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In My Wilderness
Once, I thought I saw things clearly.
Certainty felt quite sincerely.
But, my path was very nearly
Overgrown by worldliness.
Without charts or maps beside me.
With no compass there to guide me
And no confidence inside me,
I became directionless.
I was trapped, was somehow caught in
Webs I’d spun now long forgotten.
My foundation weak and rotten
Stuck in my own wilderness
I thought I was all that mattered.
Then, one day some seeds were scattered.
As one grew, my bonds were shattered
Leading me to reassess.
One small seed, without me knowing
Deep inside me started growing.
Signs of fruit soon started showing
Unexpected peacefulness.
Now convinced Your grace surrounds me.
Undeserved, Your love astounds me.
All You’ve done for us confounds me.
Safe inside Your holiness.
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Finding Peace
There’s not one who’s unique. We all seek after peace without cease.
But, by seeking did anyone, anywhere ever find peace?
We obsess but have not found success while the failures abound.
We refuse to see peace is elusive and will not be found.
Many idolize peace and then cease to discern right and wrong.
They insist that we just coexist, so we all get along.
But, a peace on the surface won’t cure what’s impure in our past.
Sadly, though some may know peace of mind they will find it won’t last.
In a world that is fallen, we’re all in a place filled with sin.
We can try and pretend we can mend what is broken within.
But, ignoring that there’s no restoring our soul won’t succeed.
Any plan made by man cannot heal or reveal what we need.
When our thirst for our own peace comes first, we will seek but not find.
When our thirst for the Lord is put first, we will see we’ve been blind.
With our vision restored by the Lord, we won’t stumble around.
We’ll forgive and then live by His word and then peace will abound.
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Warren Bonham is a private equity investor who lives in Southlake, Texas
The second is good and true, but it’s the first one I love. I love the images that represent unknowingly seeking and one day finding God very well (I know from experience), and the rhyme and meter reminiscent of “The Raven.” I tried to pick a favorite line, but they’re all really good!
Keep up the good work!
Warren,
I enjoyed both of these very much. I especially like the meter and intricate rhyme scheme of the second, all the while you point out the fatal flaws of superficial- peace seeking.
Very well done meter and rhyme in both poems, Warren. “In My Wilderness” effectively works with the image of a growing seed to alter the scene, as we usually consider a wilderness to be sparsely cultivated. “Finding Peace” begins and ends clearly, stating that peace is not an object in “seek and find” category. The middle stanzas briefly yet seriously show why “seeking” or “making” peace is short-sighted in a fallen world. We have to change our approach and do deeper work. Excellent and attractive reflections!
“In My Wilderness” is a fine bit of trochaic tetrameter, and the perfection of the rhyme scheme is neatly done. I would suggest the removal of the period after “me” in the third line of the last quatrain.
The twin messages of the poems are evident in the final lines with “safe inside your holiness” and the “thirst for the Lord” take us from “In the Wilderness” to “Finding Peace.” Nicely done in classical meter and rhyme.
I thoroughly enjoyed both poems for their beauty and their message. Both are finely crafted with admirable use of meter and rhyme. They beg to be read aloud and deserve to reach a wide audience – It is poetry like this that changes outlooks and lives… hearing of God’s presence and power (especially in fine poetry) is essential in a world filled with despondency and despair. Thank you, Warren.
Thanks very much for the kind words from everyone! If anyone has the time to wade through Finding Peace again, I accidentally left off the last 2 lines
“With our vision restored by the Lord, we won’t stumble around.
We’ll forgive and then live by His word and then peace will abound.”