A Song of Lament
by: Lori Waggoner
I am the queen of an empty cave.
This vast & endless cavern must needs be filled
Lest the burdens from Above
From every side!
Collapse the roof and walls,
Filling its black recesses with useless rubble
Too weighty and stubborn to remove.
This house is diminished,
Yet it is not utterly abandoned.
Ravening wolves have taken up residence.
Stalking. Prowling. Searching
For any glimmer of life
By which they may sate their appetites.
Nothing escapes their watchful eyes.
This palace was gilded in days gone by -
Full of self-harvested treasures.
Many nourished themselves at its table,
Warmed themselves by its hearth,
Unburdened their souls in its mirth.
But those days have fled...
And it is my doing.
I welcomed counselors who, in the end,
Dealt treacherously with me.
Ravaged. Pillaged. Plundered. Forsaken.
Beauty, feasting and mirth have vanished,
Displaced by darkness, hunger and silence.
The sun's rising and setting carry with them
Equal portions of dread.
As for me? I am weak.
My vigor spent. My spirit crushed.
I now know that it is beyond my capacity
To revive that which has been destroyed.
Another must come! Indeed, Another must be sent!
One possessing the strength, skill and wealth
To renew this house beyond its former glory.
For this I wait. And I wait. And I wait.
I am the queen of an empty cave.
4 comments:
I appreciate this.
Thanks, Alicia. As much as I reveal about my life by blogging, I felt very exposed and insecure after posting this.
You're right - it is a clever title - I like it!
That which is burdening you so heavily may require you to endure even more waiting, until you feel that the sun will never arise again on your long, dark night; know that emptiness will be filled with joy at some point, and I pray that moment is approaching you with great speed. I'd wager that you, at some point (and probably many times), prayed, with Paul,that you might know Christ, and the power of his resurrection. Problem is, these are wed to the rest of the verse, "...the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death." Seems you're in this latter part of the equation, taking these difficult "prerequisite" courses for those who enroll in Christ's school of consecration. Though it seems that the day will never come, you're well on your way to graduation. I've been in the class a long time, and have been too hardheaded to pass the course. I'm glad to know you are much brighter and more yielded to Christ than I have been (I speak this to my shame). Weeping may be enduring for you in what seems like an endless night, but joy is headed your way in the morning, my beloved friend.
Uh huh - just be absolutely certain that you don't delay the blessing by lookin like a fool witcho pants on de groun
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