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23 September 2010

And I, the Night Watchman

A flame
in the darkness
is as beautiful to this pilgrim
as sunset colors on canvas
or spring flowers
uncoiling
inch by inch in 
April's warm rain.

Winter is long,
and still,
a season for growing
to fill tight spaces
until,
long limbs akimbo
new life scrambles
into the outside world.

We study life,
the how and when and where,
and forget
to sit and watch,
that watching is action
that will wedge its way into our souls
making us different
than those with closed eyes.

So I wait,
for life and light
to draw me 
through a door
into the warm kitchen
where people raise
their glasses around me
and celebrate life
with cocoa and champagne.




Linking with Emily and other friends who will be part of that kitchen celebration, that home-y dance party where everyone is welcome.

8 comments:

Heather said...

Oh, Sarah, this is beautiful. I love these images. I love the line that watching is action. I think I'll go back and read it another dozen times.

Laura said...

so beautiful Sarah.

Leslie said...

"we forget to sit and watch." Yes, that is important. I wait for life and light, too. Lovely poem.

Mommy Emily said...

sarah, this made my eyes wet... how i long to be at that party in that kitchen with you all, and lately more than ever... heaven is close, and yet so far away... but you bring it near, with your beautiful words. thank you so much for linking and blessing me in this way. xo

Sarah said...

Heather - I think that line (watching is action) is the most important part of the poem for me, especially tonight as I watch and pray for Kirsten and James and Ewan, not knowing how the story will end. Sitting here feels like doing nothing, but it's something.

Laura - Thank you. Your presence here blesses me.

Leslie - Life and light will come, I think . . . sometimes the wait seems so long, though.

Emily - You're welcome, friend. And that's a new image for me, of heaven and of what I long for in community here on earth, too, but I relish it more than some of the grandiose ones I've had before. Weird, how embracing the now and the normal brings even my thoughts of heaven to those places. Something to ponder, there.

terri said...

i wonder if you know how badly i need to hear these things over and over and over, and how deeply you touch me when you share your struggles. i love this. so beautiful and so true and so easy to forget. much love to you sarah.

and i'm holding my breath and praying with you for that dear family.

Sarah said...

I don't know Terri, but I'm so glad it does. And would you believe I wrote this BEFORE Ewan's test yesterday? Crazy, that, except that God was involved ;)

Kati patrianoceu said...

I'm enjoying tremendously the juxtaposition of champagne and cocoa!