Hoyte E. Nelson

Slidell, Louisiana

Pastor Emeritus, First Baptist Church, Slidell, La.; WWII Veteran, Army Air Force; Family: wife Jean, we have five children, fifteen grandchildren; One book of poetry (given to "Youth Scholarship Fund"); Special interests: Reading History, Writing, Gardening, and Sharing my Faith in Jesus Christ.; Prayer Ministry; Hobby: Rebuilding old spring-driven Phonographs; Recreation: Golf; Amateur Radio "Ham" Extra Class AA5YP

The Raging Billows

History's full of war and conflict
With no sight of true release;
Who among us has the answer,
Restless mortals, is there no peace?

Conflicts, like the raging billows
Rolling waves upon the seas,
Full of fear and perturbation,
Full of pain and misery.

Conflicts rage upon the oceans
Waving billows tossing high;
Furious rage and trepidations,
Needlessly, men have to die.

So is man lost in the crimson
Tides that beat upon the shore;
Hoping, restless for an answer
With death knocking at the door.

Cloud-capt towers above the mountains
Rolling billows and raging foam;
Lost at sea without a compass
Lonely nights and dreams of home.

Count the cost in human sufferings,
The best and noble, so sacrificed;
To please the ego to some Tyrant
Like the rolling of the dice.

Gleaning The Corners Lev.19:9

Thou shalt not glean the corners
When the harvest field abound;
Nor strip the grapes from off the vines
So food cannot be found.

That hungry soul that's passing by
With mother and child;
Will feed upon god's blessing
And stop and rest awhile.

And somewhere down the road of life;
That child remembers when
They stopped along your pathway;
It was God's "feeding bin."

And so it was along the way
When you were sick and sore;
God looked down on the gleaning
And opened heaven's door.