Thursday, August 19, 2010

A World Of Time

There's a time to love, a time to hate,
A time to move forward, a time to wait.
There's a time for silence, a time to speak,
A time to be strong and a time to be weak.

There's a time to give, a time to receive,
A time to rejoice, and a time to grieve.
There's a time to laugh and a time to cry,
A time to be born and a time to die.

There's a time to embrace, a time to refrain,
A time of loss and a time for gain.
There's a time to unveil, a time to hide.
A time to keep secrets, a time to confide.

There's a time to reap, a time to sow,
A time to linger and a time to go.
There's a time to be numb, a time to feel,
A time to work and time to kill.

There's a time to believe, a time to doubt,
A time when fear should be cast out.
There's a time for sunshine, a time for rain,
A time for healing and a time for pain.

There's a time to make peace, a time to fight,
A time for darkness and a time for light.
There's a time to lose, a time to win,
A time to halt and a time to begin.

There's a time to mingle, a time to withdraw,
A time to rise and a time to fall.
There's a time to create, a time to crumble,
A time to be proud, a time to stay humble.

There's a time to destroy, a time to rebuild,
A time to be emptied, a time to be filled.
There's a time when your heart will break from sorrow,
Time to pick up the pieces and reach for tomorrow.


During my Freshman year of high school, I became friends with a classmate named Rosalynn. She thrived on poetry--reading and writing it. With her encouragement, I started writing my own poems. Some were nonsensical, some serious. "A World Of Time" was born of my friendship with Rosalynn. For one solid year the words seemed to flow from somewhere deep inside. It seemed I couldn't write fast enough.

I hope you enjoyed a "A World Of Time," based on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3.

17 comments:

Unknown said...

I really really really LOVE this poem! Great work and it was exactly what I needed to read right now.

Val

Larry Hammersley said...

Hi Laurie: Yes, it sounds like Solomon's writing of Ecclesiastes chapter three. Your friend must have/is wonderful to inspire this poem. Like Miss Mae, there might be too much likeness to Ecclesiastes if that is what she meant. However, having a friend to inspire this poem is priceless indeed. Larry

Unknown said...

Laurean--I don't know a lot about poetry, but when something rhymes and has a cadence (I don't know what that's called), I know if I like it or not--and If I can read it clear through and keep that cadence. So, I'm giving my opinion here instead of the loop:

Line:
There is a time to be silent--
change to:
There's a time for silence.
(in fact, I'd change all the "There is" to "There's"--just to make it read smoothly.

Next to last line:
Change to:

"Times the heart will break from sorrow,
Time to pick......(change "to" to "and".

Read it through and see if each line keeps that certain cadence.
****
I love the poem. I know it's based on Ecclesiastes, but I don't think that matters--you're only using the basis for your own poem. Very lovely and tender.Love you, Celia

Laurean Brooks said...

Thank you Val. I don't remember what was going thru my head when I wrote it decades ago, but I'm glad it helped.

Laurean Brooks said...

Larry, thank you for your encouragement.

Rosalynn was very gifted poet. Today she writes the news for her church. She should have become an author. Below is a short poem Rosalynn wrote.

"The wind is wild,
The wind is free,
Remember the wind
As it blows with me.

The wind is restless
And so am I
It won't be easy
To say goodbye."

Rosalynn didn't inspire "A World Of Time", but she spurred me to try to write poetry.

Laurean Brooks said...

Celia,

I like your ideas for the changes. I'll take your advice. I like poetry to flow smoothly.

Thank you for taking the time to read it and give me tips.

Rebecca J Vickery said...

Hi Laurean,
I really enjoyed the poem. I think you should enter it everywhere. LOL
But then I'm always saying go for it! We've heard 'NO' before and survived, but what if it would have been 'Yes' and you never tried?
I like the changes Celia suggested and think you've improved it.

Redameter said...

It is a little too much like the Bible passage they might count off for that. But then again, who knows.

I like rhyming poetry, some of the other stuff they write these days is like dribble to me.

But is very similar to Ecclesiastes so I don't they might count off for originality.

But it is a very thoughtful poem.

I wish you luck. I don't enter many contest myself, not in writing at least.

Love and blessings
Rita

Laurean Brooks said...

Thank you, Rebecca. Yes, Celia's changes make it flow better. "Thanks again, Celia!"

And you are right, if you don't try, you can't win.

I appreciate your input.

Laurean Brooks said...

Thank you, Rita. You're a sweetheart. I can always count on you for practical advice.

Funny thing is I'm not sure I'd heard those Ecceliastes scriptures before I wrote it. Someone made the comparison years later.

I was praying, asking God for a confirmation. "Is this the poem you want me to submit?"

Then yesterday, a "700 Club" host mentioned that very scripture.

I said, "Okay" so this is the way I'm suppose to go.

Even if it doesn't win, I hope those who read the book will be touched by the poem. My original plan was to submit "The Christmas Grouch" I posted here last December, (since the book comes out in December).

Anne Patrick said...

Love it, Laurean! Very moving! Good luck with it.

Linda Swift said...

A very lovely lyrical poem, Laurie. And I think being based on the Scriptures makes it even more special. I agree with Celia that they flow or rhythm of the poem bogs down in one verse and if you "fx" that, it reads very nicely. Good lukc with the submission. Linda

Laurean Brooks said...

Anne, thank you, for your encouragement. I think I will. LOL.

Laurean Brooks said...

Linda, I feel the same way. The Ecclesiastical ring to the poem, makes it special to me.

It really wasn't intended that way. At 14, I don't think I was familiar with Ecclesiastes.

Joyce DiPastena said...

What a beautiful poem, Laurie! I read it out loud, as all poems should be read, and it deeply touched my heart. I can't write a poem to save my life, so I can't tell you how to improve this (if it can be improved--I like it the way it is!). All I can tell you is how much I love it!

Laurean Brooks said...

Thank you, Joyce. You don't have to worry about writing poems. Your writing is sheer poetry.

Thank you for your encouragement.

Anonymous said...

I loved this. I really did. God needed me to read that.