Linda M. Crate- Three Poems

no greater love 

 

sometimes Your scarred hands are the

only ones that remember me,

brushing away all my tears i cry into being

taming the sea of emotions that try

to erode my heart into oblivion — 

You smile at me when the world shakes it's

head at me in disappointment, create

rainbows to restore my hope after seasons 

of fierce rain; i wonder why You chose me to serve

you when i'm but one pearl in the world

flawed and broken, spilling moon silver dew

upon the grass when the sun's meant to shine — 

Your patience and kindness has led me

to still waters that wash away my fears, and i have

nothing to repay You with; still You remain my friend.

nothing

 

once i thought i was nothing,

but You told me i meant something to You

took me out of the sea of my self pity

made me open my eyes to those whom i had not seen

spoke to me kindness to bestow upon them

to dance rivers of joy in my veins

when i thought only darkness could remain

Your scarred hands bled for me,

and i could not understand why this should be

You told me Your gift was for all 

that they should all be spared the agony sometimes our

own bad choices bring, and so i sing the same

song as your doves because i know no greater kindness

will or ever will be bestowed upon me. 

heaven bound 

 

tongues wag

in church and out of church

wonder what this love is

God speaks of and Jesus is because

this town is rife with gossip and judgment calls

it doesn't sound like forgiveness

nor compassion that spilled from the mouth

and heart of our Saviour;

i'd like to nail these sins upon the cross,

and let them die as He did

without letting them rise from the dead

as He did —

judge not lest ye be judged

seems to have been forgotten because it's too convenient

to pray for forgiveness they seem to forget that sin

is sin and none is greater in the Maker's eyes;

a murder and a liar are all the same to God,

maybe if we understood that we wouldn't do the things we do —

perfection is a hard thing to aim for being flesh we know

we fail, but it's too easy to be reluctant to change

falling into the excuses that we're only men

called to be different we ought not lay down in the dust and scream defeat

so easily we should strive to be better people for our Lord who

crafted us all from the dust making us each special and beautiful in our own way

to touch the world with His light, to turn all eyes heaven bound.