while it rises in the east;
fire carries across the sky -
but it does none of my fears release
When it meets the crest of dusk
stealing daylight from my dawn,
when it ceases to be just us,
I welcome night with a yawn.
My fears will not assuage the day;
tear me while in the night I weep.
“The sun has forgotten soul-filled men.”
I groan and then repeat.
I fear my blood will soon run cold,
and I’ll rest under earth
while the dancing of mankind will continue
and all forget my birth.
I fear the contentment of those in love.
I fear the pain they dread.
I agonize that I’m not seen
where the greatest pleasure lives.
I’d question the shining of the sun.
I’d question the going of the sea.
You could tell me all my life
all will be: I would hardly believe.
I still fear to open hearts
and learn love once anew.
The ones that can be bored with me
I keep, and I have to…
I fear I’m seen for what I’m not.
I fear that they will think
that I don’t struggle much at all,
when and I do and I ought.
I fear most love; this grinds
against my very grains.
I fear the dawning of the sun
across the rising day.
I don’t believe the sun will shine
even if it crawls across the skies.
I’m a man who disbelieves the things
I’ve experienced all my life.
- Author Unknown
To begin, this poem aptly captures the often choking fear, cynicism, broken dreams, and desire for hope that many young women experience during their single years. All of us have things we are afraid of–the question becomes, “What will we let rule us?” Will the fears win or love?
I fear the contentment of those in love. When I first read this poem, I could identify completely with this stanza. Love and pain are inseparable and I honestly was not sure if I wanted to have anything to do with either of them. Yet you long for it…yet you fear it…and love becomes the most amazing thing in the world.
1 Corinthians 13 speaks of True Love. God’s definition is not seen much in our culture. And even though romantic love is only one facet of Love, I’ve discovered that our attitude toward it often reflects our approach to all love. If we fear the pain of a heart entangled, it is not just caring for a young man that we avoid. That tendency will carry into all our other relationships.
Love is not an option. Let us not fear any love–most especially “that most holy between man and wife”…that which opens the way to great pain and yet great blessing. Isn’t that true of every deep, honest relationship?
I’m excited about the rest of this series!!! I’m planning a “what is love?” banquet for my youth group. Though we’ll be talking about more general than romantic love, I’m looking forward to the posts of the next few weeks.
Thanks to all at YLCF for the wonderful things you share.
Let us not fear any love–most especially “that most holy between man and wife”…that which opens the way to great pain and yet great blessing.
Hmm…just a question – but why label love between a husband and wife as “most holy”?
Did not Jesus say “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends”? (Jn 15:13) Just something to note here, but He didn’t say husband or wife – He said friend.
And what if one never marries? Does one automatically, then, miss out on that which is most holy?