I pastor Grace Presbyterian Church in Kernersville, North Carolina which locals fondly refer to as K-vegas -- the town not the church. As D.T. Niles once said, "I am not important except to God."
Yesterday marked the beginning of the November Poem a Day Challenge #NovPAD and The Poetry Pub has offered a set of prompts for the event, #PoPubPAD. Day 1’s prompt to start us off was: Hello.
Here’s my attempt.
“Hello,” from halouen, “to shout in chase”
Or hala “to fetch” in old high-German
A cry from one bank over the water
To get the crossed ferryman’s attention.
And though it was Mr. Bell’s invention,
Thomas thought, “Hello” was better to greet
The other in conversation, to tell
The receiver, I’m here, ready to speak.
“Hello,” is now a word of greeting
And in that way it may bring one to
the end of waiting, an invitation
To say I am here and glad to see you.
Hello! I see you there. Do you hear me?
Can you help me across this divide,
Rivers of experience, years made wide,
By the current of circumstance and trial?
Hello! I call to get your attention
To catch your eye, to fetch your ear
Possibility calls with connection
What shall we say? Where go from here?
(c) Randall Edwards 2022
Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” John 4:6-7
You may listen to me read the poem via the player below.
Thirsty, the Water asked of the woman Who came to the well in the day’s heat, “A drink, please,” though she, a Samaritan, Not caring if it seemed indiscreet.
“But you have nothing by which I may draw Water for you. Though it’s clean, still it’s deep.” He pulled me with questions as if to call Me out of the depths, rouse me from sleep.
Yet thirsty I was and to Water spoke: My heart leaked with words, confession poured out; Faith ebbed and pooled till my suspicion broke To flood me with joy as love soaked my doubts.
And drinking, I am filled, full as the sea Because of the water who thirsted for me.
Randall Edwards 2022 Artwork: James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). The Woman of Samaria at the Well (La Samaritaine à la fontaine), 1886-1894. Opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper, Image: 10 5/16 x 14 13/16 in. (26.2 x 37.6 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Purchased by public subscription, 00.159.69 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 00.159.69_PS2.jpg) #gospelofjohn#thepoetrypub#poetry