Daniel Haase, a professor at Wheaton College, is a frequent visitor to Ur. The last time he shared one of his poems with us it was after a heated conversation on the blog that turned ugly. Haase has composed another poem in the wake of the Ted Haggard scandal.
After reading Gordon MacDonald’s recent post about Ted Haggard, I have been reminded how knit together and effected we are by the actions of others. As John Donne puts it, “No man is an island.” This in turn has led to a reflection on my own actions and the “assassins” I allow within my heart and mind. What follows is a poem that has been written as a prayer of lamentation. I hope it might lead to a prayerful reflection of our own darkened corners and hidden places.
The Liar’s Lament
Sabbath.
Stillness.
I am sitting in a chair attempting prayer.
The assassins within make their way to the rooftops of my mind.
Anger is camouflaged in kindness.
They position themselves in the bushes of my conscious.
Impatience wears a smile and is dressed as a gardener.
Fear roams the street; he is carrying a newspaper ?
Headline reads: EXECUTION IMMINENT
A shot rings out from the bushes.
A flash of light from the rooftop.
What was quiet has turned so loud.
I rise out of the chair.
Am I a dead man walking?
