Closest Thing to the Voice of God (poem) by John Herlihy on AuthorsDen

Closest Thing to the Voice of God
by John Herlihy → (All Poetry by John Herlihy)
Sunday, March 1, 2026 Not rated by the Author.

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The Closest Thing to the Voice of God by John Herlihy I always thought answered prayers Were the closest thing to the voice of God. Then I thought that unanswered prayers Were the farthest thing from the voice of God. Then I began to listen more closely to what I heard, Suggesting the voice of God at unexpected moments. The thunder that rolls imperiously across the heavens. Doesn’t that sound like the voice of God? The crack of winter ice sounding like a whip. Doesn’t that sound like the voice of God? The whispers that I hear in the dead of the night. Doesn’t that sound like the voice of God? Even the silence that fills my solitude. Doesn’t that sound like the voice of God? Forget not the voice of silence echoing mute, The voice of falling leaves, the voice of falling snow. The voice akin to God’s seems to appear everywhere. Filling the empty spaces of the heart not otherwise filled. Every time I hear the haunting sounds of nature speak. The voice sounds like the closest thing to the voice of God. - - - - Copyright © John Herlihy Thursday 20 November 2025

Reviewed by Jms Bell

Reviewed on April 21, 2026

TO BECOME AWARE OF THE 'SOUND' OF 'HIS VOICE' WHICH LITERALLY, IS ALL AROUND US...IS NOTHING LESS THAN A MIRACULOUS GIFT! I LIVE IN GEORGIA, AND EACH YEAR I CAN HARDLY WAIT(BUT SOMETIMES I DO IT TOO SOON WHEREBY I FREEZE)TO OPEN MY WIDE SLIDE WINDOW THAT PRACTICALLY TAKES UP A WHOLE WALL... AND LET IT STAY OPEN UNTIL WELL INTO AUTUMN. I AM 8 FLOORS UP AND RIGHT ACROSS FROM MY WINDOW IS A HUGE TREE. IN EARLY SPRING, AS SOON AS A FEW WARM DAYS TRICKLE IN...I OPEN MY WINDOW. 'HIS VOICE' IS CLEAR AND DISTINCT; FROM THE WEATHER TO, WINDS BLOWING THROUGH THE LEAVES, TO MY FEATHERY FRIENDS SINGING ARIAS! YES...! ISN'T 'HE' MARVELOUS, JOHN!? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING. LOVE, BLESSINGS AND FAITH...HIS+INSPIRATIONS

Reviewed by Rebecca McKeehan

Reviewed on March 1, 2026

God speaks in every language and not just in the human sense. As you say, His/Her voice is in all things heard and not. Garth Brooks once sang about the blessings to be found in unanswered prayers. One could say that an unanswered prayer is an answered prayer we simply don't hear.

Rebecca