Deeply Loved. A Poetry Selection

 

 

Deeply Loved. A Free Inspirational Poetry Collection

Copyright: Alison Lawrence.All rights reserved. 

Deeply Loved

I am Jonah in the belly

of deep,deep pain

I try to see, but all is black.

Maybe I am dying.

Perhaps just now I will see the light

hidden and surrounded

with no way out

all I feel is this pain

hurting, hurting, hurting

with every slow beat.

Dear Lord, where are You?

Could You come near this dark dank despair?

Curled up tight, I cry "Father" just once

but it is enough:

He holds me now and we weep together.

Earthquakes.

Lord, we are shaken,

even here we are shaken

as we pray for poor souls trapped -

Oh, Lord -

the words won't come.

We don't need pictures 

to imagine the horror

and many say:

why, why, why?

I don't know, I don't know.

I just know

that they, that we,

are badly shaken.

Here in 2023,

nothing is sure anymore

shifting, shifting

is the landscape

how can we endure?

How can they endure?

For nothing is stable anymore.

This I know; I know

that God cares so much

about our souls;

our eternal destiny -

He may shift and shake 

these frail earthly tents -

I don't know much, but this I know;

I know He loves us

enough to send His Son

to die for each shaken soul.

 Will you save me?

She stares blankly at pale green walls,

posters about diabetes, AIDS and drugs,

tries to avoid looking at the one of baby's development in vitro -

positive, pregnant, positive, pregnant

the words march through her mind,

keeping time with her frightened heartbeat

and how was she supposed to know:

he handed her a death sentence in exchange

for moments of fun -

positive, pregnant, positive, pregnant:

what could be positive about it?

All she can see is terror and shame

mingled with excruciating pain -

worst of all, having to tell mom and dad

and him.

But she must push them all out of her thoughts

and focus only on now -

can they take her problem away?

The shame. The guilt. The horror.

What is she doing here?

Even studying for her math exam

would be better than this -

Laticia said it's just a few cells; a nothing,

they can get rid of it quick.

Her frightened eyes travel back to the poster;

the little speck grows into a human

and she touches her stomach lightly -

could it be?

A baby? What will she do with a baby?

She does not know.

The queue moves slow, slow, slow

people with their own problems,

staring at screens, eating, sleeping

and she sits alone

finally looks at her phone

but the messages leave her hollow:

Laticea: it's only cells you know

Laticea: they can get rid of it quick -

puts her phone away

and stares at the leaflets on the table

someone has left this little booklet -

"will you save my life?"

The girl reads of God's creation,

of how He died for her and for each little one, how precious every soul, like snowflakes each uniquely made -

will you save my life?

Her baby seems to call:

God sees you, sees your frightened heart

and wants to save you too

strangely calmed, she takes the book and

leaves the crowded room,

her heart still full of questions, of fear

and quiet dread,

but knowing that she cannot do the thing 

Laticea said.

Home later with her mama,

her need for loving arms

is greater than her fears

there is pain and many tears, anger,

yet now there's also truth and hope

and love of a strong mother.

She breathes once more

and dares to think of life again -

opens up the little book and bows her head: 

I saved my baby Jesus,

please won't You save me too.

Come to Me (Debbie's Song)

My child, I see you there,

I see your endless dark despair,

I see your troubles and your trials,

I see the joy has left your eyes.

Come to me, Come to me

There is room here at my feet.

Come to me, come to me,

My hand is reaching out in love.

Sweet child, I know your heart,

I know you want to do my will.

Let your struggles and your pain

bring you to My side again.

WISHING

I wish we

 could go back to then:

how happy we would be:

sitting round your table,

drinking Earl Gray tea.

The happy laughter fades away,

the doors and windows barred.

Now I'm drinking tea with Jesus

and your smile lives

in my heart.

Dear Wife, Dear Mother

Love them by serving,

love them by praying,

in well chosen phrases

and sincerely in praises.

Love them when healthy,

love them when poorly,

when you bake, cook and clean,

when you crochet, garden and seam.

Love them though you cannot make

crafty things nor chocolate cake.

When you cook macaroni and kiss a scraped knee,

or put your best dress on for husband to see,

so many things I could tell you to do;

but first give your heart to Jesus Christ,

His agapé love will flow through you.

Pruning

It used to be a landmark standing tall,

now a danger. its branches must fall.

An owl made its home in shimmery green

now open sky where its arms have been.

Its leafy cool gave shade in the heat,

now its generous canopies lie at our feet.

Cut right down to a stump so bare,

with no more glorious height to share.

Now reminds me how often I need pruning too,

If ever I'll be any use to You.

Those branches of sin and pride must go -

so painful; but soon new life will grow.

One Word

If I could spend my days

just writing about You Lord,

that would be more than enough -

I would leave behind the clever phrases 

similes, metaphors and such,

I'd put away plots and plans, clever outlines too,

programs, books and pens would go,

one pen, one page, would do.

You ask me what I'll write

on that one page I'll save,

I show You just that one, bright Word,

You smile, and then You say; 

My child, you have finally learned

that all is in My name.

Library

You are gone now:

I can still picture 

your smile as you

reached for treasure

on the library shelf.

And I understand

why I still go myself.

Gloom Chasers

Dreary, dark, heavy

are the sayings, ways

and thoughts of men.

The power goes off at 8pm,

and gloomy gray descends

but I have saved some light

and my brave bulbs chase

the gloom away to the edges.

Shadowed

Your heart is shadowed

as you look down

and look within

If you could look up 

even for a moment

a little light 

might find a gap

to enter in.

Burden of Pain

For decades I have carried this 

heavy pack of heart breaking pain.

I tried to give it to someone else;

but he had his own pack to carry.

To a friend, but it would have broken her.

So I stumbled on, until I found

the One who bore the heaviest 

load of all.

And I gave it to Him.

In the Light

In the brightest sunshine

we are joyful walking

away from midnight forest

where dark evil's stalking

staying awake in

light and summer day

careful stepping and alert

not sleeping life away.

Bathed

When I came into the light

my stains showed sharply

glaring in the searching spotlight 

yet He washed me with compassion

and now I stand

in love's glorious day.

River Praises

Yet I will praise and thank You;

despite these circumstances which

sit like a heavy weight in my heart.

It starts as a trickle, slow

because of the autumn leaves which

float along its dark water 

yet despite all these, it flows,

then slowly widens as the

praise and thanks increase.

My heart widens and lightens:

the leaves are still there,

but they bounce along on joyful 

waves of praise,

dancing to the happy harmonies

of water and wind

and a voice that had almost

forgotten how to sing.

The width of the river is startling

as it travels to the ocean

of God's love.

I smile despite my circumstances, my pain.

It is right, this rushing river:

A trickle would never do to praise

so awesome a salvation.

God bless!

🩷🩷🩷🙏🙏🙏