Poetry Friday – When Faith is Tough

Today, I’ve had a friend on my mind today. Her daughter died in January of cancer, now she has the same kind of cancer. I wrote two poems today about faith in the dark times. I tried a Lai, inspired by Tricia, our host, who wrote one in celebration of Mary Lee last May. She shared the form details in her post, but I chose to write the b lines with three syllables in each.

The Light in the Dark
When the hoping ends
and our God-faith bends
What is right?

Will the Shepherd tend?
Will the breaks God mend?
Yes, all night

As our pathway wends
Dark our way attends
God is Light

And one based on Mark 4:35-41:

W.W.J.D.
What would Jesus do? the bracelet asks.
There were two things Jesus did that night 
two thousand years ago in a storm.
He slept peacefully on a pillow, and
after napping, he rebuked the wind.

Unlike his disciples,
who had just one thing to say:
“Teacher, don’t you care…?”

Lord, I want to grab my pillow and join you,
join you in resting and then rebuking.
Help me in my unbelief.

Tricia, at The Miss Rumphius Effect blog is rounding up Poetry Friday posts today. She has shared a beautiful poem about grief by Barbara Crooker, as she is grieving the loss of her own mother. Please visit her post here.

12 thoughts on “Poetry Friday – When Faith is Tough

  1. Your friend is fortunate that you are willing to share these affirmations of faith in tough times. As poems, they work. But, more, they are tremendously supportive sentiments of a sister in Christ. Well done.

  2. I love the simplicity and affirming faith in your Lai. Such heartbreak in losing a daughter. Prayers for your friend.

  3. I am sorry for your friend. I can’t imagine losing a child. And now she is ill. How lucky to have you to have a poem written for her.

  4. I’m sorry for your friend’s loss and now illness, Denise. How the human spirit keeps going is hard to understand sometimes, as your poems show the voice so poignant, wanting help. How loving for you to create these poems for your friend.

  5. Denise, how much kindness pours from your two poems for your friend. I like the line “And after napping, he rebuked the wind.” We all need to rest, and then to plow forward into whatever is next.

  6. I can only imagine how difficult it is for your friend having to walk the same journey her daughter did. How lucky she is to have a friend to offer support and understanding. I love the lines: “When the hoping ends | and the God-faith bends.” Such a beautiful way to express an incredibly challenging moment. I hope your friend is able to find her place of peace in the midst of this storm.

  7. I’m so sorry about your friend’s loss and illness. As others have said, she is fortunate to have such a loving friend. Your poems are lovely and full of comfort.

  8. I hope your writing gave you as much comfort as it will give to your friend.

  9. Denise, your poem holds truth (the sting of a disease) and comfort (hope that faith brings). The lines that touched my heart are “our God-faith bends” (something that happens in the darkness of night) and “God is Light” (hope emminating from faith). The Lord was with you as you wrote these words.

  10. Very nice! I don’t know the lai form at all, so I will have to learn more about it. Thank you!

  11. Such hard news! Thank you for sharing your poems. They are beautiful and comforting.

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