Soul Poetry
by
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We Need a Savior These are the days Proclaimed by wicked ways Men call good evil and evil good, Truth is lost or misunderstood. Some call freedom and democracy an evil thing, Spreading terror and destruction in God’s name, Shedding innocent blood for what they believe, Calling good evil and evil good -- only to deceive Truth in the absence of light Engulfed by darkness distorts the sight. Wicked men disguised as holy men, The blind leading the blind into sin Evil is on the increase all over the land. Sin is rampant in the heart of man. Search the world and you will see. We need a Savior to set us free. Free from the bonds of sin and shame, Free from unquenchable pain. Search the world and you will see We need a Savior to set us free. Do You Know Love What is seen in the natural is temporal to me. What is unseen is supernatural and lasts an eternity. So what is love — is it natural or spiritual — or all the above? Is it as contagious as a bug or graceful as a dove? What is love to you? Do you know a love that’s true? Is it simply a wonderful emotion? Does it flow like the waves of the ocean? Do you know love— does love know you? Can love change old things into something new? Is there a love worth dying to gain? Can love remove all sorrow and pain? Can you be touched by love and not respond in kind? Can you look inside of love — is it all in your mind? Love surrounds you, I’m told. Would you allow it to embrace your soul? Love seeks your heart to dwell in this day. Will you accept love or turn it away? Love died to give life eternally, A boundless love to set you free Love is an eternal fire than cannot be extinguished. The more it is fed the brighter it glows. John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The great I am, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending. His name is above all names, the creator of all there is, and all there will ever be. John 14: 1-5; Jesus says, “(1) Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (2) In my Father’s house are many mansions. If it was not so, I would have told you so, I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. (4) And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (5) Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not where thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus answered, I am the way. Isaiah 35:8 KJV states; and a highway will be there, and a way, and it shall be called “The” way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those, the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. And the truth: Isaiah 45:19; I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, the Lord, speak truth; I declare what is right. And the life: Genesis 2:7; Then the Lord formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. The way to the truth is a life in Jesus Christ, for it is the only way to the Father of all eternity. Seek and you will find; the way is not hidden, the truth is revealed to all who seek it; the life is freely given to all who will accept it. Sea of Sin Beneath the blustery midnight sky, the moon and stars align. Drowning in a sea of sin, unable to save myself in time, As I slowly submerge beneath the violent waves of iniquity, The oxygen in my lungs is displaced by the waters of the sea. Hope fades as I drift farther down into the abys of sin. Still silence surrounds me as I continue to descend. Down, down, down I sink to deeper depths of despair. I am reminded of your words and my soul cries out in prayer. Suddenly! A hand from above reaches down and lifts me, Pulls me up from the fathoms of the sea, Brings me up to the surface from beneath, Displace the waters in my lungs with His breath so I could breathe. He has breathed the breath of life into me once again, Saved and delivered me from the wages of my sin. He has done for me what I could not do. What He has done for me, He can do for you. It was the hand of His love that lifted me. He lifted me from a sea of sin and iniquity. Now I live and have everlasting peace. For His love never ends – His love will never cease God’s Words When you speak God’s words you are speaking the words that were once spoken at the beginning of all creation, words of power and providence; spoken into a bottomless emptiness from which the earth was formed. God’s mighty words broke the shackles of death and caused the dead to live again. When we speak God’s words, we speak words of faith, we speak power; we speak life. So speak God’s words with authority and stand back and observe the results. Be bold like a lion and dare to love and choose to forgive. Do not fear making mistakes, for you will miss out on an opportunity to grow stronger in faith. When your heart is broken from the stress of living and bruised from iniquity, God can restore and heal it with His love. For it is God’s love and grace that mends a broken heart. His love will make you stronger and give you peace of mind. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 KJV The Covering Printed on the pages of our life are a myriad of sins Written by a quill drawn from an inkwell of scarlet ink, Calligraphy of letters and words forever imprinted, not to be erased, A constant reminder of our frailty and weakness. Just as words written in ink cannot be erased, Once blotted by more ink, the words begin to disappear. Blotting covers the words and negates what was once visible. Blotted, the mistake can be seen, but the specifics cannot be read or revealed. Precious is the blood of Jesus that covers all our sins. The blood does not eliminate our sins, but covers them over and over again. We wear the stains of our imperfections each day, But the blood continually covers us in each and every way. Oh, how precious is the Lamb! The precious son -- the Great I Am! On Calvary’s cross He was crucified and bled. His precious blood continually gives life to the spiritually dead. 9-11 On that infamous day of nine-eleven, To those who died and went to heaven In twin towers of glass and steel, Our enemies threw down a gauntlet to test our will. Enemies of God – the enemies of man, Evil incarnate reached out and touched our land. In an attempt to justify the death of innocent souls, They proclaimed the will of god in achieving their goals. Over the skies of Pennsylvania a battle yet raged. A battle between good and evil was now staged. As the heart and soul of freedom fought to defend our land, Brave men sacrificed their lives to thwart our enemy’s plan. The center of our military might was attacked that day. Death and destruction billowed up in plumes of gray. The nation mourned the horrific loss, For the price of freedom had come with a heavy cost. We give honor and praise to all the souls Who gave their lives so freedom is extolled. To those who currently serve our communities and nation this day, May the God of Eternity keep watch over you, we pray. Lest we forget!
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About the Book
This book is a compilation of inspired poetry and images. Some of the artwork was created by the author’s son, Edwin B. Staples Jr., and others are photographs of the author’s travels from around the world, from Seoul, Korea, to Prague, the Czech Republic, and beyond. Other images were collected to reflect the power of the words portrayed in this book. Of the major patterns of lyric poetry: (1) Japanese Haiku, the shortest form, consisting of seventeen syllables in three lines of five-seven-five syllables. (2) The ode, a longer, serious poem commemorating an important event—exudes feelings of praise and noteworthiness. (3) The elegy (related to eulogies) mulls on issues and events of life and death; it is often in obituaries and funeral services. E. B. Staples's poems reflect the elegy pattern as demonstrated by his love poems expressing his deep love for his wife. Some of E. B. Staples’s poems deal with life and death, and several relate to current events in religion and politics. Most of E. B. Staples's poems exhibit ode and elegy forms, which he uses to share the love, grace, and power of Jesus Christ. This book includes rhythm and imagery with beautiful word choices that lead the reader through a myriad of thoughts and emotions. This is a wonderful collection of poems and images that will surely stir your soul.
About the Author
E. B. Staples is originally from West Palm Beach, Florida. He first started writing poetry in high school, simply expressing his thoughts about life in prose and rhyme. Shortly after graduating high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force and served for about twenty-six years. While stationed in Germany, he traveled to Paris, Brussels, Luxemburg, and Prague, to name a few cities. He later traveled to Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Spain, Italy, Crete, and Turkey. After six years in Germany, he returned to the U. S. and was stationed in North Carolina and then to South Korea for a short tour of duty. He had an opportunity to visit Yoido Church with Pastor Cho and Prayer Mountain while in Korea. These amazing experiences helped transform his life and brought about a great spiritual awakening. After retiring in 2000, he moved to Texas and currently works for the State of Texas and assists citizens affected by disasters. His writings are poetic and deeply spiritual. Often awakened at night by words that stirred his soul, he often jotted the words down. The next day he would begin to reflect on those words and write. These words evolved into poems that he shared with family and friends who were deeply touched. E. B. published his first book, “Soul Poetry,” in 2004, a second book, “The Mighty Storm,” in 2010, followed by “Reflections and Shadows,” “The Storyteller: Book of Rhythm and Prose,” and in 2014 “The Storyteller: Book of Urban Fables.”