For Keeping Me Strong
For Keeping Me Strong

For Keeping Me Strong

What you’ll find, as this series progresses, is that the only thing you can predictably expect from the collection of my poems is variety. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be proving this point. This week you’ll encounter a poem of light and confidence. The following week you’ll read one of struggle and confusion. You’ve seen a lot of poems that follow what could be termed “standard English poetic prose”. In a few weeks, I’ll show you a small sampling of short poems with a more Asian bent.

Now, the poem today is one of those that always makes me smile. It reminds me of truths I often need, and has been known to keep me centered and strong in truly stressful moments. This makes sense, given that unlike some other poems, I wrote this for myself; indeed, for this express purpose. If it can do something similar for you, I would be thrilled.

As You Will I Am

My failing limbs collapse

My blood the poison of asps

The pain like time consumes

And my senseless cries resume

But God, you hold me

With the same hands that mold me

You guide this helpless lamb

With the rod and with the staff

And Lord I know, this is your plan

So, I am you servant

As you will I am

As you will I am

I’m just not strong enough

This human form is frail

Still, I know your hand is near

Leaning on you who could fail?

I drown in woes self-inflicted

Beaten down by evils ancient

But the King is mighty to save

Friend, Savior, Father omniscient

Yes, God you hold me

With the same hands that mold me

You guide this helpless lamb

With the rod, and with the staff

And Lord, I know, this is your plan

So, I am you servant

As you will I am

As you will I am

Trusting you is difficult

Letting go, hard as breaking down

You who feeds the raven’s young

Teach this stiff-necked heart to bow.

I long to share the joy

But the fears pin me down

Yet you shall have at journey’s end

My all, their hearts, your renown

For, God, you hold me

With the same hands that mold me

You guide this helpless lamb

With the rod and with the staff

And Lord, I know, this is your plan

So, I am you servant

As you will I am

As you will I am