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
eco-friendly cleaning service Buffalo Grove ..FIND the MAGICFind the Magic As you release old bondage... Read More
the disease of extremism is infectious-; whoever cannot think of... Read More
Real Power.One Tsunami, and all our armies, Seem belittled by... Read More
You cannot make someone love you. All you can do... Read More
Key Largo:The fans turn lazily in front of the doorThey... Read More
There are many times I set up barriers and walls,... Read More
I will never think twice nor will I roll the... Read More
So many looked to you for inspiration,Unlikely hero for the... Read More
Tale of the Brick Maker, Of San Jer?nimo, Peru... Read More
Five Poems from Home1) Remembering: Dorothy Parker [Dedicated to the... Read More
McLean, VA - "The Healing Conscious" tells the story of... Read More
Is poetry too complicated for the average reader? Is it... Read More
Burning Autumn Leaves [1950s in St. Paul, Minnesota]My long steel... Read More
Amy King's first full-length collection, Antidotes for an Alibi, insists... Read More
In early fall, in Minnesota, the rain falls, falls, In... Read More
Poet Stephen B. Wiley's first book of poetry, Hero Island,... Read More
Grandpa's House [The ole Real House]The house needed painting Sun-blistered... Read More
During interviews and general conversations with the public,one of the... Read More
In Poetry: Meaning of WordsWhen I write poetry, I check... Read More
Sometimes we feel hard-pressed, Our backs against the wall;... Read More
"Song of the Great Zimbabwe"Across the African, winter's skyIn the... Read More
Cesar Vallejo: Black RosesBow down your head ol' poet- To... Read More
Explore the meaning of poetry and the motivation of poets... Read More
The Epic Poem:A Death in Cajamarca, Peru [Atahualpa, in Cajamarca]Advance:... Read More
Lima, City with the Stretched out WingsIt's an ink-black... Read More
express cleaning service Arlington Heights ..1)dying in the bar [sluggishly]yet, I would crawl too upto... Read More
Like a cat I slumber, blissfully unencumbered, Through eighty per... Read More
Footprints to Mantaro Valley (English version)In what retreat art hid?-Where... Read More
In the Mountains of Haiti(In the City)-July is a hot... Read More
Iquitos & the Amazon Part OneIt was December 2, l959,... Read More
I WANTED TO SAY IT WITH A BUNCH OF FLOWERS... Read More
All Hail.Is your hospital full of aliens, despite new cleaning... Read More
Our home was warm in the shade of the trees... Read More
Amy King's first full-length collection, Antidotes for an Alibi, insists... Read More
Out of the eight poems provided here [all previously unpublished],... Read More
English VersionAnd the Death God said: "Let it rise to... Read More
I Shall Wait..On all the new mornings, and every singking... Read More
YOU MIGHT THINK I AM STRONGI THINK YOU GOT IT... Read More
Tale of the Brick Maker, Of San Jer?nimo, Peru... Read More
Here are three more poems by the author, Dennis Siluk,... Read More
I can see the cerulean blue of the skiesOr the... Read More
When your life becomes unbearable And the light of... Read More
Note: written after seeing the little adobe 16th century church... Read More
Advance: in Mr. Siluk's poetry one finds symbolist values, sensuous... Read More
As I picked up some of the polished gemstones in... Read More
The concept of brief encounters, even romantic encounters, with a... Read More
The funeral rite concluded With the pastor shaking hands, Offering... Read More
"For this reason poetry is something more philosophical and more... Read More
Most of my poems are written late at night, often,... Read More
A poetic comment that just welled up inside my head... Read More
Poetry |