Not-a-child’s Poem for A Child
Not-a-Child’s-Poem For a Child
There are times when no matter your beliefs,
you pray.
These are the times when the life of a child
is at issue,
and you come back, like a child,
to a God who takes care of children,
who guards them and keeps them
through the long night that can be life at moments,
and you ask that God
to forgive you,
as if it was you caused some lapse
in the universe,
as if the universe would have gone smoothly
but for you,
as if you could barter
with the universe,
and you do barter
with the universe,
you know, for the child–this is how humans
evolved
and what persuades me
that, really, there is no conflict
between belief in evolution
and belief in God, both of them
taking us to the same place
when it actually matters,
to a place that holds
a child at its breast, that
understands the all
of a child.
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A draft poem, linked to Real Toads.
Explore posts in the same categories: poetryTags: evolution and God coming down to same thing poem, love poem to child, manicddaily, Not-a-child's poem for a Child, prayerful poem
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ManicDDaily 
December 21, 2014 at 9:28 pm
Love this, K. Speaks to the heart.
I am wondering if you’ve written any poems on the Divine Feminine. That is the theme for Issue 3 of The B Zine and would love to be able to include something of yours.
http://intothebardo.wordpress.com/
If you have something just send a link to me at bardogroup@gmail.com and I’ll get back to you.
Long distance Christmas hugs! 🙂
December 22, 2014 at 3:09 am
Yes .. sometimes it doesn’t matter what belief or not we have.. it what we do that matters..
December 22, 2014 at 6:09 am
*sigh*
Such a touching and soul-searching poem. I tremble to think how society has side-lined the needs and protection of its children. We also tend to forget that every person was once a child, innocent before socialization. Our actions as adults can not be divorced from our experiences as children. Thanks for addressing this pressing issue in your poetry.
December 22, 2014 at 8:07 am
So very thoughtful, smart…but with great emotion as well. Not an easy combination to pull off, I think, but you did it here. Bartering with the universe (using the soul for collateral here) must be among the very oldest of human mental activity. A very strong and compelling work.
December 22, 2014 at 8:14 am
Thanks, Steve–very much a draft and one that is a bit hard for me to revisit just yet. I appreciate as always your kind and thoughtful comment. k.
On Mon, Dec 22, 2014 at 8:07 AM, ManicDDaily wrote:
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December 22, 2014 at 9:52 am
When we see the helplessness, the innocence, the light of a child threatened, it threatens something that is intrinsically one of the best(most meaningful) parts of ourselves. That bargain of worship, you describe it so well, and I agree about your conclusions re: god and science–all explanations that eventually wind along a path we follow by some very primitive instinct, beyond where our understanding can go. Fine writing, k.–a bit grueling, a bit luminous, very human.
December 22, 2014 at 10:05 am
Thanks. A bit raw. We are going through something of a crisis though hope/pray all will resolve well. Normally, I’d wait and edit–this is really first thought version–k.
On Mon, Dec 22, 2014 at 9:52 AM, ManicDDaily wrote:
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December 22, 2014 at 8:57 pm
Beautiful and I love the last 4 ending lines ~ For me the life of a child is precious and if anything, I will ask God to protection all the children ~
Wishing you Merry Christmas K ~
December 22, 2014 at 9:48 pm
Thanks, Grace. Merry Christmas to you, also. k .
December 22, 2014 at 11:08 pm
Wow. This rings so true.
December 23, 2014 at 5:01 am
When it’s a child who suffers peril, our child suffers, the mother in us suffers; it forces us back down onto our knees to say the prayers we might have believed when we were that young — as child to a parent, a people to a god. It’s vulnerable and naked and raw, bartering with heaven, the universe—begging for a benevolent structure, blessings, a meaning to our evolving to exactly here. Does any of this stop the blind sufferings of nature; perhaps and perhaps not, but the saying is a salve, a sop, a mother’s soft white sigh. Blessings be.
December 23, 2014 at 11:23 am
belief in a vacuum is what?
that we could protect all children…
but to know we can not…
and even God it seems can not protect us
from ourselves…and our choices….
have a merry christmas k
December 23, 2014 at 6:47 pm
Wow. Amazing on many levels. First of all, having experienced a major health issue with my son last year, praying to God about the life of a child hits home for me. Secondly, I love the line about there being no conflict between evolution and belief in God. I don’t want to throw my own meaning on your poem, so that is not my intention. I do, however, believe that what you wrote is true. I personally believe that both beliefs can work together but, again, I’m not assuming that that is what you mean. Regardless, fantastic poem.
December 23, 2014 at 8:31 pm
Thank you, Justin. k.
December 24, 2014 at 3:39 am
The all of a child. That’s what salvation requires:holding that, loving that, going the extra mild for the child.
December 26, 2014 at 1:47 am
as with all your pens, you make me think, which is both a rare and welcome treat in this era of the banal. I am grateful for your continued attention, insightful comments, and unflagging support, as we continue to grapple with the events that dim the light and trouble the soul. plus, elephants! 🙂 ~
December 26, 2014 at 4:21 pm
Thanks, M. I feel same (without the elephants!) k.
December 27, 2014 at 11:54 am
I must have read this 5 or 6 times already – so powerful that each reading brings totally different thoughts and images to mind. Underlying all these thoughts, though, is that child in me clasping her hands together, the child in me who doesn’t understand bartering but tries it anyway. Amazing work! Thank you for sharing.
December 27, 2014 at 12:39 pm
Thank you so much. K.