Rise and Fall, Fall and Rise (IP)

By Rhiannonw

Tue, 18 Mar 2014
  • 3443 reads
12 comments
 

Babylon grew on fertile plain,
feeding, trading with its grain,
its conquering armies spread its reign,
and nations small opposed in vain.

Its buildings once so great and grand,
now, ruined, lie beneath the sand,
men come and go as they have planned,
but God sets limits by his hand.

One king who proudly ruled was warned,    
to prayer and kindness should have turned,
he scorned and suffered, then discerned
a right perspective, wisdom learned:

Nebuchadnezzar was his name,
who, after time of madness, shame,
acknowledged God’s almighty reign
and sanity received again.
(cf Daniel chapter 4)

[IP this week: Babylon was built on grain]

 

Certificate U
Poem
Miscellaneous
Spiritual
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

As usual, Rhiannon, your poetry is a joy to read, and an education, at the same time.

Your metre and rhyming is 'spot on', without sounding contrived.  The whole thing flows, beautifully, culminating in that final triumphant stanza.

Much enjoyed.

thina

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Tina. I'm so glad you judged it had worked right. I need to have form to work to, but would never want an offering to sound  contrived, and want the form only to help the reading and memorability of what I am saying (and help me not to get bogged down in unclear woffle, which I think would be my tendency otherwise! We all have different abilities) . Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Linda Wigzell Cress on

Hi Rhiannon.  Beautifully done, as Tina says.  This has nice rhymes and flows along like the river Jordan itself. Seems once again we think along the same lines :  I have just posted my IP poem.  Nebuchadnezzar is working overtime this week!

Linda

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Linda. I must pop over soon! Some of us do seem to respond to a new direction of thinking by the IP often. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Spot on with your take on the I.P., Rhiannon. It was a difficult one this week and it didn't give us much room for imagination, in my opinion, and yet you managed to write a flowing, factual poem.

Luigi

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Luigi. Yes, my first thought was of no way to use this IP, but then, on musing, it proved an interesting one to think about. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Denzella on

Hello Rhiannon,

I think you have done wonders with this I. P.  as you have managed to create an interesting poem from a very difficult Inspiration Point.  Well done to you and more power to your pen.

Moya

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks again, Moya. Yes, it was an unusual IP, and as often I had not given it much thought, and then started thinking of  Babylon being both ruined and buried now, and then started thinking of Nebuchadnezzar's learning to honour God and be a better, and less boastful King himself, and the verse started to form in my mind! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Rhiannon

I should think you get great fun turning Bible readings into poetry - joining together two of your passions.

I enjoyed reading this.

 

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Tnank you, again, Jean, and glad you enjoyed it. It was an unusual IP.
My poetry attempts took off more when my children were young, to remember explanations I had helped them work out, and then summarising helpful Bible teaching I was receiveing into verse/song. as recorded from time to time in http://rhiannonshymns.co.uk

regards, Rhiannon

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Rhiannon

Its always a treat to read one of your poems with a history and bible studies lesson included.  

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks very much, Jean. Rhiannon