This morning when I opened the door and bid goodbye to my hubby, I noticed a beautiful rainbow! It was pouring cats and dogs all night last night. Got soaked when I put the rubbish out!

The rainbow reminds me of my mum. She was a wonderful woman. She died abroad suddenly for no apparent reason (a very long time ago which funeral was impossible for me to attend). There were so many times I asked why she died young. But looking back, I was so emotionally dependent on her that I only ever grew up because she went. So for me, there's "sunshine and joy after rain" just as the poem goes.. I remember the words well as after a particularly nasty accident which gave me short-term amnesia, broken leg, etc, I had quite suddenly put it to tune without much thought when I awoke from coma and broke into song:

God is in every tomorrow
Therefore I live for today
Certain of finding at sunrise
Guidance and strength for the way
Power for each moment of weakness
Hope for each moment of pain
Comfort for every sorrow
Sunshine and joy after rain.

God is in every tomorrow
Planning for you and for me
Even in the dark I will follow
Trust where my eyes cannot see
Stilled by His promise of blessing
Soothed by the touch of His hand
Confident in His protection
Knowing my life path is planned

Has anyone ever come across this poem?

Tess

No I haven't come across it before but it's the kind of poem I should come across more often! I have a lot of questions which have gone unanswered in many ways and I should really just trust (but find it almost impossible to do!!)

Lovely poem, Tess. Reminds me of a song - do you know this one? "O love that wilt not let me go"? Really old but beautiful, lovely tune and beautiful words

I've not seen the poem before, Tess, but certainly believe its sentiments...

Thanks, Sarah, I LOVE this hymn. Does the second line goes, "I rest my weary soul in Thee"? If it does, then it's the same one we know.

YES! That's the one!

My favourite verse:

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.

Oh wow! I know this hymn, I love it so so much! *wipe tear from eye* *sigh*
!!

Me too, me too! That's my favourite verse!!! What a small world! Can't believe this. *tell myself, must meet you...*

izzy, yes I have the same reaction, esp to that verse!

Tess: oh I DO hope to meet you (and VN) one day!!

amaaaaaaaaazing!!

Beautiful verse.

The hymn is by G Matheson

O love that wilt not let me go
I rest my weary soul in thee,
I give thee back the life I owe
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

Sarah I think "your" verse is the best bit.

So do I, maggiemay I love the whole hymn but that verse just makes me cry and makes me feel better about life all at the same time.

Just in case anyone doesn't know this hymn, and just because it really is beautiful:

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

- George Matheson (1842-1906)

Great poem Tess - thanks for same. Thanks for sharing it with us and to the rest for "O love that wilt not let me go".

Another reading I love is "Footprints" which constantly reminds me that I'm not alone even when I think I am. Sigh........

Ah well, back to work now!

Take care all

PS Just done a "Google" on the poem and found a third verse! Here it is:-

God is in every tomorrow,
Life with its changes may come.
He is behind and before me,
While in the distance shines Home.
Home, where no thoughts of tomorrow
Ever can shadow my brow,
Home in the presence of Jesus,
Through all eternity now!

Author is, seemingly, unknown

Good job finding the third verse, oboist

What a lovely thread!

So right, I have it on my wall..................... it's so comforting

Thanks very much, oboist for the 3rd verse. Really appreciate it. I had no idea! Izzy, I find footprints reassuring, too.

Oooh I like footprints! It's a beautiful poem.

You both took the words out of my mouth. I found both poems usefull after my fathers death along with the usual "There are many rooms in my father house" passage from the bible.

I have always found it surprising how its always the simplest of words that comfort people. That being the case why do we always try to over complicate things!

There's a lovely poem called "Tomorrow" that really comforted me when my dad died. I'll try and find it!

Here tis

Tomorrow

When tomorrow starts without me
And I'm not there to see
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
All filled with tears for me
I wish so much you wouldn't cry
The way you did today
While thinking of the many things
We didn't get to say
I know how much you love me
As much as I love you
And each time that you think of me
I know you'll miss me too
But when tomorrow starts without me
Please try to understand
That an angel came and called my name
And took me by the hand
And said my place was ready
In heaven far above
And that I'd have to leave behind
All those I dearly love

But when I walked through heaven's gates
I felt so much at home
When God looked down and smiled at me
From His great golden throne
He said "This is eternity
And all I've promised you"
Today for life on earth is past
But here it starts anew
I promise no tomorrow
For today will always last
And since each day's the same way
There's no longing for the past
So when tomorrow starts without me
Don't think we're far apart
For every time you think of me
I'm right here in your heart

You know, Sarah, "Tomorrow" brought tears to my eyes just now. I shall treasure it and save it up for my children. Thanks.

Not all touching poems are contemplative after a sad or painful experience, though. Emily Bronte's Last Lines is full of triumph even though it is a "farewell" piece and some like Never Tell Thy Love (I don't know why but it always does!) brings a chuckle or smile to my face every time I hear it read! Think it's by William Blake? Not sure...

I'll be going to a poetry recital of John Clare's countryside poems with music in mid-November. All this poetry reminds me of the day. I am looking fwd to it.

We should resurrect the poetry thread

There's a lovely poem sent by a friend to us after dad had died - not sure whether she wrote it or whether it was written by someone else. A couple of the verses really touched us:

The earthen vessel's broken,
The treasure now has flown:
The Lord has taken back again
What is by right His own.
But when He takes what most we store,
It is that He may give us more.

Thou woulds't have gladly kept him
A little longer here -
To soothe, and nurse, and cherish,
and make his wants thy care;
But He, who doeth what is best
Hath called Him to Himself to rest.

And the other verse which really touched us deeply was the final verse of Stuart Townend's "In Christ Alone"

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of he-ll, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand!

Wonderful stuff! (My eyes are starting to well up!!)

Me too.

I love "In Christ Alone", wonderful hymn.

Me, too.

Is there? Well, let's use this thread as a new poetry thread, then.

Then anyone can share their fav verses here.

Talking about favourite verse, there's one I absolutely LOVE with all my heart by John Clare and it seems to be the shortest poem I've ever come across by a famous poet! It's so short that it goes just like this... and it's SOooo meaningful, too! I find it especially meaningful maybe because I happen to be someone who writes/receives quite a lot of letters from the heart to/from loved ones be they family members or close friends. The ink seems to speak so much more eloquently?

Language has not the power to speak what love indites,
The soul lies buried in the ink that writes.

How about that for brevity?

Tess

A bit-off topic this - but VN asked me what I want for my birthday today and I replied - Er, nothing really... Asked again. A long time, then, er, how abt poetry? But which book, mum?

Please may we have some suggestions? I can look them up one by one and then pick one?

Thanks,
Tess

Hmmm... I'll have a think, Tess, if I have any good ideas I'll let you know