A blogger friend of mine, L.L. Barkat, has recently written a book of poetry which is quite good, as you would expect from her. And she has been encouraging her blogger friends to begin writing poetry themselves. So after writing two I can remember in my life, one in the fourth grade (with help from my mother) and one on silence I can’t remember now, lost in my lost blog, I’ll try again here:
Noise
In the dull roar and clatter of work
The piano playing Beethoven
The radio with news and views from NPR
The chatter at home with my wife, cat joining in
More music as we read
Or voices as we watch a movie
The Bible Experience moving me
Through another book in God’s word
Noise in my head as I see the latest on facebookThere is no room, no time, no place for silence.
Silence mediates between us and God
Between God and us
Jesus is that silent Word
That speaks more than the world
Are we listening?
If we’d but listen
The voice no less of God
Note: Theologically this attempt at poetry is making a point. I’m not saying all silence is equivalent to Christ’s voice. I am saying that to hear his voice, we need to practice silence. Certainly God speaks to us through his word and through the words of others. But our noise can end up drowning out the ongoing voice of God. Which is why we need to learn to practice silence. And listen.
Ted M. Gossard
Oh! I am absolutely thrilled. You have no idea.
I do believe you have a poet in you, Ted. That opening stanza is filled with sound, sights. And when you got to this…
There is no room, no time, no place for silence
I felt a sense of completion.
Please write more poetry. Please.
L.L., Thanks much! I appreciate your encouragement and rather hang on your words- the words of an excellent writer- especially when it comes to poetry.
I still want to recover the old blog and quickly get the poem out of it, because that silent retreat will likely be a day I never forget.
You could close your eyes and remember the day and write another poem. I bet you could do it.
This poetry thing… I think it’s going to be life-giving for you…
L.L., Yes, I think you’re definitely on to something good here. That poem on the retreat more or less just came to me. In the freshness and impact of that time. A big loss, and I still am hoping that I get that blog back. For some personal reasons, that poem among the first of them. Thanks for your continued encouragement. And I much look forward to reading your new book.
Good for you Sweets!
Thanks, Honey! You know firsthand about this, of course.
I think you are right… we need time for silence as surely as we need times for words or song, or dance, sometimes. You make a good point. And the silence needs not to be filled with brain noises, either. There is a time to think, and there is a time to sit and listen. to be silent.
Yes, Kathy. Quite true, The poem I lost (so far) and like better is about silence and was “inspired” by a silent retreat at the Dominican Center.
Well done Ted. Poetry also calls for time, a special concentration for creating it. That is the time I find lacking most of all.
Dave, Thanks. Yeah. I think it does call for time and work for the most part. I have to say what little poetry I’ve done has just sort of come. Though you can see that today is a bit of an exception as I still really don’t like my ending that well. The life of a writer, though, and I do enjoy writing, I have to admit.
In your case with three teenagers now, I can more than well understand!
your poem is good.
but, to me, it is more than that.
i feel love from it, just for doing it.
for taking part.
for being part of the communing.
i feel your acceptance and care and understanding that we care.
that you acknowledge people that want you to be a part of this expression and communication and interaction.
thank you so much for opening yourself and your heart to us.
love to you and deb.
p.s.
my hope is that you may again and again share.
Nancy, Thanks! I certainly respect and appreciate you poets. And yes, I’ll seek to grow in appreciating and participating in this art.
It is good to meet you, sir. Thank you for sharing.
Blessings.
Thanks, A Simple Country Girl! Blessings on you as well.
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I very much agree with what you say here. Am I to understand that you are new to this poetry thing? I am also feeling things out…still learning, studying, hanging on L.L’s words
I think this is lovely.
Thanks, Laura. Yes, I am new at this. I told myself yesterday that I’ll have to be visiting other blogs which do this. Of course we’re all learning so much from L.L., to be sure!
hi there I loved this piece I did a search on how to improve the flow of my poetry about God and saw this how inspiring how true I would love to be a part of this if I may
Bless you
sarah
Hi, Sarah, The first two comments anyone makes on WordPress, or at least the way my blog is automatically set up by them, has be approved by the blog administrator. You most certainly may. And thanks for coming and reading, and for your most kind and encouraging words.