poem | Craig T. Owens

April 2026
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Poetry Saturday—Hymn #120

January 2, 2021 — Craig T. Owens

What shall the dying sinner do

That seeks relief for all his woe?

Where shall the guilty conscience find

Ease for the torment of his mind?

How shall we get our crimes forgiv’n?

Or form our natures fit for heav’n?

Can souls all o’er defiled with sin

Make their own powers and passions clean?

In vain we search, in vain we try,

Till Jesus brings His gospel nigh;

‘Tis there such power and glory dwell

As save rebellious souls from hell.

This is the pillar of our hope

That bears our fainting spirits up:

We read the grace, we trust the Word,

And find salvation in the Lord.

Let men or angels dig the mines,

Where nature’s golden treasure shines;

Brought near the doctrine of the Cross,

All nature’s gold appears but dross.

Should vile blasphemers with distain

Pronounce the truth of Jesus vain,

I’ll meet the scandal and the shame,

And sing and triumph in His name. —Isaac Watts

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Cross, First Advent, forgiveness, Gospel, Incarnation, Isaac Watts, Jesus Christ, poem, poetry, salvation. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—The Nativity

December 26, 2020 — Craig T. Owens

Among the oxen (like an ox I’m slow)

I see a glory in the stable grow

Which, with the ox’s dullness might at length

Give me an ox’s strength.

Among the asses (stubborn I as they)

I see my Savior where I looked for hay;

So may my beastlike folly learn at least

The patience of a beast.

Among the sheep (I like a sheep have strayed)

I watch the manger where my Lord is laid;

Oh that my baa-ing nature would win thence

Some wooly innocence! —C.S. Lewis

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Advent, C.S. Lewis, Christmas, innocence, Jesus Christ, lifelong learner, nativity, patience, poem, poetry, strength. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—Of The Father’s Love Begotten

December 19, 2020 — Craig T. Owens

Of the Father’s love begotten

ere the worlds began to be,

He is Alpha and Omega,

He the Source, the Ending He,

of the things that are, that have been,

and that future years shall see,

evermore and evermore!

O that birth forever blessed,

when the Virgin, full of grace,

by the Holy Ghost conceiving,

bore the Savior of our race;

and the Babe, the world’s Redeemer,

first revealed His sacred face,

evermore and evermore!

This is He whom heav’n-taught singers

sang of old with one accord,

whom the Scriptures of the prophets

promised in their faithful word;

now He shines, the long expected;

let creation praise its Lord,

evermore and evermore!

O ye heights of heav’n, adore Him;

angel hosts, His praises sing:

all dominions, bow before Him

and extol our God and King;

let no tongue on earth be silent,

ev’ry voice in concert ring,

evermore and evermore!

Christ, to Thee, with God the Father,

and, O Holy Ghost, to Thee,

hymn and chant and high thanksgiving

and unwearied praises be,

honor, glory, and dominion

and eternal victory,

evermore and evermore! —Aurelius Clemens Prudentius

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Advent, Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, Godhead, Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit, hymn, Incarnation, Jesus Christ, poem, poetry, Savior, Trinity, worship. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—Merry…

December 12, 2020 — Craig T. Owens

No one’s hangin’ stockin’s up,

No one’s bakin’ pie,

No one’s lookin’ up to see

A new star in the sky.

No one’s talkin’ brotherhood,

No one’s givin’ gifts,

And no one loves a Christmas tree

On March the twenty-fifth. —Shel Silverstein

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Advent, Christmas, poem, poetry, Shel Silverstein. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—I Can Do Something

December 5, 2020 — Craig T. Owens

I may not do much with all my care,

But I surely may bless a few;

The loving Jesus will give to me

Some work of love to do;

I may wipe the tears from some weeping eyes,

I may bring the smile again

To a face that is weary and worn with care,

To a heart that is full of pain.

I may speak His name to the sorrowful,

As I journey by their side;

To the sinful and despairing ones

I may preach of the Crucified.

I may drop some little gentle word

In the midst of some scene of strife;

I may comfort the sick and the dying

With a thought of eternal life. —Marianne Farningham

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Christianity, encourager, Jesus Christ, love others, Marianne Farningham, poem, poetry, serve others, testimony, witness. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—Make My House A Home

November 21, 2020 — Craig T. Owens

The house is quiet

And I don’t like it

It just feels like a house

My stuff is all here

It’s all in its place

It just feels like a house

I need some banter

Perhaps some laughter

To make this house my home

Some hugs would be nice

Maybe a cuddle

To make this house my home —Craig T. Owens

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: family, home, laughter, poem, poetry, relationships. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—You-er Than You

November 14, 2020 — Craig T. Owens

Today you are you, that is truer than true.

There is no one alive who is you-er than you.

Shout aloud, I am glad to be what I am.

Thank goodness I’m not a ham, or a clam,

or a dusty old jar of gooseberry jam.

I am what I am, what a great thing to be.

If I say so myself, happy everyday to me! —Dr. Seuss

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: Creator, Dr. Seuss, poem, poetry, uniqueness. 1 Comment »

Poetry Saturday—Keep Your Lips From Slips

November 7, 2020 — Craig T. Owens

If your lips would keep from slips,

Five things observe with care;

To whom you speak, of whom you speak,

And how, and when, and where. —William Edward Norris

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: poem, poetry, vocabulary, William Edward Norris. Leave a Comment »

Poetry Saturday—When Sorrow Walked With Me

October 31, 2020 — Craig T. Owens

I walked a mile with Pleasure—

She chattered all the way

But left me none the wiser

For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow

And ne’er a word said she,

But, oh, the things I learned from her

When Sorrow walked with me. —Robert Browning Hamilton

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: difficulties, lesson, lifelong learner, poem, poetry, Robert Browning Hamilton, trials. 1 Comment »

I grew up reading the King James Version of the Bible. So naturally, this was the version I also memorized. Even to this day (all these many, many[!] years later), many of the verses I memorized still come back to my mind in that Olde English slant.

A few years ago we celebrated the 400th anniversary of the King James authorized translation of the Bible into English. It’s astounding to realize how many words, phrases, and concepts from this version have become mainstays in the English language. From Shakespeare’s plays right down to current writings, this “Book of books” infiltrates our thoughts and our vocabulary.

Here is an outstanding poem Glen Scrivener put together to honor the 400th anniversary of the KJV, where he attempts to share 100 phrases from this translation in 3 minutes. Enjoy!