We were exiled from the Garden of Eden.
Its sinless wonders nevermore to regain.
So every man on life's toilsome journey,
Must enter the valley of pain.
We don't enter because of desire
And it's certainly not a voluntary fare.
But, rather, it's a matter of destiny
Compelling and forcing us there.
Eden's garden; its beauty so magnificent,
Can't be reclaimed; it is a lost paradise.
Trees of knowledge and life gone forever,
We are now paying consequences price.
The valley of pain is bleak and lonely,
And all heartache must be suffered alone.
The petty and trite ceases to matter.
When facing hurt as never before known.
In pain's valley, no restaurants exist.
Shopping malls can't be found anywhere.
There's no joy to be had from entertainment.
There are no parks, for it is no picnic there.
There are no banks in the valley of pain,
No theaters, no lounges, no beach.
In this valley, we have no lofty aspirations,
Surviving the only goal we hope to reach.
Pain's valley in not a poor man's haven;
We'll find no comfort, or ease or rest.
Nor will we encounter family or friends
For this valley is one's own personal test.
Bitter anguish is experienced in this valley,
A site of conflict on a titanic scale.
A place of failing and spiritual torture,
Of deficiency and interminable travail.
When we enter the valley of pain,
We no longer worry about unpaid bills.
We don't fret about outstanding car notes,
We don't care about acquiring new skills.
When we enter the valley of pain,
We don't dabble in vain vanity.
For this valley inevitably drives us,
To the very brink of human sanity.
When we enter the valley of pain
Family prayer just will not do.
Praying in the church is insufficient,
And social prayer is inadequate too.
We must find our own secret hideaway
Close the door to the world and all its strife.
We must surrender ourselves to our God
And let Him work a miracle in our life.
Saundra L. Washington is the author of two coffee table books: "Negative Disturbances, Homilies that Teach," and the book from which this poem is taken, "Room Beneath the Snow, Poems that Preach." She can be contacted at: http://www.clergyservices4u.org
weekly home cleaning Highland Park ..Real Power.One Tsunami, and all our armies, Seem belittled by... Read More
What can I do to keep this world in its... Read More
In Poetry: Meaning of WordsWhen I write poetry, I check... Read More
You are to me my lifeline my security. That scares... Read More
Phantom of the Rocks[Huancayo, Peru]Night falls deepUpon the traveler!Low, over... Read More
Bells for Belphegor!...Where immortal veils never meet Belphegor, Arch devil... Read More
English VersionA bunch of us guys in the hutIn ?Nam... Read More
Once upon a midnight dreary, coffee cold and vision... Read More
Writing poetry is an art, a way of expression, finding... Read More
Lima, City with the Stretched out WingsIt's an ink-black... Read More
Hammers. Timbers. Iron. Steel.They're laying down a mighty keel.As ant-like... Read More
#25The King and Delka [Split Mawkishness-on Moiromma /Part V]Sickly SentimentalityI... Read More
Azra, Azra, Wake up Azra. Wake up Azra, It is... Read More
The Incubus' Flash-lightHe looked inside my head And found a... Read More
How wonderfully sweet to be a dweller dwelling... Read More
the disease of extremism is infectious-; whoever cannot think of... Read More
Five Poems from Home1) Remembering: Dorothy Parker [Dedicated to the... Read More
"To My Dear and Loving Husband" was written by America's... Read More
Advance: Mr. Dennis Siluk's poetry can have its fire-hearted twists:... Read More
Contract of DeathI heard today, the preacher say: "Daniel has... Read More
JOINEDHeart beat of man pounding - yet unheard joined... Read More
I never met a man, who could shake my hand,... Read More
Charlotte Bronte (1816 ?1855) Novelist and Poet.Charlotte was the daughter... Read More
AFRICA (to africans in diaspora)africa here i come, africa africa... Read More
Little girl from HuancayoDo you really, really know? Just how... Read More
whole house cleaning Park Ridge ..1) Do?a Leonor's Revenge [1627 AD]Rafael Ortiz's fate Was... Read More
Sorry would be a start.Though you cant take back your... Read More
Ah! Leave the gold, wealth and landSays the Inca King?;... Read More
To many people contemporary poetry is a turn-off. The reason... Read More
A Poem - By Lorraine KemberIt was a day like... Read More
Iquitos & the Amazon Part OneIt was December 2, l959,... Read More
I want to get closeI am afraid.Afraid of what... Read More
Have you ever sat there staring at the paper, ready... Read More
The Epic Poem:A Death in Cajamarca, Peru [Atahualpa, in Cajamarca]Advance:... Read More
Part One Midget HistoryI am thirty-six inches tall, that is... Read More
Chicken Soup is good for a coldSleep is good for... Read More
The light of all eternity shines with me now /... Read More
Have you ever read the lyrics of a Simon and... Read More
To many non-specialists of literature, poetry is deeply unsatisfying. There... Read More
Sometimes we feel hard-pressed, Our backs against the wall;... Read More
Little girl from HuancayoDo you really, really know? Just how... Read More
There once lived an old man and his goodwife On... Read More
House of the Goblin [Part Two of Three]Here is where,... Read More
Is poetry too complicated for the average reader? Is it... Read More
Hammers. Timbers. Iron. Steel.They're laying down a mighty keel.As ant-like... Read More
the disease of extremism is infectious-; whoever cannot think of... Read More
I cannot bear to think of when you will be... Read More
We were exiled from the Garden of Eden. Its... Read More
As I picked up some of the polished gemstones in... Read More
Time goes by to quickly to hold your feelings inside... Read More
Poetry |