Inspirational Poetry Corner

An Outreach From the Body to the Body from New Foundations Ministries

Earth Tones
by Jeannie Kirkpatrick

September 27, 1987

	I should have taped the sounds, for now they are all gone.
	Their screaming seemed the loudest in September.  
I now see it was because they knew it would soon be time 
for them to enter their grave, deep in the dust of the earth.

	Their cries are all over now,
the cold of early fall has driven them to their abode.
	Their ever constant screaming has ended.  
There is a blanket of silence covering the chilled morning air.

	The stars in the night sky have never shone so bright.  
It is as though the coldness in the night air has dissipated 
every cloud that seeks to obscure my view of the heavenlies.

	I can now see the vastness of this time-piece of God's marvelous works.
	The cool, crisp chill of the cloudless fall night has cleared my vision.

	The silence of the night now draws my hearing, 
Even more loudly it seems, then did the screaming.

 Be silent, O earth before the Lord! 

Now the whole earth can dwell in the peace of God.

	Now, as the screams have died away,
  and the coldness has driven away all clouds, 

I can see and hear the voice of the Father.
	Hear my silence !
	Let me speak !
		Forever hold thy peace !

	The absence of sound now rings loud in my ears.
	I will speak !
	Thou shalt hear!
	
	My voice is in the stillness !
	Listen !

	Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth ?

		Be silent, O flesh !

	Before the sound, there was I !
	All was silence !
		There was nothing,
		I longed for sound !

	In the utter vastness of nothingness,
	I longed for something.

	In the beginning I created the heaven.

		I created the earth because I longed for sound.
	The silence was forever.

		I longed for praise to flow,
		to sound in my nothing ness.
	
  Can you imagine my longing ?
	
	I hear the steady roar of the ocean
	My Spirit is moving as wind across
		the vastness of the water.

	It thunders in my ears.  Such power.

	If I place my palms tightly over my ears, 
	 I can hear the roaring of the Spirit wind 
	Moving over the waves

	Crashing, thundering storms
	The waves rise and fall.

	Now I have much sound.
		Oh !  Beautiful !  How majestic !

	Hear the loudness ?  O how good !  How pleasing !
	I longed for sound.
	
	I dwelt in this sound for many eons of time, 
		But yet I longed for something...
	I will create light !
	
In this darkness, this vast nothing ness
		I crave warmth.
		Oh, for the warmth.
	
I cry out for something more than sound.
	No one hears 

  	I will create colors !
	
Can you imagine my existence in this
		vast nothingness and darkness.

	I will create light !
	Break forth O Light !
	
	Can you hear !  
		It is coming !  Oh, how good !

	I feel warmth !  
	I hear enthusiasm
		 And excitement resounding !

	The rays are coming.  
		Oh, the reflection as they strike against
		the air and waves.
		O how good !

	O the enjoyment of making each particle travel
	in its own, unique pattern.
		Such beautiful colors come forth.

	They resound with such grandeur of appearance.
	Such brilliancy.
	
	They dance across the surface of the air and water.
		They sparkle upon everything they come in contact with.
		
They reflect and bend their beauty for my eyes to behold !

	What an assembly !  What pleasure !  What usefulness !
	I never tire of viewing their actions.
	I study and contemplate.
		I meditate on all their qualities I can give each one.
	
	I never seem to tire of viewing the virtues
			which shall come forth from this power.
		Such energy !  Such warmth !

	The resounding echo fills my time.  
		Yet, I long for something...

   I took the water and created a complete circle, 
		A cycle, up, around, over, and down.
		Such music to my ears !

	Hear the rhythm ?
		I gather water up,
		I spread it all around,
	
	I bring it over, across and down.
	Such music to my ears !

		I cried out for praise.

		The rising droplets joined in song with each ray.
		Each particle of light united with each droplet,
building into a crescendo.

	Such graceful movements !
		Climbing, climbing, climbing !
		What a gathering !
		Hear the assembly ?

	Such orchestration !
		United to form completeness.
		Each unique ray of light, 
		Each droplet of water
			Combining in perfect harmony.

	Do you see the collection ?
		Such an assembly of grace !
	
	They have joined to for a piece of great mastery.
	Such excitement my eyes behold !
		They have united in one accord.
		
Their concerto has brought forth a great swelling.
	Such music to my ears !
		Their increasing crescendo...
		Now their quiet ebb...
		Hear the rise and flow ?

	They build to a climax !
		Great mountainous swells become apparent,
		Thundering across the sky.
		O how good !
	
	Their momentum has come to completeness.
		They have drawn in each unit...
		Overwhelmingly, they have come to their fill...
		They break in rhythmic falls ...

	Silently, very silently, at first...
		Droplet, upon droplet...
		They build their crescendo...

	Hear their ebb and flow ?
		O, such beauty.

		My ears have never encountered 
    such blending, such harmony! 

		Showers gently, gently whispering. 
			Hear them gently fall

		But yet I longed for something . . . 
	  

George and Jeannie
Kirkpatrick   

110 High Street

Fort Fairfield ME 04742

207-476-5248

Vitalwords@aol.com

Home Page:  http://www.newfoundationspubl.org/newfound.htm