NSW Parliament at a meeting to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Second Vatican Council. 33m 34s [Commentary on the Catholica where this address was published on 29Mar2013] | [WATCH THE VIDEO]
