Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
Suffering, Shadows, and Strangers: Poems

Suffering, Shadows, and Strangers: Poems

Last updated on: November 30, 2022 at 1:04 am by Kristin Wilson

1 Comment

Suffering, Shadows, and Strangers: Poems 2022-11-30T01:04:10-05:00 Kristin Wilson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

TO SUFFER IN LOVE

Why when my head does pound

And weakness slows my senses down
Yes, why when I am tired and now so well today
Do I find it most difficult to sit still for to pray?

For look at Jesus crucified, as pained and pained could be
‘Twas then He gave Himself in love for the sake of you and me
As for me to suffer just a tiny little bit
I say please forgive my laziness, and prayer, the heck with it

Ought I not increase my fervor and offer up my cries
And pray, and pray, and pray, even though my body sighs
For Jesus gave so much to God when He suffered on the cross
For me to ignore God in suffering, oh what a horrid loss

I must offer up each sacrifice and pain
And think on the crucified Jesus and all that His love did gain
So I offer up all my difficulties to You my Crucified Love
That I might cherish every cross sent me from above

So when my head does pound
And weakness slows my senses down
Yes when I am tired and not so well today
May I fall more in love with Christ and never cease to pray

MY SHADOW

I looked up from my prayer to see
My shadow praying there with me.

I do not see her all the time.
This shadow about which I rhyme.

She is so kind to come and pray.
Before Jesus she too likes to stay.

She makes no noise anywhere she goes.
Always in silent reflection, I suppose.

It must be easy for a shadow to pray,
Because she cannot hear anything we say.

She cannot turn herself from prayer to me
And become as distracted as I seem to be.

Ought I wish I were a shadow who never ceased to pray?
Who followed her friend o the Tabernacle every single day?

Oh my holy shadow friend,
Will you follow me to Heaven in the end?

STRANGER

And if I do not get to Fitchburg till I am old and gray;
And all my Fitchburg friends have long since passed away.
So many changes will I see then.
No one left to remember these women and men.

Some buildings still standing and some not.
The same old college where I got smart.
But a stranger will I be
To everyone I see.

No familiar faces
In any of my old Fitchburg places.
All alone a stranger weeping
For the memories that I am keeping.

Maybe someone will stop and say
“Who is this stranger here anyway?”
A stranger? Not really I fear
For I knew this place before you were born my dear.

But my friends here were much older than me
And they’ve passed on to eternity.
I shall go and find them so that we can talk and remember
All the things we did since my freshman year, September.

But to the homes and churches to visit this time I shall not go,
But to a lonely cemetery blanketed in snow.

poetry

Previous Post

August 8, 2020

A Non-Practicing Catholic Reviews The Exorcist

Next Post

August 10, 2020 A Tribute to Rebecca Bratten Weiss

Recent Comments

1 Comment | Leave a Comment

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1889 abortion adoption Advent After Life Angles apologetics Art Awards BCCT bible book review books business Carmelite Catechetics Catholic Actors catholic authors Catholic Bard Catholic Faith Catholic List Catholic Rigorous Vortex Christian Authors Christmas church teaching civil conversation coronavirus Current Events death Different Religions Divine Mercy Easter Education encouragment Entertainment Eucharist Evangelization Event faith Family Life famous people feast day food Fun Stuff Global Church God guest post Harry Potter healing Heck of a Ride Around the Sun history holiday Holy Family Holy Orders Holy Spirit Holy Week hope Humor Interview Ireland Jesus kindle unlimited reflections Last Things Lecto Divina with Kristin Lent Lent/Easter liturgy love marriage Mary Meet the Author Mission Month in Advance Movie Review Movies Movies of the Month Music Narrative Older Writings patheos authors personal Philosophy podcasts poetry political Politics pope prayer Private Revelation pro-life public domain Quotes racial relations racism reflection Religious Life Saints science Scriptural Meditation social justice Social Media spirituality suffering supernatural theology Topics Travel Trivia Tweeting to the Choir Uncategorized universal church Vatican virtue war Week in Review women world religions writing Writing Write Now

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did the angel tell the shepherds?

Select your answer to see how you score.

All of These Things To Not Be Afraid How to Recognize the Newborn Savior The Location of the Newborn Savior

Books by This Author Books by Catholic Bard

See All Titles »