The Love of God
A. M. Bellows

A deep pain burns in my heart
As I contemplate my part
In your destiny. Will you embrace
My eternity in space?
Or is my love to go unseen?
Only hopes of what might have been
Remain. There is a lasting sorrow
That stays firm to the morrow.

Life is a mirror of the divine
Writ small as were a secret sign
For those who can to read of love
As gentle as flew Noah’s dove
Onwards over falling waves. A sea
That failed to answer to her plea
As on she flew, seeking dry land
Amidst the waters rippling band
of blue. At last she found her rest
And settled softly fearing lest
It might be illusion. Once before
She had swooped down, mistaken, on a wave
And now she trembled, not so brave,
as she had been. Fear lent her wings
New strength to fly onward, as she sings
Of hope of rest. And then she sees the sand,
As appears the first outcrop of land
Beneath the falling waters, Hope sought
And found that which It ought.

Is this God’s love? Beloved, I will seek the right
Until in finality it comes to sight.

But there is also agony, doubt, pain
Amidst the never ceasing rain
As It falls upon the cross
This is now our sign of loss.
And darkness comes over the land
To hide from mortal sight God’s hand
That we may only glimpse from day-to-day
And answer as we poorly pray
The love of God. Does God feel pain.
That we poor creatures, in the main,
Do not return his love complete
But only as we strive to meet
His greatness in our limitation
Perhaps this is for contemplation
But I would weep if I were he
And love was given, pure and free
A tear would trickle down my cheek
As reciprocity would seek
That which cannot be. And then would take
To my heart, for the others sake
And for my own, all that they could give.
I would sorrow, but I would live
With joy at just one tiny spark
To flicker, leaving memory’s mark.