by Randal Matheny (in case it's not obvious)

In heaven's punctured velvet dome,
A single pulsing, throbbing star
Has fixed my gaze to say that home,
From here, is not so very far.

Remember the quatrain I wrote about the trees outside my bedroom window? Well, how could I expect you to?

Now you can read it with an actual photo of what I see outside my window. Take a gander.

by Randal Matheny

Temptation stalks its prey and springs
To kill the holy by surprise;
If chained, this beast no longer sings
Of death, but lies exposed and dies.

by Randal Matheny

Heaven help me keep away from sinning!
Seven angel legions march toward winning
battles flesh has always failed to master.
Godly spirits rush against a vaster
host than humankind could ever muster.
No temptation can, for all its luster,
draw me far from God's protective cover.
Swords aflaming, servant cherubs hover
round about, repulsing every volley
fired to kindle sinful melancholy.
Knees bow down to God's complete safe-keeping,
Pleas convert to praise and joy from weeping.

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Just finished this gem this morning. And I'm off to Sao Paulo today to meet with our magazine's editor. See you later in the day!

by Randal Matheny

With many other words he urged salvation,
"Save yourselves from this corrupted nation."
So those who heard the message were baptized;
That very day three thousand souls comprised
the early church; stedfastly they aspired
to hear the apostles teach, and never tired
of fellowship, of breaking bread, and prayers.
So godly fear and praise and joy was theirs.

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This started out as a couplet, based on Acts 2.40, but grew from there. No telling where it will stop!