Poems inspired from each book of the Hebrew Bible - what's your favourite? |
POEMS FOR THE UNCERTAIN by Damon P. Enns Genesis He turned on the light and set the stage Sound to substance history’s first page With future hindsight and artistic control His seven day song saw empty to full Now lovers make sense in paradise and all But why make the snake the drama, the fall? First-fruit felony humans race downhill Flood-proof foolery spilling over still Remembering Abram the covenant, the seed A smoldering wick, a broken bruised reed I didn’t plan it and Yahweh knows why I can’t understand it then again who am I? Exodus Egypt’s no Zion Slavery’s not sound Freedom’s a choice Cross on dry ground Leviticus If you choose to do it, Do it right I'll lay it out, Now keep it tight Numbers My stars show the plan Count them if you can So shall your offspring be Countless sands of the sea See the fruit still in the seed You faithful, fruitful man Count them while you can Count them while you can Deuteronomy Life rough and stuck on expert mode? This manual gives each secret code To find the narrow gate and road Joshua With Moses no mo’ It’s your turn to flow Follow, lead, and go Promised Land Ho! Judges Relentless Rambos bigger than life Stone-cold Stallones with less than a knife The stars are their allies Infused with heaven’s confidence Dreadful deliverers It’s best not to mess with them Ruth Ruth clung with love and loyalty To stung, wrung widow Naomi Acclaimed for her tenacity Now named in line of royalty I Samuel Her lips were moving But she made no sound Hannah's heart poured out to the Lord Her sorrowful spirit lifted from the ground The anguished petition answered The womb now open for the voice of God With chosen ear A judge and seer II Samuel Shepherding sheep Playing harp as I'd sing Was a whole lot easier Than ruling as king I Kings Solomon chosen to succeed his dad Filling famous warrior king’s shoes Divine wisdom to rule as a lad Sprinkled with choices mirroring fools II Kings Elijah Calling down fire on fifty-one men Fifty-one more he did it again Elisha Double spirit of Elijah I wear it with his cloak I bare warning to all youngins I'm easy to provoke I Chronicles Historic accounts Israeli family tree For cross reference II Chronicles Solomon's Temple A mandate supreme To build dad's dream Implausible scheme Shekinah under beam Abijah, King of Judah Abijah of Judah had a covenant of salt He took on armies Twice his size With confident assault Ezra Rebuilding the Temple Cyrus, stirred by the Lord, Said, "It must be restored! "They came in accord And passionately poured The foundation was floored Sounds of weeping, joy roared But enemies deplored To have building plans shored The new king ignored Decrees from before Prophets got on board And encouraged the core Momentum forward Made temple once more God's will and reward Not without war Nehemiah After the call I had a good bawl Then gave it my all To rebuild the wall Esther Graced with royal proximity And strategy from Mordecai She executed innately And foiled plot of genocide Job What can I say? Psalms Poetic primordial prayers Prescient passion plays People of His pasture Presenting premium praise Proverbs Someone told me they’re obsolete With Rhema now an open Source Solomon showed me she’s so sweet Teacher’s textbook still used in course Ecclesiastes There's nothing like a good dump Song of Songs Draw me Love's journey Dark, faint, lost, now gone; soon strong Unquenchable Love! Isaiah Flipping through the prophet's book I feel like a caveman..."Ooooo pritty werds. Must meen sumpthing big! Purhaps a treshur map!" Staring at the prophet's pages I feel like an archeologist... "Zahi! Fetch me my whisk broom and be quick about it! It appears we've made the monumental find that, once understood, will change everything" Jeremiah I crave connection Yet repeatedly receive rejection They reap destruction Continual correction I give redemption Romance, restoration I crave connection Yet repeatedly receive rejection Lamentations Not obeying what He taught ‘em Now we praying from rock bottom Please don’t ask how I feel today My tender pierced heart reels in pain But I won’t become cold, insane His love will blow the clouds away Ezekiel (Sound of stand up bass walking down the scale, muted trumpet, and snare drum) Woe-man Woe. Man Whoooooa man What could be scarier Then staring at a harrier With four faces from four animals? Or being sent to a nation to give an oration Of God's wrath on the abominable? (MUSIC INTERLUDE) Ezekiel, sweet Ezekiel Eccentric Oracle in Exile Prophetically Inclined Cow-chipped barley cake you dined Forecasting punishment for moral decline (Muted trumpet mimics police siren/music interlude) Ezekiel, sweet Ezekiel Pruner of prideful populations You journalized your trip An uncompromising whip Downloader of divine movie clips Ezekiel, sweet Ezekiel Intrinsic Interpreter of Yahweh Your life's not your own You lived in the zone You spoke life to a valley of dry bones Ezekiel, sweet Ezekiel Harbinger to hard-hearted and heathen You also brought good news To the remnant who'd choose To follow God's heavenly cues Daniel Iron and clay Where are we today? Hosea Illustrating holy irritation without reservation Hurt, angry love unleashed Demonstrating fully frustration with graphic application Curt, berate point bequeathed Joel The Lord is coming The Lord will dwell Rend your hearts Or say "farewell" Amos You can try running but you sure as hell can't hide Mighty clear message to my misbehaving bride Runaway your way but at the end of the slide I'll pick up your parts and make a place to reside Obadiah Final straw came from big brother House of Esau spurned Fired straw made of big brother House of Esau burned Jonah Insubordinate to the Lord Not overjoyed about his task Maverick’s forecast overboard Before the lot was cast Give Jonah a fish feed him for a day Put Johnny inside a fish teach him to obey Regurgitated upon the beach Second chance et alia second chance Both ready to remedy breach Humility is proper stance Angry figure of speech Incensed with caring Creator Receives another life-sized preach To learn that His ways are greater Micah Micah of Moresheth mourns man's madness Like a jackal's howl or a moaning owl Jehovah judges Jacob, Judah Bare backsides get belt, like wax mountains melt Rueful results: ravaged, ridiculed Writhing with remorse, wishing to right course Remnant redeemed, refined, and reborn Correction comes quick. Too bad it don't stick Nahum Wrothful indignation for coarse evildoer Wrathful ruination with force majeure Nefarious Ninevah now undone Seafarer's sour sermon landed Vicarious victors applaud the outcome Injurious invaders disbanded Habakkuk Upon first glance With narrow perspective My offensive stance Somewhat ineffective Seeing the Source Scribing what I see A story so stunning Surely spoken to me Zephaniah reduce refine rebuild restore obtuse mankind distilled once more Haggai Hey guys! House it goin'? Your cup overflowin'? Neglect My house 'til she ruins Focused on self tell Me who wins You've been livin' in lack With a hole in your sack Clothed but still chilled Fed but not filled Consider your ways! Consider your ways! The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine Now get my temple rebuilt Expect harvest to the hilt Zechariah Give heed my seed I plead, I bleed Live free with me Return to me My jealousy Is on my sleeve Come back to me Return to me The prophets' sounds Are sounding still To turn around And choose My will I will meet you Take you away Let me complete you now today This restoration, by the way Is not your normal field day With tree patrols And flying scrolls Angels to quiz Serious biz Measuring rod The hand of God Walls of fire Craftsmen dire Turban, clean clothes Lampstand and bowls Mountains to plains Shielded campaigns Fountains that cleanse Grace that extends Opponents slammed Enemies damned Plagues, panic, war Plot twists and more Your restoration, if I may, Played in fantastical array Like the Passion to the third day A holocaustic holiday Has considerately been made All-inclusive expenses paid Malachi Jacob I loved he points up at me and glorifies My name a priest to the world a prophet to all nations my burden my trouble is simply lost love defilement polluted offerings profanity you lost honour respect passion devotion for Me Behold My Messenger I will send & He shall prepare the way before Me and he shall purify the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness as in the days of old and as in former years you shall go forth as you fear My Name |