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Speaking Gently to the Fanatic

July 10, 2011
By Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
More by this author
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

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You speak of Heaven
As if the Kingdom pulsates
Outside of the heart

You illustrate Hell
As if raw eternity
Is unforgiving

You pray so stiffly
Like your Father does not know
That you are a child

You condemn for Christ
And hate in the name of life
Killing for justice

Please, soften your glare
Place the bullhorn at your side
Unravel your soul

The Word is not found
In bared teeth or angry eyes
It is a soft song

Love is communion
Compassion is ministry
God is the Center

© Arenda R., Palo Verde, AZ

The author's comments:
Some theological thought can be so primitive, I felt like I had to write this; I know it's not very poetic, but it's utterly honest.
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JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 24 comments.

SaphiraBrightscales DIAMOND said...
on Mar. 23 2013 at 12:35 pm
SaphiraBrightscales DIAMOND, Islamabad, Other
75 articles 16 photos 1136 comments

Favorite Quote:
I&#039;ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. <br /> - Maya Angelou <br /> When i was little/I used to point a chubby finger toward the dark sky/And ask my father/why some stars moved and others didn&rsquo;t/He would laugh and explain that some were airplanes/I still wish on them today ~ Laugh-It-Out<br /> The feathers of a crow are black/The ink of my pen is blacker/The pain of my heart is blackest~ Mckay<br /> If love produced a blossom/I&rsquo;d take it in my palm/What a blessing, the bright color!/How soothing, such a balm!/I&rsquo;d keep a petal for my own/The rest, drop from my hands/For such a flower would multiply/And populate the lands~ thesilentraven<br /> And I began to rival legends/Long entombed before my birth./But for all my much envied fame/The lust for more would not abate./The plaques and prizes with my name/Will, like all things, disintegrate. ~ TheEpic95 now known as Helena_Noel

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True and utter Beauty reflects form every nook and corner here. My dear raven, thou art has composed something so marvelous, thou art thyself not recognize.  My heart went out to you as I read this. Oh I wish I wish I wish I could one day meet this oh so amazing person that wrote this.    And I possibly cannot pick favourite stanzas from this piece! They are all so overwhelming!
savetheplanet PLATINUM said...
on Aug. 28 2011 at 1:53 pm
savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
45 articles 9 photos 564 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

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I guess if you don't get into the magazine it's the next best thing.  You're a recommended read basically.
Thesilentraven PLATINUM said...
on Aug. 27 2011 at 12:15 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

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What does the 'editor's choice' mean? I've seen the little red checkmark, but what does it mean to get it?
savetheplanet PLATINUM said...
on Aug. 26 2011 at 8:53 pm
savetheplanet PLATINUM, Anaheim, California
45 articles 9 photos 564 comments

Favorite Quote:
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

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You got the editor's choice?  AWESOME!
Thesilentraven PLATINUM said...
on Aug. 26 2011 at 6:26 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

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I'm quite glad, really. I had a feeling that if one such as you looked at this, it would be understood and appreciated, so I shared it! Very grateful to you, am I.
LondonEye DIAMOND said...
on Aug. 23 2011 at 11:09 pm
LondonEye DIAMOND, Randolph, New Jersey
89 articles 125 photos 71 comments
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I couldn't agree more with this.
Thesilentraven PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 26 2011 at 4:46 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

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I think so, as well. There are some parts of us that need to grow, need to mature, because that's part of nature. But to preserve the childlike part of us throughout our lifetime, that would make us better people.
IamtheshyStargirl PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 26 2011 at 12:46 pm
IamtheshyStargirl PLATINUM, Lothlorien, Utah
44 articles 16 photos 2206 comments

Favorite Quote:
Boredom instigates extreme creativity. <br /> ~Amoniel<br /> <br /> "Bowing gratefully to all of my subjects, 'thank you. Thank you. The pleasure is mine." Nah, I'm just kidding. We're all kings together.'" <br /> ~Thesilentraven

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Yes, to never hide anything from God.

 

I'm beginning to think that the aim in this life is not to grow up, but to hold onto your inner and outer chile forever.

Thesilentraven PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 26 2011 at 12:38 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

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Forgive me for returning to this after such a long time, but I've been thinking quite a lot about the matter.

It's essential for people to understand that it's okay it cry before God. To break down before Him. Even to blame him, if that's what we feel like. Because that's true prayer, and prayer must be honest. Everyone is more vulnerable than they let on; it's only the people with real substance that are able to confess it.

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Jul. 22 2011 at 8:38 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love. <br /> Henry Drummond

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That's true. Sometimes it's REALLY hard to find good pictures. For example, I hate the picture that I put with my poem Olde To El Classico but it was the best one I could find. I hope you like that poem, even thpugh it has to do with sports, because I think it's the best one I've written to date.
Thesilentraven PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 22 2011 at 6:06 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

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Ha, that's true. I was flipping through the pictures and couldn't find any that I thought fit this poem. So I settled the problem by finding a colorful (but unrelated) image.
Thesilentraven PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 22 2011 at 6:05 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

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Thank you again, Aderes! Your comments are really making my day, and it's wonderful to receive your kind compliments. I very much need to look deep into your work to return the favor.

I know, right? It's people like that who I was speaking to. Those who wear religion on their sleeves (sometimes fervently) but don't carry a trace of it in their hearts.

Thesilentraven PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 22 2011 at 6:02 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

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I'm glad to leave an impression on anything, especially the mind of my fellow bird!

And that's true about the rhyme scheme, as several people have been kind enough to remind me.

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Jul. 22 2011 at 3:47 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love. <br /> Henry Drummond

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But the picture don't go. It's pretty but don't go.
Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Jul. 22 2011 at 3:46 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love. <br /> Henry Drummond

View profile

What do you mean it's not poetic?

It's ABSOLUTELY poetic! And beautfiul! And all a haiku too? I'm extremely impressed!:)

I wnat to give this poem to one of those priest who abused cildren.

Aderes47 GOLD said...
on Jul. 22 2011 at 3:44 pm
Aderes47 GOLD, Cambridge, Massachusetts
11 articles 0 photos 897 comments

Favorite Quote:
You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love. <br /> Henry Drummond

View profile

What do you mean it's not poetic?

It's ABSOLUTELY poetic. And beautiful. And all a haiku too? I'm very impressed. :)

I want to give this poem to one of those priests who raped children. It's just that powerful.

A_shy_dove GOLD said...
on Jul. 20 2011 at 4:32 am
A_shy_dove GOLD, Hubli, Other
10 articles 1 photo 76 comments

Favorite Quote:
Never compare your life with others, as you have no idea what their journey is all about.

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your poems always manage to make a good impression on my mind. You write very well.. And poems are not always supposed to have a rhyming scheme. My poems seldom have it...
Thesilentraven PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 13 2011 at 1:18 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

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The third stanza? Hmmm, let me see.

Ah, yes. That was, I admit, also a reminder to myself: to pray like I am vulnerable and naive. I read a wonderful Taoist meditation that asks one to "open up his heart and allow the 'velvet child' to come forth from it." Beautiful, I thought.

And well said. Thanks for reminding me that.

Thesilentraven PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 13 2011 at 1:12 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

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I'm glad that you are in agreement with me; I was afraid that my haikus would cause a negative response with some of the more conservative readers. I love that you said that even if you didn't agree with me, you would still compliment me; that is true open-mindedness. Thank you for your kind words, my friend.
Thesilentraven PLATINUM said...
on Jul. 13 2011 at 1:09 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

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A soft song... I love that description. Thanks for applying it to mine; I'm quite grateful.

Good luck to you in all of your endeavors.