entertaining angels unaware

based on a verse from the bible that says... "be mindful to entertain strangers, for thereby have some entertained angels unaware"

 

 

a wise man once came up to me
and asked 'why do you cry, sir?'
i said 'please solve my mysteries,
for i surmise that you are wiser
than the average man like me
who reels when faced with mysteries'

 

he stopped me with a fleeting glance
and replied before i had the chance
to tell him what had bothered me
yet he spoke right to the mystery

 

'the important thing,' he told me
'is that nothing's what it seems
for dreams are more reality
and reality, more dreams.
and steadfast truths are fleeting
while abstract things concrete
and certainty is what you hold
to make you feel complete.'
 

'but if you should take down these words
and think about them long
you'll find, though they are right for me,
for you they might be wrong.'

 

'so go, my friend, and find your way.
i have no pithy words to say.
i struggle just the same as you
so that makes you a wise man too.
and if you should pass by today
some poor lost soul along the way
just stop for them and take the time
to say whatever comes to mind.
it matters little what the words.
don't hesitate and weigh them
for the worth's not in the words you say
it's in the time you stopped to say them.'

 

that said, his eyes filled up with tears.
he embraced me......
then he disappeared

Reviews

[SPINNING ON that dizzy ..]

I like this very much. Wonderful words used wisely and nicely.... I believe that it is not always WHAT you said but THAT you said and took the time or smiled or nodded or invited someone in at some level. So many times I see surprise on a face when I smile or greet but then you get the smile back or someone's expression becomes friendly or somehow calmer looking.... We are capable of giving much more than we know... Good capture here. Poem on! haha

Kath

[Doctor JKC]

I lived amongst saints in India and they pretty much
said the same words and they were all super funny, too.
There are no contradictions when duality is dropped.

Such an excellent write!!!
Jack

[cest la vie]

Ok, this is a *Sigh*.. Profound words, absolutely! Profound life lesson? You bet. I love how this reads as a poem/tale/verse. This is quite good. I live by the rule of touch one, touch many. This personifies that belief! Two thumbs up and a snap!

[LJW]

Yes, this is profound. The rhyming is pretty spot on. Is the "meter" perfect? No. But the message outweighs the meter by far. In fact, I think if the meter was "perfect" it would sound sing-songish.


The last wise man was probably a deaf mute who lived alone on a desert island. All truths are personal, all facts a matter of interpretation, but nothing can take the place of a truly kind gesture, glance, or words. All of us are angels, all of us unaware of our capacity for greatness, our capacity to heal each other with kindness.

More like this would be nice.

[Ellen Hammond]

This poem is profound yet written with simplicity so every reader can glean some wisdom from it, without needing to run for a dictionary. The rhyme and flow of it holds my attention as my thoughts flow with it. I really enjoyed reading this and poem of wisdom.

[Greg Skura]

Wow! This is a really good poem! I enjoyed the way you brought it full circle to recognize that even a little time for those in need may be all they really need. Thank You for sharing!

[Leah Simone]

I like the message, not sure about the sing songy hallmark approach - it made it a bit predictable with forced rhyming and patterns one could easily chant while jumping rope. I noticed when you deviate from this type of form you seem to write more expressively - with a more "original" voice.

[Laura E. Aranda]

I think i am biased to good poem titles
I will read something that has a title that interested me
saying that, I am glad this poem's title interested me
I too know the scripture you speak of
I liked this poem alot
I think I might add it to my collection
Cheers, lea

[T]

A deeply profound poem indeed;

"for the worth's not in the words you say
it's in the time you stopped to say them.'"

Very inspiring and written so beautifully!

[Deborah Leah Krempa]

A very lovely well written and inspiring poem. Thank you for sharing. Debileah