The Roar of Life
Poem:
Unmoving he laid, his mane shaved and sheered,
The Witch armed and ready, her army mocked and jeered.
The death of them all was as easy as one bite
But the lion yielded, as a humble lamb might.
An evil glint from an evil knife,
Was the end to the lion’s life.
But it was by her own might she’d be wrong to say
For it was merely Aslan who gave his life away.
For Narnia, for the prophecy, he had to die.
All that remained was his body and the Witch’s war cry.
Though all seemed lost, there was more to be done
The Deep Magic had been fulfilled, but the Deeper Magic had just begun.
They sky was heaving its own sigh of gloom
Wrenched with anguish for Narnia’s unexpected doom.
The crying sun refused to warm the tear-stricken cheek
Of the two mourning girls who, beaten with sorrow, were weak.
They had seen the evil; they had heard the cries
Never could they forget what met their innocent eyes.
Holding each other close, nothing seemed to matter
Shaking as they sobbed, they let their hearts shatter.
The earth quaked and a boom shook the ground.
The stone table stumbled and split into two.
The form of their beloved lion was there to be found
Lucy and Susan waited to see what he would do.
ROAR…
He roared life to the dead.
He roared into the fear of night.
He made it morning instead.
All evil had vanished from sight.
He roared joy into the mourning hearts.
He breathed peace into every troubled mind.
He roared restoration into the deepest parts.
Fleeing in fright were all evils of every kind.
The frost melted and the ice broke.
The cold air warmed and the skies became clear.
All within the power of the words Aslan spoke.
Winter was over; spring was now near.
Now gleeful with the mercy of life’s resurrection,
Now renewed with the joy of spring’s anticipation.
There is a hope; there is a tomorrow
Because Aslan’s roar shattered all sorrow.
Copyright: 2005 Jess Graber
Ordinary
Poem: It wasn’t just ordinary
No, it was extraordinary.
So don’t argue!
I saw, I know its true!
When I close my eyes
I see the frosted skies
I hear the winds deep whistles
I feel the dampened thistles.
Hazy are the skies
Not a star met my eyes
And lo’ I feel the snow
Falling on the frozen below!
So still, so very still
Lips quiver with the chill.
So empty, so bare and empty
The footprints in the snow aren’t many.
Snow crunches underneath
Clouds gather like a wreath
Farther off I see a Faun
Prancing on this frosted lawn.
And standing by the trees
Hidden by many icy leaves
Stood a tall pillar of light
A lamppost to brighten the night.
I walked on this wet ground
A strange barren world I have found.
I believe it all!
This is what I saw.
So you can tease
Say what you please.
But I know what I saw
And I indeed saw it all!
Copyright: 2005 Jess Graber
The Forest in It’s Yearning
Poem: Glassy stars hang like a drape
Over the trees lines fringed with snow
Swaddled in its fluffy cape
Dangl’ing diamonds by their arms
Shimmers there by star-light glow
Glittering this winterscape
With their snow-tipped winter charms
Glistening from the still moon
And the sheets of white below
Faintly hums an eerie tune
Haunting whispers in the breeze
But still falls the gentle snow
Taming thorns and thistles, strewn
Beautifying scanty trees.
Shivers come when coldness bites
Breathing in Her hostile breath
Glaring down from starry lights
Beating from a heart of stone
Sins’ter, cold, proclaiming death
Underlines this blissful sight
Basking where the moonlight shone.
Emptying from rooted heels
Snapping, trees let out their sigh
Of despair, but nothing steals
The hope that is still burning
Howling in the wind’s shrill cry
Revealing all it truly feels,
The forest in its yearning.
Believing is their warmth alone
Hope gives snow its white so pure
Constant trust endows their throne
Waiting upon the prophecy
Straining for the lion’s roar
Craving winter’s dying moan
Ending evil’s sovereignty.
Thawing hearts entwined with frost
Cracking ice, out pours the flow
Gurg’ling now, at free-flow cost
Down a sunlit waterfall
By a bank where green grass grows
Aslan roars; mane ruffled, tossed
Silencing death’s chilling call!
Copyright: 2005 Jess Graber
An Ode to Edmund’s Boredom
Poem: I pressed my cheek against the window
tracing the raindrops as still they fell
frowning down on the wet world below
The shower had kept its rhythm, so
when the rain should cease I could not tell.
Trapped I was, a young captive to die
of boredom and its ruthless terror
a death so slow and painful that my
nerves are so rattled; I think I’ll cry
If I stare at this wall any longer!
Yet I sit, still twiddling my thumbs
I’ve counted these tiles once more again
not to mention a few cookie crumbs,
and the beating rain as it still drums.
This endless pain is driving me insane!
But alas! If these droplets had dried
and out came the sun, so inviting
who would have found the world inside,
behind ancient doors, that did reside
beneath all it’s dust and magic, hiding?
Copyright: 2006 Jess Graber
Related Characters
The Traitor and the Lion
Poem: The traitor followed the Lion, true
Goodness next to trickery
Alone, unaccompanied, stood the two
Sinner’s heart unsteady.
He felt so worthless besides pure gold
All of his worst sins felt so revealed
Stroking the lion’s mane felt so cold
The teeth of this mighty beast he feared.
It was all in the Lion’s eyes
Mirroring his heart of stone
Every sin, all his lies
All the evil plans he’d sown.
Light pierced away the cells
In his soul where darkness took over
A roar shook his spirit’s wells
Trembling came to its beholder
The tears began to empty forth
When he looked into this mirror
In which he found no righteous worth
Except that of a betrayer and deceiver.
But then the gentle Lion nudged his cheek
His eyes were as golden as his mane
The once boastful boy grew uncommonly meek
As this Lion breathed away his pain.
Edmund, shaking, looked up without shame
Something that was once dead was resurrected
Something that had withered rose up in a flame
His heart’s alignment was redirected.
At Cair Paravel this sinner was crowned
Adorned in all the riches of the land
This lost captive was now freed and found
A majestic scepter in his hand
Copyright: 2006 Jess Graber
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