panels and tears
We polish cedar, grain by grain,
while the temple outside collapses in rain.
The Valley of Baca drips with tears,
pilgrims stumble, but we sip our years.
Panelled walls, imported pride,
faith reduced to carpentry inside.
The prophet’s voice—ignored, dismissed—
we measure devotion by how well we’ve dressed.
And still, in painted rooms we sigh,
for tall young captains marching by.
Chaldean shoulders, gleaming spears,
more alluring than the pilgrims’ tears.
So let the valley flood with cries,
we’ll drown them out with cedar lies.
Better a panel than a spring,
better a captain than the King.
.
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Author:
crypticbard (Pseudonym) (
Offline) - Published: November 29th, 2025 08:52
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 13
- Users favorite of this poem: Tristan Robert Lange
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Comments4
Yay! First comment! My friend, I’ve seen this…people polishing their cedar panels while the world floods around them. You captured that contrast between piety and performance with stark clarity. Very well done, as always! 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
Yay! I posted later than usual as we can’t schedule posts here. Had to attend to an emergency and before I knew it a couple of hours had passed by. 🙏🏻🕊️
Oh no! Yeah, I noticed it was later...but obviously did not know about the emergency. Hope all turned out okay, and certainly glad you were able to post. Sending prayers your way, my friend!
What a wonderful metaphor Cryptic. We do indeed focus our attention on the details of what is closest to us neglecting the structure itself. So many religions based on detail not what is important, so many wars fought over minutia. What is visible to the eye becomes the valued and the superstructure that holds it all up ignored. Very nicely presented my friend and in good rhyme as well.
Thank you so much, dear Soren. 🙏🏻🕊️
You are most welcome
I've seen 'Devotion' measured by the Loudest Singer in a Church.
You said a Mouthful in your Poem.
The trick is a slow and steady release else it would not be possible and the mouthful would end up choking us. 🙏🏻🕊️
Fine words Rik, many do not see the whole when they focus on just one thing.
Andy
Aye, that’s what it’s like. Thanks, Andy 🙏🏻🕊️
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