The scriptural echoes are woven beautifully: heaping coals, double-bladed sword, by their stripes revealed (so we hear "healed") and tears wiped (so I imagine them bottled). There is a deft touch here. The poem works without consciously thinking about all the biblical references, but I just read it three times and every reading revealed more to me. The grief isn't glossed over either.
I'm so glad the references are clear without pedantry – it can be tricky to say what I mean clearly and yet artistically. Thank you for reading and responding, Abigail!
Love this meditation, especially this ending:
Come, Lord, soon—let go restraint.
Restore your faithful. Let their tears be wiped.
Thank you for reading and responding, Joyce!
Dantesque in all the best ways.
Wow ... thank you, Randy!
This just popped up today for me and was abundantly rich. Thanks, Mark.
Thank you for reading, Charissa. Maranatha!
Thank you for this and remembering the persecuted church.
Thank you for reading, Consuelo. Keep praying!
Oof wow, haven't read too many poems on this topic. Thank you for writing it. For us, for them, for Him.
Thank you for reading and for praying along.
So beautiful. Thank you.
Thank you for reading and restacking, Margaret Ann!
Nice rhyme scheme!
Thank you, good sir!
The scriptural echoes are woven beautifully: heaping coals, double-bladed sword, by their stripes revealed (so we hear "healed") and tears wiped (so I imagine them bottled). There is a deft touch here. The poem works without consciously thinking about all the biblical references, but I just read it three times and every reading revealed more to me. The grief isn't glossed over either.
I'm so glad the references are clear without pedantry – it can be tricky to say what I mean clearly and yet artistically. Thank you for reading and responding, Abigail!