Devotional Poetry

Sharing Faith: A Prose Poem

Sharing Faith:
A Prose Poem

I carried it in my pocket hidden in the deep crevices of my skirt. I carried it hidden from prying eyes, from unappreciative souls, and from terror stricken hearts. I carried it safe from the dust and dirt of everyday life, safe from the ridicule of the uninitiated. I carried it for myself alone.

I carried it in my pocket taking i t out only when I was by myself. I looked at it only when I was hidden in the safety of my own fortress of solitude. I put it back in my pocket when someone knocked at the door. I did not show it to anyone, no one else ever laid an eye on it. No one else ever handled it or touched it or caressed it.

I carried it in my pocket and each time I took it out to look at it, it was a little duller than the last time. I tried to shine it. I took tooth paste and a soft cloth and tried to shine i t, but could not. It became duller and duller, its bright copper finish no longer reflected the sunlight, no longer sparkled in the moonlight. It grew cold and its heart stopped beating.

I carried it in my pocket until I could no longer stand it dullness. Then I took it out o f my pocket and threw it on the ground. As I stood watching, someone else picked it up. Someone else showed it to her neighbors, handed it to her friends, and passed it around among strangers. As it was passed from hand to hand it grew brighter and brighter. As it was passed from person to person it began to glow with a light of its own. As it was passed from hand to hand it grew warm, and its heart throbbed.

I carried it in my pocket, it grew dull and it died. She shared it with humanity; it grew bright and came to life. This is the way of faith, keep it hidden and it dies, but shar i t and it lives.

Poet's Note: ▼

I wrote this in 2003 in response to the prompt "I carried it in my pocket".