I know how you feel,
You are not alone.
I know the hurt and pain,
How deep it goes.
I know the shame you feel,
It is not your fault.
I know what you are thinking,
They are not looking at you.
I know you love him,
And hate him at the same time.
I know what it feels like
That no one cares for you.
I know there are secrets.
You have kept them for a long time.
I know there is one
Who knows what they are.
I know it is hard for you
To trust someone again.
I know you can go to Him.
He loves you so much.
I know He can help you.
Jesus Christ is His name.
I know how you can reach Him,
Just call out His name.
I know He will send others.
They will share your pain.
I know things will change.
He changed them for me.
(10/28/97) {Laura Elam}
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I really like your poems and the topics you aim to cover. They are meaningful and heartfelt for everyone, Christians and otherwise. But this poem feels almost like a riddle poem. You're not letting the reader in on something. We know that someone is in pain and has an understanding friend. At first, we think this friend is Jesus. But then we realize that this isn't so. We don't know if the "you" being spoken to has been violated or wounded. We don't know how the "I" --the speaker of the poem-- knows the heart of the You of the poem. So the reader spends a lot of time guessing. Also, consider if you wnat those repeated "I know's". Repetitions can form a pattern. But they can also bog down a poem. -Carole
