I wrote this almost 39 years ago during a time of more than one crisis in my life.

Song of Creation

"And the center shall be for me
Where I can see and be seen.
I shall reign over all I've made,
Queen of all creation surveyed!"
And so I took my lofty place,
Thought "Even eagles fear my face!"
But soon I found to my distress:
The center of the circle is emptiness.
The center of the circle is emptiness,
Bounded by pride and greed,
The center of the circle is emptiness,
Yet, what lack I? I have no need.
In the center of my nowhere
I sat and pondered the birds in flight.
I thought of them as freed from souls,
Knowing not fear or night,
For I had found to my distress:
The center of the circle is emptiness.
The center of the circle is emptiness,
Bounded by pride and greed,
The center of the circle is emptiness,
Yet, what do I lack? Have I a need?
I looked without at what I'd made,
Creator of all I surveyed,
And yet it seemed so imcomplete
I felt a sort of drained defeat
For I had found to my distress:
The center of the circle is emptiness.
The center of the circle is emptiness,
Bounded by pride and greed,
The center of the circle is emptiness,
What do I lack, what do I need?
I wept as I saw their shadows cast
And fell to my knees as they passed.
I called to Him who made them free
And He too weeping there freed me.
I was freed of my distress
For where He is, is happiness.
The center of the circle was emptiness,
Bounded by pride and greed,
The center of my soul was emptiness,
But Christ is all I need.

For some reason, I did not date this poem, though I expect it was written while we still lived in Illinois. Whenever I wrote it, it still applies--at least to me, if to no one else, and might also appear on my weekly blog.

REMEDIAL DISCIPLESHIP

MONDAY
Another day of
"Remedial Discipleship 101"
Of holding tongue with
Both hands (so to speak of
Not speaking)
Not to use it as a sword blade
Or fire blaze
Not to use it as
Anti-praise
Not to use it to slash and daze
But to discipline that fleshly member
To bring it to heel, and heal.
Quite a big deal
In view of its seeming size
How full it is of surprise!
TUESDAY
Another day of
"Remedial Discipleship 101"
Of holding tongue with
Both hands (so to speak of
Not speaking)
Not to use it as a sword blade
Or fire blaze
Not to use it as
Anti=praise
Not to use it to slash and daze
But to discipline that fleshly member
To bring it to heel, and heal.
Quite a big deal
In view of its seeming size
How full it is of surprise!
WEDNESDAY
Another day of
"Remedial Disipleship 101"
Of holding tongue with
Both hands (so to speak of
Not speaking)
Not to use it as a sword blade
Or fire blaze
Not to use it as
Anti-praise
Not to use it to slash and daze
But to discipline that fleshly member
To bring it to heel, and heal.
Quite a big deal
In view of its seeming size
How full it is of surprise!
THURSDAY
Another day of
"Remedial Discipleship 101"
....