Rope Revisited
I'm usually sure when I finish a poem that I've done the best that I can do. This image has stayed with me longer than most and I'm still not sure if I've done it justice. Like Hopkins and others I have had a late life conversion. Unlike Hopkins and others I don't possess their towering talents, but that's never stopped me before. So, here are some changes to my first attempt. As I revise and, hopefully, improve on this image I will post upgrades. Thanks for any indulgences (bad pun intended).
Strands
Starting with spinning atoms at centrifugal force
In molecules making up cells upon cells
Amino acids linking one to another
The double helix is a spun ladder fusing DNA
One twisted pair piled on the next
Strands of cells weaving in and out of each other
To lives of lives
Each stand could break bringing the organism down
As it stays strong banding with others
Planning behind it
With God’s love and design
There are no coincidences
Me knowing he knowing she knowing me
Parents, spouses, kids, friends, co-workers...
Birth, communion, first kiss, sip of life, taste of death,
Heartbreak, love, passion, loss, anger, joy, delight,
Loneliness, loans, houses, cars, churches...
Stuff and things
Feelings and objects
Strands making strings
Each string could break cutting off its event
But as we twine these strings together we build a life
Friendships, birthdays, anniversaries, reunions, companions,
Life relationships, bonds of marriage, commitments, loves, transubstantiation
A rope is but twine interlaced together to build the strong
Binds that bonds
Able to pull the weight of a life with all of its events
Behind it
Strong enough to hold ship to anchor
Strong enough to hold cell to cell
Strong enough to hold atom to atom
Each rope we weave ties us to others
This is not a chain forged in life
But strong ties that bind
As we layer and twist strand within strand
And tie string to string
Each thread provides us with choices and covenants
Like fingers interlaced in prayer
I know who has blended these strings for me
I know who has tied these knots that hold me up
I am happy with the rope that I own and Christ in my life