Thursday, May 08, 2008

Between ... is the Middle Time

I haven't posted barbecue photos,
... or cherry blossom photos,
... or apple blossom photos,
... or photos of anything we've done this last month...

I keep waiting for time. But it doesn't happen. Maybe next week.


Walking the shore in Kizukuri

I am posting a poem I finally found - after about 30 years of searching! - that kind of captures the feel of my life right now.

Somehow I thought it was T.S. Eliot - maybe it reminds me of Eliot's "Choruses from 'The Rock'" - and I've been searching anthologies of his work. But I must have found it in some IV Publication years ago.


MIDDLE TIME

Between the exhilaration of Beginning
and the satisfaction of Concluding
is the Middle Time
of enduring, changing, trying,
despairing, continuing, becoming.

Jesus Christ was the man of God’s Middle Time
between Creation and . . . Accomplishment.
Through him God said of Creation,
“Without mistake.”
And of Accomplishment,
“Without doubt.”

And we, in our Middle Times
of wondering, waiting, hurrying,
hesitating, regretting, revising;
We who have begun many things—
and seen but few completed;
We who are becoming more— and less;
through the evidence of God’s Middle Time
have a stabilizing hint
that we are not mistakes,
that we are irreplaceable,
that our Being is of interest
and our Doing is of purpose,
that our Being and our Doing
are surrounded by AMEN.

Jesus Christ is the Completer
of unfinished people
with unfinished work
in unfinished times.

May he keep us from sinking, ceasing,
wasting, solidifying—
that we may be for him
experimenters, enablers, encouragers,
and associates in Accomplishment.

-- Lona Fowler

(The poem is not properly indented... I can't make the editing stick.)

4 comments:

Tami said...

Laurie,
This is just beautiful. If it is okay I would love to reference it on my blog. Happy Mother's Day! In God's Love, Tami

Laurie Elliot said...

Go right ahead!

Happy Mother's Day to you, too, Tami!

Anonymous said...

what a wonderful peom thank you for sharing. this peom means a lot to me, even though it was posted some time ago I neaded to read tonight. (from your neice Su Ann)

Laurie Elliot said...

Su Ann! I'm so glad to hear from you! Please write to me - I don't know where you are or what you are doing. I've been thinking that its little Matthew's birthday soon. This Thursday isn't it? I love you. Aunt Laurie