Monday, May 16, 2011

He becomes a road


He becomes a road,
not only to Damascus
or Jerusalem or one
less traveled in snowy woods
or even open and
going west, young man;

A road filled with light,
even, straight, obvious,
a road logical
marked by a multitude
of signs and directions, paved
true under cloudless skies;

A road darkened, crooked
and curved and snaked,
disappearing into forest, night,
with asphalt crumbing, potholed,
stones missing, a road ending
at rivers, gorges, swamps;

A road forked, straight,
mapped, hidden,
a road to a destination,
a road to sudden, unknown exile,
a road from and to and neither,
a road.

*Dedicated to Duane Scott

This poem is submitted to the One Word Blog Carnival on “road” hosted by Peter Pollock. To see more posts prompted by the word “road,” please visit the site. The links will be live at 10 p.m. Central time tonight.

This poem is also submitted to One Shot Wednesday, hosted by One Shot Poetry. To see other poems submitted, please visit the site. The links will be live at 4 p.m. Central time Tuesday.

*This poem is dedicated to Duane Scott. If you make a donation to The High Calling during the month of May, I've committed to dedicate a poem to you. Just let me know via the comment box or an email that you made a donation (not the amount).

Photograph: Country road by Teodoro S. Gruhl via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.
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30 comments:

  1. Anne Lang BundyMay 16, 2011 at 10:49 PM

    I am so touched by the poem, Glynn. And you hit my heart dead center with the thought that you'd dedicate a poem on my behalf! I will make a donation tomorrow from the desktop and come back here when it's done.

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  2. AnonymousMay 16, 2011 at 11:56 PM

    lovely poem. i followed it all the way to the end.

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  3. Megan WillomeMay 17, 2011 at 6:20 AM

    I love all your references!

    And where was that photo taken?

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  4. Lisa notes...May 17, 2011 at 7:26 AM

    "a road to a destination"

    Love this. Never boring on this road and certainly great where it is leading!

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  5. HelenMay 17, 2011 at 7:55 AM

    Wow. Your poem left me speechless. Nice work!

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  6. Louise GallagherMay 17, 2011 at 8:09 AM

    This road looks like roads I travelled yesterday.

    I still don't know the destination.

    Lovely poem.

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  7. JoyceMay 17, 2011 at 8:21 AM

    What a lovely poem.

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  8. katdishMay 17, 2011 at 8:52 AM

    Beautiful, Glynn.

    If I make a donation, I want a limerick.

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  9. S. EtoleMay 17, 2011 at 9:04 AM

    sometimes making detours on that road ...

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  10. AnonymousMay 17, 2011 at 10:59 AM

    Our arrival in this Life and subsequent exposures and experiences lead us all down "different roads". The one constant is Jesus who becomes to us what we need in the travel. He becomes The Way so that the type of road on which we find ourselves, is truly navigable.
    Thanks for this wonderful expression!

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  11. HisFireFlyMay 17, 2011 at 11:17 AM

    He IS the road. I love this, Glynn.

    I just made a donation at High Calling. Been praying about it for some time, and your offer to write me a poem pushed me over the edge. I can't wait to see what you will dedicate to this humble FireFly.

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  12. MaureenMay 17, 2011 at 11:36 AM

    Lovely how you worked in the literary and Biblical allusions.

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  13. Karen Kyle EricsonMay 17, 2011 at 12:41 PM

    This is beautiful. Sometimes we know exactly where we're going, other times we simply don't know and need faith. Love it!

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  14. ayalaMay 17, 2011 at 4:24 PM

    Lovely,Glynn.

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  15. Brian MillerMay 17, 2011 at 5:30 PM

    yet often we get caught up in roadside diversion or promises of shortcuts or treasure down side paths...alas....nice write glynn...

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  16. UnknownMay 17, 2011 at 5:59 PM

    really well written. it was a road i wanted to travel 'til the end, once there to find myself thankful for the joourney...

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  17. AnonymousMay 17, 2011 at 5:59 PM

    I see... the way, the truth and the life. Great write.

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  18. a joyful noiseMay 17, 2011 at 8:19 PM

    Loved your poem! The road less traveled often takes us to detours and perhaps even exile, but when God is leading, we can trust that we will arrive at our final destination safe and secure.

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  19. Ann GrenierMay 17, 2011 at 8:24 PM

    Wonderful poem Glynn. All we need is faith to arrive.

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  20. Michael DodaroMay 17, 2011 at 8:41 PM

    It is like a road, isn’t it? And like a labyrinth. At the intersections the choices are bewildering, yes forked, straight, mapped, and hidden, but after a while it is possible to believe that regardless which route one takes, the road will be engaging and a destination will be reached that brings new intersections into view. You mentioned a while back the Tolkien trilogy. I have not read Tolkien, but I the film version gave me a glimpse of the reality of this fantasist: that no matter how many cliff-hangers we must endure, the eagle will always swoop down to pull us out even from the bottom of the abyss.

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  21. Chuck AllenMay 17, 2011 at 9:54 PM

    A fantastic poem, Glynn!

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  22. PatriciaMay 18, 2011 at 12:37 AM

    "I am the way, the truth and the life"... oh, that all would find the right Road.

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  23. AnonymousMay 18, 2011 at 3:00 AM

    good poem

    cocktail dress
    cocktail dresses
    color wedding dress

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  24. Celestial DreamzMay 18, 2011 at 3:47 AM

    so well written. wonderful.

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  25. Fatha FrankMay 18, 2011 at 8:16 AM

    This is a terrific poem, Glynn! Absolutely beautiful.

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  26. AnonymousMay 18, 2011 at 9:19 AM

    This reminds me of a story I was told as a child, lovely

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  27. MarshyMay 18, 2011 at 9:50 AM

    beautifully written...a road i myself am travelling...could relate..cheers pete

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  28. Kodjo DeynooMay 18, 2011 at 2:16 PM

    I like this road, excellent

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  29. UnknownMay 20, 2011 at 8:09 AM

    Lovely metaphor and architecture to this piece. Much enjoyed! ~Rose

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  30. Duane ScottMarch 25, 2013 at 9:15 PM

    Saved this one... Still love it. Do you remember your writing? Do you go back and make sure it's still there?

    Because we do. The world does.

    Keep writing, Glynn.

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