Poems & Selections

The Blessing of St. Francis of Assisi

The Lord bless you and keep you.
May He show His face to you and have mercy.
May He turn His countenance to you and give you peace.
The Lord bless you!

When life as opening buds is sweet, And golden hopes the fancy greet, And Youth prepares his joys to meet, – – Alas! how hard it is to die! When just is seized some valued prize, And duties press, and tender ties Forbid the soul from earth to rise, – – How awful then it […]
By Emily Dickinson It was not death, for I stood up, And all the dead lie down; It was not night, for all the bells Put out their tongues, for noon. It was not frost, for on my flesh I felt siroccos crawl, – – Nor fire, for just my marble feet Could keep a […]
May brooks and trees and singing hills Join in the chorus too. And every gentle wind that blows Send happiness to you.
God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be, so He put his arms around you, and whispered, “Come to me.” With tearful eyes we watched you, and saw you pass away. Although we love you dearly, we could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands rest. […]