Untitled

I was cleaning out one of my notebooks at work today and I found a poem that I wrote in Nigeria last fall. I completely forgot about it. I usually rework my poems about 12 times and even then, most of them never meet the public eye. This is a first draft written in about 15 minutes and then lost in the dark abyss that I call my backpack. But I'm just gonna go with it. :-)

I am trying to break up the Thankful Thursday posts with at least one post in between. That puts me at two regular posts per week....we'll see how that goes!!!

Well, for this week.... a poem....

I.
They took the light.
No warning. No reason.
One moment we have light
and plans and vision
and then - darkness.
Suddenly, everything becomes difficult.
Seeing, yes, but also cooking, eating
and not sweating.
Plans are altered
restlessness invades
and the night crawlers come out of hiding.
Giant fighting ants and a roach that could fill my palm.

I draw my knees into myself
and hope they don't notice me.
And so I sit. And sweat.
Waiting for the light.

And yet the darkness holds surprises -
dare I say joys -
and these will be my clearest memories.
Conversation. Friendship. Laughter, even.
Not impossible in the light
and yet the darkness somehow seems necessary.

Grateful for the darkness, yet longing for the light-
for vision and and plans and entertainment.
They will bring back the light.
We will wait.

II.
He took the light.
No warning. No reason.
One moment I had light
and plans and vision
and then - darkness.
Suddenly, everything became difficult.
Seeing, yes, but also thinking, feeling,
and living.
Plans were altered
restlessness invaded
and fear came out of hiding.
Giant plaguing doubts and an isolation that could fill my heart.

I drew everything into myself
and hoped they wouldn't notice me.
And so I sat. And cried.
Waiting for the light.

And yet the darkness holds lessons -
dare I say truths -
and these will be my clearest memories.
Humility. Repentance. Friendship, even.
Not impossible in the light
and yet the darkness somehow seems necessary.

Grateful for the darkness, yet longing for the light-
for vision and plans and life.
Christ Jesus, bring back the light.
I will wait.

It's amazing to me to think about what a different place I am in now than when I wrote this. Praise God for his faithfulness. As I type this, I am praying for several of you who are waiting for him to bring back your light. May he hold you gently in his constant, faithful hands while you wait....

"But as for me, I will look to the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
my God will hear me."
-Micah 7:7