I'm a Poet and I Didn't Even Know It

1 exam down, and only 2 more to go this week! Midterms . . . gotta love 'em! My classmate Ben views it even more positively than me. He actually counts the 2 other piddly quizzes we took this week. So, Ben says 3 down and 2 to go. Won't it be grand when Thursday afternoon rolls around; I can't wait.

April was poetry month, and the school library hosted a poetry contest in recognition of the special month. I submitted an entry last minute (the last day entries were accepted) which I actually wrote about 6 years ago. I had to severely truncate my entry by 40% in order to comply to the contest rules, which left me with a bare bones poem that I felt didn't do justice for the original work. I was a little embarrased to submit the poem, mainly because it's a rather bare your soul sort of work--which I suppose true heart-felt prose or poetry must leave you feeling exposed. But, as with all things in life, if you don't apply or submit an entry, then it is certain that you will never win. Living by that philosophy, I have applied for every single scholarship I have ever been aware that I'm eligible to enter--and for that very reason, I've won a few. So, I swallowed my shyness and turned in a trimmed down poem.

I found out today that I won first place (back to that "try" philosophy)--I felt surprised and pleased. So, I got first dibs on one of the 3 prizes. It wasn't very hard to make my selection. The choices were a Stedman's Medical dictionary (with CD ROM) valued at $39.95, a business calculator (probably valued around $15), and a $25 gift certificate to Applebees. We're talking the difference between a book and food. . . I chose food. I already own 2 copies of Taber's Medical dictionary, and I can look up anything I want in Stedman's for free online. I could have chosen the book, resold it online for it's value, and then had even more money for a dinner treat, but that would have taken an unknown amount of time. Considering that I'm moving and I don't want to keep track of which books I'm currently selling on the Amazon marketplace, and that I want to go out to dinner with Steve before I go out of town to a seminar--I opted for the quick eats prize.

So, since I've already made my heartfelt viewpoints quite public both on this website and by entering my silly poem in a contest, I figure I might as well combine both worlds and post it on this site. I have posted the poem in its original text without the imposed modifications for the contest.

An Evening Prayer

Help me to soften this iron-tight grasp
Of all that I cling to that’s not You.

Let me give up all my worries, fears, and hopes—
to surrender them unto Your will.

Pry my heart open to its innermost thread,
and form it completely anew.

Reveal to me the sinner and wretched soul that I am—
Made beautiful, clean, holy, and righteous by You.

Take me to still waters and ease my anxious soul—
Let not the troubles of the day dissuade me.

Nourish me with the Spirit—make me whole and fulfilled;
Because, I need more than just bread to live.

Surround me with Your loving arms,
and I’ll bask in the joy that You bring.

Thank You for reaching out to this humble servant—
A princess who longs to be with her King!