It is not with the lyre of someone in love that I go seducing people. The rattle of the leper is what sings in my hands. Jane Kenyon

Sunday, May 27, 2007

STILL A SMALL VOICE

“Kneeling”

“Moments of great calm,
Kneeling before an altar
Of wood in a stone church
In summer, waiting for God
To speak…………………
…………Prompt me, God,
But not yet. When I speak,
Though it be you who speak
Through me, something is lost.
The meaning is in the waiting.”
R.S. Thomas

What is this I hear above
The drone of to-day’s weather
Forecast? Is it not the beginning
Word of the breaking news
Coming from the frequency of my heart
Beats? Is it not the still
Small voice that Elijah heard?


I know it is not
A tinnitus because the ringing
Does not stop even when my ears
Are unstopped. I’m sure it is not
The sound of God taking a rib
From the side of my thoughts
And making it a metaphor more beautiful
Than Eve. I believe it is not
The hiss of the serpent
In the tree of my mind offering
The apple of the full sentence
In place of the seed
Of the singular Word.

Perhaps it is a clever trick
Of throwing the voice. The speaker
Is light years away, yet I hear
His words like the fevered throbbing
Of the arteries of my temple.
And like the dumbstruck doll
In the lap of the ventriloquist
I catch the thrown and make
It my own. Yes, my own, still
A small voice that belies
The clarity with which it largely
Stills the questions, “Am I loudspeaker
Or am I speaking aloud?
Am I prophet or am I full
Of new wine?”

10 comments:

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Beautifully said. Hoping you are well. Spring is wonderful here. It makes you want to write poetry. Best wishes. Don

Borrego said...

Very nice poetry, if i send you something I wrote, would you give me your honest opinion?

Cinnette said...

very beautiful... nice to read you. i was absent a while, but back around these days. hope you are well. :)

iamnasra said...

Many thanks for your update...I have seen that you are answering the question but Im waiting till you finish all questions as I need to post them all at one at LIP

Rax said...

this is exquisite. your voice...somehow makes my burdens lighter. thank you

Janice Thomson said...

Dr. Ng,

I have enjoyed browsing through Always More Beyond. Your thoughts are deep and inspiring. Will be back to read more.
Thank you for the kind comment on Pursuance Of Truth and would be honored to be linked.

S.L. Corsua said...

I’m sure it is not
The sound of God taking a rib
From the side of my thoughts
And making it a metaphor more beautiful
Than Eve. I believe it is not
The hiss of the serpent
In the tree of my mind offering
The apple of the full sentence
In place of the seed
Of the singular Word.


Those are, to me, choice lines. Riveting analogies. I admire most the symbolism in your work, Kianseng. Your wisdom shows and shares and cares. Thank you. May you always be blessed.

Cold Cut Ten said...

This beautiful and very thought provoking. Thank you.

Plus Ultra said...

Hi Everybody, I am refreshing My blogspot,I did not realise that there are sooo many New Features in blogspot...Bless you. Kianseng

Pat Paulk said...

This is an astounding piece!!Makes me think of all the times I've heard that voice, and all the times I've missed it.