The Book of Marah (sonnet) by Ashley LaneThe sons are a temporary blessing.
They shall bring you, beloved Naomi,
A devoted woman, immortality,
A way to Bethlehem and a king
Of all kings. Do not despair, for it is spring
In the desert. There is more to see
Beyond this place. Go forth my child, be
Not bitter. I know your heart is wanting.
Wanting? Longing? Breaking? I love my Ruth;
Even at his feet, shes every inch a queen
And adored. With her, my Lord is just.
But I am still Marah. To tell the truth
She may beget light, brightest ever seen
Yet my kin, my loves, they are but dust.
06/27/2007 Author's Note: Considering that this form is so often used for love poems, I'm not sure if the melancholy content fits. But it's worth a shot.
Posted on 07/01/2007 Copyright © 2024 Ashley Lane
Member Comments on this Poem |
Posted by A. Paige White on 07/01/07 at 04:23 AM This is beautiful. Stranger yet, today while I was working an exercise to hear God's voice to me he gave me Ruth Ch.3 v9 and it made me cry it was so poignantly beautiful. Thank you for this. To see a poem about it the same day he personally gave me the right to ask it of Him almost stopped my heart in shock. |
Posted by Bruce W Niedt on 07/03/07 at 03:00 AM I'm somewhat at a loss, not being a student of the Bible, to completely comprehend all the references, but I do know this: you have written an exquisite sonnet in the modern style, i.e., not too heavy on the meter, a conversational flow, with effective enjambment and creative end rhymes. Just excellent! d:-) |
Posted by JD Clay on 07/03/07 at 01:57 PM As I recall Naomi had a hard go of it and changed her name to Marah. The story of Ruth and your sonnetized book both wonderful accounts of redemption and renewal. Bravo!
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Posted by Sandy M. Humphrey on 07/03/07 at 02:01 PM Beautiful sonnet and I too was given a passage about Naomi today...it brought me peace and your poem does as well. smh |
Posted by Quentin S Clingerman on 07/05/07 at 02:16 AM The form is just fine! Your characterization very lively. Very effective use of the first stanza as descriptive narrative, the second stanza as first person expression. |
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