Bending Toward a Rightness

By John Blase | July 18, 2013 |
I’ve become too old for
bullshit fantasies of invincibility.
At any time God may dispatch
an angel to bind my tongue
or allow evil to scour all I cherish.
Those things have not happened to me
but other things have.
Has my age made me brave or empty?
Yes.
A number of my peers have recanted,
found God just too wild.
Oh they still rise to say the creeds but
there is no blood in their mouths.
I expected by now to learn the language of God
but I have only learned to love him.
I no longer listen for his voice.
I listen to the wind.
 

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30 Comments

  1. Alise Wright (@AliseWrite) on July 18, 2013 at 1:11 pm

    Oh my. I’m wrecked.

    Reply
  2. wynnegraceappears on July 18, 2013 at 1:27 pm

    And Telluride does a writer’s voice good – tempers it bold and truthful. Sharpens it down to the point. There is a misty steam blowing from those mountain peaks, carrying your words. And as always. I must go for a second and third read. Beautiful.

    Reply
    • nwhannas on July 18, 2013 at 2:23 pm

      Between you and John, I’m undone. Thank you.

      Reply
    • thebeautifuldue on July 19, 2013 at 12:47 pm

      Hi, Elizabeth. Yes, Telluride was cleansing on many levels.

      Reply
  3. hisfirefly on July 18, 2013 at 5:52 pm

    only learned to love Him? you have learned the important thing!
    and I too am listening to the wind

    Reply
  4. Diana Trautwein on July 18, 2013 at 6:41 pm

    still learning, still leaning. thank you.

    Reply
  5. Rebekah Grace on July 18, 2013 at 11:53 pm

    There are no doubt many who have no blood on their tongue. The narrow road is filled with those who have ‘only’ learned to love him. And the wind, oh the wind! Thank you for this!!

    Reply
  6. Jamie Wright Bagley on July 19, 2013 at 1:02 am

    I can’t express how much this resonates. I just keep reading it over and over. Thank you.

    Reply
    • thebeautifuldue on July 19, 2013 at 12:49 pm

      Those three sentences express a great deal to me, Jamie. Thank you too.

      Reply
  7. Heather Kopp at SoberBoots.com on July 19, 2013 at 5:21 am

    Awesome

    Reply
  8. Miranda Chivers on July 19, 2013 at 12:41 pm

    Absolutely love this. Keeping it for my rereads and future quotes.

    Have a wonderful day Miranda Sent from my iPhone

    Reply
  9. Paula on July 20, 2013 at 1:16 am

    Wow! This is deep good stuff!

    Reply
  10. Dale Bicksler on July 21, 2013 at 12:16 pm

    I’m wondering what it is you love about him. Or do you love life, the universe, the wind?

    Reply
    • Sarah on July 22, 2013 at 7:06 pm

      Because those things are mutually exclusive?

      No.

      Reply
  11. Dale Bicksler on July 23, 2013 at 10:14 am

    Thanks for your reply, Sarah. Yes, of course loving God and loving the universe don’t have to be mutually exclusive. I was simply trying to understand whether The Beautiful Due’ s idea of God included something more than the universe and, if so, whether he loves something about that “moreness” and, if so, what that is. I’m not trying to argue with you or him, just trying to understand.

    Reply
    • thebeautifuldue on July 24, 2013 at 11:53 am

      Hi, Dale. Thanks for reading and wondering. The moreness? To borrow Rilke’s words it is the ‘infinitely tender hand’ that I have learned and continue to learn to love.

      Reply
      • Dale Bicksler on July 25, 2013 at 12:57 am

        Thanks. What’s not to love about that?! 🙂

        Reply
  12. Link Love & the Pastor, the Plumber, and the Poet | Sayable on July 24, 2013 at 2:42 pm

    […] Bending Toward a Rightness: […]

    Reply
  13. Elizabeth on July 25, 2013 at 11:23 pm

    This is beautiful and I thank you for it.

    Reply
  14. what I’m into in July 2013 | a temporary stay on July 31, 2013 at 8:53 pm

    […] Finally, a poem from John Blase: “Bending Toward a Rightness”. […]

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    […] speaking of poetry, “Bending Toward a Rightness” by John Blase is my new mantra… I expected by now to learn the language of God but I have […]

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