Rebirth

On By dorahakIn Poems

For the listener, who listens in the snow, And, nothing himself, beholds nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.
— Wallace Stevens, “The Snow Man”

There ought not to be anything but that my mind has ordered it so —

So I had been taught — for the mind is designer

Reality but the by-blow, bastard child that diminishes as I diminish

But that the Emperor of Ice-Cream has clay feet

Which stand on eternity’s threshold eyeing a feast.

There the bread and wine of Thy design

Grain and grape sweetly lies upon the tongue

To “taste and see the goodness of the LORD”

Yet nothing tasting if not sanctified by Thy Word

Blood spilled and body broken

Spoken gospel of love heard by a few

Who once nothing being are born in You

Till nothing become sons and daughters

Alive to You.

Originally posted on This Jolly Beggar.

21 thoughts on “Rebirth”

  5. Good one. The theme of being born in Him to partake in the eternal life is drawn with graphic effect of images of the grain🌾 and grape 🍇. The allusions to Stevens’ poems are beautiful. ” Yet nothing…….by the Lord” and “Till nothing…….Alive to You ” are very effective lines. Psalm 34:8 has very aptly been placed very next to the ‘grain and grape’ line.
    Poetic devices of imagery and alliteration add to the enjoyment. I liked it👌🙏

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much, Saji. Your generous comments are so thoughtful and encouraging. I used to read a lot of Stevens but now it’s the psalms that are pure poetry – beauty and truth – to me.

      Liked by 2 people

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