Verse to boost charity

Now, more than 49 years later, the writer, of Wroughton, has had his work published to raise cash for MIND, the mental health charity based in Swindon.

After he had first written the poem Bert, who will be 83 in May, received a letter from Sir John Betjeman. The former poet laureate wrote: “I think the last lines of your poem explain the whole thing: ‘That fear and strife will cease forever in the souls of those whose belief extends to let the God of love control their minds.’”

Bert sent the poet a copy purely to get his opinion.

“I thought he was a poet and wondered what he thought of it, as I had never written a poem before and I have never written any since,” he said.

“But I thought I would get it published before I die so, as the poem is called The Mind Regained, I wanted to give the money to a charity that was appropriate which is why it all came together with MIND.”

In 1972 Bert became the minister of the United Reformed Church, in Avebury. He retired in 1998 but still takes services at the chapel twice a month.

He also takes communion services at Central Church in the Pilgrim Centre, in Regent Circus.

The grandfather of three and great-grandfather of two, believes that his poem says different things to different people and everyone reads something into it for themselves.

The Mind Regained costs £2 and is available from MIND on 01793 432031.

The Mind Regained by H W Jones I thought, and within my mind Beheld a large and spacious room, Wherein on four chairs sat Knowledge, Argument-For, Argument-Against and Courage.

Along the shelves lay many books Unopened, yet to give the means To search for Wisdom and for Truth.

This quest must never cease.

Freedom stood on ceaseless watch Within these walls to guard The Spirit of the mind Against intrusion from without.

Forces of Good and Evil Inside this room did include, To control the thoughts of those Seeking Truth within the mind.

Courage We are here gathered To seek the truth from argument, Knowledge to give us facts gleaned From understanding heard and seen, Since the time wherein we lay Conceived and brought to light of day.

Little Knowledge gained in that dark room Seemingly enclosed inside a tomb, But since has grown to tower Above us like a giant To fill the room with his might Wherein would seem The great God omnipotent Is but a dream Argument-For This giant within our midst Has made our senses reel, By his strength he does impart To our poor feeble heart, That within his grasp he holds The secret of all mystery.

Is knowledge the only key That Wisdom will impart, To those who Truth would find, Deep in the recess of the mind, Or is the secret held By others, who unseen In this room dwell?

Knowledge All knowledge comes to me Though some still a mystery, The quest to seek and find must be The purpose of my life.

Facts can only by the guide, Where thoughts may be controlled.

To seek, to find, within the mind Unknown beings, who, with us here Dwell in secret, and control Our thoughts, to dominate the mind Is foolish superstition.

Our pious hopes, and hellish fears Were bred in ignorance and tears When men could little understand The universe around him.

But knowledge gives the key The human race to free From gods and devils incarnate Who would delay the rate Of human evolution.

Argument-Against The day will come when man can see That Knowledge has set them free From pain and sorrow, Toil and strife Everything, that in this life Causes men to fight, and ever be In enmity and misery.

Our mother’s tears, our children’s cries Will no longer dim our eyes Unnecessarily.

A God who rules on high, Who created all the earth And sent His Son to set men free To reign with Him eternally Can never be proved.

Argument-For Behind folk lore and spirits seen By primitive tribes whenere they dream Of gods below and gods above Gods of temples, gods of plains Stars and suns and tempest deep Rivers fast and mountains high Running brook and idols make The kneel, to worship, sacrifice Young lives before these gods They create Within the love or hatred Of their minds, is one God, Who it has been told, By ancients (who have lived Their lives in sacrificial love In close obedience to one call Of high endeavour) that this God, Who with us swells unseen Is omnipotent and controls All human destiny.

To those who listened He would speak the truth, Unknown to those who seek To make His Creation Serve their lusts.

Those who heard He taught them to obey His voice, At His command they would arise, Illumine their minds from beyond the skies, And learning there, at one impart To those of purer hearts The secret of His deity.

These truths of old have been The strength of generations.

Knowledge in this age may be A god whom men would serve and see New wonders here on earth.

Men can reach the stars on high, Gird the earth with voices, Search the oceans far and deep, Unlock the door of power untold, Till men no more need see Starvation and misery.

Yet fear causes men to fight, And ever be, in hatred of their brother.

Knowledge for these ends will be A misuse of the gifts God gives to men.

Until they learn to find The moral law within the mind That our fathers heard and taught Their sons, our race will go on In uncertainty and wrong Until the day will come When darkness will descent O’er all the earth.

Argument-Against We may pine within the mind To find the moral law, Yet others seek and do claim The truth to hold Within the fold of their religion; Buddhists may like to sit and pray To different deities every day, Muslims in the Koran find Laws, to give them peace of mind.

Religions here have always been, The means of explaining the unseen Forces of nature.

To rid the mind of these And other superstitions Is our aim.

Knowledge We have gained since time began, Understanding of the plan, Behind the laws of nature, The range of knowledge stored In books of countless number, Can never be retained By one mind Yet power of untold might Gives men the means To tame these laws of nature.

Its secrets can be found, By search without ceasing, To serve the cause of man.

Knowledge in the world will grow, To seek, to probe, Until we know, The secret of life itself.

Argument-For A power of greater force Than life itself, Can dwell within the mind, This power can be, Eternity, And is given to set men free From all that in this life may be The source of their afflictions.

A man once lived in Galilee Who claimed to be The Son of a Father God; He taught and healed The sick in mind, Until evil sought To take away His life.

On a cross He died His friends they fled, Hiding in fear of death, Until, face to face They saw their risen Lord, These same Apostles became Fearless, and in His name Spread the Christian Gospel.

Jewish hate, and Roman might Before this mighty force took flight, Its glorious light, Penetrating the darkest night That encompassed the earth Through Him, this power Can overcome us here, And make us one with Him.

Argument-Against If this is true, how can it be, That starvation and misery, Flood, pestilence, and woe, War, earthquake, and fear, Still rule on earth?

This Light with its beam Has not seen fit to gleam Into these dark corners Of earth.

This Christ of whom you speak, Is not all powerful For us to seek To serve Him, Let us reason, brothers here, Without the fear Of religion, and superstition.

Courage The argument grown, And, knowledge must show, Without favour or fear, That reason is sound, For Truth is to be found In the risen Lord.

The empty tomb, with Roman guards, The witness of the Saints, The living Church Whose people met, To listen to the Word, Have ever been the instrument That plays the works of God.

Argument-For Let doubting cease, And fears recede, From out this darkened mind The brighter light of Love shines in, With greater might Than all our selfish fears Can overcome.

The God of Peace would lead Our minds through garden fair, Where we, hand in hand, Could walk perpetually In harmony.

Let striving cease, From our discordant mind, For joy and love, Wisdom and trust, Can make us dwell with Him, Here on earth When darkness gathers round, From all the sins of man, We will find the peace of mind The world is ever seeking.

Widowed mother, orphaned child, Saint and sinner, Rich or poor, Can find from within The Kingdom of our God; Where pain and sorrow, Fear and strife, Will cease for ever In the souls of those Whose belief extends To let the God of Love Control their minds.