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The Harvest

As drops of water drop and drip and drop,
Each dripping drop soon fills the deepest crack.
But when there is a freeze, they split the rock
And once it’s cleft, no hands can pull it back.

So too, His seed, when sown in hardened hearts,
Will fall into its cracks and start to shoot.
Some wilt. Others shall rend the heart apart:
Their spreading roots stitch cracks, and boughs bear fruit.

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Peter Venable has been writing poetry for fifty years and his poems have appeared in The Lyric, The Merton Seasonal, The Christian Century, and other publications. More of his work can be found at petercvenable.wordpress.com. His “Roofless Church” merited an Honorable Mention in The Best Poems of 2024 in the SCP’s International Poetry Competition.

5 Responses

  2. James A. Tweedie

    Peter, your words have encouraged me after having just received disheartening news that will take much prayerful effort to redress. Framing your words with such eloquent grace has multiplied their effect, for which I am most grateful.

    Reply
  3. Cynthia L Erlandson

    I love the metaphor, especially the roots rending the heart apart.

    Reply
  4. Margaret Coats

    You’ve polished a newly thought-provoking version of the parable of the seed, Peter. My preferred clause is, “Their spreading roots stitch cracks.” “Stitch” introduces an unexpected sewing-and-mending metaphor to fill in those cracks in hardened hearts. It’s well placed before the living roots and shoots go on to bear fruit. Well done depiction of one way the harvest comes into being!

    Reply

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