Becoming

Sunset on icy branches

For the past couple years I've had a picture/poem posted on my bulletin board, one John wrote and gave me for Epiphany 2009. It's a little hard to read there, with white print on a picture of evening sun on icy branches (the one above). For some reason I took it down the other day and re-read it.

He pulled together a number of threads from our experiences in 2008 -- if you check my 11-19 post, you can read my poem on the episode with the seagulls. We were both surprised to discover threads that had no source in 2008, but that resonate with strands of our lives today, including this blog (see section 4).

Becoming    -- by John Glick
1.
A band of sun-fire
Pierces dark December clouds
Illuminating.

One by one seagulls
Enter the light, winging southward,
Each bearing a prayer.

On and on they come
Transfixed I stand; thank God for
Serendipity.

2.
Flame's way focuses the mind;
A candle,
A campfire,
A raging California hillside.

On this day of the longest night,
When a father wonders if he'll have a job next month,
When a mother's doctor tells her she has cancer,
When a family huddles in the cold because
        they could not pay the utility bill,
We yearn for the light.
We yearn for God's light,
Like watchmen ache for the dawn.

Flame of love also
Focuses the mind, on
A child,
A friend,
A community.

3.
When deep comes darkness,
Your love, O Lord, is a fire,
Turning, transforming.

You who walk with us
Our hearts burn within; we Know
When You break the bread.

Ah, the flame within;
First it kindles, then ignites
Mind, body, soul.

4.
Shadows are the evidence of light,
Both the giver and the receiver,
A shadow speaks the language of
Shape, intensity and movement.

Evening settles;
Sipping tea my heart drinks in
Trees a-fire with sun.

They stretch their fingers
Towards heaven, inviting
"You too can be fire!"

Used with permission. All rights reserved.