And The Greatest

Until your tears have fermented
they are only water,
easily mistaken for raindrops.
But should you endure the season
your grief might turn to wine,
your sadness might become
the spirit others will travel
far and wide to taste.
Know that the season is often long,
the weather harsh and inappropriate. 
There are no guarantees.
Only hope, wait, and see remain.
And the greatest of these is hope.
 
 
 

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16 Comments

  1. acircleofquiet08 on October 16, 2013 at 3:58 pm

    Dear Madelaine,

    You mentioned when I saw you that you are working at enjoying poetry.  I have appreciated getting poems in my inbox from this guy.  I often find his view of the world to be insightful, sometimes funny, and often a refreshing view of faith.  I don’t know if it will resonate with you, but I thought I would send it along.

    How are you?  Would love to chat before we fall in to the FISH schedule of the weekend.

    Love you, Mom

  2. acircleofquiet08 on October 16, 2013 at 4:00 pm

    UGH.

    I know your name is not Madelaine, and I am most certainly not your mother.  My apologies.  I am trying to forward your poem to my daughter and hit reply instead of forward.  Again, my apologies.

    Diane Wheeler

    • thebeautifuldue on October 16, 2013 at 5:21 pm

      No apologies needed, Diane. My mother often tries to forward things to me and hits reply instead, so I found this endearing. Thank you.

      • Patricia on October 16, 2013 at 10:39 pm

        Endearing indeed… oh, how this made me smile. Made me miss my mom, something awful.

    • Annie B on October 16, 2013 at 9:50 pm

      Smile. We all do it.

  3. Annie B on October 16, 2013 at 4:07 pm

    Beautiful!

    • thebeautifuldue on October 16, 2013 at 5:19 pm

      Thank you, Annie B.

      • Annie B on October 16, 2013 at 9:54 pm

        I sent the poem to my sister today and she sent back that it caught what I had gone through to have my present life and my true love, at an age most people don’t think such things happen. Thank you.

  4. Roadkill Spatula on October 16, 2013 at 5:20 pm

    My grief usually turns to whine.

  5. Lindsay Terry on October 16, 2013 at 8:39 pm

    John your post, especially the last line, brings us to the most important thing in our lives…HOPE.
    I am reminded of a song, the lyrics of which are:
    “HOPE rises with the dawn,
    Rises in the heart, shinning on the soul,
    Forcing back the dark.
    HOPE gives our spirit peace,
    Peace breaks forth in praise, for the promised King,
    For His gift of grace, God’s most Holy One.”

    “Christ in you, the HOPE of Glory.”

  6. Patricia on October 16, 2013 at 10:42 pm

    This one… thank you, John. God’s perfect timing.

  7. Susan Irene Fox on October 17, 2013 at 2:26 am

    Yes, it is perfect timing. God speaks through you, and I am so glad…and hopeful.

  8. Brynn on October 17, 2013 at 3:25 pm

    Reading this as I draw the next ragged breath in my own long season. Inhaling the fragrance of this gift of hope. Thank you.

    • Annie B on October 17, 2013 at 5:09 pm

      You also write beautifully. Keep inhaling the hope.

  9. Gwendolyn Acres on October 17, 2013 at 7:27 pm

    Poetry speaks to the heart like nothing else. Thank you for those amazing words that go down deep.

  10. Sue on October 19, 2013 at 11:58 am

    For those of us who are enduring the season at this moment this poem is more than beautiful – it’s an uncovering of something dear, nearly buried.

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