- The Painting
By Mark Carney Sr. -3-96

The sun is the palette
The sky the canvas
Wind is the brush
With which God paints a sunset

Against the deepening blue
Drift the darkening clouds
Gentle glows begin to appear
Signaling the end of day

Softly it slips upon me
Drawing my heart away
To a majesty I've never beheld
Monumental in its proportion

Grand strokes of yellows
Reds, blues, oranges and grays
Shimmer across the sky
Landing unexpectedly on one lone cloud

Appearing for only a moment
Then fading quickly away
Radiant beams sweeps across the sky
Filling the immense panorama

Fiery, dancing colors
Play upon the billowing sea
Pulling my heart to the stratosphere
Taking my breath away

Boiling, passionate hues
Of unknown colors race by
To vanish in just moments
As the darkness steals them away

And as it all disappears
Each tint blending with the blackness
I find my eyes filled with moisture
For the gift that has passed before me

- The Seas of Adversity
By Mark Carney Sr. -2-96

Across the Seas of Adversity
Sailing goes the ship of our soul
To uncharted islands of wisdom
And continents of experience

Each trip across the waves
Of the troubled and windswept sea
Takes us to bays yet unknown
And fills our holds with bounty

As we settle in each port of call
We discover treasures of joy
Peace and comfort abound
Before we turn once more

And with a new found strength
We continue on lifes journey
Across the next ocean of challenge
Towards our eternal reward

- Spring
By Mark Carney Sr. -2-96

Up from the sodden grave
Cold, dark and heavy
Pushing up through the clay

Comes the first signal
Winter is over
Crocuses brighten our day

Gloom stand aghast
At the cheerful color
Darkness flees away

Soon to follow are robins
Daffies and tulips and primrose
Nature unfolds her display

You gladden my heart
Oh heaven sent beams
Of Edens descendents this day.

- I run fast
By Mark Carney Sr. -2-96

I run fast
I leap high
Now, at last
I touch the sky

I run fast
I jump far
I just crashed
Into a star

I run fast
I trip and fall
And roll myself
Into a ball
And that is all

- To Our Child
By Mark Carney Sr. -5-96

We have given you life
But we cannot live it for you
We love you with all our hearts
But we cannot make you feel loved
We will teach you all we know
But we cannot make you learn
We have given you the freedom to act
But you will be responsible for your actions
We can show you how to have happiness
But we cannot make you happy
We can teach you about honesty
But we cannot make you honest
We can teach you to share
But we cannot make you giving
We can teach you to be a friend
But we cannot make you be one
We can teach you about honor
But we cannot make you honorable
We can teach you right from wrong
But you must make your own choices
We can offer advice
But we cannot make you act on it
We can suggest how you should choose your friends
But we cannot choose them for you
We can tell you the consequences of sin
But we cannot make you righteous
We can teach you about the Saviour
But you must form your own relationship with Him
We have brought you into the world,
taught, loved and guided you
But your life is your own

The Hope Fulfilled
By Mark Carney Sr. - 3-97 -

As our sleepy senses awake
from the rest of winters night
Spring bathes them with abundance,
much to our delight.

Colors, bright and cheering
stirring rich feelings of
renewal, birth, promises,
and especially of love.

Gentle sounds grace our ears
of the steady falling rain
dissolving last years debris
like washing away old pain.

The rains gently nourish
the new emerald carpet
growing under our feet
as blossoms began to set.

Like mothers milk it nurses
the floral kingdoms young
budding glories to behold
we delight to be amoung.

The air is filled with song
from absent friends returned
from their flight of fall
to the nests they spurned.

The clean moist air conducting
to us familiar smells
wafts of pine sap flowing,
of daggling floral bells.

The pleasing, fragrant love songs
flowers sing in the courtship
of tiny messengers who will
carry their affections on their trip.

The feel of the gentle
carpet beneath us swelling
moist upon our feet
feels most compelling.

We touch the new leaves
soft and tender infants
of nature pure and new
the clothing of the plants.

With all that nature shows us
during the season of Spring
all we hear and smell and feel
have a familiar ring.

It brings our thoughts back
to the swelling seed within.
The good seed in our hearts,
planted words of holy men.

Anew we ponder deeply
the wide flung prison door
of all the graves behind us,
of those that lie before.

Opened by the Master
one spring long ago
through an act of kindness
too great for us to know.

In this time of rebrith
of nature springing new
we must bow before God
for what we know is true.

The greatest love extended
the sacrafice supreme
refreshed again in our hearts
by spring times flowing stream.

- - - On the wings of forever
By M. Carney Sr. - 5-4-97

On the wings of forever swiftly flies my soul
Transcending past, present and future
Passing here, there and everywhere
Going beyond the reaches of sights, sounds and smells
Following only my heart to where all light dwells
To settle at last into eternal happiness, joy and ecstasy

- - - Mornings Jewels
By M. Carney Sr. - 5-4-97

Whither comes the dew?
Why comes it in the morn
when the world is lit anew,
as first the day is born?

Why does it settle on
only the tiniest tip
of the blades where the sun's
first morning rays dip?

Each tiny morning gem
sparkles bright and rare.
The colors from in them
radiating everywhere.

Is it there for us to see,
as first we greet the day,
the beauties of eternity?
Why fades it fast away?

Whither goes the dew?
Flees it to the skies?
I think it goes to you.
I see it in your eyes.

- - When We Talk - -
For Amanda
By Mark S Carney Sr. - 3/97 -

We take our seats
Our instruments tune
Preamblent discord sounds
The Master conductor approaches

His own music each
Wishing to play
Tones familiar, comfortable
Yet seeking new

The Master conductor arrives
And with deft hand
Guides the notes
Unifying our songs

Your hand draws a bow
Of words that flow
Across the strings
Of my heart

My fingers dance lightly
Across the keys resonating
On the soundboard
Of your soul.

The symphany rises
The Master conductor leads
Music too powerful
For mere words

Yet words they are
And yet much more
The glorious sound echos
Through eternity

- - Shaping the Soul of Man - -
By Mark S Carney Sr - 3/97 -

Alone the stone stands
on distant plain
Jutting up from the land
Like a solitary cane
In a vacant field

Relentless the rains beat
The sun and wind and clime
Their pounding they repeat
Across great reaches of time
A change in form to yeild

Eons pass and the stone
once hard and jagged
now a pile of clay, still alone
still looking quite ragged
Then comes the hand

A Master potter finds it
Gathers it up
and skillfully refines it
with it forms a cup
With fires fanned

The Master potter turns
the time worn stone
now shape of urn
to an object of bone
china great in worth

Skillfully decorate
the finishing touch
Again hard as slate
but with beauty much
Completing the rebrith

Time wears down
the weary mortal man
sorrow, sadness, frown
reducing all it can
Till more he stands

Then enter the Master
His wonderous skill
reshapes like plaster
the mortal mans will
with His loving hands

And at last renewed
reformed and refined
what the Master viewed
best for mankind
now he is ready

To take his chosen place
amoung the diadems
The Master's loving face
seen making up His gems
with hands so steady

- For my love, wherever you are.
By Mark Carney Sr. - 4-'97 -

Like the surging waves
driven by tempestuous winds
my love for you swells
mightily within my soul.
Crashing through
all efforts to hold it in.

Like the breath of life
I want to draw you in.
Deep inside me
to surround my heart
to nourish my soul.
Never to exhale again.

Like my own heart
I want to shield you,
to protect you with
all the ability I possess,
to care for you
my whole life long.

Can love so strong
be effected by miles
or time or people
or events or
the bounds of life itself?
Nay, it pours into eternity.

Let us join now
with promises firm
and covenants clear.
Eternal love to bind,
all else to exclude,
our souls together.

Then dare we touch?
To our souls joining,
shall our flesh succomb?
Where shall I end
and thou begin?
We are one, forever.

- - Break the spell. - -
By Mark Carney Sr. - 4-97

In times of yore, in days of old
a wicked queen laid evil hold
upon a young childs heart.

With wicked words she waved her hands
to place forever firm the bands
that made all joy depart.

Then passed time by, the young boy grew.
Met he a princess, fair and new,
Whose touch made weak the spell.

Ere spell was broken she had flown
the young mans heart turned back to stone,
His rising hopes quickly fell.

Then came a siren full of stealth
And drawing on a wicked weatlh
of lies ensnared the young man.

Many years the siren held tight
the mans cold heart from all who might
end the wicked queen's plan.

Love abounds so everywhere
despite the sirens studied care
his heart yearned to be free.

Growing gave the man new power
Shining through the darkest hour
making the siren flee.

Yet still the dark and evil spell,
so long ago woven so well
held fast the love within.

So strong the swellings in his heart
the pain he bore tore him apart
as sought he yet to win.

Then God above his pleadings heard
Angels sent, a Princess lured
to pass within his sight.

Within her heart God placed the key
To set at last the mans heart free
To rid him of his plight.

As near she passed his dark domain,
came to him freedom from the pain
And strength he never knew.

And with that strength the bands grew weak
that held his heart and then the streak
of love from his heart grew

His heart cried out 'Oh Princess fair,
with kindness rich, with wisdom rare,
will not thou for me sing?

There is a song I long to hear
straight from your soul, unbidden, clear,
from chains my soul to bring.

It is a song of endless love,
of timeless joy sent from above
forever to be one.

You'll break the spell, set my love free,
if you will sing this song to me,
victory shall be won.

Yet spake the man not in her ear
For yet in him remained the fear
that alone he would stay.

Never to know a gentle caress,
never to feel a soft tress
upon his neck lovingly lay.

And so, for time, away she went
as hopes last energies he spent
seeking help divine.

Will his lonely cries be heard?
Will from her come the word;
"Forever will I be thine"

Reach thou out, now to me.
I'll break the spell, set you free.
My heart desires you.

Princess fair you will know
of this love I long to show
when I read these words to you.

Through poets flare herein lies
all my heart in this disguise
make I bare to you now

All my lifes long struggles plain
All my sorrows and my pain
as before you here I bow

On bended knee to ask thee for
Thy heart and love forever more
To break the spell and set me free

By saying that you will be mine
And take me ever to be thine
for time and all eternity

- - - Alone, waiting - - -
By Mark Carney Sr - 4-30-97

Where is hope now
on this deary day?
Why does it seem gone
so very far away?

As the soul that hungers
to feed from the feast,
to comfort his soul,
to quiet his beast.

As a dying man thirsts
in the desert so lonely,
my heart thirsts for you,
to drink from you only.

No feast before awaits,
no fine cuisine for me.
Salt water only I drink,
from my tears flowing free.

Fear and hopelessness
in waves sweep over me.
Loneliness so large
it could cover all the sea.

The sun no longer shines here,
No moon, no stars, no light
No guiding hand to lead me
away from this empty blight .

You have gone away
and with you went my heart
stolen from within me.
Why did you depart?

Where shall I cast my net
to capture hope again
of loves everlasting arms,
comfort from empty pain.

Shall never the dungeon doors
swing open to set me free?
Shall never my heart know love
That lasts eternally?

My hearts Haiku
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-21-97

Tender souls touch
one heart soars
one flies and says goodbye
another heart dies

You passed by me today
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-21-97

At the end of a dusty road
behind a thicket of old
unsightly brambles

I built a house.
Every stone I layed,
every board I fastened.

The finest architects
I consulted every step
and builders many.

The pattern one
all claimed superior,
near to perfection.

I painted within and without,
I trimmed and decorated
the yard all in bloom.

I filled it with
the finest things
I could make or buy.

I continue to improve it
every single day
becoming it a palace

But no one comes,
though many I invite,
to dwell within these walls.

The beauty of my labors
remains quite unknown,
hidden from view.

What is an empty house,
without a soul within
to give it life.

No matter how beautiful,
craftsmanship divine,
it is but a useless box

The path to my heart
is also dusty, sheltered, hidden
by the undesirable exterior.

Will no one ever see
what lies beyond
the brambles?

Pleasing ourselves
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-21-97

Please lift me up, I'm down.
Please come and visit me.
Please help me with my life.
Please listen to my words.
Please pay attention to me.
Please give me heat, oh thou fireplace, then will I give you wood.
As you give, so shall you receive.

Starlight
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-21-97
Personality is the key
...Other factors are distracters
......The clothing changes do not change the man
.........We are luminous beings, not his crude material shell
............Find a light within that glows in unison with your own inner light
.........Love and serve with all your heart and then
......Two stars in the night will become one sun
...Creating an eternal day

The common bond
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-21-97
Common to the heart of man and woman is feeling,
through the shadows of our own memories,
the inner reaches of anothers soul in anguish.
My tears for yours, yours for mine.
I thank you for being touched and thereby touching.

Where is love?
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-21-97
Every day seems darker
than the one before,
my wounded heart sinks lower
as each empty night passes.
Time heals not,
without love's soothing balm.
But where is love?

Under the foot of man
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-21-97
Hidden in a dusky shell,
created by time and pressure,
obscured by the earth.
A gem of inestimable worth within
awaits the gentle hand that will
remove it from the earth,
clean away the blackness in which it is encased,
shape its surfaces and polish it .
That the inner brilliance may radiate out to eternity.

Tender Tree, what has become of thee?
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-21-97
Deep in a ancient tree,
scarred and battered,
hides a tender spirit.

He is wise, kind,
and full of love.
Whithering in the dry ground
in which his roots hold him firm.

Tedrils he sent out,
seeking for a source of nourishment,
only to be scorched
by loveless words and thoughtless acts.

Who will note his passing?
He is but one more pillar in the forest.
There is none that know his heart.
Who will write his eulogy?

Bees or flies
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-22-97
Listen to the buzzing around us.
Is it bees or flies?
The bees labor diligently all the day long,
gathering nectar, making honey,
pollinating the flowers so they may bear fruit,
caring for the hive.

Flies move lazily
from one pile of decaying matter to another,
vomiting and gathering back up their vomit
with more disease ridden matter
to carry to the next place they land.

Both buzz.
Which is it we hear?

Reflecting
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-22-97
From heart to heart
through the light of truth,
all love given
and received
is but a refraction
or a reflection
of the pure love
of Christ.

Don't worry about writing too much.
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-24-97
As you can see,
long letters-R-me,
So please feel free,
go on a writing spree,
and thereby let me see
all that's inside of thee.

Love is a hand
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-24-97
Love is a hand that touches the soul,
drawing from within the most noble features,
trimming without the crust of worldliness,
lighting the lamp of human greatness.

It comes from above,
but moves only through us,
as we serve one another.

Comfort
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-24-97
I comfort you in your time of need
and in so doing I comfort me times three.
Where we send our hearts, in earnest good,
the circle completes and we are renewed.
I am thy support and thou mine.
Together, in such acts of honorable love
as we perform for one another,
we accept the countenance we have promised to receive.

Looking glass world
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-25-97
What is this that I see, in my looking glass world?
In everyone is a reflection of me, in my looking glass world.
Is it really them I see, in my looking glass world?
No, only what I project into them of me, in my looking glass world.

I must put the mirror away, to change my looking glass world
into a place worthwhile to stay, not a looking glass world.
For the faults in others on which I prey, in my looking glass world Are but my own, my feet of clay, in my looking glass world.

I must learn to see the good, in the real world.
My heart soften from current wood, in the real world.
When in all I see what could, in the real world,
be the light of Christ, as it should, be in the real world

Then shall I again be free, in the real world,
Of blame and shame and heresy, in the real world.
To see the love in every family, member in the real world
reflecting back from them to me, in the real world.

Feelings warm bind
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 6-28-97
When the heart reaches out,
warm feelings it seeks,
for in the spirit to spirit connections,
enjoyed by souls apart,
it is the warm feelings that bind,
any two souls who's hearts touch,
eye to teary eye,
through the windows of the soul,
leaks the warm rain of deep expression,
without which the heart dies

The Stare
- Mark S Carney Sr 7-3-97

Oh woman fair and wonderful:

Have you ever at the sky stared
In awe of spreading crimson hues
Standing speechless before the majesty
Nature unfolds at the close of day?

Have you frozen stalk still and stared
At a brightly colored butterfly
dancing on the air around you
and lighting on a nearby stone?

And while it sat there did you stare,
drinking in its delicate beauty
knowing that in a moment nearing
it would flutter forever from your view?

Have you fixed your gaze upon a deer
that wandered close to you?
And wondered at the deep connection
to nature you felt in it's presence?

If you have stared in wonder at
these blessings of nature bestowed
upon you for but a brief moment
Then surely you must understand

That to me you are beautiful,Ý and
I shall behold you but for a moment
then you will be gone from view and
memories shall be all of you I have.

So forgive me if I seem to stare
If I freeze stock still and gape in awe
For like the sunset, the butterfly and all of
God's creations, I cannot withdraw my eyes
from your beauty while you are in view

Love beyond understanding
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 7-8-97

In it's purest form, what is Love?
True love conquers all, and yet surrenders all
Love embodies respect, patience, tolerance,
sacrifice, dedication, desire, kindness,
and every noble quality of character

True love is all consuming, swallowing all around it,
and yet gives to and feeds all that it touches
It radiates out beyond the beloved
warming, enlightening and giving hope
and faith and strength to all who will receive

Love fills the darkness of our souls
with a brilliant, everlasting light.
It is eternal in nature and yet
displays itself in each individual moment.

It is the feelings of the parent for the child
and the feelings of the child for the parent.
It is the tender excitement of the first kiss and
the ecstasy of the most passionate embrace.

For it a man willingly sacrifices his life
and a woman produces a new life.
It holds a heart captive forever
and sets the captive soul free.

Few indeed ever find it.
Only the smallest fragments of it
do most experience in this life.
It is rare and precious beyond measure.

Yet pure love exists
this we cannot deny,
lest by denying it we deny ourselves
of the very will to live.

For Love beyond understanding
is that which all who feel,
who have hearts within their souls,
seek for through all their life

And beyond, to the source.

Time
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 7-15-97

Mysterious as a womans smile
Time passes through my mind
In taking notice of time passing
Time passes, noticed

We strain at understanding time
While grasping it is simple
It eludes us completely
while we live surrounded by it

To what end does time pass by?
Will it end and if so, why?
Can we truly talk of time
or are we the expression of time?

And when all is said and done
The end has past and gone
When all thought goes no more on
Will time then cease?

And our time, how is it spent?
In pleasures and pains, in life and death
In contrasts wide, in sameness firm
In fear of all, in love of one.

Let us spend our time together
that it's passing may forever
bind our souls and hearts as one
lighting our minds with the joy

of eternal oneness.

Soaring Under
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 7-27-97
Graceless plodding steps I take
across the burning sand
Towards the world I ache
to enter, leaving behind the land.

Into the cooling deep blue sky
I wade, with stretched out wings
eager to soon again fly,
experiencing the joy it brings.

Filling full my hollow chest
With what I need from here
I plunge beneath a rising crest
Into a new sky clear.

With efforts useless on the earth
I dive and soar and glide
support like that before my birth
around on every side

Towards the ground I plummet
then swift as diving hawks
I turn back up and like a jet
speed away from the rocks.

Each delicate turn, each twist, each pause,
each loop de loop and whirl
I relish, I savor just because
my spirit it helps unfurl.

Memories so distant I cannot recall
From whence first they came
of soaring free of earths chain and ball
before I had this name.

Before this life my spirit did soar
through space fast and far and free
Now again I fly once more
surely this was meant to be

These elements combine for us
to form so much of life and light
into the water that we must
be as we seek the right.

I swim, I fly, I drink it in
water, a world all its own
where I can be washed from sin
and set on the course to home.

Soaring under the rippling blue
in body or spirit or all
I return to the surface anew
heeding the pull of lifes call.

Come fly with me my friend
into the waters so clear
that together, in the end
we can face eternity without fear.

Images of joy
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 5-30-97

Leaves shoot forth newness
Overwhelming gentle green
Visions of spring & butterflies
Everywhere to be seen

Yesterdays winter passes by
On to the season of sun & showers
Uplifting the soul with it's hidden powers

Infinity
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 5-30-97

Pleasure fills my heart
Blowing gentle waves
Of very soothing caresses
Where the mind and body join

When you touch my hand
When you gaze into my eyes
I feel uncommon closeness to
Forever

Too many toos
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 8-10-97

Was I too lonely?
Were you lonely too?
Are we too much alike
and liking it too?

Am I falling too fast,
too fast for you?
Are you too nervious
cause you're falling fast too?

Too many questions
Too many toos
All that doesn't matter
I've fallen for you

Bliss anticipated
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 8-10-97

The vows have been taken
Promises made
With loved ones celebrated
At beds foot we've prayed

Now is our time
The moment has come
Our passions to share
We move to be one

I touch you here
you touch me there
for a long silent moment
our breaths we share

The world disappears
as our beings we share
the universe moves
all creation does stare

All of our beings
all that we are
joins in a passion
that nothing could mar

So complete are we one
so totally joined
so intense is our passion
a new word must be coined

For none exist now
to describe how we feel
To express all these feelings
so total, so real

Breath comes again but
it so intereferes with
the continuation
of our cosmic bliss

How can we stop
while breath remains
while our hearts beat
and love reigns

Come again with me
as we each other explore
mutual bliss to create
that will last forever more

Connecting
- By Mark S Carney Sr - 12-7-97

When you think about
the purest love
Besides that which comes
from up above

As your mind goes inside
to search for love
And you think of connecting
like hand in glove

You'll remember the things
you value so much
Like the sound of a voice
or a scent or a touch

As you feel a strong tug
on the strings of your heart
tying you two together
never to part

You can feel your growing bond
take on a warm glow
That incredible connection
between you does flow

Then you close off your mind
to anyone else
To the point where you feel
like time itself melts

And you think ahead to a time
on some distant day
When you'll look back at now and
still feel the same way

And the more you think of it the more
you let your love abound
All you anticipated and wanted
you have finally found

Come now with me and open
your heart, your mind
And see yourself falling freely
to me as you find

All that you've dreamed of and
all that you need
Your heart carried home
on a thundering steed

Fire, your eyes and the skies
  - By Mark S Carney Sr - 12-26-97

We walk together
 on the beaches of the world
Our gaze turning upward
 to the vision sublime

Our souls connect
 as we walk in the sand
Heart joining to heart
 hand joining in hand

As the evening sky burns above
 I see the sunset flowing
into your eyes and
 I feel the warmth growing

I feel a tingling fire
 from the sunsetting skies
glow in my chest
 as I gaze into your eyes

And the warmth of our love
 takes on a glow
Spreading all through us
 from high to low

I see in your eyes
 a growing desire
to lie down with me
 beside a blazing fire

Letting the heat
 us penetrate
carrying us away
 to a higher state

I feel myself sinking deeper
 and losing control
Joining all with you
 Heart, mind, body and soul

Above us the sunset
 explodes in passion
As we, on the beach
 burst in similar fashion

As each wave of the ocean
 washes over you and I
the endlessness of our love
 brings out a whimpering sigh
 
 

Only on a rainy day
 (For Rachel)
  - By Mark S Carney Sr - 1-1-97

Why do we bemoan and cry
 as the darkest cloud passes over
When the thunder draws nie
and all seek quick for cover

Know you not that from the storm
many wondrous things appear
that as the tempest does form
it's gifts become more clear

First the rain is lit by bolts of light
a mighty, dancing, dazzling display
that make our eyes shine bright
turning for a moment, night into day

Then comes the rolling thunder down
and wave after wave of soaking
drenching all that is around
even through some shelter poking

The winds whirl around you wild
and threaten your world to devour
yet in facing the storm a child
can gather incredible power

For though the storm is terrifying
and monstrously fearful
yet you'll learn you are surviving
though frightened now and tearful

From the storm and cold cloudburst
in it's wake will follow sure
though perhaps slowly at first
sunshine warm, air made quite pure

Friends will gather round you
love and comfort they will bring
a rainbow gives a bright clue
of the beginning of a glorious spring

The waves of water left behind
will nourish the budding flowers
that lie dormant within your mind
that will give your heart new powers

To grow beyond this passing storm
and become better, stronger, new
a better, brighter world to form
beginning now with you

Complete and current as of 1-15-98