153 Fish: And Other Jesus Poems

By Frank Prinzi

It is the Lord!

When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish that you have just caught. So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. Now none of the disciples dared ask him, Who are you? They knew it was the Lord.
John 21:9-12
(ESV)

Our Father in heaven has put eternity into the hearts of all human beings. We are made to think deeply and hard work is our reward.

There are certain things that prosaic language cannot express, and certain places where poetry acts as a zealous guide in our eternal longing and search.

153 fish is intended to point to the One for whom the entire universe awaits with a groaning too deep for wordsthe Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

153 fishpoetry to refresh, remind, and revive; an enrichment to your devotional time.
to Him be glory forever.

Frank Prinzi is a sinner saved by the merciful grace of God, through the redemption found only in Christ Jesus. He is a high school English teacher in Western New York where he resides with his lovely wife Linda and daughter Isabel Ann. Frank also teaches the adult Sunday school class at church.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jun 10, 2013
• ISBN: 9781449795627

Frank Prinzi

Frank Prinzi is a sinner saved by the merciful grace of God, through the redemption found only in Christ Jesus. He is a high school English teacher in a rural town located in western New York, where he resides with his lovely wife, Linda, and daughter, Isabel Ann. Frank also teaches the adult Sunday school class at church.

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Copyright © 2013 Frank Prinzi

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible. All rights reserved. New King James Version, copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982, 1997 Thomas Nelson, Inc. English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2008 Crossway Bibles.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

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The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Cover design and layout: Linda Prinzi

Certain stock imagery © Shutterstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4497-9561-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-9563-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4497-9562-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013909091

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/11/2014

CONTENTS

Acknowledgment

p o e m s

now until now

telling to the generation

this vessel Yours

one too is three

awe full majesty

speak peace

zeal of fire

as Christ mercy

by a tree

fumbled time

grace to mercy move

who without claws

satisfied from above

lyric tire away

to the knee

arrows

unbounded now

the ticking march

fire unquenchable

incarnadine

great deep

make glad

tender breach

we too once

gift of dawning

and God nothing

wholly

martyr internal

does perish

laugh so

remain in

with singing

love content

facade alluring

deliberately yield

being played

3:41 a.m.

feigning lips

house we are

if indeed you

perish in the way

forgive me if

cities founding

Who fills

knee and tongue

3 2 lips

immanent perfection

after the fear

because He

produce

ever the Lord

broken too

but we see Him

after these things

wreath imperishable

golden jar

not an ebb

permit even this

keep silence

white stone

phases

a ruin

abundant redemption

7 of Tozer

silence scoots

dark continent

was night

even You

winter sand

no goodbye

aceldema

and you are Christ’s

mystery whispers

bethlehem calvary pentecost

broken spine

brow

complete in Him

darkness listen

decay

enchantment

every mountain Jesus

five smooth stones

for Him now

four branches heard

one two turn to

ground birds

heap of witness

instrument

lilly and sparrow

my stay

one part harmony

every here is where

only by

only dance

in knowing Him

silence art

so much

feckless entrance

stillness distracts

tempus edax rerum

tender One too

three bales

above the birds

by your patience

trembling

unseen reality

upward reaching

will find watching

anchorite’s bell

ballot

earliness in the wind

know where to sit

quickening

springs all things

the rocking chair where

waters decide

153 fish

For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:6

(NKJV)

While you were napping in the humid thickness of a summer filled with bumps, I sat in the basement writing poems to Him for you. All things are by the Lord’s giving. I came upstairs when I heard you crying.

with Linda my love

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us …

We know nothing like the divine holiness. It stands apart, unique, unapproachable, incomprehensible, and unattainable. The natural man is blind to it.

He may fear God’s power and admire His wisdom, but His holiness he cannot even imagine.

A. W. Tozer

(1897-1963)

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Jesus is God

now until now

†

moment of closeness in time and not

shower of near distance to view

how keenly revealed His Way in the plot

each moment eternity now found anew

past remains frozen in memory’s thin suit

once was so vibrant now grays in decline

future unknown falsely lures a deep root

this moment does cradle forever defined

neither waxing nor waning how gallant time stands

what was and what will now forcibly bows

where the hourglass narrows there opens God’s hand

everlastingly showing the now until now

resolution undaunted this second just passed

one to another in glory Christ stands

His coming makes now never slow or too fast

moments invincible each grain of time’s sand

the Father blasphemed in the rush of to do

in activity places events where we bow

entertainment the idol appearing so true

struck dumb by the Savior from now until now

telling to the generation

†

recognize in each creature incipient death

fog’s hand fast approaches seeming to grope

over hills rolling to choke precious breath

for hanging we are given just enough rope

what tide and what times do lave mankind’s heart

self forges a path on the surface drawn as noble

yet from our Creator we grow ever apart

futilely clinging for community in all that is global

for our something is more than a sphere growing green

than a place where a love is not founded in Christ Jesus

the eyes of the world leave all that matters unseen

redemption through Him is the only truth that pleases

be careful your bricks ever higher you place

sealed with the mortar of man’s praises you yearn

the story to tell ever seen in His face

to witness with Jesus a new longing will burn

yet unborn a generation next to follow

we conceal not the exaltation of the Lord

what the world sings at best