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I Hear a Song

October 10, 2018

By Libby Powell

 

I hear a song
ringing at every corner of the earth,
rung out from every human heart.
A quartet,
a chorus,
full in every part, but
empty;
rich with every swell, and yet it wanders,
imperfect in its beauty—
flawed even in the depths of each new chord.

 

The quiet basses murmur,
their vibrant tremors ever searching,
probing every region,
seeking sanctuary from a restless tune
that struggles on without a
destination.
Their voices soothe with ointment
over doubts and cares and worries—
yet they wander.

 

Tenors lift their song,
a melody that’s waning.
Their tearless souls are anxious,
and the music that they weave is
heartfelt.
Despairing moans blend with a
soothing struggle.

 

The altos of our chorus
sing a melancholy waltz—
a laughing line of music,
bitter in its taste of caustic glee.
A dancing ditty plays upon their lips,
lightening the simple, careworn melody,
creating dissonance.

 

A quartet cannot be without a fourth to add its sound.
And so it is.
Do you hear that wail?
That cry of anguish?
That misery?
It is the crown of the song,
the solo,
the descant that descries agony.
Sorrowful sopranos weep
their solitary song;
it continues on, traveling to a
hopeless end.
They wander not, nor do they avoid
their sad conclusion.
On they sing;
they truly understand.
They sing and they despair.

 

A droning bass preludes the
sweep of tenor’s hum that tries to synchronize with
alto’s sneer at life’s ordeals over which
sopranos weep.
No harmony or melody,
only conflict in this song of the world.

 

But hark! Listen to the orchestral suite of the universe!
I hear a song,
sung from the depths of life,
ringing with a melody so deep, so sweet,
so overwhelming!

 

Vast prairies sway in the wind—
peaceful—
a haven for the weary, for the brokenhearted.
Unending oceans proclaim in their silence
endless mercy poured out on the world,
traveling so far that we cannot grasp its size,
nor realize its depth.
The starry sheets that lie over the earth
cry out a mystery, so far from the friction of the world.
Each winking globe of light tells me
our song has not ended—He is alive.
And while He is alive, hope remains.

 


Libby is a follower of Jesus who is a book lover and a learning writer. Her passion is music and reaching the nations, including her own, with the gospel of Christ. She is a lover of tea who enjoys giving hugs and tries to help people when they are hurt. Her one goal is that God is glorified in every area of her life. She can’t wait till the day He returns to establish His kingdom, and she eagerly does her best to live for Him.

14 Comments

  1. Samantha Farrar

    Love the poem. Hope everlasting -our king is alive!!! Beautiful job I loved the first part because it is so true and we often forget that people who are sad and longing, are all around us. But as the ending of your poem so beautifully states there is hope for them and us because…He is alive.

    Reply
    • Libby

      Thank you, Samantha! I’m so glad you liked it!

  2. Evelyn

    Beautiful as always Libby! 🙂

    Reply
    • Libby

      <3 That means a ton to me. Thanks.

  3. Serenity

    Oh, Libby! That’s simply gorgeous!

    Reply
    • Libby

      Thank you, Serenity! So happy you liked it!

  4. Katherine Baker

    Excellent work, Libby! I loved it. The poem is song-like itself, almost like a lullaby. And the array of emotion you display, from despair to hope, was beautiful. Great work.

    Reply
    • Libby

      Thank you so much, Katherine! Your comment is so sweet and encouraging, and I really appreciate it! <3

  5. Hedges

    This is beautiful.

    Reply
    • Libby

      You make me smile 🙂 Thank you.

  6. Dakota

    This is beauty and truth woven together. I love it, Libby. It would make a beautiful song.

    Reply
    • Libby

      Thank you, Dakota! Songs seem to find their way to my heart and somehow spill out into my words. I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

  7. Sarah

    This promptly ranks among my favourite poems! I love the musical analogy.

    Reply
    • Libby

      Wow! Thank you so much, Sarah! You don’t know how much that means to me. Your comment made my day 🙂 I’m so happy you liked it!

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