Poetry by Teri: grief

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Imperfect Perfection

The poem, "Imperfect Perfection" is what I've made of the problem of pain in the past. A couple of years ago a former student of mine, Elisabeth G., died in a car wreck. Very sad. She was young, just starting college--a sweet spirit with her whole life ahead of her. A few weeks later, a learned that another Elisabeth died--this one the daughter of my friend Nadine. This Elisabeth was 40 years old, with two young daughters. She died suddenly from a rare surgical complication (a blood clot went to her heart). This is the kind of pain I struggle with spiritually. I struggle when people say, "Everything happens for a reason." I struggle when people claim that God plans such things. I, personally, believe God cries with us during such tragedies. This is a place I came to back then. My perspective may change with time. I will have to pray more about it.

Imperfect Perfection
By Teri VanLieshout
4/6/2005-- revised slightly 7/9/2011

For the two Elizabeths...

Two young lives
   gone
So much to live for
   one 19, one 40,
       with a husband
            and two children

Where is the silver lining
around that dark cloud
     of grief and loss

"Everything happens for a reason."
   Really??
      You KNOW this??
           Why??

I don't believe it
    or
   It's beyond me to understand

I have faith that there is
    healing and peace
       in the love of God
          in the love of friends.

But why such tragedies happen
   is beyond me.

Maybe God
   doesn't interfere
      in our lives
           at all.

Maybe we're
   truly and completely
      left alone
         to the powers of this world.

Or maybe
God is in healing
     in friendship
       in kindness
          in hope.

Maybe God is in the things
   that grow out of loss.

God is Perfection
in Imperfection.
     Perfection
        in an imperfect
         and cruel world.

Imperfect Perfection II

by Teri VanLieshout

11/22/10

Joy fills this imperfect soul

As I see imperfection, the grout

That fills the cracks

Between tiles of perfect grace

Letting go

of fear

of needing to know

of having to get it right

I am whole

though imperfect

And life is good

even when it’s not

I am free

and I am loved

in earthly ways

and by my Creator

I am joyful

for all the beauty

that surrounds

the deepest dark

And life tumbles forth

With imperfect perfection

Renewing, uplifting

Staggering and falling

Tied together

With perfect grace