In a timeless sense that somehow conspires, A show of barbarians rising turned up to inspire. Telling stories about almost heartless empires, With moral convictions that are as hot as fire.
A sharp whip cracked on Boudica's royal skin As if trying to save her people was a Roman sin. A queen and her daughters were exposed to unjust might, The Eagle claws at her honor on a blood-stained night.
Rising high like a fire into that night's sky, The Queen of the Iceni was too proud to cry. The scars of whips and cruelty cannot chain A people from rising up to break Rome's reign.
Freedom and death spin on the chariot's wheel, The warriors fight, and the Druids heal. Queen Boudica wished for freedom's dignity It could only be found if Rome chose to flee.
When Celtic blood wakes, it will not sleep. In the sacred groves, war drums reverberate deep. Andraste's priests die in a whisper of doom, It's as if the ancient oaks chose to conspire.
Rising high like a fire into that night's sky, The Queen of the Iceni was too proud to cry. The scars of whips and cruelty cannot chain A people from rising up to break Rome's reign.
The boom of remorse spread like thunder had decided That the Celtic Britons would fight united. War cries were swallowed by the day's fading light, Thousands would die that tear-filled, unholy night.
Swords swung, spears flew, river surged of blood, As the Iceni and Roman bodies lay on the stained mud. Eyes like ravens looked sharply into the fateful night, It would be freedom or death and death it was that night.
Rising high like a fire into that night's sky, The Queen of the Iceni was too proud to cry. The scars of whips and cruelty cannot chain A people from rising up to break Rome's reign.
However righteous, there are some battles not to be won. Some brave dances with death's cruelty can't be undone. The drumbeat falters, and the rhythm itself breaks, The souls of Britannia are born for freedom or to ache.
With a last breath, a mother urges her child to run, That battle was over almost as soon as it was begun. Listen closely, though, and hear that the drumbeat never dies. It can still be heard under the East Anglican skies.
Rising high like a fire into that night's sky, The Queen of the Iceni was too proud to cry. The scars of whips and cruelty cannot chain A people from rising up to break Rome's reign.
(c) January 22, 2026 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
We live in a dual age filled with creativity. But it is also an age of reactivity. The outcome so much depends on our energy, As we take every thought into our captivity.
The Lord commands us to push away negativity. We are to give these over to Jesus immediately. In spiritual warfare, our armor is worn reflexively, Be the need to do so offensively or defensively.
The mighty name of Jesus Speaks to us with majesty As the Holy Sprit whispers With the Kingdom's authority.
We are living in and through an age of anxiety. It is a time filled with much complexity. Worry and fear are vexatious to our living souls. It feels as if it is out of our control.
We forget the sacrifice at Calvary Gave us all our fullest atonement. It meant everything for you and me. All toward our good contentment.
At those times we are overwhelmed and feelings rush, It can cause feelings of overwhelm and be too much. At times like these, we must pray for calm and trust. It isn't a mild suggestion, but truly we must.
With prayerful supplication we offer our petition To the Holy One who well knows our very position. Casting our concerns on the one we know to care, Then we rely on our knowledge that He will be fair.
There is a fullness in our holy God. It comes to deliver us and to save. His will pulled my sinful self For my otherwise well-deserved grave.
When we find ourselves feeling downcast, And are sure we are twenty years before a mast, We turn to embrace the rightful attitude, And we know that we owe our Father rightful gratitude.
We keep our eyes peeled for signs of blessing, And we know this is more than second guessing. If our Lord is for us, who of consequence can be against? Let's not sit on the proverbial fence.
We know that there is no one who compares In the righteousness that He has been given. The life He gives us is right righteous and fair. To start with we owe to Him that we are forgiven.
To worry about the what ifs of life leads to sorrow. We are to live today, and leave alone our tomorrow. Any seeds of worry should be turned into worship. We know better and to trust in our holy relationship.
In Christ, there is no longer any shame of condemnation. He is our redeemer and the essence of our explanation. The faithfulness of Jesus helps us resist the temptation To shed His acceptance and keep His love in our contemplation.
Love has replaced pride in a world that can be demanding. In our conversion, we've learned to not lean on understanding, But instead in the meekness of confessed humility, We learn our imperfections are the path of all humanity.
And even now as we struggle forward, we stumble and hesitate Taking the scripture into our hears as we meditate. Here in our prayers we find our way to know encouragement, And through this we have found another layer of discernment.
(c) January 21, 2026 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
“Go, therefore, to meet the foe with two objects before you, either victory or death. For men animated by such a spirit must always overcome their adversaries, since they go into battle ready to throw away their lives.” – Scipio Africanus
In a complete break from understanding, Far Left critics feel they must keep demanding All the details down to the minuscule That will allow common sense to face its ridicule.
The protest is that there is nothing spiritual That could ever prove even near capable Of being of any use in trusting our hearts to health. It's a role reversal that has no need for stealth.
In the Sixties, it was the Left who talked spirituality As being that something extra with astute ability To bring healing to the sick and mending into life But now, out of a headstrong love for constant strife
Now they choose to talk about a salad bar approach. It's as if they think interconnections might encroach, That is, at least, if it's in the slightest disagreement With the Left's unspoken sense of covenant.
Though I, myself, rely on more conventional institutions, Why do feminists suddenly get rabid about female intuition? Self-realization and waking divinity are lacking for me, Who am I or anyone to say there may not be some utility?
It seems to be that most of the Left spoke of wellness, As if it were something certain and that we could feel this. I'm unsure of what to make of the Left's new form of pessimism. To be completely honest, I believe in individualism.
It strikes me as odd to hear the Left speak ill of slowing down, And God forbid if you listen to heart intelligence, as if a clown. It seems the pantheon of articles published pooh-pooh all of this. If it's not mainstream or Trumpian, it's something to dismiss.
It's not for me, but the author that I have just read Puts down all that she has previously advocated and said. The reason she cannot deny is that Trump is for it. With faulty reasoning like that, what can I do but adore it?
(c) January 20, 2026 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” – Thomas Paine
“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives, the cumulative experience of many masters of craftsmanship. Quality also marks the search for an ideal after necessity has been satisfied and mere usefulness achieved.” – John Ruskin
Looking out on the Milky Way's tapestry Makes me wonder about life's mystery. Who are we and how did we get here? And what is it about life we should revere?
An unknown God out of nowhere created the universe, We know this by way of many a repeated Bible verse. That is what we say among the other ways, So much was created in the best of only seven days.
Among God's many pauses at creation Were the land and the sea, and so much of the imagination. But the crowning achievement was humanity, So the Bible tells us, or was that just our vanity?
Almost inevitably, we hiccupped into something sad, When Adam and Eve disappointed their heavenly dad. Given life in the Garden, they just had to loot, Everything they wanted, even the forbidden fruit.
The secrets of morality were wrapped in something beautiful. Beautiful and edible, in a temptation somehow too wonderful, To pass up and since that bite mankind fell for sin, As we would over and over again, tempting moments over again.
Moses acted the part of a social influencer by his zealous heart, Coming down heavy with tablets of commanded laws for our start. As a forewarning, mankind's lot was not to be one of hedonism, And from this, we learned that we aren't to fall into any -ism.
So it was that it was set out for all of us human fools. All we had to do was be faithful and follow a few hundred rules. If we played this tight, everything was meant to set us right. The end of life would become a tunnel ending in His holy light...
.. Wait,... that's not it, right?
(c) January 19, 20206 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
Heading out of Australia to escape this Aussie winter. First stop Japan, then UK/Ireland and if work doesn't call me back, onto Chicago. I will make it up as I go along
ALOHA PROMISES FOREVER 