Where there was something and suddenly isn’t,
an absence shouts, celebrates, leaves a space.
I begin again with the smallest numbers.
“Burning the Old Year” by Naomi Shihab Nye
Romans, Countrymen
Sons and daughters of Israel
The spirit believes
Where there was something and suddenly isn’t
The heart sees what the eyes belie
The soul comprehends He is risen
This cannot be, so many claimed
And yet it is, as many others knew
The spirit believes
An absence shouts, celebrates, leaves a space
A new calendar of the divine
Marking a new era that time cannot erase
Grand strides began with
Faith the size of a mustard seed
The spirit believes
I begin again with the smallest numbers
Each morning’s new breath, my daily bread
And a nightly prayer before my slumbers
<>==========<>==========<>
Today, Mary is our host at dVerse Poets. She introduces us to writer, Naomi Shihab Nye, and challenges us to choose a line from Naomi’s poem “Burning the Old Year” to write a poem of our own. Overachiever that I am I chose an entire stanza to work with in a stylized Glosa.
Raivenne-lations 
Am impressed with your use of form here & the fact that you have written such a meaningful lenten poem. I especially like ‘grand strides began with faith the size of a mustard seed.’ And I like the conclusion, mentioning the morning breath and at night a prayer before slumber.
What a wonderful creation, and how I also love glosa… just the deeper meaning that we need these days of lent.. Wonderful cadence, and seamless integration of the borrowed lines.
What a perfect poem for Lent, as we so soon celebrate the Resurrection. This pretty much says it all:
An absence shouts, celebrates, leaves a space
A space for so much more.
I like the way you wove multiple lines in. And I LOVE this:
“Each morning’s new breath, my daily bread
And a nightly prayer before my slumbers”
You are indeed an over achiever, & I never thought of doing a glosa~ Enjoyed the weaving of the lines & I also specially admire that ending lines:
Each morning’s new breath, my daily bread
And a nightly prayer before my slumbers
Such a stunning glosa 🙂
You took it to a whole new direction and with a glosa.. fantastic.
Lovely poem.
So many great lines and phrases in your amazing glosa but these words stood out for me…
“Grand strides began with
Faith the size of a mustard seed
The spirit believes”
Yes, the spirit always believes and has faith even though our egos may not. Well done, Raivenne!
I love that the spirit believes. Wonderful to read this at this time of year.
Superb, inspiring – what more is there to say?
Overachiever indeed, but when it’s so well done, who am I to argue? A seasonal poem with layer upon layer of meaning.
This is just beautiful and a meaningful poem
The devotion to the Lord is written of so tenderly!
A confirmation of who you are. Well written.
Great choice and execution! Beauty in your words.
A beautiful poem of faith in our resurrected Lord…your lines sing!
Ah.. to live again
iN death of Life..
Desert
WiLL
do that
to folks..
aLIve iN Breathe..;)