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
family-safe home cleaners Northbrook ..There are many times I set up barriers and walls,... Read More
1) Do?a Leonor's Revenge [1627 AD]Rafael Ortiz's fate Was... Read More
Chicken Soup is good for a coldSleep is good for... Read More
I am not the one I was before yesterday.I cannot... Read More
A Poem - By Lorraine KemberIt was a day like... Read More
Part One Midget HistoryI am thirty-six inches tall, that is... Read More
The Monster Mash The Graveyard SmashHave you heard of the... Read More
Way of Life: Rhymes of the IncaPizarro (Spanish conquistador ((1525))The... Read More
There once lived an old man and his goodwife On... Read More
English Version12) Black Poncho(of Saint Cosme Hill, by Lima, Peru)Lost... Read More
FIND the MAGICFind the Magic As you release old bondage... Read More
My eyes opened. I am still alive; Living on... Read More
Most of my poems are written late at night, often,... Read More
In the Mountains of Haiti(In the City)-July is a hot... Read More
Have you ever read the lyrics of a Simon and... Read More
Tale of the Brick Maker, Of San Jer?nimo, Peru... Read More
Charlotte Bronte (1816 ?1855) Novelist and Poet.Charlotte was the daughter... Read More
Take some time to stop and look at nature. Pick... Read More
Since Mohamed Ali?then Cassius Clay?announced that he had written "The... Read More
I Shall Wait..On all the new mornings, and every singking... Read More
"For this reason poetry is something more philosophical and more... Read More
What do you do when you want to write poetry?... Read More
You are to me my lifeline my security. That scares... Read More
Since my wife and I are moving, or preparing to... Read More
My life has changedin so so many waysIt seems to... Read More
residential cleaning services Deerfield ..In this modern age of technology, busy lifestyles, and obsession... Read More
Ah! Leave the gold, wealth and landSays the Inca King?;... Read More
Four Poems: Katrina's PathwayHarvest of Apoplectic Horses ((Dedicated to: Katrina))... Read More
I get up in the morningAnd want to stay in... Read More
The Epic Poem:A Death in Cajamarca, Peru [Atahualpa, in Cajamarca]Advance:... Read More
Real Power.One Tsunami, and all our armies, Seem belittled by... Read More
Part oneI see them in the skies I hear them... Read More
Our home was warm in the shade of the trees... Read More
In the midst of darkness, there is light. In... Read More
How I wonder what he's doing as I sit alone... Read More
1.Night in Jamaica [Peruvianism: 1810]It was a rainy night... Read More
English Version1) Grendel's DivorceYou must know that I do not... Read More
Cesar Vallejo: Black RosesBow down your head ol' poet- To... Read More
You can do and you can be whatever you want.... Read More
Phantom of the Rocks[Huancayo, Peru]Night falls deepUpon the traveler!Low, over... Read More
I cannot bear to think of when you will be... Read More
You can show your poem to your mom, your spouse,... Read More
I can see the cerulean blue of the skiesOr the... Read More
War bombs may explode demolishing man and land. Hurricanes may... Read More
Old skin, once held tight Against her skeleton- Rose no... Read More
Man UnbowedUnbowed by sin, the world of man, stands Upon... Read More
Ed Gallagher Dec. 11, 1907 - Sept. 5, 2004This poem... Read More
"How Do I Love Thee?" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning was... Read More
House of the Goblin [Part Two of Three]Here is where,... Read More
The funeral rite concluded With the pastor shaking hands, Offering... Read More
Poetry |