Psalm 23

Just about every Christian I know has paraphrased the 23rd Psalm at one time or another. The attempt to make the words of an ancient shepherd fit the life of a modern city dweller is not always easy. Recently, I felt prompted to rewrite the passage in my own words, trying to make what David said more meaningful to me in the place I am.

The Lord is my guardian,
He will provide everything I’ll ever need.
He calls me to rest and provides me with abundance,
He walks with me, satisfying my hunger and slaking my thirst,
He makes my soul new.
He leads me to make good choices in life,
Because I love Him.

Even when I pass through dark and dangerous places,
I have nothing to be afraid of,
Because You are beside me;
The power You hold in Your hands
Encourages me to be brave.

You bless me and celebrate me
Right in front of those who’d rather hurt me.
You heal my injuries and show everyone that You choose me;
I am filled with joy.

All the good things You give me will be with me
For the rest of my life,
And I will be a part of Your family
Always.

How Do I Love Thee?

Shortly after we started dating, Adam and I began to write regular e-mail messages to one another. Ending each with "love" quickly became repetitive to me, so I started quoting random lines from Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Eventually, Adam commented on the quotes, thinking they were all mine, so I shared the original work with him. It has remained one of our favorite poems.

Sonnet 43
Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

It's Monday, How About a Little Poetry

If you asked Adam, he'd tell you I claim not to like poetry. Lately I've been writing it again, though, so I'm not sure what that means. This one seemed to have been living in my brain for a while before it emerged, fully formed, like Athena from Zeus's head.

Here

Stuck
Stuck here
Stuck in the middle of here
No way to get from here to there
I want to fly
I want to cross this barren desert
I want to get to the other side
I want to be out of the dry landscape
No rocks, no trees
Nothing to hold onto
Nothing to grasp
There is no escape
I cry, I pray, I laugh
At myself
I am so absurd
I am here
Still
Stuck

Are you there?
Is anyone out there listening to me?
Can you help?
Will you?
I ask, I pray, I cry
I don't have the energy
I don't have the strength
I don't have the faith
What must I believe?
How can I hope?

I am here
There is nothing
My world is empty, tiny, insignificant
The universe is shrinking
Am I lost?

I can't hear you
I can't move
I can't sit still anymore
I can't think
I can't do
I can't just be
I want it to stop
I want to stop waiting for the worst to come
Will it?
Must it?
I have no hope
I am afraid
Even to fear takes energy

I am too still
I am cold
I am hot
I am restless
I am

Wait
I am
I am?

What do you mean?
How can I be?
I can't
I don't
I won't
Must I?

You are
You are?
I am
Here
I am here
You are here
I don't know why
I don't want you
I do
I am afraid
You don't want me

Even now
You do
Why?
Why?
Why?

Really?
Why?
I don't understand
I can't
You do

I am here
Still
Why?
I don't know
I am tired
Again
Still
Yet ...
You
You are

And we
Are
We are
Here

I am amazed
I am tired
I am loved
I am still
Here

Copyright ©2008 by Amy James Gray. No part of this text may be copied or reprinted without the prior consent of the author.