Preamble 1 ~

A man may order his thoughts, but the Lord inspires the words he utters ... Every step man takes is of the Lord's choosing; and thou, poor mortal, wouldst thou plot out thy path ... "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory" ...
Prov.16:1 (NEB); 20:24 (Knox); Jn.7:18 (NAS)

The Apology

It doth amuse the Muse to silent choose
poetic lines the poet can’t refuse
for he delights in them, as if they be
his own -- his self-engendered poetry!

We want to add, with such apology,
’tis as encouragements especially
these sonnets are intended, and as prayer.

And pray we do that He, the Muse, did bear
unto (and through) the poet ev’ry line
-- that they are not the poet’s, Lord, but Thine!

And in such light we also pray they’ll bless
their readers and encourage them to press
t’ward union, and life’s happenstances see
as purposed - all! - to draw them, Lord, to Thee ...