In a place smelling of history and
prophecy and learned commentary
and psalmody and wisdom and love,
a place smelling of words holy and
profane, he heard the whispered
questions, questions stained and
torn with tears.
Can you love those who hurt you,
can you forgive those who
violated your body and spirit
and heart;
Can you hope for those who
imprisoned your soul, can you trust
those who failed you so deeply,
so cavalierly as if you were dirt;
Can you serve those who beat you
and scarred you, making you
nothing, can you honor those
who ridiculed you;
Can you touch those who
destroyed your tenderness, who
laughed at your weakness, who
doused lit cigarettes on your back;
Can you forgive those who
ripped your skin with barbed
whips, who cast you aside
like a dirty, bleeding rag.
He smelled the history and prophecy
and learned commentary and
psalmody and wisdom and love, a place
smelling of words holy and
profane, the words stained and
torn with tears, and he said
these are not questions.
For other poems submitted for One Shot Wednesday, please visit One Stop Poetry. the links will be live at 4 p.m. central time today.
Photograph: Church Gate by Anna Cervova via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.
To tear words with tears is a powerful image. The question statements had me reading more than once. So much hidden injustices behind facades.
ReplyDeleteMandela and Corrie Ten Boom would have loved this poem and so do we all who have been violated.......and are learning to forgive. This is one of your most beautiful word works. The alpha and omega echo.
ReplyDeleteThank you Glynn, this spoke to my heart today. My best friend is going through an awful time with her Dad, who is being very mean and spiteful despite having her as a wonderful caretaker for years. Lori
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kathleen! I think those of us who have been severely hurt often have fewer questions than those who hear our stories.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and heart-wrenching... Thanks Glynn.
ReplyDeletebeautifully done! your words speak many sad truths. love the last line. made me think
ReplyDeletethank you
Your "torn with tears" image is a standout.
ReplyDeleteThis poem embodies the meaning of persevering, because the only option otherwise would be to give up.
I think it also speaks to what Anne wrote today about finding gratitude and in gratitude finding joy. It is what is within that matters, it is what no one can take from you, even under the most dehumanizing of conditions such as those here, it is being able to imagine yourself held and loved, when everything else is lost.
Oh my. These are not questions.
ReplyDeleteWow!
This is incredibly powerful Glynn.
thank you for sharing it.
Oh wow, those are big questions! I love that the questions are framed the way they are, caught between a first and final stanza that differ so marginally, and yet so life-changingly. Awesome write.
ReplyDeleteLoved your description of the church and your surprising ending that the questions are not questions at all.
ReplyDeleteI read and reread and come away with something new each time. This has so many levels Glynn. It is inspired.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you used questions in the structure of this poem
ReplyDeleteyou have to know this carries the cross ... for all ... and it leaves me a bit heart-stunned
ReplyDeleteWonderful and powerful piece - would love it hear it read...reminds me of the Sermon on the Mount...and so much more...thank you for sharing it...one to bookmark for future readings...bkm
ReplyDeleteI liked the poem, my only thought is that I found it a little distracting not to find a question mark "?" at the end of each question.
ReplyDeleteEven though the poem wraps up with "these are not questions," it distracted my thinking from what the poem was saying because in the beginning we think they are questions.
But it is a powerful poem.
And he was right: None of them ended with a question mark.
ReplyDelete(Just a bit of levity for a weighty topic)
Heavy One Shot, Glynn!
WORD VERIFICATION: sacatic
DEFINITION: the kind of comments that are made by snotty felines
Dear Glynn
ReplyDeleteGreat way to start a verse with a thought and then answer those questioning thoughts with a denial... I liked the verse... thanks for sharing...
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Twitter: @VerseEveryDay
Blog: http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com
Glynn i think this is a favorite of yours for me....so much depth and power in the whole poem...from title to last line...truly amazing and thought provoking!
ReplyDeleteThis is incredible!
ReplyDeletethis was an incredible read and very well planned and crafted...agreed also with kathleen..cheers pete
ReplyDelete