I was very young when I realized
I didn’t exist
Not separately as others did.
An appendage, merely, of his
Paternal force.
I was very young when life
Took its toll
On my heart and mind
On my tender soul.
I was very young—
But grew old in a day
On a dark dark day
In a dark dark place.
I was very short-- for part of me
Had ceased to grow
Had ceased to be.
I was very young and very short
And could not see
Beyond the fort that he
Had built,
To keep me there--The dungeon
of his dark despair.
He was repeating history
Or so they said—it may be so
For he was partly dead.
I know.
And so he took me in his lair
Put balls of cotton in his ears
Ignore my cries, despised
my tears,
And buried me without
A prayer.
Selfish, sickness, unrepined—atrocities
Of heart and mind,
Done in the dark and laid his blame
on this—my childish heart.
And then! Invasion of the light
Disclosed the choice to flee
Or fight
And then! Redeemer of
My soul
You came right through
That high window.
Oh how beautiful you are!
In shining raiment—heaven’s art.
You came! “Come on-- Let come what may
You can go! Just let him stay
In the dungeon dark of his despair
Come go with me!
I’ll take you there…”
He lifted me on shoulders broad
And showed me worlds beyond the sill
He lifted me on shoulders strong
Infused in me the will to live
Oh dark despair and cruelty
You have no hold—no hold on me,
I stand on shoulders broad and strong
See? I am tall and I belong…
To an order of the highest sort
My youthful pain cannot abort
The plans He laid for me.
Oh beautiful the hills the plain,
The golden sunset, life’s last flame.
Riding high on shoulders strong
My journey—whether short or long
Is beautiful! An Ode to Joy
My heart and soul and lips employ
The will to make You known.
I once was young and short, and small
On Shoulders strong I have grown tall
Amazing Grace shall be my song
Throughout the ages—on and on…
Extolling You—my beautiful
Redeemer!
© linda settles