Umbra

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.  2 Timothy 4:3-4

Desire to know and understand needs no apology
big eyes look to mystic things and itching ears keep searching
by reading stars with charts and codes and numerology
potent snakes await by night to snare the one whose lurching.

Disguised as blazing angels, they will keep you seeing red
hypnotizing venom sucks the life out of tomorrow,
eclipsed by outer darkness valid questions go unsaid.

Ambushed soul becomes entrenched in discontent and sorrow
so deep into deception now the serpent makes your bed
who are you but one poor soul now hidden in the shadow?

The search for Truth will satisfy your curiosity
peace and grace for restless minds; the dragon He will trample,
abide in God, be strong in Christ, the devil he must flee,
step among the Light of Hope whose Love is always ample.

Poetry Type: Sonnet (Written as a “Stress Checkerboard Sonnet” – invented by Luke Prater )

I was inspired to try my hand at this very difficult poetic form by prolific poet -  Beth Winter

Unseen

For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope;
for who hopes for what he already sees?   Romans 8:24

A rejoicing heart no man can take away
likewise, a young day blushing in the sunrise
pays no mind to the dark nights of yesterday.

Love revealed to the soul is blind to the eyes
as unseen thoughts transformed these empty pages
with hope more tangible than a world of lies.

Freedom is possible from these Earth-bound cages
when the mind soaks up the fullness of the Son
and is flooded with wisdom for the ages.

Logic salutes the unseen in due season
where experience surpasses mere knowledge
and true faith lives along side higher reason.

Seek His joy beyond the empirical edge;
Let the soul feast on God’s everlasting pledge.

Poetry Type:  Terza Rima Sonnet

Graphic courtesy of:  www.heartlight.org

Song In The Night

Sing and make music to the Lord in your hearts; always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:19-20

Young life ripped apart,
one more shattered heart,
everything around us fails.
Then God makes a way
by Mercy’s new day;
His Love is in the details.

Through times of peril
dark days feel sterile -
the beginning of sorrow.
Twilight entangles,
evil sin mangles,
and grief plunders tomorrow.

Afflicted and torn,
we know how to mourn,
yet comfort is sown in tears,
stored up in God’s palms,
yielding endless psalms
despite these arduous years.

Wars, rumors of war,
crying “How much more?”
Witnessing the end of days,
with faith like a child
on whom God has smiled,
we must watch and pray always.

Famine of the soul,
doubt has paid its toll,
leaving all hope unspoken.
But strum chords of praise
with an upward gaze
and sing lyrics unbroken.

Seek out His true Light
in the darkest night,
God loves to share His guidance.
Faith resounds through strife,
bubbling up to life
trading places with silence.

Pure song in the night,
notes we didn’t write,
God’s melody makes us whole.
Perfect above all,
answering our call,
sweet words whispered to the soul.

Poetry Type: alouette

It is such a beautiful thought that God gives us His song in the night. I certainly have had this experience in times of both joy and adversity where God brings His Word to my remembrance in the form of a scripture, a song or a poem. It is such a comforting moment of peace and I pray that you have experienced God’s Word in this way.

Paraphrasing Proverbs 6:22, we learn that God’s Word “will guide us when we walk, protect us when we sleep, and talk to us when we are awake.” Charles Spurgeon expounded on this scripture in one of his sermons, saying that God’s Word has three purposes: 1) to guide us 2) to be the guardian of our days and 3) to be our sweet companion.

God’s Word is always personal no matter what state of mind we are in – whether it be happiness or sadness – peacefulness or fearfulness. When you embrace the Word of God, the Word of God embraces you. As we look at the world around us today, we see so much pain and suffering that now more than ever, we need God’s Word as our sweet companion.

My prayer is that no matter what challenges you are facing, that God will give you His song in the night.

Stand Firm

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Ephesians 6:12-16

Still standing,
Still standing strong.
Though the enemy will shake us,
He cannot silence our song.
Still standing,
Still standing strong.
The storms still come,
the seas are rough,
Keep holding course,
it won’t be long.
Still standing,
Still standing strong.
And when all is said and done
Stand.

Graphic Courtesy of www.Heartlight.org

Bewildering Grace

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. Titus 2:11

Seeing dimly now
but soon face-to-face
take up Light’s armor -
stand firm and stand free.
Love and peace await
within His embrace
seeing dimly now
but soon face-to-face.
Father God has found
a reason for grace
yet His great mercy
still bewilders me!
Seeing dimly now
but soon face-to-face,
take up Light’s armor -
stand firm and stand free!

Poetry Type:  Triolet

All Things True

I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. John 12:46

To fall, with all abandon,
into Your loving arms,
this is the true test of faith.

In the midst of Your presence, I discovered
complete emptiness without You.
Until I saw Your Light,
I couldn’t begin to comprehend
the darkness of my world.
Living in a prison with unlocked doors,
it was there I experienced real freedom.
Finally recognizing the stench
of my own sin, all but consumed
by the sweet aroma
of Your unceasing prayers for me.
Only aware of my blindness
after catching Your vision,
I was deaf until You spoke clearly
into my soul.

To feel Your love is to know
the source of all things true.

The Heaven’s Declare

The sun at noon was dressed in black that day,
Each ray of light was quenched by God’s own tears,
The sight of sin, His eyes could not endure,
The mystery of God’s plan was underway.

What caused the universe such disarray?
A Father mourning His beloved Son?
God’s poetry was hidden in plain sight,
The sun at noon was dressed in black that day.

As though the sky itself was in dismay,
A blood moon rose, a bloodied corpse set down,
While Innocence took suffering in my stead,
The mystery of God’s plan was underway.

The sun at noon was dressed in black that day,
An unknown torment pierced my Savior’s soul,
The mystery of God’s grace was underway.

Poetry Type: Villonnet

Inspired By: The Star of Bethlehem Movie

Graphic courtesy of Heartlight

Time Twister

Happiness, so the ancient proverb goes, does not notice the passing of time,
Meanwhile, we oscillate between frantic schedules and boredom today,
Weighing those tragic instances when the world seems to stop in the present,
Or when hours fly quickly by in dreams and morph their way into tomorrow.
They say time heals even though persistent memories melt into our future,
So that the seconds drag on to fade and contort our yesterday.

Wake up, dreamer; the end is closer today than yesterday!
The day is running soft resembling fine cheese primed in the heat of time,
No matter how many hours we’ve known, we are captives of the future,
Such that the past flows through our hands so fluidly today,
As if we could mold each moment into the outer rind of tomorrow.
Alas, there is no time like the present!

Now, there is this One who stands above time to see past and future as present.
Our days on earth are transient shadows; were we born but yesterday?
Considering each day has its own trouble, why do we worry about tomorrow?
Even now, God makes everything beautiful in its own time,
Patiently swinging the absolute pendulum of today,
While dwelling perfectly in the realm of eternity’s future.

Finding divine wisdom will lead to a bright future,
Because wisdom is not just an ideal, but a Person fully present.
Do you really believe future generations will remember what you do today
Or that your soul will be contained in the sand-filled glass of yesterday?
Only fools idle away their time
And boast on what they will do tomorrow.

For which of us can say what will really happen tomorrow?
Only God can speak into your future
Because He is Spirit; in no way constrained by space and time.
By the power of His word, He upholds our very universe at present,
And to Him, a thousand years are as yesterday.
God is the Alpha and Omega tomorrow and today.

Because there is One who has an eternal purpose for today,
There is joy in knowing He changes not – this day or tomorrow.
Just as sure as this poem began with the end yesterday,
The Messiah will re-invade history in the future.
Will you be ready, will you be present?
There is a new dawn that follows this long night of Time.

His manifold grace is the same yesterday and today -
Truth stands the test of time, while lies get exposed tomorrow -
Is your hope for the future present?

Poetry Type: Sestina

The first sestina I wrote can be found here. This is the second.

This poem was inspired by a challenge at Amy Leigh Cutler’s blog. She suggested to use Salvidor Dali’s painting on “The Persistence of Memory” as a sestina writing promt.

Both graphics courtesy of www.heartlight.org

Related Articles

• Reflection of a Beautiful Soul – A Modern English Sestina (emthegoatpoet.wordpress.com)
• A Sestina from the Heart (lkramer14.wordpress.com)
• Lost – A Modern English Sestina (emthegoatpoet.wordpress.com)
• Live Today – A Sestina (liv2write2day.wordpress.com)

Spring

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 

 Isaiah 12:3

It rains on the just
and the unjust equally,
quenching thirsty hearts
while flooding stone cold reason
entrenched through the centuries.

Showers, heaven-born
pour out the richest of grace,
filthy hands raised high
purified by springs of love;
living water for parched souls.

Now soaked in mercy
like fresh springs in a wasteland,
approach with all joy
to drink from salvation’s well;
impermeable no more.

Poetry Type: Tanka

www.heartlight.org

Related Articles

• Tanka #2 {via Musings and Smatterings} (haikulovesongs.wordpress.com)
• Salvation Essentials-8 (gospelbondservant.wordpress.com)

Light To The Nations

Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.”  Isaiah 28:16

Israel’s shepherd and Israel’s stone,
promised Messiah, revealed and foretold,
foundation for Zion, Your glory is shown,
Israel’s shepherd and Israel’s stone.
Strong root of Jesse, please graft in your own,
gather your people and add to your fold,
Israel’s shepherd and Israel’s stone,
promised Messiah, revealed and foretold.
David’s descendant now sits on the throne,
Israel’s shepherd and Israel’s stone,
Remnant of Jacob, you’re never alone,
Light to the nations, to have and to hold.
Israel’s shepherd and Israel’s stone,
Promised Messiah, revealed and foretold.

Poetry Type: Triolet