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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Click (04/18/13)
Dry sun-scorched land, parched, arid,
lay lifeless in the heat
except for the faint echo
of one pair of pacing feet.

Desolate the valley
surveyed by one alone
who trod a dusty carpet
of bone on bone on bone.

‘Can these bones live and function
again in healthy flow,
in useful living unction?’
‘O Lord, You only know.’

'Go prophesy, go utter
My Word; these bones of death
in their barren isolation
will feel again my breath.'

So, by divine appointment,
the prophet prophesied
then the valley loud resounded
with a stirring; side-by-side
dry bones began a-moving,
a-joining limb to limb,
a-clicking and a-fitting
of bone, then tendon, skin,
a re-forming of each body
as to creation’s plan,
skeletal bones clicked firm in place
to form once more each man.
Finger to hand, arm, shoulder,
to work, hold, build as planned,
toe, foot, leg, knee and ankle
to move, run, walk and stand.
The listening ear, the seeing eye,
the tongue and lips to speak,
the memory, the intellect,
to knowledge, wisdom, seek.

But ‘spite the bustling hustle,
movement, activity,
the mighty host of soldiers
was as still as still could be.

‘Can these bones live and function
again in healthy flow,
in useful living unction?’
‘O Lord, You only know.’

‘Go prophesy, go utter,
and from the four winds, blow,’
then the mighty breath of heaven
descended in full flow,
equipping and enabling
by power and might and grace,
each soldier armed and ready,
every living limb in place.



The Church, His Living Body,
in God-ordained diversity
is put and held by Him in place
as He would have it be.





Ezekiel 37
1 Corinthians 12
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This article has been read 893 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Beth LaBuff 
04/26/13
THIS is so perfect for the topic. The desert setting was tangible. I absolutely love your meter and gorgeous word usage, words and phrases like "useful living unction" and "living limb." Your extended stanza was perfect as it built, and with the image of the bones being reunited. I got chills when I read about the "breath of heaven." This has a powerful and glorious message as well. I love it. Wow!
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
04/27/13
Wow there is so much to take from this piece. I imagine it would mean different things to different people or to the same people on the same day. That takes great talent.
Alicia Renkema
04/27/13
There is so much depth there, I am going to have to chew on this awhile... I love the flow and the imagery of the bones clicking into place like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle, so vividly described. It made me think of the children's rhyme / song "Head shoulder's , Knee's and Toe's" the way you were talking about everything being fitted together. This is one of the most amazing and little understood (because of all of the varied interpretations) prophecies in the Bible. What I was particularly taken with was how you fitted that together with 1Corinthians 12 on the body of Christ being fitted together and how we all need one another. I have never thought of these two passages of Scripture together; a fascinating idea for a Bible study! This makes me really want to see a follow-up poem as you continue this lovely poetic-vision - prophecy from the Lord. I loved this out-of-the-box take on the topic, the Scriptural take away. And the title drew me in before I even read the first word. Thank you so mush for this lovely poem.
Alicia Renkema
04/27/13
Echo Beth's comments on the beauty of your words -- pure symmetry in motion! I had gotten so caught up in the spiritual meaning of the poem (more the theological aspects) that I had forgotten to comment on this first time around. So sorry, as this is a poem, you would think that would have been the first thing I commented on. It was actually the first thing I noticed but then the Bible study --student in me took over, ha!
Brenda Rice
04/30/13
Amazing descriptions. Incredible word usage.
Intense.
On topic
Thought provoking message.

Well done.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
05/03/13
Congratulations for ranking 20 overall!