Sunday 17 September 2017

Tanka

Five months into my church's amalgamation with three others, people are still hurting, resistant and critical. Our ministers' growing desperation was evident in today's sermon (based on Joshua 1) as the speaker pleaded with us to move forward. She ended the service with a call for those who were committed to strength and courage for the future to stand. About four people stood and one of those is developmentally disabled.
My oldest, Liam, wants to encourage people in creative expression and had prepared a short talk outlining his vision for a writing workshop. He invited everyone to join him for a quick information session after the service and I was his only taker.

I decided to write a poem in the style of the Japanese tanka, a kind of tribute to the leaders, appointed or self styled, whose hearts must be slowly breaking.



Get ready, prepare.
Tough challenge, large reward. Advance
Inhabit the land.
Promised estate, rich birth right.
Be strong and brave. Fear not.





10 comments:

  1. Sometimes it's hard for people to make a necessary change.

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    Replies
    1. I'm not overly happy about it myself, Red but i don't want four communities to implode because o f my resistance

      Delete
  2. I am so sorry to hear that five months on the amalgamation is mired in resistance, resentment and pain.
    And very sorry for your boy. No takers (other than your supportive self) must have felt like such a rejection.
    Love your tanka.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks EC.
      I didn't neccessarily want to subject my readers to all of this but it's a part of my story that I will want to remember

      Delete
  3. People tend to be resistant to change, no matter what the change is. So sorry your son had to learn that so young.

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    Replies
    1. You are right. Change is hard but when it's a choice of change or die, change wins

      Delete
  4. Change and bravery are fast becoming two of the most foreign concepts known to man. Personally, though I know you will not agree Kylie, I find it amusing that 3 churches of the same ideology resist the old changing to something new. Something that once unified would be far better than the old 3 distinct entities.

    As for your kids writing group--I once hosted an open mic, my first one. That opening evening there were 5 people including myself and the barista--it went on like that for a number of weeks but 3 years later when I closed out my run and left it in the hands of another there were consistently audiences of 200. In short no building just appears from nothing without work being put forward.

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    Replies
    1. Mark,
      Thanks for putting it in perspective! I agree that the merge should make something better, stronger. I'm just sad that it was necessary.
      You are right about the writing group as well. The disappointing part is that people who need to be community building can't be bothered to try. Liam will learn and grow from the experience.

      Delete
  5. On the Isle of Lewis schisms are commonplace. They are never friendly occasions.

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