Masonic Poems

 MASONIC POETRY

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WHITE LEATHER APRON

by D.W. Clemnts

The white leather apron is more ancient by far
Then the eagles of Rome, a symbol of war,
Or the fleece of pure gold, by emperors given,
A rich decoration for which many have striven.
The Garter of England, an Order most rare,
Although highly prized, cannot with it compare;
It is an emblem of innocence, symboled in white,
And purity ever brings the greatest delight;
With pure thoughts and actions, how happy the life,

How care-free the conscience, unclouded by strife!

 I SEE YOU'VE TRAVELED SOME

Wherever you may chance to be
Wherever you may roam,
Far away in foreign lands;
Or just at Home Sweet Home.

It always gives you pleasure,
it makes your heart strings hum
Just to hear the words of cheer,
"I see you've traveled some."

When you get a brother's greeting,
And he takes you by the hand,
It thrills you with a feeling
that you cannot understand.

You feel that bond of brotherhood
that tie that's sure to come
When you hear him say in a friendly way
"I see you've traveled some."

And if you are a stranger,
In strange lands all alone
If fate has left you stranded
Dead broke and far from home.

It thrills you--makes you numb,
When he says with a grip
of fellowship,
"I see you've traveled some."

And when your final summons comes,
To take a last long trip,
Adorned with Lambskins Apron White
and gems of fellowship.

The tiler at the Golden Gate,
With square and rule and plumb
Will size up your pin and say "Walk In",
"I see you've traveled some."

SOLEMN STRIKES THE FUNERAL CHIMES

Solemn strikes the funeral chime!
Notes of our departing time,
As we journey here below,
On a pilgrimage of woe.

Brothers, now indulge a tear,
For mortality is here!
See how wide her trophies wave,
O'er the slumbers of the grave.

Here another guest we bring,
Seraphs of celestial wing,
To our funeral altar come,
Waft a friend and brother home.

Lord of all, below, above,
Fill our hearts with Truth and Love.
As dissolves our earthly tie,
Take us to Thy Lodge on High.

REMEMBER YOU'RE A MASON

When the pressures of recession
Make us concentrate on greed,
Take heed, a worthy Mason
Cares about another's needs;

Don't let pressures of the moment
Make your obligation sway,
Stop and help a fallen brother
Or another by the way;

What you give is like a bubble
Whenever you assist,
What it costs in time and trouble
Is, soon after, never missed;

Brother, bear that obligation
You accepted on your knee,
It's in direct relation
To your own security;

Never hesitate, my brother
Square your actions now and say,
"I'll remember I'm a Mason,
"And behave like that today;"

"With regard to human kindness
And the 'Golden Rule', I pray,
I'll remember I'm a Mason...
And behave like that today."

THE TROWEL

T is for the tools of the first three degrees
R for every rule as each brother agrees;

O is for the oath, in making all brothers true
W is for the work each one of us must do;

E is for the effort to answer every call
L stands for love...the most important thing of all;

These letters spell TROWEL, and as every brother knows;
It spreads love and friendship, wherever it goes.

THE POEM NO TIME

I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.

So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.

All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.

No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.

I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book;
It was the book of life.

God looked into his book and said
"Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down...
But never found the time"

TRUE BROTHERHOOD

I sought my soul,
But my soul I could not see.
I sought my God,
But my God eluded me.
I sought my brother,
And found all three.

READY FOR MY LAST DEGREE

An old man lay sick in the Masonic Home.
His face was as wan as the white sea foam.
His eyes were dim, his hair was gray.
His back was bent with the trials of the way.
He faltering spoke, but I heard him say,
I'm ready for my last degree.

I've come to the end of the level time
That leads us all to the Grand Lodge sublime
From whose borne none ever return.
More light in Masonry there I shall learn
By an Alter where light shall evermore shine.
I'm ready for my last degree.

With the Apprentice's gauge,
I've divided my time Into three equal parts since life's early prime.
And this I have found amidst life's turmoil.
My wages are due me, in Corn, Wine and Oil.
I'm ready for my last degree.

Each day from life's quarries, I've hewn a stone,
With the gavel I've shaped them, each one alone.
And shipped them along beyond that bright stand,
To build me a house in that great better land.
A spiritual house not made with hands.
I'm ready for my last degree.

I've squared each stone by the virtue square,
And plumbed them all true, as I shipped them there.
With the compass I've measured the Master's designs
And kept within due bounds, with his points and his signs.
My blue prints are folded; I've answered his signs.
I'm ready for my last degree.

The Mortar I've made, from friendship and love,
To be spread with the Master's trowel up above.
My apron is worn, but its surface is white.
My working tools now will be cold and quiet.
My Trestle Board's bare, and I'm going tonight.
I'm ready for my last degree.

A few moments later, the old man was dead.

And I fancy that I could see his soul as it fled,
Upward and onward, to the great door,
Where he gave an alarm, and a voice did implore.
The old man gave his answer with these words once more,
I'm ready for my last degree.

That night in a lodge, free from all strife and storm,
He took that degree his last in due form.
So may I live like he did; to build day by day,
A spiritual house, in that land far away.
So I, when I meet my Grand Master I can say,
I'm ready for my last degree.

THE FAITHFUL FEW

When the Master calls to order
And you look about the room
You're sure to see some faces
That from the shadows loom;

They are always at the meetings
And Stay ‘till they are through;
The ones that I would mention
Are the Always Faithful Few

They fill the vacant offices
As they are always on the spot,
No matter what the weather
Though it may be awful hot.

It may be dark and rainy,
But they are tried and true;
The ones that you rely on
Are the Always Faithful Few.

There are may worthy members
Who will come when in the mood,
When everything's convenient
They can do the Craft much good;

They have knelt around our altar
And are necessary, too;
But the ones who never fail us
Are the Always Faithful Few.

If it were not for these Brothers
Who put their shoulders to the wheel,
And keep our Lodges moving forward
So their light they may reveal,

The Craft could never flourish,
Its work it could not do,
It would shrink and slowly perish
But for these Faithful Few.

HOW SHALL I HONOR MASONRY?

IF Providence your lot hath blest,
In peace and affluence to rest,Let not your mind contracted be,
Nor scorn the abodes of poverty.

When you behold in abject state,
A brother crushed by fortune's fate,
Lend him your aid, his wants to free,
And you shall honor Masonry.

When o'er the list of human woes,
You find the tear of grief overflows,
The widow's moan, the orphan's sigh,
Your help shall honor Masonry.

Where discord reigns with direful sway,
The balm of reasoning there display;
Show to the world a conscience free,
And you shall honor Masonry.

Your time shall pass serenely on -
While conscience dictates, right is done:
Your hoary locks shall honored be,
If you've regarded Masonry.

When life's tempestuous scenes are o'er,
And nature's calls require no more,
In heaven you'll take your last degree,
If you have honored Masonry.

THE LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE,
THE LITTLE WHITE CHURCH,
AND THE LITTLE BLUE LODGE

In the little community
Where I grew as a lad,
I learned many important lessons
As I followed my Grand-dad

To the little red school house
We would walk all the way,
Leaving early in the morning
Before the break of day.

To the little white church on Sunday
Our family always went,
Listening to the gospel,
That was Heaven sent.

Grand-dad would go to the little Blue Lodge
On a moon lit night,
Even in the winter snow;
To meet with Brethren was his delight.

My Grand-dad wore an apron.
He brought it home one night,
He got it from the little Blue Lodge
It was square and it was white.

To him it was a badge of sorts
The lambskin white and pure,
He wore it with much pleasure
And honor to be sure.

Many years had come and gone
And I reached age twenty one,
I knocked on the little Blue Lodge door
As my Grand-dad had done.

Meeting on the level
And parting on the square,
Enjoying great fellowship
With all the Brothers there.

There are many lessons to be learned

As we travel the pathway of life,
But none are more important
Than those that shed more light.

The School, the Church and the little Blue Lodge
All have their place on stage,
While striving for perfection
Until the Master shall turn the page

COME ON IN

I joined the Masons their secrets to seek
My nose got the better of me and I had to have a peek
I knew someone who was" high up" a Past Master was he
I asked him "Could I join?" all he said was, "Well, I'll see."

A few weeks later, while enjoying a drink he handed me a form
"Read this first then fill it in." Apparently this is the norm.
He answered all my questions then told me about the entrance fee.
Then he said, "There's someone else here that you also need to see."

Then from behind there came a voice "So you want to join the Craft"
I swung around and saw my old mate, suddenly I felt quite daft
"I've been a Mason for many a year, I always thought you knew
Now I'll second your proposal because I think you can become one too."

As time went past my degrees I gained and a lot of things I learned
Each Degree had questions, never easy, each one had to be earned.
Lot's of help along the way was given without a thought
My problem was trying to remember all that I had been taught

Ever since that first step I've been a different man
I've tried to be a better person where and whenever I can.
The lessons that I learned in each different Degree
Are imprinted in my mind and will always be of great importance to me.

A lot of years have now passed; I've even been through the chair
I've joined some other orders and made even more friends there.
My face is more wrinkled and my hair has gone quite thin.
But I'll always be a Mason and encourage others to Come Join In.

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AND GOD WILL DO THE REST

I asked the Lord to bless you
As I prayed for you today
To guide you and protect you
As you go along your way....

His love is always with you
His promises are true,
And when we give Him all our cares
You know He will see us through.

So when the road you're traveling on
Seems difficult at best
Just remember I'm here praying
And God will do the rest.