Rationale

A single ray meets the terrain

          breaking through the gloom…

 

… and Faith tugs my soul

 

When desolate shadows

render me hollow,

in the echoes I find comfort

 

Yes, I hear the skeptic,

          the cynic, the misanthrope,

          and reason behind the doubt…

 

Still, I seek,

and hope,

and praise

 

In ritual

          and ancient creed

          in sacrament and vow

 

Because,

the rent in the clouds

bears the promise of the Jordan…

 

           “My beloved…”

Author's Note

I am often asked how I can still have faith, being an educated person. I suppose to a skeptic, there is no rationale at all, but every time I see a ray of sunlight coming through a cloud, I am filled with awe, and think that there has to be something bigger than us...

Reviews

[icelandicblue]

I will quote a line from my favorite children's book, The Tale of Despereaux:

"Hope is a ridiculous, wonderful, powerful thing.

And often hope is entwined with faith. I really don't think anyone should have to justify their faith. Your poem is wonderful and I really like how you structured it.

[s y e]

That's an amazing book....

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Blue - Hope is indeed ridiculous, and wonderful...
Sorry for the delayed reply - I just saw this...

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i agree, something bigger than all of us...nature itself gives us some indication that there is a being behind all of this...how every bit of nature and human existence seems to work so well physically...


belief gets tested a lot....but there is something or someone out there...i do believe.

really like this poem, Rita.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Jacob. I am truly grateful for your response!

[Dean]

The rent in the cloud as a sign....something speaks to me, here, and if it is God, it is in a form that treasures negativity...perhaps a slant different from what is expected, but it pulls at me. There are all sorts of implications, aren't there? Thanks.

[Rita L. Sev]

Yes, there are. Thank you for reading, Dean - I am glad you connected, in ways expected or unexpected...

[Dean]

glad to be aboard

[Renée]

thinking there must be something bigger? Nay Rita..your write shows Faith there is ! No matter what happens on earth..it is why we always look up to heaven .. Lovely song of your soul !

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Renee - sometimes we just have to sing...

[Renée]

Amen!
...

[Frieda P]

This actually gave me chills reading it Rita, that's what 'faith' is all about....awe inspiring read my friend.

[Rita L. Sev]

Frieda, I am so humbled by your review. Thank you.

[Frieda P]

You know I'm one of those skeptics, the holy trinity just doesn't seem believable but I do believe in some higher power, some of the time anyway, well deserved my friend!

[Eddie Phillips]

I am asked the same thing and sometimes I am told I am silly to believe in the fairytale of faith. I feel this poem Rita because I feel the same way. I am in awe and I start to think that nothing that is as amazing as the universe can be done at random. Thank you for this lovely poem. I love reading your writing

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Eddie. I hear that term, too - "fairytale faith". I'll keep my faith, though, as I cannot imagine being without it...

[Pryde Foltz]

I feel absolutely the same way. Surprised?!? lol. I really like this poem, and the way your have formatted is superb. Great write.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Pryde. No, I am not surprised at all! I know that faith can be a sensitive issue for some people, so I sat on this one for a bit...