Tag: poem

Poetry

topsy-turvy year – a poem

by Laurel Luehmann5 Comments on topsy-turvy year – a poem
topsy-turvy year – a poem

Hello, friends!

I shared this poem on Instagram last month and still really appreciate it…so I thought I’d share it here, too.:) I hope you enjoy!

at the end of this topsy-turvy year, I find myself

crumpled, wrapping the pages of truth around my shaking body as

I brace myself for

one more disappointment,

one more slaughtered dream,

one more “no, not yet…”

and I’m afraid.

I’m afraid of crumbling

beneath the weight of all that’s missing.

why, God?

I know the words are foolish, but

I voice them with Habbakkuk,

sobbing at the feet of Christ as

I wait for His answer,

for I know that He is

good,

never late,

ever-seeing.

He has not forgotten me and my bruised heart.

I am only blinded…

blinded to the mercy of this day,

blinded to the wisdom of this way.

oh, my Lover, open my eyes so that I may see

the beauty You’ve unfurled before me!

bandage this heart and carry it along,

filling it with the strength to

love the unloved,

bind up the wounded,

carry the weary

just as You have done for me, for

even when this heart is broken, it is still

the hands and feet of Christ.

even if I’m limping, You still want my all.

oh, give me strength for today

just as You hold out bright hope for tomorrow.

Poetry

love lets go – a poem

by Laurel Luehmann14 Comments on love lets go – a poem
love lets go – a poem

Every now and then I write a poem that I just want to read over and over again. This is one of those poems.

they told me love lets go,

and I replied, “it can’t be so”,

for to love is to show the loved

how much you care…

how much you need them there.

but slowly I am learning…

love smiles and waves

as the loved one walks away

on a path marked “God’s clear calling”.

the songs were wrong –

love doesn’t long

for eternal nearness only…

love goes deeper

farther

wider…

longs for the good of the loved

even when the good of the loved is

goodbye.

they told me love lets go…

and I folded empty hands

and I replied,

“yes, it is so.”

Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash

Poetry

Maranatha – a poem

by Laurel LuehmannLeave a Comment on Maranatha – a poem
Maranatha – a poem

The more brokenness I see in the world, the more I long for the beauty of eternity with the perfect Creator. ❤

do you ever fear that

the beauty of those days –

so sweet

so innocent

so unbelievably right –

may never come again?

because I do.

I stand here, staring at brokenness,

and I weep.

I weep because all of this used to be

so sweet

so innocent

so unbelievably right…

but now?

now it’s ugly.

not even ugly…

it’s commonplace, and that’s what I fear.

I fear the current of the commonplace.

I ache for the thrill of

unthrottled beauty

innocence

sweetness…

righteousness.

each piece of my soul aches for all of this to be

right.

for all of the broken farewells –

the goodbyes that weren’t good –

to be made right.

for all of the loneliness to be

washed away in the

waters of unity.

for all of the hatred to

dissolve in forgiveness.

for all of this –

all of us –

to be healed.

oh, my soul screams,

maranatha!

Photo by Kristina Tripkovic on Unsplash

Poetry

13 haikus

by Laurel Luehmann12 Comments on 13 haikus

Hello, friends!

Last week I asked in my Instagram stories for some fun/lovely/unique words to use as poetry prompts. I was given some pretty awesome words! I turned most of them into haikus…and here they are! I hope you enjoy reading through them.:)

illustrious

illustrious soul

please don’t let go your wonder

hold fast to your song

set-apart

my dear, don’t you know

you aren’t meant to blend in here…

He set you apart

windblown

windblown and wild

a soul bent on so much more

fights onward for truth

crepuscular

crepuscular light

shoving hard against darkness

the essence of hope

surrender

surrender, my love…

bitterness only poisons

the heart holding it

raxeira

here in Your glory

Lord, let me be nothing more

than a raxeira

introspect

introspectional

sometimes I neglect seeing

the wounds around me

ubiquitous

one day – someday soon –

we will live in a land of

ubiquitous joy

shalom

spill shalom freely

let it drip down from your words

and your legacy

candle

candle in the wind,

fight for your faltering light…

the world needs your song

glimmer

see, even teardrops

glimmer in the face of light,

defying darkness

dolphin

a dolphin rises,

slips through the ocean’s crust,

smiles, vanishes

periwinkle

take me to a place

where city lights don’t battle

periwinkle skies

Which haiku is your favorite? Have you ever tried writing haikus?

Poetry

observe – a poem

by Laurel Luehmann8 Comments on observe – a poem
observe – a poem

Hello, friends!

Today I’m sharing a poem that I wrote while on the Glory Writers retreat…next Monday, keep your eyes peeled for a recap of that trip.:)

observe, My child,

the ways that I walk,

and tread these paths beside Me.

the world dances to a different tune,

so press your ear close to My song and

obey

these words that I sing to you,

lest you forget in the valley

the songs that we sang on the mountaintop,

for My words still ring true in the storm.

take My hand, little one,

for I long to be near you,

and shield you from fear

and the terror of night.

observe, My child,

the ways that I walk,

and tread these paths beside Me.

How do you keep your eyes on the ways of the Lord? What are some of your favorite Scriptures or quotes to bring to mind when you’re needing to refocus on God?

Photo by Zack Silver on Unsplash

Poetry

Remember

by Laurel Luehmann5 Comments on Remember
Remember

I’m struck by how often the Bible exhorts God’s people to remember what has happened in the past. This poem came from my thoughts on that.:)

remember

when you walked in that

storm

even though I said

no

that the rain clouds were

close to you

close and

dark

remember

when I ran through the

rain

to go get you and you

cried

on my chest, told me

you would

remember

next time

and so here we are at

next time

I don’t think you

remembered

I didn’t ask you to

keep

all that guilt in your

soul

or that feeling of

fear

that is flooding you now

darling, no.

just remember

in the rain and the

wind

I was there in the

night

I was there

for

you

remember.

Photo by Noah Silliman on Unsplash

Poetry

master of disguise

by Laurel Luehmann8 Comments on master of disguise
master of disguise

Happy Thursday, all!

May I present to you… a poem.

a master of disguise is

staring down

the tearful, trembling girl who whimpers

in the mirror.

“behave yourself…

go out and show the world that

you’re just fine.”

a smile plastered for so long and with

such skill

oh, they can’t see

the knot

that’s weighing heavy deep inside

tangible weight

that pulls at propped up corners of her lips

oh, they can’t feel

the sobs

that rip her lungs as

tears

are pouring down her swollen face

and they can’t read

the thoughts

she can’t untangle in her mind or know

the agony

that’s swelling in her chest

oh, they can’t see

and they can’t feel

and they can’t read

and so she cries

and wonders why

and plasters on the mask

Photo by Elisa Ph. on Unsplash

Poetry

Love Song – A Poem

by Laurel Luehmann6 Comments on Love Song – A Poem
Love Song – A Poem

Happy Monday, all!

(It really is a happy Monday… the weather is amazing here right now.)

So… I procrastinated this past weekend. Imagine that. So today scampers around and fills up with a few time-consuming surprises. Thus, we ditch all plans for a thought-provoking article (because it remains half-written at present) and default to…

A poem.

I wrote this one last month, I think, and I really love it. I hope you do, too.:)

can’t remember

a time

I didn’t know

You loved me.

always

each day

You sang a song of love

to me

so freely

it didn’t matter how

I’d hurt You with

the words I’d said

the thoughts I’d

cherished

You

were always there

chasing

my heart

You were

relentless

in Your love

still are

I wonder what I did

with these dirty hands

to earn

Your faithfulness

how could I be so

vile

and yet so

loved

by the God of

holiness?

blood

drips

down

love

gave

all

for me

I’m free

free to love You

delight in You

serve You

give all for You

some call it

mad –

is it

mad

to give all

for the

One

you

love?

who gave

all

for

you?

friend, meet love.

Personal, Poetry

They’re Watching – A Poem

by Laurel Luehmann9 Comments on They’re Watching – A Poem
They’re Watching – A Poem

It’s poetry time again, friends! Don’t tell me you aren’t excited.:)

Most of my poems are just the overflow of my emotions and reflections. However, on rare occasion I’ll be inspired to write a poem based on something I’ve seen or experienced. This piece is the product of just such a rare occasion.

A few nights ago I was with my youngest sisters, telling them a bedtime story. I noticed that when I would pause for dramatic effect (and let’s admit it, a few extra seconds to come up with my next words:) ), they were leaning over me, eyes big, hands grabbing my arm, every part of their being poured into waiting and watching for what I would say next. It got me thinking…

their eyes are wide

gaze into mine

as I twist the words into

stories.

I’ve captured their minds

and the rhythm of time

grinds now to a stop as they

listen.

little eyes

little ears

always there

always here

on my words

on my deeds

every act

is a seed

falling soft on the

ground of their

hearts –

fertile ground –

precious hearts

of the leaders

to come.

little words

little deeds

I will watch you –

no weeds

can survive

in this life of mine

rest in the dust of times

hated, you beasts

may you never find feasts

in my heart to fulfil

the base lusts of your will

for

their eyes and

their ears are upon me

I need

to remember

remember

I’m leading

the leaders

the world-shaking leaders

to come.

Poetry

The Pen in Your Hand – a Poem

by Laurel Luehmann1 Comment on The Pen in Your Hand – a Poem
The Pen in Your Hand – a Poem

I know… poetry ranked lowest on the poll I posted a couple of weeks ago (a huge thank you to everyone who answered that!). But my mind has felt like Jell-O recently, so I’m drawing from the reserves today.:) Hopefully my brains will be back soon, and I’ll have a little more to offer you guys!

Anyway…

This is a poem written by my fifteen-year-old self. It came into being one night when I was really struggling to accept what God was doing with a situation in my life. Now, in volatile 2020, it’s a blessing to come back to this poem again and be reminded of where God wants my heart to be.

This is one of the first freestyle poems I wrote… and though it’s not quite as fantastic as I used to think it was :), I hope it’s a blessing to you today.

I don’t understand.

I don’t.

There are times, Lord,

When I,

The pen in Your hand,

Long to

Spring from Your mighty

All-knowing

Grasp, with a cry of

“No, no!

That isn’t the way!

Here!

Let me show You how!”

But that

Is as silly as a ditch-digger

Grasping

The brush of a masterful artist.

A clock

Does no good without clockwork

And so

I do no good without You.

With no

Master I lie here, my ink pouring

Out

A miserable, meaningless

Blot.

But in Your loving hand

My life

Is a song – a beautiful witness

To You.

So here – take my tears, though many

There be

And do what you will with them.

And here –

Take my years, though few they may

Be

And use them to glorify

You.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash