Prayer for a ruined earth
I. You that are almighty
At the beginning You that are almighty
spoke mighty words,
reaching Your hands out to the darkness
and defined the existence of all things
letting light come out of total darkness
with the first morning breaking
causing stars, comets and planets to break free out of nothing
and with Your immeasurable power and knowledge
caused life to come forth from the nought
forming man to your own image
and long before this,
even before the fall of man, forgiveness already existed,
You had already decided
in love for the sake of man, on Your own death sentence.
II. You left the wide world to the care of man
You left the wide world to the care of man,
to maintain, to care for it
but in every word and deed man only wanted to profit
with that which declares his glory
and he treated the earth as if it is substitutable
stripped the sea, chopped the woods down
and to man the earth was no heritage
he caused the atom to escape from its nucleus
thought that like a god he was treading in Your steps
chased after unknown devastation,
saw the hydrogen bomb explode with a bang,
dared the destruction of everything living
and on a ruined planet man is trapped,
in a world where everything is starting to hang in balance.
III. Still we know
Still we know that Your almighty hand
rest on all things
and You are aware about a world that is declining,
are aware about evil and hold everything in check.
Out of You who once made our paradise perfect,
there constantly flows wonderful light
while You watch the words and deeds of man,
keeping our existence in equilibrium.
You prepare the way in advance for every human being
and where man fails
destroys each other, cursing one another,
You have already prepared the outcome in advance
and still You determine over the lot of every man and thing
and in wonder we are waiting on Your return.
[Reference: Gebed vir die aarde (Prayer for the earth) by Johann Lodewyk Marais.]
poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
God
All that I know is there’s one God
Who made the Universe;
And made the stars, moon, sky and sun;
Earth for beings, human.
If God is truth and truth is God,
And truth alone triumphs;
Then, God is true and truly God
And non-believers, odd!
If God is light and light is God
And light dispels darkness;
Then, God is all we need on earth,
Right from our very birth!
All that I know is there’s a God
Whose presence, Science can’t prove;
The Creation’s testimony
Of God’s existence, love!
The Omnipotent God was there
Always and forever;
The ruler of things known, unknown
Which fools deny, brother!
The beauty of all things God made
Is something, man wonders;
The harmony can never fade,
’Tis man who just blunders!
What love and care, God packed in things
With finesse, unsurpassed;
God is perfect and unequalled,
His judgments, unbiased!
The living God, lives everywhere
And watches all with care;
To steal some souls, all devils dare
But cannot so well fare!
Almighty God does mighty things,
He plans eternally;
His Kingdom comes and Will be done
Hell will be man’s folly!
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
In six days (in answer to Ina Rousseau)
In six day from nothing, only darkness,
He constructed light, solid mass, water and the earth
caused things to come into existence perfectly as if it was everlasting
and his gaze had fallen constantly
on this world,
a place where love was ruling without strive,
a place in the universe
where people were created in His image
and by own choice man himself brought destruction
listening to a obscure being,
letting ruination circle out much wider into posterity
and where hiding from God whispering to each other
and that which was once holy, noble and perfect
had fallen changing to dust and ash.
[Reference: Genesis by Ina Rousseau.]
poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Why This World Exists (In Answer To Louis Esterhuizen)
From the moment that I could think
I was wondering why this world does exist,
man is born in a place
where everything goes to destruction and decay?
What kind of God creates a place
where there is pain, suffering and hardship
where catastrophe at times hit mercilessly
as if every thing is going into damnation and darkness?
Some faiths believe that man
reincarnates over and over,
to in the end become part of a god,
have got to live though this desolation time and again.
Only the Christian faith declares
why our world is in this state,
about a almighty God who comes, to take up man’s guilt
with a salvation plan and how its going to end.
If you read the holy Bible carefully,
it’s clear that Lucifer was created perfectly,
that out of his own will he wanted to be equal to God,
he wanted to stop worshipping God.
When he broke the law
he created the biggest crisis in the universe
persuading other angels to act in rebellion,
where Michael (who is like God)
and his angels defended the heaven.
At that moment God could have wiped out Lucifer
and his followers instantaneously
but then everyone would serve Him out of fear and not out of love
and his Godly character did not even consider that possibility
whereupon He made a plan to solve this problem eternally.
God exists from eternity and is without a beginning,
through Jesus Christ, God created the world, by His own hands formed man
in the image of God and blew into him the breath of life,
He created man as two sexes, as man and woman.
Man was instructed to multiply,
to bring forth a own life in his image, to bring forth children,
to rule over the earth, the animals, birds and fishes
and everything was perfect in the whole earth, in every single thing.
It was then that God started the thing called time,
determining a period of time in which sin has got to abate,
where man as ruler had to lie down laws,
had to eat from the fruit of the earth,
proving to the universe that God is only love,
that dominion demands just laws,
going to the meaning
that the creation came from love.
No angels have ever been ordered to multiply
or to reign, Satan wanted to rule,
wanted to receive worship and become a god,
used his opportunity to lead man into darkness
saying in deception as he still does, that man will get knowledge
will become like God and will not die
and man had then lost his glory
(so as if the master of darkness could bring light)
and in free will man chose,
where his choice had an impact on everything,
even cursing his descendants to a damned world
but God came to place Himself in man’s place
and many people believe that I am only telling a myth here,
but my almighty Lord Jesus Christ lives.
poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Word Became Flesh
Man on Earth will one day perish, but not so for The Word we cherish.
The Word of God that many treasure will indeed friend, go on forever.
In the beginning was The Word, this is a verse that many have heard,
And God was with The Word, this is what the Apostle John conferred.
And The Word indeed was God; and clearly said with a definitive nod.
The Word is Christ my friend, who had no beginning and has no end.
Christ is The Living Eternal Word, as many prophets have concurred.
The Word became flesh indeed, coming to earth as the promised seed.
Through Him all things were made as the heavens and earth were laid.
And in Him was life, my friend, and that life was the light of men.
Christ is the true Light of the world, this is the message to herald.
He came to give light to all men, but this they would not understand.
And though He created all things, the world did not recognize Him.
And John was sent to testify, that Christ was The Lord from on High.
Christ’s own people wouldn’t believe and Christ they did not receive.
He came to the darkness of men, but Light they could not comprehend.
Christ came as The Light of all men, but men liked darkness instead,
Not wanting The Light to reveal, that their many deeds were so evil.
But these men are much like the grass and their glory will not last,
But let The Light be your endeavor and like Him you will live forever.
(Copyright ©10/2004)
Selective Belief: Rewriting The Bible
The twentieth century
witnessed the rise
of a new phenomenom
in Western Nations
across the world.
The strange case
of selective belief,
rewriting the Bible.
Belief read like a roll
of declining acceptability
for these creators
of their own personalized
selective belief system.
Yes we believe in God,
a personal creator, the majority!
But not Satan the Devil,
we choose not to believe in him?
Belief in God, Satan, but not demons?
No we choose not to believe in
demons – they are not real?
Miracles no. They never happened?
Some self professing
so called Christians;
rewrote the whole Bible,
removing all miracles!
Of course not much
of the Divine nature;
of Almighty God Jesus,
the Holy Spirit is left!
After calling both
God and Jesus liars!
(these Bible rewriters read?
their blasphemy bible
miracle stripped.)
All Abrahmic religions;
the world’s three primary,
monotheistic faiths
Judaism Christianity Islam;
3.8 billion followers,
of three Abrahamic religions
over half the world’s population;
must condemn blasphemy vehemently,
because God created miraculously!
The reason: Bible rewriters deny;
created vision recorded in Genesis;
all holy writings in these religions.
Jesus is not God not a Prophet;
to Bible miracle rewriters merely;
a personal guru a cute philosopher.
Problem: Jesus declared the existence
of demons, even non-biblical sources,
attest the multitude of Jesus’s miracles
preformed. God omniscient omnipotent
omnipresent; the all powerful Almighty!
Omnipotent: the all powerful nature of God;
almighty power unlimited infinite power;
all-powerful Lord who has created all things;
and sustains all things by His Word miraculous;
a word of wisdom for the miracle removers
“In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1: 1
“In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made;
without him nothing was made that
has been made. In him was life, and
that life was the light of men. The light
shines in the darkness, but the darkness
has not understood it.” John 1: 1-5
poem by Terence George Craddock
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Creation
And God stepped out on space,
And he looked around and said:
I'm lonely--
I'll make me a world.
And far as the eye of God could see
Darkness covered everything,
Blacker than a hundred midnights
Down in a cypress swamp.
Then God smiled,
And the light broke,
And the darkness rolled up on one side,
And the light stood shining on the other,
And God said: That's good!
Then God reached out and took the light in his hands,
And God rolled the light around in his hands
Until he made the sun;
And he set that sun a-blazing in the heavens.
And the light that was left from making the sun
God gathered it up in a shining ball
And flung it against the darkness,
Spangling the night with the moon and stars.
Then down between
The darkness and the light
He hurled the world;
And God said: That's good!
Then God himself stepped down--
And the sun was on his right hand,
And the moon was on his left;
The stars were clustered about his head,
And the earth was under his feet.
And God walked, and where he trod
His footsteps hollowed the valleys out
And bulged the mountains up.
Then he stopped and looked and saw
That the earth was hot and barren.
So God stepped over to the edge of the world
And he spat out the seven seas--
He batted his eyes, and the lightnings flashed--
He clapped his hands, and the thunders rolled--
And the waters above the earth came down,
The cooling waters came down.
Then the green grass sprouted,
And the little red flowers blossomed,
The pine tree pointed his finger to the sky,
And the oak spread out his arms,
The lakes cuddled down in the hollows of the ground,
And the rivers ran down to the sea;
And God smiled again,
And the rainbow appeared,
And curled itself around his shoulder.
Then God raised his arm and he waved his hand
Over the sea and over the land,
And he said: Bring forth! Bring forth!
And quicker than God could drop his hand,
Fishes and fowls
And beasts and birds
Swam the rivers and the seas,
Roamed the forests and the woods,
And split the air with their wings.
And God said: That's good!
Then God walked around,
And God looked around
On all that he had made.
He looked at his sun,
And he looked at his moon,
And he looked at his little stars;
He looked on his world
With all its living things,
And God said: I'm lonely still.
Then God sat down--
On the side of a hill where he could think;
By a deep, wide river he sat down;
With his head in his hands,
God thought and thought,
Till he thought: I'll make me a man!
Up from the bed of the river
God scooped the clay;
And by the bank of the river
He kneeled him down;
And there the great God Almighty
Who lit the sun and fixed it in the sky,
Who flung the stars to the most far corner of the night,
Who rounded the earth in the middle of his hand;
This great God,
Like a mammy bending over her baby,
Kneeled down in the dust
Toiling over a lump of clay
Till he shaped it in is his own image;
Then into it he blew the breath of life,
And man became a living soul.
Amen.Amen.
poem by James Weldon Johnson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
It's Just the Glow
A billion - billion
The earth have trod,
Each unknowingly glowing
Wearing the image of God.
This old world runs on atrocities
Yet cries for ruined lives;
Avaricious society kills the earth
Then demands those with less, clean up the mess...
Witlessly wondering why
The trampled turn to suicide.
The few who try
To peacefully live and die
Can find no rest
And thereby so much of the planet goes unblessed.
Some things a man thinks he does
When in reality, he does not know;
So much cannot be said
Of wisdom from far beyond ones meager head;
With my words I try so much to show
Yet, even these all are not the Light,
Merely just the glow.
In all the pains and wrongs
The earth has endured,
In all the priceless and witty
Attempt at holy-words;
Through and within and far beyond
All of these there is but one cure,
One devine voice calling and caring
To be sought, found, and heard.
One Light glowing
In the darkness of night.
Throughout humanities ' long and terrible night '
What we all need and desire so
Is the way, the truth, the light;
Everything else by human hand, as grand
As it may seem
Just rises to fall, comes to go
Points towards, but is not the Light,
Tis merely just the glow.
Some day when this is all done
We shall come to understand
It was, and always is, the light of the Son
That glows - and grows -
Into the heart of each child, woman and man.
' From within or from behind, a light shines through us upon things, and makes us aware that we are nothing, but the light is all. ' -Ralph Waldo Emerson.
poem by Smoky Hoss
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Before the beginning
Before the beginning was the Word
and in the emptiness God was heard.
'Let there be light', the Almighty said,
as firstlight was born and off it sped.
Into nothingness light exploded
Each photon with God's power loaded
Creating the vastness of space
light shot forward at a colossal pace.
Then the universe began to grow
filling the vacuum as it did so.
Stretching through the darkness of the night
igniting the void with firstborn light.
Gods' omnipotence was there displayed
as stars and great galaxies were made.
These things immeasurable by man
The Almighty measures with a span.
Genesis BK II
ll. 82-91) The citizens of heaven, the home of glory, dwelt
again in concord. Strife was at an end among the angels, discord
and dissension, when those warring spirits, shorn of light, were
hurled from heaven. Behind them stretching wide their mansions
lay, crowned with glory, prospering in grace in God's dominion, a
sunny, fruitful land, empty of dwellers, when the accursed
spirits reached their place of exile within Hell's prison-walls.
(ll. 92-102) Then our Lord took counsel in the thoughts of His
heart how He might people, with a better host, the great
creation, the native seats and gleaming mansions, high in heaven,
wherefrom these boastful foes had got them forth. Therefore with
mighty power Holy God ordained, beneath the arching heavens, that
earth and sky and the far-bounded sea should be established,
earth-creatures in the stead of those rebellious foes whom He had
cast from heaven.
(ll. 103-119) As yet was nought save shadows of darkness; the
spacious earth lay hidden, deep and dim, alien to God, unpeopled
and unused. Thereon the Steadfast King looked down and beheld
it, a place empty of joy. He saw dim chaos hanging in eternal
night, obscure beneath the heavens, desolate and dark, until this
world was fashioned by the word of the King of glory. Here first
with mighty power the Everlasting Lord, the Helm of all created
things, Almighty King, made earth and heaven, raised up the sky
and founded the spacious land. The earth was not yet green with
grass; the dark waves of the sea flowed over it, and midnight
darkness was upon it, far and wide.
(ll. 119-134) Then in radiant glory God's holy spirit moved upon
the waters with wondrous might. The Lord of angels, Giver of
life, bade light shine forth upon the spacious earth. Swiftly
was God's word fulfilled; holy light gleamed forth across the
waste at the Creator's bidding. Over the seas the Lord of
victory divided light from darkness, shadow from radiant light.
The Lord of life gave both a name. By the word of God the
gleaming light was first called day. And in the beginning of
creation was God well pleased. The first day saw the dark and
brooding shadows vanish throughout the spacious earth.
When words are not enough
When words are not enough
to say thank you with
for all the sacrifices
that speaks an own language,
in the wide world
I would want no other mother
and nobody can lie deeper
in my heart.
Even in latter years
where life is cutting me small
you are prepared
to stay on my side
and this old world
you make heaven to me
and when I look through your eyes
I see another earth
that looks different and better.
As if a angel from heaven
has landed next to me
your words and deeds
the whole time brings honour
to the almighty God
and my thanks
cannot even try
to value you.
poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Above The Law
Too much trash
Too much pain
Too much hurt
Too much life
That's all it is to me, one negative instance after another
Good only wins in the movies
Evil triumphs in this world of ours
If it were not so, then these atrocities would not occur
Such a cacophonous symphony of death and suffering
Would not be the background for my very existence
I would say it's all meaningless
But the overwhelming sense of pain
The pang of loneliness
The strangle hold of isolation
The pessimism that fuels a consuming fire of depression
Like coals each trite observation engulfs me
Why do I feel this way you might ask?
Have you not seen this world?
Have you decided to ignore the bad?
How could you ignore these evils?
How could you overlook the injustice?
The light shines brightest in the darkness
But what do you do when the darkness overwhelms the light
In a black sea of hopelessness
Yet I'd rather be blind, because to see
That's to witness all of this first hand
So what do you call a heart twice broken
What do you call a mirror that's been broken
And then shattered
We don't have adjectives to describe such pain
We just ignore it and watch our lives wain
We just watch them drain away
We try to feel them with a pursuit
We console ourselves with achievement
But the hurt is still inside
You can cover it but there's no healing
Then I decided I'd look past the world for once
If nothing in this world can help what about something foreign
Foreign to earth itself
Foreign to humanity
Foreign to all the hate
Foreign to evil itself
Could such a force exist?
Can anything stand up to the darkness?
I looked up to the stars and I saw light
I looked up and found God
I realized not the whole world was bad
It should be, but there's some inexplicable good
The elementary laws of our universe even depressed me
The second law of thermodynamics: The law of entropy
Things tend to disorder
Things break down
They pass away
Hot becomes cold
Alive becomes dead
Things rust, they don't become more complex they die
So I needed something greater than all the laws
Something to transcend my understanding
Because all I knew was the darkness
Then a God of light found me
I didn't want to believe it at first
But then I realized this is the savior that this world aches for
The one who would defeat the evil
The light to overcome the darkness
Because this light was made of pure love and power
Such love can stand up to the darkness
Not even the love and goodness of all humanity even stands a chance
But this God doesn't even need a fighting stance
His love envelopes the darkness in a consuming light
His fire consumes the burning darkness
His grace is comforting
Now I see the redemption
I found someone above the law
I found someone to comfort me
Now I can comfort others
Now I get to spread the hope
Now I must share the light
It is now time to go above the laws
To break the laws of nature
To show miracles
To show light
To consume the darkness
poem by David Knox
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The dawning of first light
Before the beginning was the Word
and in the emptiness God was heard.
'Let there be light, ' the Almighty said,
as newborn light shone and off it sped.
In the nothingness light exploded
each photon with God's power loaded.
Creating the vastness of space
as it shot forth at a colossal pace
Then the universe began to grow
filling the great void as it did so.
Stretching through the darkness of the night
filling the universe with virgin light.
Gods' omnipotence was there displayed
as stars and great galaxies were made.
These things immeasurable by man
The Almighty measures with a span.
Based on Genesis 1 and John 1
I'm A Very Old Tree
Some of us can live for millions of years,
We've watched as the world's rolled by,
Witnessed all of its hopes and fears,
Now we weep as we watch our Earth die.
Living this way can be so hard to bear,
As none of us can intervene,
Which is really tough when you're fully aware,
Things are worse now than we've ever seen.
We watched the Dinosaurs come and go,
Mammoths and Sabre Tooth's too,
We're warning you now to let you all know,
The same fate is what awaits you,
Contrary to what you Humans think,
Your intelligence is really quite small,
As you take our planet to the very brink,
You are heading for an almighty fall.
You forget this planet belongs to all life,
Yet Mankind is hell bent on destruction,
Because of your acts we all suffer strife,
That's a pure and simple deduction.
Nuclear power cannot be controlled,
It is insane to even think that you can,
A major disaster now waits to unfold,
Devastation created by man.
The scenes we have witnessed are really sad
More so since you lot arrived,
Trying to control atoms is just utterly mad,
Destruction is what you have contrived.
Plundering Earths resources is really insane,
Soon you'll have ripped out her heart.
You are treating our planet with total disdain,
Very soon it will all come apart.
Killing each other you seem to enjoy,
Life to you really comes cheap,
Your aim in life is just to destroy,
For this your extinction you'll reap.
There is no precedent to the human race,
You destroy more than the rest of us combined,
You make no provision for the future you face,
You are truly one of a kind,
We've witnessed destruction on a massive scale
As for yours there is no equal,
Unless your madness you now curtail,
Believe me there will not be a sequel.
You may well think I'm self righteous and cruel,
But unless you take action now,
Our planet will become a stagnant pool,
You will get your comeuppance and how.
Your future is what you need to review,
How would you know, I hear you all ask,
Well I've been around much longer than you,
I've accrued the knowledge to take you to task.
Ignore the warnings and you'll pay the price,
Destroying our planet doesn't come free,
Mother nature is one powerful device,
How would I know?
‘' I'm A Very Old Tree ''
The Fall of Paradise
(after John Milton)
I. Lucifer
Thus he rebelled without anyone stopping him,
wanted to put up his throne above, at times
equal to that of the almighty Creator
and approached others for this goal,
felt at times that his jealousy was noble
where he stood at the edge of the precipice
and thunder flashed ominous around him.
He dragged a third of once holy ones along
to all at once squander their lives,
joy, virtue and nobility
and along with them
later missed the glory, peace and love
of the heavens and knew
that he (the flaming son of the morning)
is trivial to the Most High (who is always honourable)
could not even stand in His shade
and through stars, he had torn, through the heavens
to declare war, as in his heart he wanted to win
as if insanity was eating
through every reason and sensibility
and had destroyed his nobility.
When he stood alone in front of Michael and thunderbolts,
suns and comets was thrown at him
at supreme command, he new pain and misery
was banned from heaven, with all of his rebellious team
was crackled down in flames
and in his heart he had to admit that it was just,
that he could not give life to anything
and could not comprehend or have love anymore;
as might, his splendour,
his own power had overwhelm him
and then he could still fall on his knees and beg for mercy
but he was far too proud for it
and he wanted to take revenge on the Almighty One
where he cunningly deceived man
and got some more victims for his own punishment
but for man God himself came to pay the price,
Lucifer was convinced that death on the cross
was the end of God, as God had become man,
in his heart Lucifer thought that he had won
and when God rose staying available for man
Lucifer could still not comprehend or explain love
or what it is to as God have the power to life.
II. After that initial awakening
After that initial awakening
Adam realised that every animal had a mate
and in him there was a longing
for a companion, for someone beautiful to love
and with infinite care God knew about his thoughts,
made him sleep and formed a woman from his flesh,
constructed a delightful charming being,
someone to match the longing of his soul.
Radiating purity and innocence
they stared awe struck
for long moment after long moment
when at first they became aware of each other.
God Himself bonded them in connubial love,
told them to multiply, to engage with each other
in the act of utter joy and there was sheer magic
and tenderness while in each other’s arms they did rest
Such sweet happiness, sprung from love
physical, spiritual and for God divine
and was in the tender care
with which they ruled the world.
They made sheer intimate passionate love,
without realising their nakedness
found beauty, love and tranquillity
in ever movement, in every tender gesture
and it was if there was magic to everything,
as if in each insect, animal, plant and tree
they found something inspiring
while they lived with freedom of choice.
III. Glorious did that snake appear
Glorious did that snake appear,
with its scales glittering in the sun,
in a place of perfection
its charm, its voice did stun.
Its deception mixed truth and lie,
enticed the woman Eve,
to reach for more knowledge,
to reach for godliness.
To her the love
of her husband Adam was secure
and in perfection, in sheer innocence
she looked at that snake with an own radiance.
The longer they talked the more she longed,
not for the fruit of life, for immortality,
but to enter into the unknown
and by disobedience the fall of man did begin.
The taste was sweet but mortality was in it,
it made both Adam and Eve aware
of their sheer nakedness,
brought destruction to a world without strive,
but still the two humans instinctively knew
that in all of this, in the sin that they entered in
God had a plan for the salvation of man,
a plan that was unspoken but existed as a token of love.
IV. How will I now see the face of God or of His angels?
(Adam after the fall of man)
How will I now see the face
of God or any of His angels?
Will it be with sheer joy,
in a blaze of clear light?
Or will I forever be afraid,
be scared of wrath, of judgement of the brightness
that reveals the darkness of my heart,
that reveals the darkness of my passions?
In this glade where I am hiding,
where leaves are covering
my beloved Eve and me,
I long for some tranquillity
but my own iniquity, our sin
is darkening everything
and there’s shame,
so much of it
that I do not know
how to face God the righteous One,
or even one of his angel messengers
and I am longing to be forever hidden.
V. There was some tranquillity in His voice
(Adam after the fall of man)
There was some tranquillity in His voice
while He called us to appear,
to where He was wandering in the garden
but in nakedness we were hiding.
His piercing brightness made the darkness
where we were hiding day,
and He had seen us sin,
had seen us changing the way that things were
to devastation, to pain and suffering
and He told us about the earth being cursed,
to bring forth thorns and thistles,
about the struggle to earn a living,
about death that at a time will be approaching,
will be approaching everything that lives
and He made clothes of skin,
to cover our nakedness
told about the time when He would come,
to crush the head of the snake,
to die for our sins like the lamb
that He had slaughtered for us.
We knew that the punishment for sin was death,
that all things living would change,
with lions, leopards, wolfs
preying on gazelles, on antelope.
It was clear that His words were true,
that He truly loved us
even though we had fallen to sin
and His eyes were full of pain
when He looked at us
and we did not really realize
the destruction, the pain and the hardship
that we had brought about
not until much later, when our son Cain
killed his brother Able
but we cuddled together
when He left us and loved each other.
As I knew that day by day
our bodies was weakening,
saw the strain, the sorrow
on my darling, Eve’s, face
while I held her while she was crying
another plan to reverse things
suddenly came to mind
and I wanted to get fruit from the tree of life
but He knew all things
and before I could even reach that tree
He banished us from the garden of Eden,
driving us out into the wilderness
and I struggled to understand this
while mighty brilliant cherubim ready for battle
was patrolling at the entrance to Eden,
with drawn flaming swords.
[References: The Holy Bible, “Paradise Lost” by John Milton.]
poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Experiences with God
I
You make all things new
I realized when I watched the Southern Cross tonight,
that like always holds something magical for me,
maybe I was so carried off in the daily dispute
of my own grey existence that I absolutely
did not notice that You, hold fold Your hand over us,
that Your beacons burn bright and are never growing faint.
Even if situations is how acute
and Moscow, Rome, Washington and Pretoria
are all places where Your light is falling upon
where people are created in Your image,
where people rejoice, are jubilant, cry and complain,
and with innumerable people
You are present as the almighty God.
II
You are present as the almighty God,
but nobody else was on my side
when I realised my destruction,
nobody was near to me,
everyone was as a stranger not dear to me
and when I went out in the new morning
you were a man, a woman or a child
until I stood before the heavenly Father
and not blinded anymore
I saw the pain, heartache and loneliness of other people,
when I saw that everyone is God’s child,
that everyone have to be brothers of each other
and then I myself became insignificant in my own eyes,
moved by the almighty God.
III
Moved by the almighty God
where water run like rivers
overwhelming to my mind,
the clouds again opened
with a rainbows catching the eye,
even when thunder is bashing down continually,
coming from the darkest clouds
God’s promises keeps standing.
On a planet were things are stripped unto the core,
are breaking down and decaying by own actions,
man brought the darkness upon himself,
in rebellion against the God of the universe
and at times I stand shivering
when I want to live without Your light.
IV
When I want to live without Your light,
when it does not penetrate to the depths of my soul
as if my existence is just circling out aimlessly
and between it all I somewhere loose my balance
with the outcome almost to eternity staying far off,
when I cannot jump off the highest cliffs,
I hear the wind howling monotonous in my ears,
it is if I want to yield before the onslaught
but my life is anchored like a fortress on You as the rock;
it is as if this separation do not penetrate to You,
I see waves breaking, thunder striking out in blue tongues,
with waves continually colliding with me
and to eternity I stay before You as just another single individual;
when the bad weather in the afternoons stirs up.
V
When the bad weather in the afternoons stirs up,
with mornings being cobalt blue,
then I know how much I miss you
and when thunder breaks forth in the late afternoon
it’s like the hand of God that He is protruding,
I become aware of His presence,
as if I can touch Him
and thus being able to ask the wishes of my heart
and just before the rain bashes down pattering
I want to know how long it is still going to be
before I am going to see you again
and mightily His answer comes in numerous lightning bolts
that crackles down in with blue-white fire
while He is asking me to trust while I behold His work.
VI
While He is asking me to trust while I behold His work,
when with humility I bring my hands together,
holding you with love against me
and we want to press upon Him in the infinity,
in suffering and pain everything passes with speed,
but He remains in our thoughts with the world in the circle of His fingers
as if we are like a fortress, against that which rages against us
with you, my darling in my embrace
there’s a small universe suddenly forming
coming to reality between two separate people
as if passion, knowledge and ingenuity
with love binds lives, against all that is assaulting
and there a flower rises perfectly out of the naught,
where together we can venture into the infinity.
VII
Where together we can venture into the infinity
with the greatest master of mathematics and science
who is astounding us the whole time with his omnipotence
and there are images that His thoughts form and realize,
divide into rivers, lakes and oceans
with planets spreading like a skeletons, open and uncovered
while He only is giving commands
water masses recede, are pushed away
with continent upon continent appearing,
with a sun hanging in the sky
and He spreads His hands
and suddenly countless animals appear,
Your love, stays unending and without any substitute,
You make all things new.
poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
This World Is Magic
Dreams can make you fly
This world is magic
Rainbows in the sky
This world is magic to me
Dreams can make you fly
This world is magic
We need peace on earth
The second birth of paradise
This world is magic
This world is magic to me
This world is magic
What is the magic of this world
What is the magic of this world
What is the magic of this world
What is the magic of this world
What is the magic of this world
What is the magic of this world
We need peace on Earth
The second birth of paradise
This world is what we share
The nature and the air
Life could be paradise
Eternal peace is what we need
To live in harmony
For human history
Pray for a better world
When you close your eyes again
Planet Earth, that's the name of my place
I'm born in this world, in the entire space
Planet earth, is my home, is my face
Follow your trace embrace this human race
In case, there's a new decade in human history
I'm talking about respect this is my destiny
Feel free, and stop running away
From the doubt in your mind,- never fade to grey
Planet Earth, gentle and blue
Then cold as a rock, or ice without a hue
Planet earth, made out of dust
A big ball of metal, condemn to rust
Pray, let your soul be free
Find out how to heal a bleeding wound don't stand around
Life could be paradise, peace on earth is what I found
All around in a magic world from the air to the ground
song performed by by DJ Bobo
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The Day The Earth Stood Still
Travelling to other planets,
Will not allay your fears,
Believe me when I tell you,
This is going to end in tears.
I gave you all you needed,
On my planet Earth,
But The planet's now eroding fast,
You've nowhere left to berth.
You're destroying all my animals,
The trees and flowers too,
As the Earth is slowly dying,
The blame all lies with you.
The oceans and the rivers,
To all life I had them suited,
Then I introduced the human race,
Now they're poisoned and polluted.
The Earth was self sufficient,
Until humans happened by,
You're intent on ruining life on Earth,
Could someone tell me why?
You really thought you knew it all,
Of brains you are bereft,
Your attitude really does appal,
As there are no resources left.
I gave you every chance to learn,
Conservation is the answer,
But you decided differently,
Now Earth's suffering from a cancer.
A cancer sometimes can be cured,
But swift action must be taken,
You've ignored my early warning signs,
My advice you have forsaken.
Despite the state my planet's in,
It is sickeningly funny,
Instead of trying to solve your ills,
You are still obsessed with money.
Instead of looking to the sky,
To try to ease your woes,
Look at the extinctions here,
They're everywhere man goes.
All you've done is fight and kill,
From the day of your induction,
You seem to know no other way,
True masters of destruction.
Why would I allow you all,
To do the same again,
You've never listened to my words,
All you've did is cause me pain.
So prepare yourself for doomsday,
To annihilation you are addicted,
Remember all your agony,
Is totally self inflicted?
When I gave you all the gift of life,
With intelligence you were endowed,
But you failed to use it wisely,
No more waste will be allowed.
There will be no solar travel,
For reasons you are fully aware,
You are the masters of your downfall,
My planet has been stripped bare.
You will never do the same again,
That I will ensure,
The reason I won't let you,
Is prevention's better than cure.
So forget about your pipedreams,
They'll be fossilised in granite,
My solar system's out of bounds,
You won't destroy another planet.
Your time on Earth is over now,
Even though it was quite brief,
You have caused such massive damage,
Your extinction will bring relief.
Every other form of life,
Will survive when you are gone,
The elimination of human beings,
Will bring a brand new dawn.
The Earth will come alive again,
All life will then re-nourish,
With humans now an afterthought,
My planet will then flourish.
God is your master here on Earth,
It is I who dictates the pace,
I'll determine what the future holds,
Not you the human race.
I hate everything you stand for,
You have acted against my will,
So the day you become extinct will be,
‘' The Day The Earth Stood Still ‘'
You Are Unto Dust
You are made from the dust of the earth,
And the Wailing-Wall will be there for you;
For you are unto dust and you shall return unto dust,
And this is just the journey of the spirit.
To the realm of the unknown and to the things we do for love,
And until death put us apart on this side of the planet;
For the flesh goes back to where it belongs to!
Yes, back to the earth.
Death is part of us and we need to learn from others,
For we have to be prepared as well;
For he flesh goes back to where it belongs to;
And out of the dust we were made.
The dust became flesh and today we are human beings,
And from the knowledge of the things to come;
But naked we came and naked we shall return.
Shed no tears on this love,
For death comes for all of us on this earth;
And we need to learn from the facts around us as well,
For it is better to be very righteous than to be buried with evil deeds.
Life is a long road full of sand and,
All that is acquired on this earth is vanity!
Yes, vanity upon vanity! !
For you and i are unto dust and,
Unto dust we shall return at the end of of all things.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Once when I go on God’s way
Once when I go on God’s way
past the restrictions of this world
breaking away from this lonely existence
then I will find you on the other side of the further horizon.
Not straying between foreign fallen stars
but in the bright pure light
when He fetches me, fetches you
we will both be in perfect equilibrium in harmony
where everything always shines bright
no night, no darkness
disturbs the beauty, no evil entrenched
and everything is pure and sacred
and my beloved when you hear my words
after every thing our love still lasts.
[Reference: Gesprek van dooie siele (Conversation of dead souls) by N.P. van Wyk Louw.]
poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Never Give Up, Never Give In
The silence masseurs my sound barrier
Breaking all that I am left inside, insanity
Letting go of the ones I care about
It’s become an art form, graceful
It seems it’s the only thing I’m good for
Holding on till there is nothing left for me to hold
It slips between my fingers, in vain
I’m nothing more then a lonely memory
Left to die in my own fabrication of this life
I feel like my existence is falling to pieces
And I can’t help but deem this is my sentence
Lost to comfort, all kinds of words unexpressed
It’s my own silence that I’ve been condemned
Lost to advice, that’s never followed
It’s my decisions that founded my seclusion
Lost to those who really care
Or maybe more to the ones that really don’t
All these people are locked inside
Until the day I free them from my mind
Lost within the darkness
Lost beneath the light
I’ve run out of road to pursue
I’ve got nowhere left to hide
Step out into the sun
Sleep outside beneath the stars
I must burn down this barricade
Before it drowns out all strength
I will succeed and I will get lost
And with any luck, once the two collide
I will blossom in my dream, my dream
Maybe its then when being lost
Will my sense of failure simply just, vanish
poem by Kelly Batson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!