My reply, written in the form of a sonnet, addressed what a good book needs, at least from my perspective.
In cancer’s fatal Isandlwana, where
the impis line the beetling hill
and the blood-scent’s fell and vicious dare
is how to face the foe’s casual kill,
I turn to words that have no trope
to sell, nor style to flash;
I turn to words that give me hope
that a part of me outlives the clash
of my skin against metaphoric steel
that rends from within, and knows no
mercy, nor gives time to heal
but simply follows, blow on blow.
There will one day be no dawn, no leaven
save your words, pointing me to Heaven.
the impis line the beetling hill
and the blood-scent’s fell and vicious dare
is how to face the foe’s casual kill,
I turn to words that have no trope
to sell, nor style to flash;
I turn to words that give me hope
that a part of me outlives the clash
of my skin against metaphoric steel
that rends from within, and knows no
mercy, nor gives time to heal
but simply follows, blow on blow.
There will one day be no dawn, no leaven
save your words, pointing me to Heaven.
Music from the Alan Parsons Project, with Closer To Heaven.
Thanks to Carol Ashby, Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart is back on Kindle, and will be available in paperback soon.
Friends are everything. I couldn't have done it.
Marley, the canine waif from Afghanistan, whom WE helped save, has a Facebook page! Please drop by to see how happy he is today.
Below are my recent releases on Kindle -please excuse their presence in the body of the blog. I haven't the energy to get them up as 'buttons' in the sidebar. You can click on the covers to go to the Amazon links.
Wow. Your words are amazing and so pointed...in the exact direction they should be!
ReplyDeleteCarol, you do me great honour...thank you so much for being here!
Deleteyes, Andrew, more than just a part of you will "outlive the clash" ..... and besides making me look up Isandlwana and trope! I was taken aback by your words: " there will no leaven save your words pointing us to Heaven." This truth struck me hard. I have often struggled with all the shallow kinds of "hi how are you, I'm fine" fake kind of platitudes - and especially all the superficial sounding Christianese ... but at the same time I am beginning to see that what is true (in feelings) verses what is true (in capital T Truth) can seemingly 'feel' so diametrically opposed - and so the mind.heart.spirit battles of feeling 'fake' can ensue. And hence, presents the power of 'leaven' ... so, I think I will begin to take the power of the words themselves - Be damned all the feelings and thoughts !- and I will make the vibrations of my vocal cords speak Life and Hope... until they are true at least in my heart. Not pretend. Not made up self/human "positivity' flimsiness that can't hold a weight against a feather. But Life and Hope created in the building blocks of Genesis and THE Word. Sleep well, friend. Thank you for your words.
ReplyDeleteJane, thank YOU...this comment is just brilliant, and you've cut to truth's core, and set a high purpose we all should emulate.
DeleteYou're in our prayers, always.
(((Andrew)))
ReplyDelete(((Barbara)))
Annie in Texas
((((((Annie!))))))
DeleteHugs back, and I apologise for the delayed reply. Praying for you and your grandmother.