I
I had recently a kind of funny thought.
Well, not funny really,
Not something that I chased after and sought.
It happened one night;
I was feeling the worse for wear.
Problems had been amounting,
And I felt like I was on a tear,
Hoping to find answers that would feel surmounting,
And soothe my misery with a feeling I could bear.
II
I went out back and laid myself down on the grass;
Those tiny spears tickled my ears, feathers to hold fast.
I looked up at the heavens and what did I see,
But a black-velvet bolt of silk and satin gazing at me.
That’s right, the night sky riddled with stars;
You would think they existed as totally ours.
Now it’s true , as we walk under the stars at night,
It seems as if they are never truly there in our sight.
What if they appeared only once in a hundred years,
You can be sure we would notice and respond with cheers.
III
I watched those stars, amazed, as if for the first time,
Like diamonds they were and seemed to be solely mine.
And who could fail to see the blackness between them,
Infinite space and eternal time beyond the world’s hem.
Some people believe in God, others believe in endless love;
I see no difference when I see those stars hovering above.
I got to thinking more as I lay with my head in the grass,
That my old idea of God was quietly slipping into the past.
The likes of heaven and hell, angels and devils, even harps;
Sure they may play music, but the image misses the mark.
For all of their bigness, these images were small for all that;
They contain about as much meaning as the world is flat.
IV
As I lay there, the stars just glittered forever in the dark,
The darkness just lay there amid these miraculous sparks.
It all belonged to something bigger, beyond me by far;
Far beyond the celestial horizon of the most distant star.
I am often ask by doubters to explain the mystery of God;
They say: Prove to me His existence, as if I were an old sod.
On that night, a night unlike any other, full of compassion;
I felt strange and wonderful beyond anything I could imagine.
Others may call the mystery of God’s universe a tale that is tall;
I call it a mystery worth believing that doesn’t bother me at all.
Your beautiful poem is a poignant reminder to truly take the time to focus on any one of God's magical gifts either close by or far away. It is gift enough to just drink in our surroundings.
IT IS THROUGH THE MAJESTIC BEAUTY OF THINGS CREATED...NOT BY HANDS, THAT WE CAN SLIP QUIETLY INTO THE REASONS...WHY...WE BELIEVE IN GOD. AT THE RIGHT PLACE AND TIME...IT CAN HAPPEN IN A MOMENT. I MYSELF HAVE BEEN A RECIPIENT, MORE THAN ONCE, OF THE PEACE AND ASSURANCE OF HIS PRESENCE THAT HIS HEAVENLY LIGHTS CAN IMPART. WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO 'TAKE HIM OUT OF THE BOX' TO APPRECIATE THE VASTNESS OF OUR GOD! WELL DONE, JOHN, AND THANKS FOR SHARING. LOVE, BLESSINGS AND FAITH....JOYCE * HIS INSPIRATIONS
a lovely description... the problem of a great man is so much cultivated from ancient times in the east till today. Confucius stated that one's qualification standard should be raised up in order to reach the real average. What we witness here is the session of meditation to bring one's level to the state of adequacy between the true self and reality. A piece of practical philosophy indeed. Cheers, alex
For all of human existence, the night sky has fascinated its viewers. Perhaps more so in the past than today with all the light pollution of modern civilization and indoor living.
You are right about the old ideas of God slipping into the past with investigation and verification. Yet you cling to the idea of mystery and helplessness (fear?) When looking at the night sky.
Back when I made presentations 40 years ago about what was being rapidly discovered about the universe, the Hubble telescope partly revealed and verified and partly debunked what was known then. With newer space telescopes coming on board and other devices unknown last century, in this century we will continue to verify theories and debunk others as part of the process of understanding the universe we inhabit as very small creatures with a very large ability to not only understand our environment, but to make devices that help us understand it even more.
The cross, the symbol of Jesus, has been created in countless forms since the event of the crucifixion 2000 years ago. But the cross has not enabled any new understanding of God. These devices, space telescopes and more unimaginable devices to come, will allay our fears far more than any cross ever did.
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A mystery worth believing. Beautifully penned!
Lady Mary Ann
Love ya!
Jane
You are right about the old ideas of God slipping into the past with investigation and verification. Yet you cling to the idea of mystery and helplessness (fear?) When looking at the night sky.
Back when I made presentations 40 years ago about what was being rapidly discovered about the universe, the Hubble telescope partly revealed and verified and partly debunked what was known then. With newer space telescopes coming on board and other devices unknown last century, in this century we will continue to verify theories and debunk others as part of the process of understanding the universe we inhabit as very small creatures with a very large ability to not only understand our environment, but to make devices that help us understand it even more.
The cross, the symbol of Jesus, has been created in countless forms since the event of the crucifixion 2000 years ago. But the cross has not enabled any new understanding of God. These devices, space telescopes and more unimaginable devices to come, will allay our fears far more than any cross ever did.
Ron