Saturday, November 1, 2014

Good Poem

     Anyone who knows me well knows that there aren't many poems that I like. I'm not really a big fan of the fine arts. This poem by Myra Brooks Welch is an exception to my general abstinence from poetry.

     Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
thought it scarcely worth his while to waste much time on the old violin,
but held it up with a smile; "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?" "A dollar, a dollar"; then two!" "Only
two? Two dollars, and who'll make it three? Three dollars, once; three
dollars twice; going for three.." But no, from the room, far back, a
gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow; Then, wiping the dust
from the old violin, and tightening the loose strings, he played a melody
pure and sweet as caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low,
said; "What am I bid for the old violin?" And he held it up with the bow.
A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two? Two thousand! And who'll make
it three? Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice, and going and
gone," said he. The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not
quite understnad what changed its worth." Swift came the reply: "The touch
of a master's hand."

And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin, A
"mess of pottage," a glass of wine; a game - and he travels on. "He is
going" once, and "going twice, He's going and almost gone." But the Master
comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand the worth of a soul
and the change that's wrought by the touch of the Master's hand.


                                                          -Myra Brooks Welch

24 comments:

  1. I love this poem! I had never heard of it before! Thanks for sharing. And I am sorry that you don't like poetry very much. That is sad! I guess you don't enjoy my blog very much after all since it is so full of poetry. ;) I am wounded to the very marrow of my bones......... Just kidding!
    Poetry really isn't for every one, so it is totally ok if you're not a big fan of poetry...I guesss. ;)

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    1. I'll admit I didn't spend much time poking around the poetry part of your blog! :) More time on the articles. And I do appreciate some poetry, don't get me wrong. The majority of poetry I don't find interesting, but there are exceptions to the rule!

      Poetry is a gift. Some people are very good at it, others (myself) are not. That's ok. You just keep turning out the poems with the gift God gave you! :)

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    2. Somebody else is checking out the old posts too, huh? :)

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    3. No wonder you had to see the old posts than. Who knows when the last time was that I actually wrote an article. ;) Most of my writing is more of the creative, descriptive, or emotional style and not so much the article, devotional, or spiritual style. Glad God gives some of us one gift and others another gift, so that we can benefit and be blessed by each other just the way the church is supposed to work. ;)

      And yes, I couldn't resist commenting on an old post. I was returning the favor. :P

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    4. Well, I actually meant article as a non-poetic post. I like some creative, descriptive, and emotional posts sometimes too, so no foul there!

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    5. Ahah! I see! Well, either way, it has still been a really long time since I wrote something other than poetry. ;)

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    6. Ha, ha, well, that's good. The world be a pretty dull place if it was populated by all Taylor's. I'd probably commit suicide... :)

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    7. Haha! That actually almost made me literally laugh out loud! ;) But seriously I always tell people that its a good thing God only made one of me because goodness knows the world can't handle more than that. ;)

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    8. The world would be on FIRE! :)

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    9. Wait! What? I am not sure I know what that is supposed to mean. Is that an expression for just how insanely bad it would be? Haha!

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    10. I meant it would be crazy! If the world were populated by Taylor's, everything would be dull and uninteresting! If they were populated by Hannah Leake's, everyone would order food in rhyme and the like.

      I'd like my ice cream in a cone,
      Just as soon as I put down my phone.

      Okay, you're a better poet than me! (Told ya so!) But you get the point...

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  2. Lol. I was going to respond to you in poetry, but I decided not to torture you with that sort of cruelty. You're welcome! My pleasure! ;)
    But really not a bad rhyme there at all. ;) but I get the point, but actually its really my writing that is poetry; I don't actually walk around speaking poetry. Well, not often anyway. Just when I am writing, I generally express my thoughts better through poetry or journaling.

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    1. So I found in you, Miss Hannah Leake,
      A plan to torture me, you seek.

      Try it; try your best
      For now we'll start a poem fest.

      You write your response to me, in poetry,
      And I'll not whimper, beg, or plea.

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    2. To Taylor B. I'll write
      With poetry I'll fight

      I except the challenge
      Though it make me cringe

      For poetry is really not my gift.
      Its made for my soul to lift.

      I see you humble, try to be
      But maybe you're better than me.

      The beauty of poetry.
      It gives words personality.

      You can make a flower dance,
      Or cause the grass to prance.

      The meadows can suddenly sing
      And doors become more than just a thing

      Walls begin to speak
      And chairs do more than squeak

      Nonliving things come alive
      When into poetry you dive.

      Imagination brings the dead to life
      And calms all strife

      Does this explain why,
      Poetry is my language cry?




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    3. That, by the way, was the worst poem that I have probably ever written and it is actually an embarrassment to the public. That is the last time I will ever except such a challenge. Thank you! :)

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    4. You win! I think we must agree
      That poetry is not a gift for me.

      I can't think of rhymes quite that long,
      I can't write poems, can't write a song.

      But I can type my gift to you,
      For that rhyme up there will do!

      I fear you have me beat,
      So I will accept defeat.



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    5. Well, it's better than mine! Probably no one will ever see this thread until some wandering teen stumbles on it five years from now and shudders! :)

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    6. Haha! Yeah, I should probably delete my blog, so that when that happens they can't find me. ;) I will hope for the earth to open up and swallow me a live if it hasn't already happened before then. Its a good thing this took place on an old post rather than a new one. ;)

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    7. I can delete it if you want. I have moderation powers so... if you want!

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    8. Its ok! Unless you want it deleted. I was being extra dramatic. ;) I really don't care a wink if people think I am crazy because, well, they are probably thinking pretty accurately. :)

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    9. If it's up to me, I'm leaving it up! I've always been admittedly crazy too. It's a lot more fun than being normal! :)

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    10. Ain't that the truth! Whenever I consider or attempt to become normal, I give up because it is far too boring. ;)

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    11. Ha, ha! I can understand that!

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    12. By the way, I just wrote a post that is not poetry, although it may be slightly poetic. I wrote it for you. Haha! Actually not; I just wrote it. ;)

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