I Am a Reluctant Watchman
The Poetics prompt at dVerse Poets Pub today is offered by guest bartender Lynn. She is asking us to write about what the watchman sees. I decided to take my first line from the Isaiah verse she quoted, with a slight modification. This prompt was actually perfect for me this week as I’ve been writing more (in prose/essay form) about my personal experience with abortion. I’ve felt a little like the watchman, though a reluctant one.
I Am a Reluctant Watchman
Go set a watchman; let her announce what she’s seen
Declares the Lord our God
It’s not about me, knows the watchman, but where I’ve been
I don’t want to play watchman in our world today
I tell the Lord my God
It’s not about you, He replies, you must go this way
And so I speak the atrocities I’ve both seen and done
Trusting the Lord my God
Then I share the compassion of Jesus the Son
Murder I see and murder I’ve perpetrated
Grieving the Lord our God
For our own convenience children are daily terminated
Lies I was told and deception reigns supreme
Angering the Lord our God
I wish I could say this is only a horrible dream
But He’s set me a watchman to announce what I’ve seen
Glorifying the Lord my God
With the truth I learned when I was just seventeen
Choices made out of fear can never be undone
Whispers the Lord my God
But they can be forgiven by the grace Christ has won
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Oh where would we be without forgiveness? We have all seen and perpetrated many crimes against God…and yet He continues to bless us with his forgiveness. Powerful piece.
A powerful piece….very forthcoming, honest yet humble. I think when you write from your heart , it speaks to our hearts.
Peace to you, Linda.
Thank you. That makes my heart smile.
Caring and emphatic elements necessary in a good watchman. Very true Linda! Otherwise, it’ll be similar to border guards reacting in a sullen manner.
Hank
Humans rule morals.. God establishes Nature..
Nature rules over morals wheRever humans
go.. that rarely changes wHere humans
tread in feet of blood.. tears.. fears or
guts.. to understand Nature ALL
IS to understand GOD NOW
it is not ‘sin’ to live now
and in some places
sacrifice of some
is required for
any to live
at ALL..
until these
places are showeRing
effective birth control
other than abortion GOD’s
Nature and abortion
will continue to rule..
True watchWOmen
of Light
do not
exclude
truth of
GOD’s
Nature
PurView..
to eliminate
human and other
creation of suffering
in all its forms from
a grain of sand
to the tallest
UniVerse
inside..outside..
above.. so below
all around as God
as US and all else
IS..just IS.. JustiCe
Lives in the
Nature
of GOD
eYes in
US and
yes.. those
other places
too.. HeLlp
is more
than
HelL.:)
Two lines strike me as particularly powerful, standing unvarnished, unadorned and stark as they do:
I don’t want to play watchman in our world today
and
Choices made out of fear can never be undone
forgiveness is the key for me here – it is important to have this watchman in us but it is more important to be this father or mother to those around us
Indeed we all have to be watchmen…but we also have to recognize our humanity. And yes, there is forgiveness when we lapse. We must forgive others as well as ourselves! Your strong writing continues to impress me, Linda.
Thanks. I do think my fearless writing is better than my fluff stuff. And I believe my participation at dVerse is part of what has helped to improve my writing.
I do like your ‘fearless’ writing! Smiles. It shows you have confidence in who YOU are.
The greatest gift we have to give is our stories, the humility of confessing our own failings – because they have power; to rescue those that are there now, or are considering similar pathes, or fear they are too far gone to know love again. This is why we need watch(wo)men, to look for those that need to hear – even if they wont in the moment.
We are living through such difficult times, aren’t we? The need for compassion, forgiveness and “chesed” (loving-kindness) has never been greater–at least, in my experience.
And there seems to be so little of it going around.
There is a burden and challenge to be a watchman ~ Certainly forgiveness is one way forward ~
Each of us witness so many atrocities.. that we sometimes wish was nothing more than a horrible dream.
This is really good.
Thanks. I was going to skip the dVerse prompt today, because I’m really busy, but once I read it I knew I had to write this.
Courageous words, Linda. Hard lessons to learn so young but thankfully, there’s forgiveness offered. Peace to you (as you offer to others), my friend.
A burden to bear for anyone.. though I think forgiveness is one of the blessings.. each of us should be our own watchman.