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The Story the Stars are Retelling
—to the tune of ‘Sterling’
When burdens are heavy and Christmas is near
And faraway star luster barely appears,
Tomorrow’s prediction of rain with a chill
Won’t drown the afflictions that cling to us still.
The darkness we see all around through our pain
Oppresses with misery’s hopeless refrain.
Lord, open our ears, let us hear from the heights
The story the stars are retelling tonight.
__The lonely won’t always in solitude cry,
__The grieving with sorrow won’t evermore sigh,
__This suffering someday will be left behind;
__For Jesus will heal everything in His time.
Did Bethlehem shepherds grow weary when they
Kept sheep overnight to protect them from prey?
They didn’t expect to hear songs in the sky,
But Heaven broke through claiming, “Glory on high!”
What could it mean that Christ the Savior was born?
How could a new birth help the weary and worn?
But if darkness that night could be shattered with light
The broken can heal when their faith becomes sight.
__The lonely won’t always in solitude cry,
__The grieving with sorrow won’t evermore sigh,
__This suffering someday will be left behind;
__For Jesus will heal everything in His time.
For many, dear Jesus, this season is bleak,
Please touch them with Truth, let their ears hear You speak
Through tokens You gave us and promises made,
The witness of stars, and the bread which we break.
When deafening quiet and merciless grief
Intimidate souls like a ravenous thief,
Let hope blaze in darkness like stars beaming bright
And stories that they are retelling tonight.
__The lonely won’t always in solitude cry,
__The grieving with sorrow won’t evermore sigh,
__This suffering someday will be left behind;
__For Jesus will heal everything in His time.
.
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Gigi Ryan is a wife, mother, grandmother, and home educator. She lives in rural Tennessee.
What HOPE we have in Him! Such beautifully expressed Truth here.
Thank you, Sister…
Thank you, Peg!
Merry Christmas!
Gigi
Gigi, how beautiful and appropriate for Christmas. I was particularly taken by the alliterative line, “Let hope blaze in darkness like stars beaming bright…” How inspired and inspiring to us. Your poems are always precious to me with feeling.
Dear Roy,
Thank you for your encouraging comment. May the hope of Christmas bring you great joy this season!
Gigi
The chorus touches me so deep.
Dear Luanne,
That what touches me deeply and encouraged me to write has touched my reader deeply as well means so much to me. Thank you for saying so.
Gigi
Well done, Gigi, a perfect piece to encounter with Christmas this near – and ‘lyrics’ to boot!! Merry X-mas –
Thank you very much, Mark.
Merry Christmas!
Gigi
I hope you don’t mind my commenting again. I wanted to tell you that I have shared your poem. Particularly with a friend who just lost her daughter to a drug overdose, she will be encouraged!
Dear Peg,
I’m happy to hear from you again. And what a privilege to have my poem passed along to someone who is going through hard times. Thank you. I do pray she is encouraged.
Gigi
Your words tap into the very heart of Christmas, Gigi, with a message of hope in an age of despair. Thank you and a Merry Christmas to you!
Dear Susan,
Thank you for your comment. It is indeed an age of despair that needs the Hope of all hopes.
Merry Christmas!
Gigi
A perfect Christmas poem, Gigi. What’s amazing about this piece is that the meter is in full concord with the tone of your narration. I think such a fulfilling marriage of meter and words is hard to find. Very well done. I also think setting this piece to music will be a good idea. Merry Christmas to you and your entire family.
Dear Shamik,
Thank you for this encouraging comment.
This is a meter I rarely use. I’m glad it seemed fitting to the reader. It does for me, since I have the benefit of singing it as a song in my head when I read it.
Merry Christmas!
Gigi
“The broken can heal when their faith becomes sight.” A good outline of the necessary conditions. Merry Christmas, Gigi!
Thank you, Margaret!
Merry Christmas!
Gigi