The Wishmaster

I am the Wishmaster.
What do you wish for?

This is my purpose, why I'm alive:
To go about making your smallest dream thrive.
If you are dreamless, you'll dream again
For I can perceive there's a dream in all men.

I am the Wishmaster.
What do you wish for?

Yes, I can see it--re-live the past.
You wish to hold onto a time that can't last.
I'll catch that moment, it won't take long
I'll write it or paint it or put it in song.

I am the Wishmaster.
What do you wish for?

Is there an object which you desire?
Then here is my money as fuel for your fire.
Music, books, movies, even a toy--
I'll do all I can to ensure you feel joy.

But then, after my day's work is done,
I find myself in my room at night, alone.
Though I've spent all day granting wishes,
The one wish I can't grant is my own.

There, in my silent isolation,
I pull out a box that's hidden from view.
Inside, like broken glass, are fragments:
Shattered dreams that never came true.

I keep each piece with delicate care
For though ruined, these dreams are my soul
Each shard has a story, is part of me,
Each little ambition, each little goal.

If only these pieces could reunite
And these broken dreams be repaired!
Such is my wish, but no one grants it.
No one has seen it. No one has cared.

I am the Wishmaster.
What do you wish for?

The Flaxen Cord

You can hardly tells it's there,
It's such a little thread.
But wrapped around a hundred times,
It soon will leave you dead.
Break it quick and it will snap
Quite easily, you'll find.
But let it wrap around your neck
And you'll be in a bind.
In panic you discover
In truth, all is not well.
You've hanged yourself with Satan's lies
And sent yourself to Hell.

Paul

From the time when I was young
A desire burned within
To always be obedient
And never, ever sin.

Eagerly I drank the truth
Wherever it was found
Until I thought that I was better
Than everyone around.

I'm sad to say I let my pride
Raise me higher than the rest.
I rashly judged and scorned good men
Since I thought I was best.

A fool I was to think these things!
For while doing these sad acts,
He whom I thought I was serving
Did stop me in my tracks.

Oh, what guilt! The bitter shame
I felt in that dark hour!
But Jesus showed His love for me
And healed me with His power.

I swore that day to serve my Lord.
To Him my life I'd give.
But this time I would teach His way
And live as He would live.

But still I had my weakness:
In my flesh there was a spine.
This thorn hurt and made me stumble.
I wished it wasn't mine.

I implored the Lord three times
To take this thorn away.
But then I heard the Spirit whisper
This weakness had to stay.

To keep me from becoming prideful,
Which ruined me before,
This weakness had been given me
To humble me some more.

It broke my heart to hear this news.
I want to do what's right!
Then the Lord wrapped me in comfort,
Embracing me in light.

"Your weakness can become a strength
By virtue of my grace.
Through me you can overcome it
And again behold my face."

His grace! His loving grace
That saved me in the past!
Although all else should pass away
His mercy still would last!

This revelation brought me hope
And I ceased to make complaints.
Inspired by the Savior's love,
I wrote to all the saints.

I told them that they must have faith
Or their works would come to nought.
I emphasized the Savior's grace
To everyone I taught.

And so I finished out my course
Through the power of God's Son.
And now I go to meet my Lord.
I fought the fight and won.

Ode to Higher Education

Soon I'll walk across the stage
And my time here will be through.
Dear college, here I write an ode
To try describing you:

Thief! Hypocrite!
Disgrace to all who yearn
To have their minds enlightened.
Through you, what will we learn?

You tell us that we are required
To learn science, math, and art.
But you don't try to teach your students,
You weed them out before they start!

Did we not come here to learn?
Do we not pay thousands yearly?
Why then try to make us fail?
You've hurt your cause quite dearly.

You lay on us a heavy load
"It's three credits!" you proclaim
So instead of learning what we should
We play the hoop-jump game.

If all I wanted was to learn
To jump through hoops so small
Then I would have just joined the circus
And not bothered you at all!

And did I want to read the filth
You classified as art?
You degraded me in mind!
You polluted me in heart!

I hate it when you laugh and mock
Those not as smart as you.
Stop laughing! Start teaching!
That's what you're meant to do!

Thank goodness for the precious few
Who taught because they cared.
I must admit I'll miss each one
And the lessons that they shared.

As for the rest, goodbye!
I wish you could return
The time and funds I wasted
While I had hoped to learn.

The Temple Walls

When we heard the revelation
We were eager to begin
To build a temple for our God,
A place to worship in.

I was called to cut through stone,
Giving all my strength and sweat.
We sacrificed our greatest goods
Although we were in debt.

But as the walls began to form
And I saw the temple's height,
I thought there must be some mistake
Because to me it wasn't right.

Now, don't think I'm complaining,
I just don't understand
Why, if we're in poverty,
Must the temple be so grand?

I never questioned this aloud,
But kept working in the heat
And built those massive temple walls
'Til the building was complete.

I went to the dedication
Within those walls so high
And as I looked up at the ceiling
Again I wondered why.

Then suddenly I felt a wind
That set me on my feet.
And as I sang the hymns of Zion
I heard a sound so sweet.

The angels joined us in our praise!
Though I didn't see a thing,
I could feel them all around me
Singing to our King!

Then instantly I knew the answer
Why there was so much space.
We needed room for all the angels
To join us in this place.

It was only then I realized
How much this place was worth.
This was truly God's own House,
A heaven here on earth.

When I now think of those walls
Which I once thought so absurd
I always think of their true purpose
And the angels that I heard.

Waiting

The preacher's words burned deep inside
As I listened to each sound.
He taught that families are eternal.
I rejoiced in what I found.

I rushed up to the men from God
And asked what I must do
To have this gift they promised me,
For I believed their words were true.

"You must be baptized," said the men,
"And receive the Holy Ghost.
We'll then seal you eternally
To the ones you love the most."

My spirits fell, I shed a tear,
For this gift could not be mine.
I could never be baptized.
I died in 1469.

"But there is hope," they said to me,
"If you believe our words are true.
In the temple, down on earth,
They can do this work for you."

With tears of joy I searched the earth
For a descendent who would go
To the temple with my name.
How my gratitude would show!

But I could not find anyone
Who would give some time for me.
They were so busy with their lives
That they couldn't hear my plea.

They used their cars to drive around
When on-line, they played a game.
But they would not drive to the temple,
Nor try to find my name.

Oh, mortal children, don't you know
How those things don't matter here?
I'm all alone and wait for you
To unite my family dear.

Summertime Youth

I wake in the morning to see the sunlight
Greeting me warmly on my still sleepy face.
I yawn and think of the things I'll do today.
Then I jump out of bed and race
To get dressed. There's so much to do!
Before I go outside my mom wants to read
The scriptures with us and sing some songs.
Then I'm out! The first thing that I need
To do is find the genie's magic lamp,
Stolen and hidden by thieves long ago.
My imagination takes me to Neverland,
Then Narnia, meanwhile defeating every foe.
After lunch my friend across the street
Comes to play. We try to reach the sky
While swinging on her swingset.
Then we count to three and jump and fly.
Later we run through the sprinkler.
I feel the cool water prick my warm skin
And stop only to hear the ice cream truck.
Then I run through the sprinkler again.
When my friend goes home I go inside.
"Mom, can I have a popsicle?" "Please?"
She reminds me. I reach into the cold freezer
Then I walk back outside where the bees
Are humming in the bright flowerbeds.
I grab my Legos left on the lawn
And place them in that miniature jungle -
Of course, once the bees are gone.
After dinner I grip the rubber handle
Of a baseball bat, with my dad two yards away.
He never lets me strike out. I run!
Baseball is such a fun game to play!
Later my siblings and I all play tag.
My brother's the best. He always wins.
TV tag, freeze tag, or just Hide 'n' Seek.
I count twenty, then the seeking begins.
We play until twilight brings the stars.
Venus is the first to take its normal place
In the sky. As I gaze at the stars I dream
Of one day being an astronaut in space.
With my dad at home, we read again
From the scriptures. I always choose
To sit where I can read the last verse.
It's a game I rarely lose.
When we get to bed my brother whispers,
"Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours."
"Ok!" I take of my shirt. He does the same.
Then across his back my hand soars.
When it's my turn, I feel his hand glide
Across my cool skin. Lying there, it seems
I'm soaring on the cool night's breeze.
I feel content. Just like in my dreams.
As I get back in my bed my mind is filled
With the things I want to do and play.
Ah! Summer! I love being young!
And tomorrow's a brand new day...