Poem – Beauty from Ashes

It’s late on a Saturday evening, and I am very tired and very happy. Today I officially graduated high school – and wow, it’s so weird to be able to say that! It’s been a long, eventful, sometimes hard journey, but it’s been oh so wonderful! That said, I’m quite happy to be able to say that it’s now a closed chapter and a new chapter is soon to begin. 😀 

I’m rather brain dead after a day of socializing and laughing and celebrating with people I love, plus I’m also rather eager to go watch the ‘Anne of Green Gables’ movie in celebration of having nothing to do. 😀 So I’m going to cut the chitchat and move straight to the poem I’m going to be sharing today. It’s another Biblical poem – this time based on the character of Bathsheba, who’s story can be found in 2 Samuel 11. Her story isn’t an easy one, but it’s shot through with redemption. After all, God is a God who loves to redeem, even the messiest and most complex of situations…

~

The sweet scent of perfume cloys thickly in my throat

As the cool water slips across my skin and puddles at my feet.

Bathing on a rooftop – I am queen of all I survey,

The city of David encircling me like a dusty crown.

 

The sun-warmed air is heavy with the droning of

Sleepy bees that hover over the flowers that bloom

Lavishly, spilling over the rooftop in an abundance of colour.

 

Little do I know of his eyes watching my every move,

Already sliding into the sin that will drag us down…

~

The heady scent of him cloys thickly in my throat

As he stands with his hands outstretched –

Inviting me into a chasm into which I am already slipping

Far faster than my fevered brain can fathom.

 

The moon-cool air is heavy with desire and I

Cannot resist his hands or his lips that claim me

As his own – despite the fact that I am already claimed.

 

How could I say no to this man – my King?

The night is dark and passion blinds the heart… 

~

The heavy scent of guilt cloys thickly in my throat

As the reality of my sin settles on my shoulders.

My belly swells with life and my heart aches with

The knowledge that I was too weak to say no.

 

A new day dawns bright and clear and I stand

Undone by the night, betrayer of my husband,

With the seed of a King growing deep inside me.

 

The life of my husband is shattered by a sword stroke,

Because of the sin of a single night and the child of a King….

~

The bitter scent of grief cloys thickly in my throat

As tears lodge themselves deep in my broken heart.

My arms long to hold the innocent son I bore –

But he was destined to bear the sin of his parents.

 

The night is dark and I cannot see the light for tears,

As the still body of my son is laid to rest and the echo

Of the King’s cries fade into piercing silence.

 

Little did I know that one night of desire could lead to this –

This night of aching sorrow and empty arms…

~

The fain scent of hope cloys in my throat

As the smoke of a sin offering spirals towards the sky.

I bow before my God in repentance and faith that

He is both just and good.

 

The dawn of a new day brings with it the hope

That even the darkest of sins can be forgiven

And new life can blossom to fill empty arms.

 

Little do I know of the beauty that comes from ashes,

As redemption and hope come with the dawn…

~

And that’s it for this week! Thanks for reading!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this poem… What do you think? Does it ring true with what you know of Bathsheba?