Perseverance
Beginnings are easy in the rush of passion.
Item.
The bride and groom
Radiant as the daystar, shining
In mutual adoration to affirm their love.
Superfluity of vows in bright-eyed moment
When ‘forever’ is ‘for sure’.
The heavens dance with them in their delight.
Item.
The man and wife.
Life’s labour, life’s demands, frustrated tears,
‘Forever’ is a sentence, not a word.
Time, dreary, dreary, drags our bodies down.
Love’s crucible: the sweating of our brow
Where the Refiner shapes a better thing,
With vows made holy by the choice they bring.
This love has learned to work, this love has bones,
This love is real, this love will bring them home.
Item.
The soul born new
Raptured excitement, willing to endure
Anything, all things for a love so pure.
Here, in the ragged breath and wonder’s tears,
Thrill to be part of Heaven’s work on earth:
Knight of the kingdom, with faith’s banner high
In shiny armour, ready to ride forth.
Item.
The life-worn saint
Scars, tears and soil and toil – the whole heaped thing,
Time, dreary, dreary, drags the bright faith down.
The sword is dulled, the armour dented sore.
The burnish lost, the heart less starkly sure,
The faith annealed through nights of asking why
Is washed in tears dear-bought, stands and will stand
Held by a love so real, a truth so true
To shine more glorious in a world made new.
No comments:
Post a Comment