19 December 2012

FAITH



. . . but she doesn’t even attend . . .
to what?  wide sky through windshield,
trees turning, children tossing balls,
flattened plastic bottles curbside,
prescriptions for the grandmother,
New Year’s tips for mailman, trash cans,
dead buds on rose bushes, street signs,
matches, veteran on crutches,
your words, small inner voice, her god?

. . . but he doesn’t come to worship . . .
robes, rings, churches, money or God?
who he loves, what he reads, why he
does whatever he does is such
mystery—maybe he hears words
in the wind or traffic or both!
Perhaps he sings his psalms alone
savoring sounds falling off lips into
small rooms and inside cheek cavities.

. . . but they don’t practice what we know . . .
Babel!  hic et nunc!  God speaks and
at once all hear in their own tongues
as promised, and what canst thou say
in any tongue for any ear?
What is your earliest experience
of God?  Your image of divine?
What daily food sustains your faith?
Each one speaks and answers the call.




This poem was inspired by "Theme Thursday for December 20, 2012--FAITH."
  



Copyright © 2012 S.L.Chast





8 comments:

  1. I loved the divinity in this piece ... this resounds with faith and leaves such valid statements ... good one !!!

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  2. Ah... I think we each find God is different to what we each believe to be true. Some still think of God as an old man with white hair and long flowing beard, as most of us know that is Zeus...still a God but, maybe not ours. Who knows..I think our faith shouldn't have to be drummed into us, that isn't faith it's conditioning/brainwashing...it has to be seen, felt, smelled, touched, heard...in everything that exists, and there, we find our faith and our God. But, this is my own point of view...
    Loved your interpretation Susan.

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  3. I am never one to judge what makes up other people's faith. I can only be responsible for my own faith. As far as attending worship, I have known a lot of people who I consider people of 'faith' who may not attend regularly. I think it is all about what is in a person's heart and mind...which only God knows.

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  4. Some very matter-of-the-fact thoughts expressed here. Faith after all is a personal choice. Appreciate your way of thought!

    http://dflightofthoughts.blogspot.in/

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  5. I found my faith not in a synagogue but beside a mountain for how could something of such beauty exists if there were no God?

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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  6. God speaks and
    at once all hear in their own tongues
    as promised, and what canst thou say
    in any tongue for any ear?

    Lovely, thought-provoking words. I agree that we don't have to go to church to be spiritual (or at least that's the message I got from this). God speaks to me through my conscious.

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  7. You get to choose how much or how little.

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  8. Hi Susan,

    I too believe that our faith and our love of God is carried deep within our hearts. I know some that go to church and I feel they really have little faith and just go to put on a show, while others rarely go but through the things they do you can see they carry their faith in their hearts. I sometimes wonder why we cannot all be perfect but then we would have to be a God to be perfect. Faith is our choice and we have to do what we do with it. A very nice thought provoking poem you have written. I love these.

    Happy Theme Thursday.

    God bless.

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