The Apocalypse--A Revelation ... Chapter Twenty-Two (first draft)
The Apocalypse--A Revelation ... Chapter Twenty-Two (first draft)
https://allpoetry.com/story/13558376-The-Apocalypse--A-Revelation-...-Chapter-Twenty-One--first-draft--by-Lucretia-Mccloud
After her mom, Kim
Sabrina padded quickly in tattered slippers
clutching tightly to front of floral robe
out of her bedroom
down dimly lit hall
in shadow
photos of various rice paddies
lined a slightly cracked wall
workers wading
backs bent maybe till twilight at will.
Sabrina, until now,
never questioning if any of those women were ancestors
long ago fielded.
Also, wondered why Kim's playing hooky from work
when thought: She was on call today...doesn't she always claim, "Broke."
Yet, these questions aside
at the dong of a stroke of 6:00 am.
Headed into dad's library
causing each of their throats to choke up a bit.
Then settle themselves before the fireplace
before either of them spoke.
Already assembled a tray filled with tea pot, cups, cucumbers sandwiches and seaweed snacks
prepared for a long discussion?
Sabrina wondered.
So curled up in her dad's favorite seat
a little anxious to begin.
Saying nothing
so as not to throw Kim's conversation off track.
Kim's back to Sabrina
trembled a bit.
But she turned around swiftly
to permit Sabrina a glimpse of her sweet smile
speaking again for the first time in minutes.
Psalm 98:7-9 she quotes:
"Let the sea thunder and all that fills it,
The earth and those dwelling in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands;
Let the mountains shout joyfully together
Before Jehovah, for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the inhabited earth with righteousness
And the peoples with fairness." This is where her voice broke.
Querida, it's been a long while
I've memorized any verse.
For years I'd believed myself, my family
even culture
cursed.
When my teacher read me this scripture
I wanted to weep,
but decided instead to rehearse and rehearse
this for my mighty river Mekong so vast and so deep.
A sweet memory weaving through six Asian countries,
once to me felt dead
after removing it for sanity
from my heart and my head."
Kim sat down at the base of Sabrina's curled feet
then began a history of Sabrina's dad
replete with all sadness and cruelty shown Vietnamese mothers and children bled
not swift enough for fleet.
Born high in the Himalayas, the mighty Mekong burst forth as with child cascading down mountain slopes
surging through deep gorges
miles upon miles
with multitudes fed
downstream.
Mekong. The very lifeblood of Vietnam. Irrigating fields and rice paddies. Enriching them with precious silt, enabling farmers to grow three crops of rice annually.
Vietnam. The world’s second-largest exporter of this popular staple, surpassed only by Thailand.
"All this I made myself forget
when I fled to Brazil.
That's when your papa became my support.
He saw me; felt shame. Remembered his agonizing blame
for making my Mekong bleed frequently deep red.
Asked me to forgive him by marrying him.
So gladly his wife I faithfully became
until you, my querida, Sabrina
lovingly came home
to my new family you'd forever belong.
Over the years
with your papa I fought
when he suddenly
the bible wanted you to be taught.
I'd believed God non-existent
after the war that was wrought.
But he insisted:
"This is what we ought to do.
It makes sense.
We just must follow through."
But here is where I stubbornly refused.
Made his life miserable.
Him tried to confuse.
Querida, he was so patient.
Did not me hate."
Kim starts to cry.
"Now, it was almost too late.
However, the scriptures give me hope
to again Paul here see. No longer in name only
After her mom, Kim
Sabrina padded quickly in tattered slippers
clutching tightly to front of floral robe
out of her bedroom
down dimly lit hall
in shadow
photos of various rice paddies
lined a slightly cracked wall
workers wading
backs bent maybe till twilight at will.
Sabrina, until now,
never questioning if any of those women were ancestors
long ago fielded.
Also, wondered why Kim's playing hooky from work
when thought: She was on call today...doesn't she always claim, "Broke."
Yet, these questions aside
at the dong of a stroke of 6:00 am.
Headed into dad's library
causing each of their throats to choke up a bit.
Then settle themselves before the fireplace
before either of them spoke.
Already assembled a tray filled with tea pot, cups, cucumbers sandwiches and seaweed snacks
prepared for a long discussion?
Sabrina wondered.
So curled up in her dad's favorite seat
a little anxious to begin.
Saying nothing
so as not to throw Kim's conversation off track.
Kim's back to Sabrina
trembled a bit.
But she turned around swiftly
to permit Sabrina a glimpse of her sweet smile
speaking again for the first time in minutes.
Psalm 98:7-9 she quotes:
"Let the sea thunder and all that fills it,
The earth and those dwelling in it.
Let the rivers clap their hands;
Let the mountains shout joyfully together
Before Jehovah, for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the inhabited earth with righteousness
And the peoples with fairness." This is where her voice broke.
Querida, it's been a long while
I've memorized any verse.
For years I'd believed myself, my family
even culture
cursed.
When my teacher read me this scripture
I wanted to weep,
but decided instead to rehearse and rehearse
this for my mighty river Mekong so vast and so deep.
A sweet memory weaving through six Asian countries,
once to me felt dead
after removing it for sanity
from my heart and my head."
Kim sat down at the base of Sabrina's curled feet
then began a history of Sabrina's dad
replete with all sadness and cruelty shown Vietnamese mothers and children bled
not swift enough for fleet.
Born high in the Himalayas, the mighty Mekong burst forth as with child cascading down mountain slopes
surging through deep gorges
miles upon miles
with multitudes fed
downstream.
Mekong. The very lifeblood of Vietnam. Irrigating fields and rice paddies. Enriching them with precious silt, enabling farmers to grow three crops of rice annually.
Vietnam. The world’s second-largest exporter of this popular staple, surpassed only by Thailand.
"All this I made myself forget
when I fled to Brazil.
That's when your papa became my support.
He saw me; felt shame. Remembered his agonizing blame
for making my Mekong bleed frequently deep red.
Asked me to forgive him by marrying him.
So gladly his wife I faithfully became
until you, my querida, Sabrina
lovingly came home
to my new family you'd forever belong.
Over the years
with your papa I fought
when he suddenly
the bible wanted you to be taught.
I'd believed God non-existent
after the war that was wrought.
But he insisted:
"This is what we ought to do.
It makes sense.
We just must follow through."
But here is where I stubbornly refused.
Made his life miserable.
Him tried to confuse.
Querida, he was so patient.
Did not me hate."
Kim starts to cry.
"Now, it was almost too late.
However, the scriptures give me hope
to again Paul here see. No longer in name only
his 'Stewart' to be." She wipes her eyes tenderly.
Picks up Sabrina's hand.
"Now I watch you
with your increasing anxiety
thinking I must tell you
what your Wayne's sadly
just revealed to me."... TO BE CONT'D
Picks up Sabrina's hand.
"Now I watch you
with your increasing anxiety
thinking I must tell you
what your Wayne's sadly
just revealed to me."... TO BE CONT'D
A Conflict That Changed My Life
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102005764?q=vietnamese&p=par
Never drift away.—Heb. 2:1.
Meditating on spiritual things will help a person grow to Christian maturity. (Heb. 5:14; 6:1) A person who spends little time thinking about Jehovah and Jesus will not maintain strong faith. Such a person is in danger of drifting away or drawing away from the truth. (Heb. 3:12) Jesus warned that if we do not hear, or accept, God’s Word “with a fine and good heart,” we will not “retain” it. Instead, we could easily be “carried away by anxieties, riches, and pleasures of this life, . . . and bring nothing to maturity.” (Luke 8:14, 15) Therefore, let us continue to ponder over God’s Word. This will motivate us to reflect Jehovah’s glory, qualities, and personality as revealed in the Bible. (2 Cor. 3:18) What more could we ask for? Growing in the knowledge of God and being allowed to reflect his glory are wonderful privileges, a never-ending process as we continue to learn how to imitate our loving heavenly Father.—Eccl. 3:11. w15 10/15 4:13, 14
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102005764?q=vietnamese&p=par
Never drift away.—Heb. 2:1.
Meditating on spiritual things will help a person grow to Christian maturity. (Heb. 5:14; 6:1) A person who spends little time thinking about Jehovah and Jesus will not maintain strong faith. Such a person is in danger of drifting away or drawing away from the truth. (Heb. 3:12) Jesus warned that if we do not hear, or accept, God’s Word “with a fine and good heart,” we will not “retain” it. Instead, we could easily be “carried away by anxieties, riches, and pleasures of this life, . . . and bring nothing to maturity.” (Luke 8:14, 15) Therefore, let us continue to ponder over God’s Word. This will motivate us to reflect Jehovah’s glory, qualities, and personality as revealed in the Bible. (2 Cor. 3:18) What more could we ask for? Growing in the knowledge of God and being allowed to reflect his glory are wonderful privileges, a never-ending process as we continue to learn how to imitate our loving heavenly Father.—Eccl. 3:11. w15 10/15 4:13, 14
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