Monday, February 28, 2011

Psalm of the Resident Alien


Alien in the midst,
called to be
a seasoning of salt,
a light purifying;
          yet hidden.

To be in, not of
this place, this field
of groaning, aching wheat
seeking its harvest;
          yet hidden.

This paradox,
this contradiction:
salt, light, in not of,
seeking, harvest yet
hidden, concealed,
safe in the hiding place
while moving unhidden:
your heart
your hands
your house
where wisdom is taught.

This poem is submitted for the Warrior Poet Circle, hosted by Jason Stasyszen at Connecting to Impact. To see other submitted poems based on the prompt of “hidden in God,” please visit the site.

Photograph by Nancy Rosback. Used with permission.
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14 comments:

  1. UnknownFebruary 28, 2011 at 6:49 AM

    Love that title bro'...the poem sings like a psalm!

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  2. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2011 at 7:10 AM

    Very nice. We certainly are a walking contradiction.

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  3. Bob SpencerFebruary 28, 2011 at 7:14 AM

    Nice!

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  4. Louise GallagherFebruary 28, 2011 at 7:47 AM

    Very nice -- and it does roll into the mind like a psalm.

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  5. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2011 at 11:55 AM

    residing
    on earth
    while learning
    the language
    of heaven

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  6. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2011 at 12:28 PM

    Great title--great words. "Alien in the midst." Nice.

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  7. Kathleen OverbyFebruary 28, 2011 at 12:55 PM

    ahhh. the tension. [groan]

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  8. LindaFebruary 28, 2011 at 1:08 PM

    This is beautiful Glynn - the paradox of life in Christ.

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  9. Cassandra FrearFebruary 28, 2011 at 1:14 PM

    My all time favorite by you.

    I do feel alien, home in the Lord, yet not home. It's hard to describe. But you capture it well.

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  10. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2011 at 1:21 PM

    What a sweet prayer from a spirit who is working it out in the words between the worlds. - Brendan

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  11. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2011 at 6:50 PM

    Beautiful way to describe it, Glynn. Thank you.

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  12. Mommy EmilyFebruary 28, 2011 at 9:05 PM

    love the imagery of groaning, aching wheat... a beautiful whisper of his grace in this, friend. thank you.

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  13. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2011 at 9:59 PM

    "Aching wheat seeking its harvest." That's good stuff, Glynn. Thanks for posting.

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  14. AnonymousMarch 1, 2011 at 5:17 AM

    We Western Christians are not very good with paradox, are we? That's why I am loving poetry so much - it's one way to capture paradox in words, and get away with it as beautiful.

    Nice poetry, man.

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