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
express cleaning service Arlington Heights ..Cesar Vallejo: Black RosesBow down your head ol' poet- To... Read More
Asha of DarfurCry, cry-oh little Darfur woman For your sister... Read More
No one should have to beg or crawl before humanity.... Read More
What's a prisoner to do when justice fails and... Read More
Robert Burns, a poor man, an educated man, and a... Read More
"How Do I Love Thee?" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning was... Read More
Take some time to stop and look at nature. Pick... Read More
Here are three more poems by the author, Dennis Siluk,... Read More
The following two poems, one in English, the other in... Read More
Part One Midget HistoryI am thirty-six inches tall, that is... Read More
I AM SO GRATEFUL for simpler times. Stores were closed... Read More
1) Shadows of the Andes [or: Song to the Andes]I... Read More
FIND the MAGICFind the Magic As you release old bondage... Read More
Little girl from HuancayoDo you really, really know? Just how... Read More
If you are serious about seeing your work published by... Read More
How wonderfully sweet to be a dweller dwelling... Read More
You make me smile like I've seldom done before You... Read More
English Version12) Black Poncho(of Saint Cosme Hill, by Lima, Peru)Lost... Read More
Storm Rising along the Lima Coast [Summer of 2002]?wind was... Read More
Blind DesignsBorn today, gone tomorrow Like a butterfly with no... Read More
Chicken Soup is good for a coldSleep is good for... Read More
Advance: in Mr. Siluk's poetry one finds symbolist values, sensuous... Read More
Ocean Heal MeOcean heal my wounds Let your waves curl... Read More
JOINEDHeart beat of man pounding - yet unheard joined... Read More
Iquitos & the Amazon Part OneIt was December 2, l959,... Read More
tidy up service Arlington Heights ..Grandpa's House [The ole Real House]The house needed painting Sun-blistered... Read More
On through the darkness she searches the bones Seeking the... Read More
Footprints to Mantaro Valley (Peru; in English and Spanish)In what... Read More
You can show your poem to your mom, your spouse,... Read More
The following two poems, one in English, the other in... Read More
1)dying in the bar [sluggishly]yet, I would crawl too upto... Read More
Poetry is more than just rhyming and prose that is... Read More
Real Power.One Tsunami, and all our armies, Seem belittled by... Read More
My life has changedin so so many waysIt seems to... Read More
I cannot bear to think of when you will be... Read More
Two Poems and an Analysis ['Witness,' & 'An Old Love']WitnessMy... Read More
You speak simple, completley understandable justifications I respect them, respect... Read More
Robert Burns, a poor man, an educated man, and a... Read More
The concept of brief encounters, even romantic encounters, with a... Read More
Bells for Belphegor!...Where immortal veils never meet Belphegor, Arch devil... Read More
Burning Autumn Leaves [1950s in St. Paul, Minnesota]My long steel... Read More
She raised me like I was her own daughter from... Read More
Advance: Mr. Dennis Siluk's poetry can have its fire-hearted twists:... Read More
The Incubus' Flash-lightHe looked inside my head And found a... Read More
Out of the eight poems provided here [all previously unpublished],... Read More
It was not me as I am now. It was... Read More
Our home was warm in the shade of the trees... Read More
You are to me my lifeline my security. That scares... Read More
Four Poems: Katrina's PathwayHarvest of Apoplectic Horses ((Dedicated to: Katrina))... Read More
I'm not well. Can't you tell? Kinda low, so,... Read More
Poetry |