Reflection

Third Place

/ joethewaller / 1 Comment

In the corner spot of the bench seat, I
Met with God and with great thinkers, studied
Past papers and pages. Pimento toast
With bacon and a cold brew, glass sweating—
I keep napkins underneath to catch the
Condensation—kept me fueled and focused,
That and the eight-hour YouTube video
Of coffee-shop sounds and soft jazz, because
The real thing by itself is just a bit
Distracting. After studies, or before,
I open a journal and a notebook,
One for prose, one for verse, and I reflect
On life, its beauty, its difficulties,
And on God’s great faithfulness through it all.

Photo by ian dooley on Unsplash

Past Midnight

/ joethewaller / Leave a comment

Past midnight, pen in hand and mind awake.
I write line one but draw a blank at two,
Unsure of what to do.
Imagination bade me start to make
This brief display of words, but I must do
Some work to see it through.

Not ev’ry line is given.
Directed, but not driven.

But so it is with you.
You work in us to will and work yet do
Not call us to inaction. We must take
Our crosses, follow you,
And trust when we can’t see because you do.
And you will ne’er forget, fail, nor forsake.

Photo by Lukas Robertson on Unsplash

Reflection

/ joethewaller / Leave a comment

I see my lack of holiness
When I observe my heart.
It shows a certain homeliness:
Tis stained in ev’ry part.
I long to live in purity,
Yet clearly not enough;
For sin remains a surety.
Temptation calls my bluff.
 Thus I take up these robes of white;
I drag them through the dirt.
I pledged my life to perfect light,
Yet still pursue my hurt.
Oh pardon me this parody,
This purposeless pursuit.
Enable me to fully be
A son who bears good fruit.
May all who hear my story find
Your mark of perfect love,
And use me, Father, to remind
Them of your land above.