Friday 27 September 2013

A Child Called Hope

My previous post mentions hope: hope from situations that act as a reminder that there is another way and hope form inspiring people who make you believe you can be part of the change. It seemed logical to follow it (even if it took a few days to get round to it) with my final Taize poem from the summer, which is also about Hope.

“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in your faith, so that in the power of the Holy Spirit you may be rich in Hope” 
Romans 15:13

One of the workshops in Taize this summer was on the theme of hope. It was very good. I probably should have taken notes, because now I can't remember a huge amount of what was said: just odd phrases and snapshots, and the fact that it was very good. There was a brief mention of a French poem in which Hope makes a guest appearance as a little girl. I haven't read the poem, so I can hardly say this one is inspired by that one, but I liked the idea, and this is the result.

With wide eyes filled with wonder
She gazes out upon the world
And her sparkling eyes are smiling
At the beauty of possibility
In which dreams can all come true

Not tied by cares and expectations
Or the suspicions of the worldly-wise
Drawn upwards to the unending sky
Where clouds of gloom now gather
She sees only the rainbow that shines

While upheld hands gently scatter
Petals of joy which flutter and swirl
Floating down to steadily cover
The grey earth in multi-colours
On a road known by the name of love

As tiny feet urge onwards
Tugging at fearful, resistant hearts
Setting out on an unknown path
She skips towards a longed-for future
Of peace and light and life

Peering out from a forgotten corner
She stands and smiles and waits
Still dancing beneath the raindrops
To a melody that is all her own
Is the tenacious child called Hope.

And suddenly
Something else seems possible
And the world
smiles again

Maybe sometimes hope doesn't come from creative situations or inspiring people; maybe sometimes it comes from God: and maybe, in those moments, God is a little girl sprinkling petals on our path or tugging us by the hand to go towards beautiful places that are just a tiny, little bit scary ...

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