a portion of the poem “planting seeds” from the book “embracing now: pain, joy, healing, living.”
snoring in the dark night.
glancing toward the ground
with hopes of a harvest.
feeling the sun’s heat.
shivering on cold nights.
but waiting, after planting,
was his task.
whatever his mood,
whatever his assumptions,
he waited.
seeds sprouted,
seeds grew,
though he did not know how.
by itself, soil
producing grain.
stalk, head, full kernel.
grain ripe, he rejoiced
and responded,
a sickle: the harvest came.
the work, action, in stages,
while he waited.
his job? scattering seed.
that, Jesus said,
is what the kingdom
is like.
the dedication of planting.
the reality of waiting.
the awareness of not being
in control.
the coming of harvest.
in time.
expected but surprising.
wanted but not guaranteed.
hidden but developing.
so, us?
seeds to plant,
lives to live,
time to wait,
results out of our hands.
harvest will come.
