Fragments and Unity

Romantic Dreams

Romantic Dreams
Warwick Allen
Sunday, 10 December 2000

Ah, the downfall of the romantic:
When fanciful dreaming strays far from reality
And returns with empty promises—
Gains that are really losses.

O, but what a refreshing tonic,
To fly on the wings of fantasy,
From time to time,
Uplifting for soul and mind.

But remember it's also good,
Or so I've found,
To keep at least one foot
On the ground.

Words

Words
Warwick Allen
Sunday, 10 December 2000

In a vague mist I seek security
Hiding in the shadows of ambiguity
I draw about myself a cloak of obscurity
Revealing as much as prudence will allow of me
And as little as words will betray of me

Everyday Prayer

Everyday Prayer
Warwick Allen
Sunday, 16 April 2000

Original version (2000)

My holy Lord, my Saviour, my King
I have within me a sincere yearning
To every day establish my residence
In the power of Your presence

I pray that You choose to bless me so
A double portion of Your Spirit to bestow
That everyday I may know You more
Intimately than the day before

I pray that each day may begin
With an offering of praise and exaltation
And that each evening I will give thanks
For Your faithful providence

Lord, make me Your instrument
To bring comfort to those who lament
To radiate love to those who hurt
To extend Your kingdom on this earth

I pray I will surrender everyday
To You, and before Your feet lay
Anything I think, say or do
That keeps me from coming closer to You

Every day this will be my prayer
That through obedience, righteousness, faith and holy fear
I will be kept under Your wonderful blessing
And from my days all want will be missing

To daily confess every offence
I know I need Your assistance
I pray that no due penitence I'll fail to offer
To You, my heart unrepentant never

I ask You, Lord, to help me ever be
Forgiving to anyone who has done wrong to me
And at each evening, the setting of the sun
To be a peace with everyone

I pray for wisdom to steer clear of temptation
And that I may overcome it through strength and firm resolution
For discernment to recognise evil when faced with it
I pray, and for Your Spirit to defeat it

Lord, install in me a hunger, a need
For Your Word, living Word, to habitually read
Upon it I shall meditate, every day, every night
I will search deeper—it will be my light

Most of all, I thank you that everyday
Lord Jesus, because of Your sacrifice, I may
Come to You, and pray
And know there's no end to everyday

2026 version

My holy Lord, my Saviour, my King
I have within me a sincere yearning
To every day establish my residence
In the power of Your presence

I pray that You choose to bless me so
A double portion of Your Spirit to bestow
That everyday I may know You more
Intimately than the day before

I pray that each day may begin
With an offering of praise and exaltation
And that each evening I will give thanks
For Your faithful providence

Lord, make me Your instrument
To bring comfort to those who lament
To radiate love to those who hurt
To extend Your kingdom on this earth

I pray I will surrender everyday
To You, and before Your feet lay
Anything I think, say or do
That keeps me from coming closer to You

Every day this will be my prayer
That through obedience, righteousness, faith and holy fear
I will be kept under Your wonderful blessing
And to your Spirit I will be listening

To daily confess every offence
I know I need Your assistance
I pray that my sins I'll admit
And due penitence I'll submit

I ask You, Lord, to help me ever be
Forgiving to anyone who has done wrong to me
And at each evening, the setting of the sun
To be a peace with everyone

I pray for wisdom to steer clear of temptation
That I may overcome it through strength and firm resolution
For discernment to recognise evil when faced with it
I pray, and for Your Spirit to defeat it

Lord, install in me a hunger, a need
For Your Word, living Word, to habitually read
Upon it I shall meditate, every day, every night
I will search deeper—it will be my light

Most of all, I thank you that everyday
Lord Jesus, because of Your sacrifice, I may
Come to You, and pray
And know there's no end to everyday

recording on Suno

Shadows of Deceit

Shadows of Deceit
Warwick Allen
Sunday, 24 January 1999

What strange tricks the light can play
Oh, how one can be fooled by illusions
Created at certain angles

From where I stand, it surely seems
That you're atop a tower
A magnificent, strong and mighty tower

This tower you've built yourself
With bricks of hard work
Bound with mortar of love

You're still building
Steadily climbing higher
Destined to reach giddy heights

Why then does it look to you
That you're in a well
That you have to rise to reach the ground

Please come and stand beside me
In the light, where you can see
Don't be fooled by the shadows any longer

But please take care
With the foundations on which you build
Lest your tower come crashing down

Make your foundations of rock
Nothing else will be strong enough
Build on the Rock and reach heavenward

Mysterious Star

Mysterious Star
Warwick Allen
Saturday, 12 December 1998

Upon the starts I gaze
Into the heavens I stare
I find some comfort there
Though star seem so far away

I've been here for sometime
Staring, watching, waiting
Praying, always hoping
A bright star might be mine

Past me, sometimes, a star will fly
A beautiful, radiant shooting star
Travelling by me not so far
For my heart to singe as it passes by

I see a new star now coming towards me
From the others, somehow different
More intensely radiant
With a light greater than its own, for all to see

With that light, I'm quite familiar
That holy, pure light
Potent enough to pierce the darkest night
My heart this light does lure

Never before has a star of this nature
Glowing with holy radiance
Shinning with natural brilliance
Never before has one come so near

Will this star come close enough for harm
Burn my soul and then depart
Fly harmlessly into the distance, or crash into my heart
Or float like a butterfly into my arms

Where Shall I Go from Here?

Where Shall I Go from Here?
Warwick Allen
Wednesday, 25 March 1998

As a planet circles its sun
To you my heart seems eternally bound
Through an irregular ellipse I run
Drifting nearer and farther, around and around
But always ending up where I began

If only I could get enough speed
To break free of the pull
The relentless attraction, the incessant need
To escape this agonising orbit, this endless cycle
I would finally be freed

As it is, I can discern
The light and warmth you radiate
To come closer, I desperately yearn
But I know what would be my fate
The light would vanish, but the heat would burn

Oh, where shall I go from here
This place where wisdom and emotions clash so violently?
All I ask of you, all I dare
Is that you'll forgive my weakness graciously
And you won't take from me any of that I hold so dear

All is Well with My Soul

All is Well with My Soul
Warwick Allen
Wednesday, 25 February 1998

Original poem (1998)

I feel my soul
Is in need of nourishment
But deep within me
I hear the whisper
The gentle whisper
Of the Spirit of God

A thick cloud has enveloped me
Cold mist has surrounded me
Only some
Of the joyful banter of friends
Of their light
Filters through
And it's muffled
Dampened by the darkness
And through that darkness
They only
See part of me

But the whisper remains
Continuing to encourage

My heart is heavy
Anxiety, fear of failure
Letting others down
Weigh on my mind
And my body
Is reluctant to move

But still I hear the whisper
That blessed whisper
And I know
All is well with my soul

Song arrangement (2025)

[Verse 1]
I feel my soul
Is in need of nourishment
But deep within me
I hear the whisper
The gentle whisper
Of the Spirit of God

[Refrain]
And the whisper remains
Continuing to encourage

[Verse 2]
A thick cloud has enveloped me
Cold mist has surrounded me
Only some
Of the joyful banter of friends
Of their light
Filters through

[Chorus 1]
Their joy is muffled
Dampened by the darkness
And through that darkness
They only
See part of me

[Refrain]
But the whisper remains
Continuing to encourage

[Verse 3]
My heart is heavy
Anxiety, fear of failure
Letting others down
Weigh on my mind
And my body
Is reluctant to move

[Coda]
But still I hear the whisper
That blessed whisper
And I know
All is well with my soul

recording on Suno