The Assailants of Love

Oh gleaming city so pearly white

Your walls reflect the morning light

The gulls cry over your eastern shores

As all men walk through your open doors

You refuse none who would enter in

Bringing rest and respite to weary kin

That none under your banner should fall

Into a world which takes away all

Lanterns fill your starlit sky

Bringing peace to all nearby

Whilst laughter fills your evening air

Lifting men’s heavy burdens and cares

Upon your ramparts I stood, and watched

The joy and innocence of your thoughts

But as the years passed, by and by,

A darkness filled the western sky

Your assailants, they came pouring in

And crushed your fields under feet so grim

With evil intent and calculated plots-

To crush your walls they everyday sought

You closed your gates to bar the waves

Of hatred and malice and evil ways

And with your gleaming walls so white

You resisted all their open plights

But secretly, they tunneled through

And spread lies about the truth of you

A tangle of webs they maliciously made

To wrap your heart into a cage

Lust and envy so desperately sought

To fill your mind with needless want

Fear tortured you and made you doubt

That from your prison you would get out

They whispered lies so cunning and cruel

But by the Sun your light held through

Till Insecurity tried to cloud your thoughts

And in your mind defeat was wrought

Then hatred – it did bring the rain

To rust the locks which held your gates

And in despair you called yourself “fool”

For there was nothing you could do

The battle seemed lost – your gates worn thin

I cried as your assailants closed in

And as the deepest darkness came

Silence seemed to open like a grave

But then a glimmer did catch my eyes

For in the east the sun did rise

And glisten off a man in white

Who called out against the assailant’s fight

He charged at them with banners raised

While light poured in upon His face

He crushed your assailants underfoot

And from your heart He tore their roots

Open wide He flung your gates

So all may enter by His grace

Into your city – Now bright as day

Welcome now for all to stay