To give you a little preface....
This was the first of 6 poems I wrote in Africa and I wrote all of them within the first month I was there. I was tired and saw no fruit of any kind from the work we were doing. I was sick, and tired a lot. Still in a new country with weird people and a different language and food and work ethic and religion. So a lot of the nights, I simply couldn't sleep, so I would read scripture and then just pray it. I wrote six poems. This one was a passage that hit home when I read it first part of my trip. One poem was thanking the Lord for Kelsey. One was written over Hudson Taylor who inspired me throughout the whole trip with his book Husdon Taylor's Spiritual Secret. Read it, the book, not my poem. And the last 3 poems were just kinda where I was at at different times while there. So, all that to say, I dont know what you want exactly, but here's one poem I redid of Psalm 13....
Psalm 13
Tis night once more, and subtle be
The wind, the air, the misery.
How long the wait, no answer rises
And I leaneth toward compromises.
The tugging aft', the wave and wave
Begging, reaching, no one will save.
My bones thus show, and breath is lost
Too much to bear, is this the cost?
My back grows weak, my shoulders give
Upon which evils of the world must live.
Like glowing eyes in the forest at night
They mock, they tease, they want my life.
Do you not listen, count my tears!
I'm begging, I'm reaching, I'm feeding my fears.
You promised You'd stay, you gave the Word
Your tone has faded, of that voice I once heard.
But, no, fear not, for I remember the days
Of plenty, and want, but joyous of praise.
They sang of your glories, and stories of old
Dependence on You, our Treasure of Gold.
Today, may this, my altar be
Your steadfast love- fragrant, heavenly.
Salvation has come, sing, forever recall
The redeemer of man, the Creator of all.
Cary Apel
College Station, Texas
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