Hope Lost, Hope Found
©2016 Susan Noyes Anderson
image by Patrick Schneider on Unsplash
The heavy desert heat
assaulted her,
shut down her cool,
absorbed her essence,
stole from her the
right to breathe.
It beat her down,
ran out her sweat,
forged salty rivers of regret,
offered no respite
cool or sweet;
mercy the forfeit.
Faith melted,
trickled into sand,
sank deeper than
her sun-seared hand.
Evaporated.
Left thirst unsated.
Her plight, in purple
mountains framed,
subdued then claimed
the fight within.
Broken she bowed,
her end avowed.
The day was lost;
the angels cried.
Her spirit, vanquished
from inside,
yielded to pain.
But then…the rain.
Hope born again.
(see “Related Poems” below to find poems on similar topics)
∞§∞
Hope warms my heart,
especially in the most trying circumstances.
It comes most often, I believe, in God’s tender mercies…
like cooling rain…
and living water.
“For the Lamb…shall lead them unto living fountains of waters;
and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
Revelation 7:17
“…And the same shall be in [them] a well of living water,
springing up unto everlasting life.”
D&C 63:23
Tags: adversity, desert, faith, God, hope, overcoming, tender mercies