Poems About Faith and Hope

Blind Perception

Webb's searching eye reveals what lies afar
And lifts the veil to show the farthest light.
And now that man has reached beyond our star,
They can observe the scenes beyond the night.
A random cause is hailed for all they see;
They loudly gush to laud its happenstance.
The deity they praise with fickle glee
has blinded them to that which isn't chance.
What they now see disclosed has been ordained
By one whose intellect they can't conceive.
What lies before their eyes they have explained
As merely chance, the god to whom they cleave.
Though they perceive what lies beyond the sky,
They blind the inner eye to chase the lie.

Isaiah 40:12, 25, 26; Job 26:14; Psalm 8:3, 4

Image by NASA - Webb Deep Field Image

Poetic form: Sonnet

Webb

Beyond the vast and empty sky,
Where darkness dwells forever wide,
The eye arrives to question, "Why?"

The universe has long denied
A distant glimpse to those below
Who seek to see where stars collide.

But now the eye can help them know
The stars the heavens never showed
And share with them their splendid glow.

And so they'll see the night explode
With galaxies beyond what shows,
A part of space where time has slowed.

The eye unfolds from its repose
And peers inside the Maker's hand
To understand what heaven knows.

It then reveals a starry band
Beyond what man can comprehend,
Yet held within a grain of sand.

Isaiah 40:12, 25, 26; Psalm 8:3,4

Image by NASA - Webb Deep Field Image

Poetic form: Terza Rima

Published at The Society of Classical Poets

The Scarlet Beast

A tempest surges from the sea,
The sea of humankind.
And from that storm appears a beast
That had been thought to be deceased;
With kings, it is aligned.

And on its back, a harlot rides
While dressed in crimson red.
It orders all to stand behind
The loathsome beast, where they will find
An end to days of dread.

O Babylon, how blind you are!
The beast will be your death!
It will cast down your sickly flesh,
And all your treasures it will thresh,
So ends your sinful breath.

But then the beast will meet its end
When Armageddon starts.
True peace can only come from God,
For mankind's rulership is flawed
And fueled by wayward hearts.

And finally, when all is done,
We'll see a wondrous dawn!
The scarlet beast will be no more,
Not even wars nor men who roar;
The wicked ones are gone!

Psalm 37:9-11; Psalm 37:29

Image by jplenio via Pixabay

Poetic form: Quintain

My Humble Plea

To you, I turn, O Sovereign One,
To plead that I complete my run
As I adhere to your decree.
Jehovah, hear my humble plea.

I beg of you, my strength, renew,
That I may prove myself to you,
To flee from badness I may see;
Jehovah, hear my humble plea.

Sustain my faith and courage, too,
As I await what will be new—
A paradise where death won't be.
Jehovah, hear my humble plea.

O God, please help me see your ways
And guide my steps on darkened days,
The times I fall and bruise my knee.
Jehovah, hear my humble plea.

I vow to you, Almighty God,
Your name eternally to laud
And not befriend the roaring sea.
Jehovah, hear my humble plea.

Each night I bare my heart in prayer,
Acknowledging the sins I bear,
For I have faith you care for me
And that you'll hear my humble plea.

Psalm 83:18; Isaiah 42:8

Isaiah 12:2; 2 Corinthians 4:7

Photo by Joshua Earle via Unsplash

Poetic form: Quatrain - Kyrielle

The Night Will End

I've heard the groans of men who suffer wrong;
I've read injustice penned by those who rule;
I've felt the pain of children's muffled cries
And of the poor exploited by the cruel.

The meek are weak, declares the howling crowd,
While manly attributes are loathed and mocked.
Such ones impugn the standards set by God
And flaunt the prurient morals they concoct.

No man can e'er undo the woes they sowed;
No man can bring an end to ceaseless wars;
No man can hope to rule a peaceful world;
No man can purge the ills from distant shores.

I have renounced the wisdom of the world.
I have refused to join the freely blind.
I stand with those who walk the narrow road.
I yearn to one day leave this world behind.

Image by jplenio via Pixabay

Poetic form: Quatrain

The Storm Has Passed

One early dawn, I walked a path
A storm had draped with snow.
Though winter lessened in her wrath,
The frost that trailed her aftermath
Had slapped my face with ice in tow,
Her wintry grip to show.

I heard a voice amid the gale
As winter slowed her dance.
It echoed through the falling hail
And sounded like a mournful wail,
Which freed me from a frigid trance.
I chanced a wary glance.

It said to me, “Forget the past,
The pages that have turned.
The ink has faded, time has passed,
And holding on will only cast
Continued pain you have not earned,
But keep what you have learned.”

I weighed the words, then looked around
To share my thankful glee.
But no one there my eyes had found;
I set my eyes upon the ground;
No footprints 'round that I could see,
But ones left there by me.

Image by Darran Shen via Unsplash

Poetic form: Sexain

Guide My Steps

Like David's heart, my own is crushed;
I've waited here for friends to care.
But I'm alone, a trampled reed.
In tears, I turn to you in prayer.

Oh, mercy be the hand you show;
May words of comfort flow from you.
Renew my strength, for I am weak;
Refresh my soul like morning dew.

Instill in me a loyal heart,
And help me always guard its door.
For I do hate the froward deeds
Of those whom worldly ways adore.

Stretch out your hand to hold my own,
And guide my steps away from there.
Infuse my soul with fortitude,
I beg of you, in my despair.

Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 57:15; Psalm 34:18
Psalm 51:17; Psalm 31:7; Psalm 145:18

Photo by Jackson David via Unsplash

Poetic form: Quatrain

The Road To Life

This darkened world calls out to me,

The wicked join in its decree.

The constant peal of bells is loud,

Demanding heads to Baal be bowed.

A harlot rides a fearsome beast;

Her thirst for red has not decreased.

Unknown to most, her end is near;

She'll soon be stunned with horrid fear.

I will continue walking strong,

Dissenting from a world of wrong.

The wider road is full of strife;

The narrow road will lead to life.

My back is turned to pleading cries,

Rejecting myths, and endless lies.

I aim to reach the finish line

And see a world of God's design.

Matthew 7:13, 14

Image by jplenio via Pixabay

Poetic form: Couplet

The Great Tribulation

Destructive winds approach at night,
Accompanied by death and blight.
A tribulation heads our way,
Yet man ignores that time of fright.

Recall the ones from Noah's day
Who sought a life of ease and play.
But then the rain came pouring down
And swept that wicked world away.

Unveil your eyes and look around;
You'll see a godless, evil frown.
Do not forget when angels strayed
And many knelt to Satan's crown.

The eight who lived remained unswayed
By those who mocked and disobeyed.
Embrace your hope and guard your faith;
You'll see the day for which you've prayed.

Image by Schäferle2 via Pixabay

Poetic form: Quatrain - Rubaiyat

A New World

I have observed a world of dread
Where children beg for crumbs of bread.
I see the poor in tattered clothes
Who fear the days that lie ahead.

I see the crowds in angry throes
Commence assaults with fatal blows
And mobs that surge like ocean waves
To silence all whom they oppose.

I also see the plight of slaves,
Whose hopes and dreams are cast in graves,
The endless wars that butcher men,
And streams of lies from ruthless knaves.

I will not see these things again,
For they will end—not if, but when.
Then humankind will be at peace,
And all the earth will cry, “Amen!”

I pray and wait for that release
When greed and hate will end and cease.
I gaze and smile at what's to come—
A paradise of joyous ease.

Image by PublicDomainPictures via Pixabay

Poetic form: Quatrain - Rubaiyat

Alone With Silence

She stands by me this somber day,
An overcast one full of gray.
I glance at people walking by;
They seem perplexed and far away.

Their world and life have gone awry,
Where wrong is right and low is high.
They fear a future they don't know;
It seems their minds keep asking, “Why?”

Around the world are cries of woe
From mighty kings and those below.
A scourge has marred their daily scene,
Where death has aimed a fatal blow.

Pandemics, wars, and things obscene
Have plagued what was for them routine.
And now, they feel a vague unease,
A nagging doubt from things unseen.

I sense a gentle gliding breeze
And note the sigh along the trees.
The leaves are roused at its command
But soon return to rest at ease.

As evening walks across the land,
And time has passed like grains of sand,
I bow my head in earnest prayer,
While bashful silence holds my hand.

Image by Engin_Akyurt via Pixabay

Poetic form: Quatrain - Rubaiyat

Massachusetts State Poetry Society
2021 Arthur (Skip) Potter Memorial Contest - 2nd Place

Hold Fast, You Brave Ones!

The northern king has risen from his sleep
And brought a siege to end the Kingdom news.
His army storms the homes of humble sheep
To silence all who dare God's rule to choose.
Behind him stands the dragon full of rage;
He knows his kingship has approached its end.
He spurs the northern king to take the stage,
To crush the ones whose faith he fails to bend.
Though fear may course their veins as they hold fast,
They are prepared to wield God's word in hand.
And though the dragon's force is great and vast,
Jehovah's angels swarm like grains of sand.
Hold fast, you brave ones; lower not your hand!
And soon you'll see God's army take its stand!

Ephesians 6:16, 17; 2 Kings 6:16, 17

Image by Ioann-Mark Kuznietsov via Unsplash

Poetic form: Sonnet

The Choice

A lightless angel reaches out to me
And says a path of plenty can be mine.
And all I have to do is turn the key,
Then enter through a door of his design.
He claims I can enjoy a better life;
The narrow road I'm on, I can replace.
The door of his design won't lead to strife;
It grants an easy road of ample space.
But I will not pursue what I can see,
For that would leave me blind to what's divine.
The narrow road will yield the valid key
To enter through the door of God's design.
Beware of him who sows deceptive scenes
To steal your precious hope by guileful means.

Matthew 7:13, 14; 2 Corinthians 11:14;
1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:11

Image by Vinotecarium via Pixabay

Poetic form: Sonnet

To The King of The North

Be warned, O haughty Northern King,
Your time will come to pass!
You now have trampled holy ground
To scourge the lowly class.

You brandish weapons forged by hand
To threaten peaceful men.
The tranquil women you condemn
With lashes from a pen.

Observe their faces, Northern King;
Their joy you will not crush!
Your army strives to silence them;
Their lips you will not hush!

Like swarms of locusts, they proceed!
United, God, they laud!
You'll fail to put an end to them!
Jehovah is their God!

So warned you are, O Northern King;
Your actions are unwise.
They won't retreat, and you will see
God's army fill the skies!

Image by AgnieszkaMonk via Pixabay

Poetic form: Quatrain - Ballad Stanza

Strength To Cope

Infuse in me the strength to cope,

To lean on you when storms approach.

Please search my heart, in you, I hope;

Infuse in me the strength to cope.

For words, at times, I seem to grope,

But earnest prayers, you won't reproach.

Infuse in me the strength to cope,

To lean on you when storms approach.

Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 4:7-9; Psalm 46:1

Image by enriquelopezgarre via Pixabay

Poetic form: Triolet

Facing The Storms

The waves dilate as darkened clouds expand;
A woeful soul observes the nearing storm.
He sees the charcoaled sky extend its hand,
Then feels the cresting waves toward him swarm.
What hope is there beyond what eyes can see
While in the frigid arms of gloating Death?
With trembling lips, he cries an urgent plea,
And begs Jehovah God to spare his breath.
His eyes are bloodshot red from many tears,
But he defies the urge to beg for sleep.
Forlorn of heart, yet fighting 'gainst his fears,
He sees his pleas are heard and starts to weep.
When mounting storms assail your precious hope,
Beseech the One who grants the strength to cope.

Psalm 116:1-9; Philippians 4:6, 7, 13;
Isaiah 41:10; Proverbs 3:5, 6

Image by Myriams-Fotos via Pixabay

Poetic form: Sonnet

Keep Your Senses

Deceptive is his fearsome roar,
Designed to shake your guarded door.
This rebel aims to sway your mind
And make you doubt what you adore.

This master hunter seeks to prey
On faithful ones each night and day.
So be attentive and perceive
The traps he sets along your way.

With cunning creeds, he will deceive
The minds of those inclined to leave.
With vile intent, he'll strike a blow;
He'll cause your heart with pain to grieve.

Remain alert with love aglow;
Each day, resolve your faith to show.
Await the day that God has set—
A time to end this dreadful foe.

1 Peter 5:8

Image by VirgoStudio via Pixabay

Poetic form: Quatrain - Rubaiyat

See With Eyes of Faith

There's light that clouded eyes can't see,
Though glaring signs abound.
Like wars that bathe the earth in blood
And quakes that wake the ground.

Diseases scourge the young and old
As hunger walks about,
And hope and faith are shown disdain
While letting hatred sprout.

These were foretold to mark our time
As signs of dreadful days.
When mankind would assail the truth
To seek their selfish ways.

Why won't they see these lucid signs
Yet cling to blatant lies?
They slander God, whom they despise—
The path to their demise.

Though others may ignore the signs,
We know God's word is light.
And so we see the prophecies
With faith, which gives us sight.

So firmly guard your hope and faith,
For he who brought the lie
Will tempt a weakened heart to doubt
And cause his hope to die.

Exert yourself to reach the prize—
The day we've longed to see!
A paradise, with Christ as King,
Where we'll forever be!

Hebrews 11:1, 6; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Matthew 24:4-14

Image by Aaron Burden via Unsplash

Poetic form: Quatrain - Ballad Stanza

To Those Who Left

Retrieve the love you prized and shared
When kingdom news you would declare.
Remember when you truly cared,
So call to God in tears and prayer.

Return and light your joy and hope,
As in the days you felt his care.
Be meek and humble while you cope,
And pray to Jah your weight to bear.

This darkened world will meet its end,
So leave behind its noxious air.
Have trust in God that you will mend
And show the love you've longed to share.

His judgment day won't be delayed,
And mournful cries will fill the air.
Fulfill the vow you gladly made
The day he freed you from despair.

Psalm 119:176; Psalm 86:5

Return To Jehovah

Image by Lukas_Rychvalsky via Pixabay

Poetic form: Quatrain

The Cell Tells

Unwise are those who mask the truth with lies,
Who claim that life arose from lifeless ooze.
They choose to see with Darwin's blinded eyes,
So fail to note creation's many clues.
They mock the thought that life had guiding hands,
That God designed and breathed life into man.
To boundless chance they bow as ardent fans,
Insisting that is how all life began.
The humble human cell cries out to them
To seek and search within its guarded halls.
And there they'll find the truth that will condemn
The lies retold and writ on wobbly walls.
His wondrous work they view with covered eyes
While sipping barren brew distilled with lies.

Image by qimono via Pixabay

Poetic form: Sonnet

Spiritual Warfare

My armor bears the scars from battles fought;
I've stumbled to my knees while pressing on.
At times, my will to fight has waned to naught;
I've felt I lacked the strength to see the dawn.
The wicked one declares that I have lost,
Then laughs at all the errors I have made.
He boasts he's won the fight, and I'll be tossed,
Proclaiming I'm alone and soon to fade.
But I recall the mercy God has shown
When I have failed to guard my gated door.
I know that in this fight I'm not alone,
And so I wield the sword as angels soar.
The love that God has shown has led the way.
I'll fight until the end; my vow I'll pay.

Jonah 2:9; Philippians 4:13

Image by Nik Shuliahin via Unsplash

Poetic form: Sonnet

Come, See

Come, see a day when wars have ceased;
When lands, from pain, have been released;
Where mended hearts with love are tied,
And from their eyes, sad tears have dried.

Come, see a world of joyful peace,
Where hatred from all hearts will cease.
Where age no longer wrinkles skin,
And youthful vigor flows within.

Come, see the blind regain their sight;
The mute sing songs with sheer delight;
The deaf hear voices once concealed;
The lame ones running on a field.

Come, see that death cannot enslave
The ones God calls back from the grave.
The joy of seeing loved ones rise
Will fill all hearts with joyous cries.

I know that what you see is true;
Not man, but God, will see it through.
Come, join the throng you warmly view;
Eternal life can be yours, too.

Revelation 21:3-5; Daniel 2:44
Isaiah 35: 5, 6; Psalm 37:9-11

Image by kareni via Pixabay

Poetic form: Couplet

Have Faith

A frightful giant rose from darkened lands
To mock the battle lines of Jacob's sons.
He held a sword and lance with mighty hands
And threatened death to God's anointed ones.
Great fear had gripped the men who held the line;
Before them stood a foe of fearful might.
The soldiers failed to trust the One Divine,
The One whose hand would send their foes to flight.
A child then strode to meet Goliath's dare,
But only with his faith and little stones.
He offered praise to God and said a prayer,
Then used his sling to break Goliath's bones.
A little stone he flung with faith in God,
The One whose arm arose to break the rod.

Image by jeffjacobs1990 via Pixabay

Poetic form: Sonnet

Babylon The Great

The earthly kings prepare to go to war
And bring an end to Babylon the Great.
That evil harlot rules from times of yore,
But swift will be the fall from her estate.
All humankind will see her grievous sins,
The wicked deeds that stain her garish gown.
And when that tribulation day begins,
She will receive no aid when trampled down.
But brief will be the time of that distress,
And loyal ones will show with whom they stand.
Not haughty kings who war and conflict press,
But He who sweeps them off with His right hand.
O sinful Babylon, your end is near!
So sip your last red wine, then quake with fear.

Image by JamesNichols via Pixabay

Poetic form: Sonnet

Velvet Sky

A hint of velvet drapes the evening sky
As countless waking stars begin to rise.
Alone, I smile at what I see and sigh;
This wondrous scene enchants my aging eyes.
The wakened ocean breeze begins her dance;
Her fingers graze my face—a tender kiss.
I gaze in awe at this ornate expanse
As bashful silence joins the scenic bliss.
But then I grasp how life is brief in time,
And so, with tears, my eyes begin to well.
And yet, I know one day I'll reach my prime,
Right here on earth, where perfect man will dwell.
The splendor of creation shares with me
A glimpse of paradise, one day to be.

Isaiah 40:26; Psalm 19:1

Image by Warren Wong via Unsplash

Poetic form: Sonnet

God's Arm

The dreadful day that tore her heart
Afflicts her troubled mind.
She lost her loyal mate to death,
Where he remains confined.

In wretched pain, she calls to God
When crying late at night.
She begs for help to overcome
Her grief and tortured plight.

With streaming tears, she sends her pleas
And hopes her voice is heard.
For though her faith in Him is strong,
She fears her words are blurred.

But then, amid her many sobs,
A calmness lulled her heart.
She sensed a loving, gentle touch,
Which made her pain depart.

Jehovah heard her plaintive cries
And eased away the harm.
Then restful was her sleep that night,
While cradled in his arm.

Psalm 83:18; 34:18; 94:19; Isaiah 57:15

Image by user HolgersFotografie via Pixabay

Poetic form: Quatrain - Iambic Trimeter

You Are Not Alone

Cull the hurried ticks of time;
Aim to rise above the fray.
Be prepared for walls to climb;
Tend your faith and always pray.

Doubt will seek to numb the mind,
Bitter words from lips to flow.
Selfish wants will leave you blind;
Stand your ground against your foe!

Loss of faith will steer your path
Down the road to doing wrong.
Give no room to hate and wrath;
Hope and love will keep you strong.

Guard your heart from carnal thirst;
Take good care of friends who groan.
Shield your mind from what is cursed;
Cling to God; you're not alone.

Image by user 6594256 via Pixabay

Poetic form: Quatrain - Trochee

When Heaven Speaks

When night returns, I scan the sky;
Its stately grandeur mutely speaks.
I see a shooting star streak by,
Its splendor stirring me to sigh,
And God I praise in rising peaks.

A sea of doubters don't agree
That there is One, Almighty, Wise,
Whose hands designed the things we see.
They claim their minds have been set free
Yet bow to theories and lies.

When I perceive what heaven tells,
I see His work on full display,
From massive stars to human cells.
And now, as heaven shows what dwells,
With words of praise, to God, I pray.

Isaiah 40:26; Romans 1:20

Image by NASA - Webb Deep Field Image

Poetic form: Quintain

One Day

The spreading gloom that hangs above the world
Has blinded man from seeing what is true.
The lie unleashed in Eden has unfurled;
It taints the minds of those who truth eschew.
That lie has led the heart to sin's allure,
Beguiling all who seek their selfish wants.
Deluded man has strayed with deeds impure;
They keep on heeding lies the devil flaunts.
Yet there is one who God has placed as King;
In lasting peace, he'll reign in paradise.
Then death no longer will employ its sting,
For Christ has freely paid the ransom price.
One day we'll raise our eyes in tears and see
The paradise as promised, you and me.

Image by Free-Photos via Pixabay

Poetic form: Sonnet

Doomsday Clock

The doomsday clock advances close to death;
These darkened days have led to shaken hope.
The minutes tick toward a final breath,
Or so it seems to those who try to cope.
The clock will run as men with hatred blaze;
They will forgo all urgent calls for peace.
They seek to mime the sun's consuming gaze,
Despite the fact that human life could cease.
But soon their hatred and their strife will end,
And those who worship war will be no more.
A dawning time of lasting peace will mend
All hearts throughout the earth as blessings pour.
The answer does not lie with foolish men,
Where hatred dwells and multiplies by ten.

Images by AlexAntropov86 and darksouls1 via Pixabay

Poetic form: Sonnet

I Await

I was a child when, from my bed,
I called out to you,
For I had dreamt of a life of void,
Where I no longer was.
No existence, nothingness,
Was what haunted my dream.
Fear, utterly gloomy and numbing,
Embraced me, its coldness reaching
Into the deepest part of my being.
But that fear, that agonizing fear,
You removed from me
And replaced it with hope.
A wonderful hope!
A true hope of redemption;
A hope of life!
Not one that disappears,
Like the mist of early dawn.
That life, that wonderful gift,
Is eternal, like the one Adam
Squandered when he selfishly
Chose to turn his back on you.
It's been years since that night,
Yet that hope still burns within me.
I know you will bring
Your promises to fruition.
Your words of comfort
Will not go unfulfilled.
Till then, I patiently wait,
No longer in fear,
No longer a terrified child
Crying on his bed,
But a man, a gray-headed man,
Who awaits your call.

Image by Pixabay

Poetic form: Free Verse

Enduring Faith

Blind Perception

Webb

The Scarlet Beast

My Humble Plea

The Night Will End

The Storm Has Passed

Guide My Steps

The Road To Life

The Great Tribulation

A New World

Alone With Silence

Hold Fast, You Brave Ones!

The Choice

To The King of The North

Strength To Cope

Facing The Storms

Keep Your Senses

See With Eyes of Faith

To Those Who Left

The Cell Tells

Spiritual Warfare

Come, See

Have Faith

Babylon The Great

Velvet Sky

God's Arm

You Are Not Alone

When Heaven Speaks

One Day

Doomsday Clock

I Await