The Opened Book Of Time! Poem by Denis Martindale

Of course, I knew it but a dream,
But none as seen before,
Such that it bordered on extreme,
Like none one should ignore...
A book appeared before my sight,
From darkness came it so,
Yet there it shone with gracious light,
Stayed fast, no urge to go...

The first page opened by no hand,
Just moved then bid me read,
So that my soul should understand
The life I chose to lead...
Full name writ large to fill the page,
Once known was gone, replaced,
No portent known that I should gauge
The future facts I faced...

With every passing day renewed,
Till birth from Mother torn,
The story of my life ensued,
A single child was born...
The chapter finished with that thought,
A babe walked Mother Earth,
Till by its wonders I was caught
And taught that they had worth...

Yet God approached, Good News bestowed,
My Saviour died for me
And thus I knew a debt was owed,
Because of Calvary...
Therefore, I yielded to my Lord,
Believing, was baptised,
In Heaven, where my soul is stored,
My eyes are fixed on Christ...

The dream book flicked its pages fast,
Towards the present day,
No longer dwelling on the past,
Which had its words to say...
Each forward page was empty there,
Unwritten, unrevealed
And so I covered them with prayer,
As in the dream, I kneeled...

I heard a voice above my head,
As fire framed my soul,
A heat so strong I laid as dead,
Beyond all self-control...
Then in the book, my body went,
To live remaining years,
Of every day that God has sent,
Of coming smiles and tears...

When I awoke, my thoughts compressed,
They almost slipped from time,
Yet God warned me to do my best
Recalling truths sublime...
Thus written now, my faith still grows,
To blossom, come what may,
As if I match the Summer rose
That stands upon display...

God knows what trials I await,
Yet this dream warmed my heart,
Such that, this day, I celebrate
In total, not in part...
My future bids me live life well,
With love and not with greed,
To strive for Heaven, save from Hell,
In thought and word and deed...


Denis Martindale, copyright September 2014.