A joy most abiding, a wonder beyond

Waking to the call of a new dawn, To capture the silence of the Earth
When it has not yet been punctuated,
By the noise of men and machines
To lift up the heart in songs of devotion,
To still the mind in deep meditation
On the eternal glories of the Devine
To let go the river of the restless striving self
Into the ocean of tranquility and peace sublime,
To cry for freedom from bondage and fear
The ego’s deceitful snare, endless earthly cares
And thus on a daily basis to be reborn again
With new eyes and visions,
To confront the challenge that still remains
To seek the wealth that lies within,
Breaking free from the cycle of birth and death

This is the call of a new dawn
Awaking from the deeper slumber
Of the soul’s forgetfulness, illusion’s embrace
Deceitful, self-destructive evil ways
Many ages we have walked this dreaded path
A most heavy burden to mind and heart
Harken, therefore, to the call for a fresh start
The hour of departure we know not
Our time ticking away so fast
Delay we must not on so compelling a task
To regain our heritage in eternity and bliss
Heeding the call of a new dawn
CECIL RAMKIRATH,
Bayonne, NJ, USA