poems from the great african bush

I’ve been spending these last few months in Swaziland growing in a number of ways. One area I’ve been growing in is my ability to write poetry. I’ve always loved poetry, but I’ve never spent an extensive amount of time sitting down and trying to make words rhyme. But when there‘s not a ton more to do than to count out the syllables in words, you start writing poetry. My host, David, teaches a writing class every once and a while and it has inspired me to share some of the things I’ve been writing. 

 

The first poem is titled A Cup of Water. It’s written from the perspective of someone sitting near the well as Jesus approaches the Samaritan woman to ask her for a drink of water. The narrator hears the entire conversation and feels the shift in the atmosphere as Jesus offers the Samaritan woman living water. 

He says He’ll meet her every need, 

but does He know where all she’s been?

Tattered, torn, too far from grace, 

could a cup of water cleanse her sin? 

 

Could a cup of water cleanse her sin?

Can what is broken be remade? 

“Drink” He says, “you won’t thirst again.”

Will this be the man to satisfy? 

 

Will this be the man to satisfy

the one whose heart comes repeatedly untied?

His face is one much different than mine, but

He says He’ll meet her every need. 

 

The next poem I wrote when I was half asleep. It was super late, but I woke up and the Lord had put these words on my heart. It‘s a love poem from Him to me. But it’s also a love poem from Him to you. As passionately and intimately He pursues me, He pursues you in the same way. It’s titled Vow. 

 

I look at you, my bride to be,

I see you as clean, I see you as free. 

 

Ordained in jewels, you steal the show,

clothed in beauty from head to toe. 

 

Pains of the past cannot separate 

the kind of love I did create. 

 

One full of hope, so safe, so pure

my true love is always secure. 

 

Forget the things that hold you back, 

the things unknown, the things you lack. 

 

My fullness now will make you whole

with just a breath my heart you stole. 

 

Flee from your past, come be with me,

before you I kneel on one knee. 

 

I‘ll give you life, and a new home

far from your side, I don’t dare roam. 

 

You are my my love forevermore,

love doesn‘t cheat, it doesn’t score. 

 

True, pure love I devote to thee

from this day till eternity.