Good with words – Spoken word poem
I want to be good with words
Mindful
Drawing back the blinds
Helping people find the Word
No longer using slurs that
Mar and mark and stain like grass
Or words as swords to cut down those around
To show my crown of paper cut with words
The One whose word whirs sharp and fast Through all in its path
Is the Master Craftsman
The First and Last Word
His position I wanted
The paper crown I flaunted
And went on undaunted
By the clear discrepancy
But he intervened for me
Opened my eyes to see
That my futile efforts
Were a slap to his face
He is the One who was
Back in the beginning
Spinning earth on his finger
Upholding all things
With a word
And my paper crown commotion
When he filled the oceans
Is an embarrassment
Imagine it
Where the breath I draw
To shout and scream some more
Is the one he has given me
No more histrionics
My word will be a tonic
No longer crushing
But encouraging
A flourishing
Of life
Not baiting
Or tainting
But painting words into pictures
A mixture
Of truth and love
Spoken carefully
With integrity
And insight that lightens darkness
The story behind the poem
This poem is a reminder to myself about the power of words. In the past I’ve wielded words both as shields and swords and this was written to remind myself how I want to use words now; to point to Jesus, the First and Last Word. It is also a reminder that I used to live as if I were autonomous and self-reliant, but now I gladly recognise and welcome Jesus’ authority over me and my dependence on Him.
Brazil from the outside in 