"King Solomon in Old Age" by Gustave Doré ‘Lean on Him’: A Poem by Warren Bonham The Society March 6, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 14 Comments . Lean on Him after Ecclesiasties We labor long beneath the sun. Forgotten soon by everyone. We come from dust and end the same, Depart this life just like we came. It’s all just chasing wind because Whatever is already was, And what will be has been before, There’s nothing new forevermore. We die just like each bird and beast, The ones thought great, just like the least. The poor ignored, the rich find fame. Despite it all, we end the same As life and death, the sun and rain Repeat their cycles once again. It’s all the same for everyone There’s nothing new beneath the sun. Our shoulders stooped by all we’ve seen, We look for strength on which to lean. Some lean on what they understand. Their knowledge is just shifting sand. Some lean on leaders of the land Whose staffs leave splinters in each hand. No worldly strength on which we lean Can bear our weight as we’ve all seen. There’s but one rock on which to lean. It’s everywhere though still unseen. It doesn’t sit on shifting sand. It’s stable ground on which to stand. It can’t be weathered by the wind. It brings relief for those who’ve sinned. The only way to find release From chasing wind is through God’s peace. . . Warren Bonham is a private equity investor who lives in Southlake, Texas NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Trending now: 14 Responses jd March 6, 2023 This is a wonderful message to greet the day, Warren. Sounds like it meets all the parameters of classical poetry too. Thank you for it. Reply Jeffrey Essmann March 6, 2023 Wonderful, jd. Thanks so much for this. It softens the edge of the Ecclesiastes original without going mushy and “positive” and beautifully heightens the theme of trust in God. Thanks again. Reply Jeffrey Essmann March 6, 2023 Sorry. I meant “Warren”, not “jd”. (Time for more coffee…) Jeffrey Reply Roy Eugene Peterson March 6, 2023 Well-conceived and executed poem with a message we all need to take to heart. “There’s but one rock on which to lean.” Reply Russel Winick March 6, 2023 Excellent rhyme and flow. Very poignant, faithful to the original. Fine work, Warren. Reply Morrison Handley-Schachler March 6, 2023 A very good clear message and images, with good echoes of the book. A very good read. Reply Paul Freeman March 6, 2023 As Russel points out, excellent rhyme and flow. The shorter than iambic pentameter line lengths of the rhyming couplets increases the difficulty of finding a rhyme word, I would have thought – but masterfully achieved. Thanks for the read, Warren. Reply Cynthia Erlandson March 6, 2023 This is quite an impressive summary of Ecclesiastes, a book with which I’ve been fascinated since my teen years. (I, too, have written about it.) “Whatever is already was, / And what will be has been before.” and “Whose staffs leave splinters in each hand.” are especially great lines. Reply Warren Bonham March 6, 2023 Thanks for the encouraging comments from everyone! I did steal the splintered staff line from Isaiah 36:6 “Look, I know you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him.” Reply André Wilson March 7, 2023 This is an excellent poem in terms of sentiment and execution. Thank you for sharing and for caring. Reply C.B. Anderson March 7, 2023 Very neat, Warren. You’ve put a good handle on a number of pressing issues. The first and last couplets of the second stanza say it all. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant March 8, 2023 Warren, I love this poem. It’s full of truth, beauty, and wisdom. The chosen form with its musicality and repeating message is most effective… and the fact that it sums up Ecclesiastes so perfectly is a shining highlight. Thank you! Reply Margaret Coats March 9, 2023 This poem is a true adaptation of the Biblical text, reflecting the original and the meditations of the author. Bringing Ecclesiastes and Isaiah together for the staffs that “leave splinters in each hand” is an inspired touch. That last couplet is a fine conclusion because, despite all the “nothing new” in the poem, it’s unexpected. Reply Yael March 10, 2023 I love this beautifully re-phrased version of the ancient preacher. It flows so naturally and elevates the thoughts, thank you. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
jd March 6, 2023 This is a wonderful message to greet the day, Warren. Sounds like it meets all the parameters of classical poetry too. Thank you for it. Reply
Jeffrey Essmann March 6, 2023 Wonderful, jd. Thanks so much for this. It softens the edge of the Ecclesiastes original without going mushy and “positive” and beautifully heightens the theme of trust in God. Thanks again. Reply
Jeffrey Essmann March 6, 2023 Sorry. I meant “Warren”, not “jd”. (Time for more coffee…) Jeffrey Reply
Roy Eugene Peterson March 6, 2023 Well-conceived and executed poem with a message we all need to take to heart. “There’s but one rock on which to lean.” Reply
Russel Winick March 6, 2023 Excellent rhyme and flow. Very poignant, faithful to the original. Fine work, Warren. Reply
Morrison Handley-Schachler March 6, 2023 A very good clear message and images, with good echoes of the book. A very good read. Reply
Paul Freeman March 6, 2023 As Russel points out, excellent rhyme and flow. The shorter than iambic pentameter line lengths of the rhyming couplets increases the difficulty of finding a rhyme word, I would have thought – but masterfully achieved. Thanks for the read, Warren. Reply
Cynthia Erlandson March 6, 2023 This is quite an impressive summary of Ecclesiastes, a book with which I’ve been fascinated since my teen years. (I, too, have written about it.) “Whatever is already was, / And what will be has been before.” and “Whose staffs leave splinters in each hand.” are especially great lines. Reply
Warren Bonham March 6, 2023 Thanks for the encouraging comments from everyone! I did steal the splintered staff line from Isaiah 36:6 “Look, I know you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him.” Reply
André Wilson March 7, 2023 This is an excellent poem in terms of sentiment and execution. Thank you for sharing and for caring. Reply
C.B. Anderson March 7, 2023 Very neat, Warren. You’ve put a good handle on a number of pressing issues. The first and last couplets of the second stanza say it all. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant March 8, 2023 Warren, I love this poem. It’s full of truth, beauty, and wisdom. The chosen form with its musicality and repeating message is most effective… and the fact that it sums up Ecclesiastes so perfectly is a shining highlight. Thank you! Reply
Margaret Coats March 9, 2023 This poem is a true adaptation of the Biblical text, reflecting the original and the meditations of the author. Bringing Ecclesiastes and Isaiah together for the staffs that “leave splinters in each hand” is an inspired touch. That last couplet is a fine conclusion because, despite all the “nothing new” in the poem, it’s unexpected. Reply
Yael March 10, 2023 I love this beautifully re-phrased version of the ancient preacher. It flows so naturally and elevates the thoughts, thank you. Reply
