Allowed to Sing
A Poem, by Joy Aletheia Stevens
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Words come quietly
Quietly along
Whispering softly
My own hearts song
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They come out shyly
Shyly from my heart
Hoping, longing,
Wanting to have a start
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To be known, to be heard
Valued and recognized
Although shy, each simple word
Longing to reach the skies.
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Words come out in simple form
Quiet cadence and shy tone
But can these words reach those torn?
Can my words be known?
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And yet my words fly out to void
Response, resounding deafness
Fall flat, deflate, as if toyed,
With no one for their witness
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But yet they come, and come on still
Willing to risk rejection
They flow on, as if by their own will
A necessary reflection
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And over and over I find it true
That they minister to my own soul
And maybe they won’t reach but few
Still valued by One who won’t let me go
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He wants my words, my thoughts my mind
He longs for my very speech
And in His beauty, wholeness I find
For the me that longs to be
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And so I continue to write my words
No matter who hears their cry
Because He cares, He loves, He is my Lord
And He is the answer to my every why.
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If He alone is all my audience
My audience is everything
And every bit of my songs cadence
I will allow to sing.
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My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. Psalm 45:1
You have captured well a writer’s heart. To type/pen words and feel such passion behind them and then wondering if they encouraged a soul? I love the quote from “Just Jane” by Nancy Moser– “Yet intertwined in each and every word is something beyond faith. Need. I need to write.” So just for you, for an audience of one, or here on your blog… I encourage to keep writing.
Longfellow-
For voices pursue him by day
And haunt him by night.
And he listens and needs must obey
When the angel says, “write.”
Memorized that a long time ago, it has always resonated with me. There is something in a writer that needs to write, and it is a familiar feeling across for each of us. Still I think we can each feel like we are the only ones who feel that way.
Beautiful! Words are not just a ministry but worship. Thank you for this truth. I’ve never read Longfellows quote, but I shall now pen it to my walI’ve just started writing from my heart ( in a public sphere) it does feel freeing. I’m so happy to read of you two speaking (& writing a poem) about the words spilling forth from our minds. I was beginning to fear that I was crazy:). Thank you so much for this beautiful artistic expression.
Sometimes when I write it almost feels like I’m simply capturing words that already exist. Especially when I’m writing poetry. Like I’m a conduit for their expression and nothing more. Words are powerful, beautiful, can cut and can heal, and yes, words can very much be worship.
I love the message here…express yourself even if those words fall on deaf or uninterested ears. But let me tell you, Joy, people are hearing you! I’m glad to be one of them.
Thank you so much Laura! It means so much to me to read that!