words are but words
and words with words
make no more than words
but words are what I have to give you
a word in itself
is but a scratch on paper
or a breath in the air
the one who speaks the word
does give it some measure of weight
yet words and words are hollow
until words and deeds are one
yet with words I work my deeds
or some portion thereof
time excels all words
and time I plan to give
but time is not all mine
I must for others live
so when life pulls my time away
my words to you I’ll give
words are but words
when words alone
but these words I give
are not mere words
for in the giving
words and deeds are one
a gift I give to you today
not for the gift itself
but for what it will hold
it will hold my words
my words when we’re apart
my words when we’re together
as my pen flows in endless rhyme
my words will grow with time
and time will show
that time I’ll give
to accompany the words
which will build beneath this lid
----
(I wrote this poem as part of a Christmas gift to Sarah before we got married. The other half of the gift was a hand-painted box for her to store our letters in while we were apart. During that Christmas vacation, we started a tradition of writing one letter to each other every day that we are apart. We are still continuing this tradition 12 years later. Oh, and, I wrote the entire poem on a long role of paper ribbon which I then used to wrap the box.)
----
(I wrote this poem as part of a Christmas gift to Sarah before we got married. The other half of the gift was a hand-painted box for her to store our letters in while we were apart. During that Christmas vacation, we started a tradition of writing one letter to each other every day that we are apart. We are still continuing this tradition 12 years later. Oh, and, I wrote the entire poem on a long role of paper ribbon which I then used to wrap the box.)
2 comments:
Humility is a beautiful thing, but so few people really understand what it is. I like this quote:
Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself.—William Temple
If you want to see God move in powerful ways, all you need to do is stay out of God's way. How? Humility! Staying on your knees is the way to stay out of the way! Or to say it another way, humility is the best way to get out of the way of what God wants to do!
Josh, I really like this poem. Thank you so much for sharing it. It reminds me of one of my favorite pieces of poetry by Lord Byron:
"I have not loved the world, nor the world me, -
But let us part fair foes; I do believe,
Though I have found them not, that there may be
Words which are things,--hopes which will not deceive,
And virtues which are merciful, nor weave
Snares for the falling: I would also deem
O'er others' griefs that some sincerely grieve;
That two, or one, are almost what they seem, -
That goodness is no name, and happiness no dream."
May our words and deeds become one.
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