Hope is a Thing Best Gently Held
Hope is a thing
best gently held
for when too tightly squeezed,
like soap,
it slips our grip
and brings us fumbling
to our knees,
grasping all around
and lost
'til Faith is found--
that frayed and knotted rope
that fits the human hand,
that strand of hope
and proof of things unseen
from age to age
and all that's in between.
© Copyright ,2009, TK, Patterns of Ink
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1
I've written about "hope" before, about how it is a stronger word without an "s" on the end, for it's then that it becomes a form of faith, which as we know from this poem called "Faith" spans a divide not easy to cross. Here is a video that demonstrates the power of faith when hope has slipped our grip.
best gently held
for when too tightly squeezed,like soap,
it slips our grip
and brings us fumbling
to our knees,
grasping all around
and lost
'til Faith is found--
that frayed and knotted rope
that fits the human hand,
that strand of hope
and proof of things unseen
from age to age
and all that's in between.
© Copyright ,2009, TK, Patterns of Ink
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1
I've written about "hope" before, about how it is a stronger word without an "s" on the end, for it's then that it becomes a form of faith, which as we know from this poem called "Faith" spans a divide not easy to cross. Here is a video that demonstrates the power of faith when hope has slipped our grip.
posted by .Tom Kapanka | 8:22 PM
10 Comments:
I like this write Tom especially when connected to the oft thought about Heb:11-1.
Technically though I would reject the second use of the word fumbling as redundant. May I suggest "casting" or some other unsubtle action, dominant verb?
"and brings us fumbling
to our knees,
fumbling around
and lost"
Mark,
Good suggestion. As you have probably noticed, the verse I put here often does get "tweaked" in the days to follow. In this case, another, I have been considering changing the first "fumbling" to "stumbling" which is and action of the whole body whereas funbling is more associated with the hands.
I'll give that a shot and see how I feel about it tonight.
Isn't word-smithing fun!
Thanks for the input.
On second thought, it is the fumbling for what has "slipped our grip" that is a truer image than stumbling. So I changed
"and brings us stumbling
to our knees,
fumbling around
and lost
'til Faith is found--"
to
and brings us fumbling
to our knees,
grasping all around
and lost
'til Faith is found--
The ambiguity of "lost" is deliberate. Suggesting it's not just hope but we ourselves that's lost before grabbing hold of faith.
The Perfect read for me at a time most needed.
Thank you!
FM,
That is humbling to hear. These lines "spun off" from the previous post. Hope is a good thing, but it was my Mom's faith that held when hope seemed out of reach, and I think that's true for all of us. We're all of us hovering on that brink one time or another.
I just came from Mark's blog which featured a story of extreme hopelessness. It is good to find your encouraging words here.
LGS,
I just read Mark's post. That is sad but an interesting poem about the ice. Not many people could put that image in verse.
I also looked at the link in one of the comments there.
http://onlyndetroit.com/
The images at that site are sad (like you said...hopeless). It almost seems apocalyptic.
Anyway... glad to lift your spirit!
Tom...The man's name is Johnnie Redding and he was mostly a street person.
I like the re-written portion of the poem very much. Finding faith is the key isn't it? And once found grasping it tightly as it strengthens.
Mark,
I don't know if you saw in the comments above (top) that it went through a stage in between. Thanks for the input, and thanks for sharing the homeless man's name: Johnnie Redding, found frozen in ice in Detroit. See Mark‘s post
Great poem, Tom and I enjoyed reading the comments to see the progress! I wondered as I read it, if it related to your Mom and this time of year. I found from the comments that it is. Her faith was strong and now that legacy continues through her family and your words. Have a great weekend!
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