Tuesday, December 19, 2017

A Single Word Can Brighten the Face

From a collection of poems The Drop that Became the Sea by Yunus Emre.  First person to express  poems in Turkish, he died ~1320. I'm enjoying this volume.  There is much to think about and meditate here.  The poem below slugged me in the heart.

A single word can brighten the face
of one who knows the value of words.
Ripened in silence, a single word
acquires a great energy for work.

War is cut short by a word,
and a word heals the wounds,
and there's a word that changes
poison into butter and honey

Let a word mature inside yourself.
Withhold the unripened thought
Come and understand the word
that reduces the money and riches to dust

Know when to speak a word
and when not to speak at all
A single word turns a universe of hell
in eight paradises.

Follow the Way.  Don't be fooled
by what you already know.  Be watchful
Reflect before you speak.
A foolish mouth can brand your soul.

Yunus, say one last thing
about the power of words-
Only the word "I"
divides me from God.



1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hi Steve, I would like to invite you to join the new “Church of Christ at Blogs and Bloggers” group on Facebook.

Its goal is a community to post, read, and discuss blog posts and other articles relevant to the Churches of Christ, conservative or progressive, .... All are welcome.

Of particular interest to bloggers is that bloggers in the group are asked to comment substantively on other bloggers’ posts so all can receive substantive feedback.

Here is a link to the group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/143033339736031/

If the link does not work, search on Facebook for Church of Christ at Blogs and Bloggers.

I hope you will join!

Best regards,
Steve Gardner (blogger at www.authentictheology.com)

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