Does Anybody Believe In Me?

WE ALL HAVE TIMES WHEN...

We all have times when we feel misunderstood. Sometimes we feel that we will never be understood or known. So, we ask Does anyone believe in me?

I thought about that question and those feelings when I wrote the poem, YES, IT IS ABOUT YOU, A Poem of Because. It is in my book of poems BEYOND THESE DARK LANDS ARE EDGES OF JOY. A collection of poems of comfort and hope. 

THE TITLE

We are taught as children not to be selfish. Our modern culture says life is not about you but it is about community, service, family, and all those things that we must surrender our interest to and all our needs. But there are times when it is about you, and it is not selfishness, conceit, and vanity to think so.

If God loves you so much and sent His only Son to die for you to pay for your sins then it is about you 

THE STRUCTURE

All the poems in this book are short and this one is only 20 lines long.  It is comprised of a series of triplets each one starting with the phrase, "I believe you."  Though the phrase, "I believe you," is repeated several times and thus runs the risk of being redundant or boring, it builds up a rhythm that makes the last line more impactful. Each triplet has a statement of faith in the reader to experience different blessings.

YES, IT IS ABOUT YOU,

A Poem of Because 

I believe you 

Will get through this day

And have a tomorrow.

I believe you 

Will find God’s love,

His peace, and His joy.

I believe you 

Will become stronger,

And find hope and courage.

I believe you

Are an inspiration

And others will ask how.

I believe you

Will be a blessing

And people will be grateful

For you.

I believe you

Will rise far higher

Than ever before.

I believe 

That there are many

Who believe in you,

I only ask

That you believe.

THE MEANING

The meaning is simple. It is not that I believe in you but that you are believed in. Not only are you believed in you are believed in by many people. 

THE ILLUSTRATION

I used a very simple image of clouds and the rays of the sun. The dawn star which is a typification of Christ is in the upper left corner of the picture. 

Illustration for the Poem, 
Yes, It Is All About You

THE SCRIPTURE

The Bible verse that I chose for this poem is John 7:38. It is a verse that offers a promise that if we come to Him we will not only find fulfillment but we will be a fountain of blessings to other people. 

 

John 7:38 says,

Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ John 7:38, NLT

I cannot tell you how true this poem is in my heart for you. I believe we all have potential and we all are capable of being a blessing to everyone around us. 

Does Anybody Care That You Are Having A Hard Time?

Does anybody care that you are going through a hard time and have to start over or rebuild?  

The book of poems, THIS DAWN IS A PLACE OF HOPE, opens with an answer to that question.

Here is the poem that introduces the book.

PROLOGUE

A Poem of My Why

I wish that I was there

Illustration from the Dedication Page
THIS DAWN 

When you fought the darkness 

To get to this place.

I wish I could be there

As you face this new day,

So I could hold your hand

And lend you my shoulder.

I would cheer each success

And weep for each defeat.

But I am far away,

So I send you these words;

They are my prayers, hopes, and

My well-wishes for you. 

I hope we meet someday,

And you give me a chance

To hear about this time

When His light cleared the darkness,

And you saw the great deeds,

The marvels and wonders 

Done in you,

By Him, who is 

The Dawn Star. *

*Revelation 22:16.

When I wrote this poem, I was trying to say that I care, I sympathize, I mourn, I would set my own feelings aside, and I would carry yours. I am not perfect, but Christ has given me a new life, and a big part of that life is to love others. I struggle with caring and not being selfish. I wish I was better- not for my own esteem but for your sake and for the sake of God who gave His Son for you and for me. 

Yes, I care, but not perfectly; still, I am trying. This book of poems is one thing I can do to show I care about you and to make a difference. 

This poem says there will be a time when your trials will be over,  

"...give me a chance

To hear about this time

When His light cleared the darkness,

And you saw the great deeds,

The marvels and wonders."

This time of your struggle will be over because God cares. He shows that He cares in a lot of ways, and one of them is through people.  

God offers a new beginning and a new life through Christ, who is figuratively referred to as the Dawn Star as the poem says in its concluding lines,

Done in you,

By Him, who is 

The Dawn Star. *

This poem is accompanied by the scripture from St.John's vision in Revelation, 

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” Revelation 22:16, NASB 

I feel that the idea of the bright morning star is a symbol of hope. So as I illustrated this book of poems, I put a star in each picture.

I hope you find someone in your life that cares. I pray God brings that person to you and that God shows His love to you through that person. I hope you find your new beginning and a new day. I would be honored to have some small part in it, so I wrote this book of poems hoping they offer some help. 

If you are interested in obtaining a copy of my book, THIS DAWN IS A PLACE OF HOPE, use the button below to purchase a copy directly from me. 

Blessings,

A. E. Dozat

The Poet Discusses His Poem, ASKING, From the Book, Beyond These Dark Lands.

The Poem, Asking, a Poem of the Second Answer, is found on page 25 of my book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy.

I wrote this poem because I hoped it would encourage people in a certain way.

TITLE
The first part of the title is just the word, ASKING. When you are going through dark times, there are many questions you ask yourself and God. It was for those times that this poem was written.

The second part of the title is A Poem of the Second Answer. This is to make you think that we must keep on asking because there is more than the simple common answers that we at first find.

STRUCTURE
This poem is 25 lines long, and each line is four to six syllables long.

The first four lines introduce the question of "why?"
     "The question of "Why?"
     Is a heart-scream of pain."
Lines 5 through 10 acknowledges how hurtful our pain is.
Lines 11 through 17 tell us that pain is real, legitimate, and should be faced.
Lines 18 to the end tell us that there is another question to ask and it may be the most important.

The Fork in the Road
Illustration for the Poem Asking
from Beyond These Dark Lands
Are Edges of Joy

The overall style is blunt and straightforward.

MEANING
There are times in our lives when we are faced with pain, and that pain is so deep that it causes us to doubt God, life, and anything good. It is in those times that we ask the big questions. Pain starts a process in our lives and souls, but we must be sure it is only a start and that we do not stay in the place of pain. Sometimes we need to be intentional about moving on.

SCRIPTURE
The accompanying scripture is from Job, “The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.” Job 17:9, NLT

ILLUSTRATION
The illustration I drew for this poem is of a road going through the countryside, and the road divides in a fork going two opposite ways.

© A.E. Dozat 2019

How an Uber Driver Will Use My Book of Poems in His Ride-share

Why my uber driver friend gives out copies of my book of poems to his riders. 

Let me tell you about it.

Sometimes I work on my writing at one of the cafe areas at the local shopping mall. Glancing up I saw somebody smiling as they approached me. After a moment I realized that this was a dear friend. I asked him to join me and we caught up on what we both have been doing.

My friend is a man of faith and he shared that God is working in his life, some things have gone well and others have not; but he still sees God's loving touch in it all. He explained that driving for uber has helped him to make ends meet. He was excited that driving for a ride-share has given him opportunities to talk to people. Grinning, he said, "It's like I'm a bartender, everybody tells me their problems. They just open up." He offers them the kindness of a listening ear and every day he tells others about his faith in God.

I felt that God was speaking to me to give him some extra copies of my book of poems of encouragement, and his face lit up. He told me that it was a great idea to give copies to people who rode in his uber and that he would keep a few in the back of his car for his riders..  He reminded me that there are times when such a book will speak to someone's heart in ways that a sermon or minister couldn't. He said he knew people would be blessed and encouraged by the poems in the book. He said that just having copies for his riders to see will open up doors of opportunity to speak about God.

Of course, I appreciated the encouragement and felt very humbled by his praise. I hope he has many opportunities to share his faith and the book. I pray that God will be honored and people will be encouraged.

To order my book at wholesale directly from the printer CLICK HERE.

I am very excited that this book of encouraging poems is now available on Amazon. Amazon seems to be the way that people want to shop, so I am glad to make it available on their site. 

I did not write this book to make money but to be an encouragement to others.  That is why I priced it so low. I do not make much and what I do make I use to buy copies for those who need it and cannot afford it. 

© A.E. Dozat 2018

How She Used a Poem For a Thanksgiving Blessing After Her Time of Loss

When she told me her plans I felt like falling on my knees and raising my hands to heaven and exclaiming, "I am not worthy."

Her husband was a pastor for a lifetime, and his passing was a loss felt by many. His eloquence and gracious speech were as legendary as his nobility and integrity. Holidays are a season when a missing loved one is felt in its sharpest and deepest pain. Often, those left behind must deal as best as they can, and his passing will be very hard on them.

One of his traditions was to say the Thanksgiving blessing for a large gathering of family, nieces, in-laws, and friends. This year, the Thanksgiving blessing was in danger of being unsaid because no one felt comfortable taking the place of someone they so revered. No one felt they had the eloquence or right to take his place.

His widow worried that not saying the blessing would dishonor his memory and cheapen a treasured tradition, and even worse, it would dishonor God, for whom the very holiday is meant to celebrate.

Then she got an idea. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense to her. She would ask one of the relatives to read a poem she selected from my book of comforting and encouraging poems. She bubbled with excitement as she told me.

It was the perfect solution for her. No one would have to come up with eloquent words or fear they would say the wrong thing. Since many of the poems speak of God's provision of comfort, she could find one that was ideal for the Thanksgiving Holiday and deal with their loss. Since each person is in a different stage of grieving and the poems all focus on God as the answer for our broken lives she felt reading one would respect and touch each person where they are in that process.

I was humbled to hear of her idea and also very joyful that my poems are used by our Heavenly Father to touch His children.

If you need encouragement or know someone who does, you should order a copy today. You will be glad to have this book.

© A.E. Dozat 12/2/18

The Author Explains His Poem, Who Not To Blame

Every one of us goes through difficult times, even times of dark desperation, and it is for those people that I wrote this collection of poems so they may find hope and comfort.

Let me tell you about one of the poems in my book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy.

Who Not to Blame, a Poem about the False One, is found on page 23 of Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy.

TITLE
At first glance, the title looks straightforward. It is, Who Not to Blame, a Poem about the False One. You think it might be about identifying the right person or cause for a problem. The reader might think it answers the question of fault. The reader begins to contemplate that they blame the wrong parties for our suffering.

STRUCTURE
This poem is 24 lines long, and the lines are of various lengths. It has three different phases. The first establishes the issue of guilt. Lines 1 through 11 says,

Guilt
Sneaks in the back door
Of your suffering...

Then moves to the questioning that guilt puts you through.

The second phase of the poem declares grounds for guilt:

If your actions
Brought your suffering,
Then you would know it...

The final phase refers to Ancient Job, who suffered the loss of all he owned, his family, and even his health.

MESSAGE

Illustration for the poem, Who Not To Blame
from the Book Beyond These Dark Lands
Are Edges of Joy,
By A.E. Dozat © 2018

The message of this poem is understood through the reference to Ancient Job, a figure from the Old Testament.

The Bible tells how the Devil argued with God and claimed Job loved God only because God had blessed him, so the Devil took away all of Job's blessings, but Job never cursed God and continued to be faithful to God. In Job's case, no wrongdoing on his part caused his suffering; in the same way, we may experience evil without being at fault.

While we must not ignore guilt but should bring it to God and seek forgiveness through Christ, we should also be aware of false guilt that has no foundation in our actions. We should not belittle the pain in our lives but know when not to blame ourselves for it.

ILLUSTRATION
On the page with this poem is a drawing in pen of a road leading through a rolling wilderness landscape of rocky grasslands with a single tree beside the road.

VERSE
The verse that I choose to go with this poem is 1 Peter 1:7,
These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:7, NLT

Guilt 

Sneaks in the back door 

Of your suffering

Then follows you around

Like some shadow-man

In the night.

Guilt is like elevator music

Whispering doubtful words

Like, what did I do wrong?

Did I commit sin?

Why am I punished?

If your actions

Brought your suffering,

Then you would know it

And would not ask why.

But if like ancient Job

You have no fault

And if you ask, "Why?" 

Like ancient Job,

You may not get

An explanation.

And like Job 

Your pain is real,

But your guilt is not. 

There are times in life when we suffer, and in our suffering, we add unnecessary guilt. This poem gives comfort and hope during those times. You can read this poem in my book on page 23. To order a copy, see below.

To order this book from the printer at the wholesale price CLICK HERE 

© A.E. Dozat

The Perfect Thank You Gift, Illustrated Poems of Encouragement and Faith

I am humbled and amazed when people contact me to request copies of my book of poems, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy.

To order directly from my printer and receive wholesale pricing, CLICK HERE.

Recently, a lady contacted me to order ten copies as thank you gifts for friends who worked with her on a committee she leads. She said the book of poems was so moving and inspirational that she felt she had to give a copy to each person.

She wanted to give something to each person after they put on a big event. In the past, she would give each one a $5.00 gift card for a donut shop or coffee shop. She decided that, although it would cost twice as much, she would make a book gift instead. She felt it was the right thing to do since several persons were going through difficult times with loss and discouragement.

I am grateful that God uses my book of poems to encourage and comfort people with His love.

I am very excited that this book of encouraging poems is now available on Amazon (see the link below). Amazon seems to be how people want to shop, so I am glad to make it available on their site. 

I did not write this book to make money but to be an encouragement to others.  That is why I priced it so low. I do not make much, and what I do make, I use to buy copies for those who need it and cannot afford it. 

© A.E. Dozat 2018

The Poet Explains His Poem, The Forever Part of The Pain, From the Book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy

I wrote this poem for my book of hope and faith because I wanted to give hope that God uses your difficulties to bless you in many ways. A time may come when what remains of your pain becomes a gift for others.

To order your copy directly from the printer and receive the best wholesale pricing CLICK HERE.

TITLE
The title is in two parts, the first part is, "The Forever Part Of The Pain." It is an attempt to respect that pain leaves a piece of itself with us forever. We may recover, move on, and heal but there is something that never goes away. This is not something that should discourage us but a reality we can live with.
The second part of the title is, "A Poem of the Gift." This part of the poem is curious and makes the reader wonder what gift there can be in pain. It also suggests that it is a hopeful poem that will point to something valuable.

STRUCTURE
This poem has 26 lines. Each line is fewer than five syllables long. The first half describes the aftermath of pain and how it cools and seems to fade, "After the furnace fires of tribulation have cooled,"
The second section is only three lines and tells us that others will seek us out for this gift.
The last part, lines 18-26, are beautiful and among my favorite in the collection. They tell that the gift left by pain is something you can give to others.

MEANING

Illustration for the Poem
THE FOREVER PART OF THE PAIN
From The Book,
BEYOND THESE DARK LANDS
ARE EDGES OF JOY
© A.E. Dozat 2018

You will get over the experience, but something of pain remains. It is different for each person, and you must draw your own specific about the nature of the gift left by your own loss, it may be compassion, experience, comfort or understanding. But you wouldn't have this gift if you did not go through pain. The surprise is that this gift is not as much for you as it is for others when you share it with them.

ILLUSTRATION
There is a picture of an oak tree with a chair swing hanging from its branch. The chair swing looks like it is for two people sitting side by side. You can imagine two people may sit there to talk about their experiences.

SCRIPTURE
This poem is accompanied by a verse of scripture from the New Testament.
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NLT

This poem offers comfort that because of your pain there will remain something that you will have that will bless you and others.

If you want to read this poem it is on page 21 of my book which you can purchase below.

© A.E. Dozat 9/13/18

The Author Explains His Poem, Freedom, a Poem of leaving Darkness

The poem, FREEDOM, is one of my most sincere poems in the book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy. You can download a PDF of the book at the link below.

TITLE
The full title is FREEDOM, A Poem of Leaving Darkness. There are many poems about freedom. In this poem, freedom comes from forgiveness.

The second part of the title is the important part. We are in darkness that enslaves us. The title gives us hope that we can leave the darkness and become free.

STRUCTURE
This poem is 26 lines long forming seven sentences. The majority of the poems in this collection are written in the third person; but in this one, I use the first person to tell the story of the reader.
"I see you oppressed
And driven through darkness..."

Illustration for the Poem Freedom,
From the book Beyond These Dark Lands
Are Edges of Joy,
By A.E. Dozat © 2018

and

"...What you are seeking

I would give freely."

Each line is five syllables long, so it has some structure.

OUTLINE

The first five lines describe the searching oppressed reader who seeks freedom. 

Lines six through thirteen describe the speaker's reaction to the one who is seeking freedom. 

Lines 14 through the end are a testimony of having found freedom and the supernatural response to share it with others.

MEANING
The meaning of this poem is that though you are in darkness and troubled with guilt, but you can hope because freedom from your guilt is available. It says that others have found freedom through Christ, and you may find it too.

This poem is one of the places where the book becomes personal; here, I, as the author, speak directly to the reader. It is a poem of hope and goodwill. It makes clear that Christ's forgiveness is hope for the lost.

This poem is illustrated with a pen drawing of a dark, narrow ravine and a path that leads to the open space.

SCRIPTURE
The bottom of the page has a verse of scripture from the epistle of Colossians. ”For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14, NIV.

This poem tells you that there is hope and you can find freedom from all your inner darkness.

© Adron 7/3/18

The Poet Explains His Poem Freedom, a Poem of Leaving Darkness.

Freedom is a poem from my book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope. When you read it you start to understand that forgiveness is possible.

To get it through Amazon CLICK HERE.

TITLE
The full title of this poem is Freedom, a Poem of Leaving Darkness; it suggests freedom will be found when you leave the place of darkness. Darkness may be anything but this poem applies to the specific enslavement of guilt, and the darkness we carry inside.

STRUCTURE
This poem is 27 lines long and most lines are five syllables. At first, it looks like free-verse. It is one of the rare poems in this collection that uses the first person singular of  "I."The I starts a new section of the poem four times.

• Lines 1 through 6 is the "I see you oppressed..." section, where the poem opens up with the observation of the readers struggle with guilt and darkness. 
• Lines 7-13 are the "I would give freely..." where the poem moves to compassion, but with the suggestion that there is a solution to be received. 
• Lines 14-17 is the "I, too, needed..." and "I have found..." section of confession and admission. The "I have found..." is repeated in line 18, I prefer to avoid repeats because they generally weaken a message. I made the exception to satisfy the question of what was found. 



Illustration for Freedom
A poem of Leaving Darkness
© A.E. Dozat 2018 

• The last 9 lines are a declaration of having found freedom from darkness and guilt. The last line of the poem is simple but after you think about you see more than what is on the surface. 

In these posts, I try not to give away too much since I want to sell the book but here is the ending.
This pardon 
He gives
Is so wonderful 
That I would have it 
Overflow to you.

MEANING
I wrote this poem because I know a lot of people struggle with guilt. Guilt is a darkness in our souls that we can't get rid of no matter what we do. I offer the solution that through Christ the Father offers forgiveness because of Christ's sacrifice on our behalf.

ILLUSTRATION.
This poem is illustrated with a drawing of a dark deep valley with a rocky path.  Beyond the valley, the path enters distant pleasant lands.

The scripture at footnote for the poem is ”For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14, NIV

This poem offers hope that if you are struggling with guilt that there is forgiveness for you if you receive it from Christ who gives it freely.

© A.E.Dozat 6/7/18

The Author Explains His Poem, Joy's Birthing,

The poem, Joys Birthing, gives hope that God is available and listening to our prayers for help. I wrote it with the hope that others will be inspired to turn to the Lord God in their desperate hour. It is in my book of poems, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort And Hope.

TITLE
The title focuses on the beginning of joy, and it makes you consider how joy starts in your life. It may seem redundant to use both the word, "birthing" and the phrase, "starting point," but a birth must have a starting point. I hoped the title would create interest so you would read the poem to see how you can start finding joy.

STRUCTURE
All the poems in this book look like free verse, but I use some structure to give them a flow. In this poem, the majority of the lines are five syllables long except for some that are shortened for emphasis. The first nine lines make a declaration that
"Joy
Is born in the muck
Of the lowly heart."
Lines 10 through 19 turns the poem to God who
"...Hears the cry

Illustration for the Poem Joy's birthing
From The Book,
Beyond These Dark Lands
Are Edges of Joy
© A.E. Dozat 2018

Of the broken and
The helpless ones."
The final section lines 20 through 28, brings God and the humble man together saying that,
"God rewards their plea
And does for them
What they can't do..."
The four-syllable couplet is shorter than the lines before it, this gives it emphasis. The last lines are a celebration of God's generosity of provision.

MEANING
The poem not only says that you can begin to have joy; but that God is the source of your joy if you will be humble to admit your need and come to him.

ILLUSTRATION
The illustration is a road winding through grassy hills and beside the road is a sheep to illustrate the humility needed to come to God.

SCRIPTURE
The footnote to the poem is the scripture, "Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up." James 4:10

JOY'S BIRTHING,

A Poem of the Starting Point

Joy 

Is born in the muck

Of the lowly heart.

The ones who admit 

Inner poverty,

And that 

They are powerless

To stop the ruin

Of their own lives.

They

Are the ready ones.

For

God hears the cry

Of the broken and

The helpless ones.

He listens for 

Those who look not

For power

But ask for mercy.

God rewards their plea

And does for them

What they can't do,

Such a wonder!

God gives free pardon,

With abundant life,

Full of victory 

To the humble ones

Who admit their need. 

This poem gives hope to anybody that joy and God's grace is available to all- no matter how downtrodden they are.  You can read it in its entirety when you order your copy, use the button below.

CLICK HERE to order your own copy of THROUGH THESE DARK LANDS directly from the printer at the best price.
© AE.Dozat 5/29/18

What Did the Author Mean in His Poem, The Perspective?

What is the poem, The Perspective, about? It is not a very complicated poem and has a simple message that anyone can appreciate, a message that points us to God.

I wrote it to help people consider how they relate to God during their struggles. I hope it helps them to see God in a larger way.

THE TITLE
What does the title have to do with the poem?  A perspective is a point of view or point of reference used to relate one against another.  The subtitle, "A Poem about the Measure," is the clue that explains the poem. It challenges you to question your focus.

STRUCTURE
It looks like free-verse, and it is even less structured than most of my poems because it is built on a popular saying that you see online often. I did not overwork it because I thought it would look like a pretentious couching of a simple saying.

THE POEM

THE PERSPECTIVE,  

A Poem about the Measure

We all face a Goliath

At some time or other

And do desperate battle.

In our feeble strength,

We flail at him with 

Puny weapons,

And find our armor

Is inadequate 

As we take dire wounds. 

Then we rush to tell God

That this demon 

Is just too big-

When all the time we should

Illustration for Poem, Perspective
From the book of poems
Beyond These Dark Lands
© A.E. Dozat 2018 

Declare to this devil 

How big our God is.

This poem is very blunt and to compensate it I wrote it in a soft voice using "we" and "our" instead of "you" and "your."

It starts out with the struggle:
"We all face a Goliath"
And
"We flail at him with 
Puny weapons,"
Then we start to get to the point at line 10,
"We rush to tell God
That this demon
Is just too big..."
The last three lines wrap everything up with a declaration of the greatness of God.

WHAT IT MEANS
When you get the book and read this poem, you will quickly see the message that we focus too much on our problems, and do not see God as big enough to conquer them.

This poem is illustrated with a road that leads to distant mountains which rise out of the mist, in the center of the road is a rock that is insufficient compared to the mountain.

© Adron 5/20/18

The Author Explains His Poem, Patience, A Poem of Him Who Watches

PATIENCE, A Poem of Him Who Watches, is found on page 13 of my Book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope.

I wrote this poem as encouragement for those who feel that they are going through a long time of hardship.

TITLE
The title is two-sided. At first, it could be that we are going through the dark time and must be patient, but, the subtitle, A Poem of Him Who Watches, might be about how God watches over us through our long night, or that we are watching for deliverance through the night. This open-ended title starts the reader thinking right from the beginning.

STRUCTURE
The poem is 26 lines long with grouped rhythms to speed up or slow down the reader. The first nine lines are the opening statement. Lines 1-6 are all short and move quickly, followed by two lines of both five syllables then line 9 is six syllables. The opening combines not only place and time but also experience.
"Those who have lived
only

Illustration for the Poem, Patience,
A Poem of Him Who Watches.
From the Book,
Beyond These Dark Lands are Edges of Joy
© A.E. Dozat 2018

under the cold stars..."

Faith is explored in lines 10 to 19, They vary in length between four or five syllables
"Faith knows the sun
will certainly rise..."

Lines 20 through 22 talks about the comfort of faith that is based on truth.

The poem concludes in lines 23 through 26 by declaring that our patient faith proves our love for God.

MEANING
The metaphor of the stars makes us face eternity with a sense of our smallness and ignorance of what is beyond our place and time. But faith hopes for the dawn and watches in that hope because we know our patient waiting is evidence of our faith in God who is also watching over us.

ILLUSTRATION
The poem is illustrated with a pen drawing of a road leading to the sunrise.

THE LESSON THIS POEM TEACHES
Our lives are a living statement. How we react to suffering speaks to others. This poem helps people see that their reaction to trials must come from a mature thought-out faith. It shows the purpose of enduring hardship.

There are many reasons and explanations for our suffering and no one answer suffices for all, but this poem says that our enduring faith in God during hardships proves our love for God.

The poem is accompanied by this scripture:
“However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ -- the things God has prepared for those who love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9, NIV.

This poem like all the poems in this collection gives comfort and hope.

© Adron 5/2/18

The Author Explains His Poem, The Passing Shadow, a Poem of Returning

The poem, THE PASSING SHADOW, A Poem of Returning, is found on page 12 of my book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope.

The death of my brother who died of an overdose was the motivation for this poem about grief and bereavement.

To get it through Amazon CLICK HERE.

TITLE
The encouragement begins with the title. It explains that our time of difficulty and trial will come to a conclusion and that there is a time when you will be able to hope again. The shadow is grief, and time allows it to pass. The "Returning" makes you think of your own returning to living life after the season of grief.

STRUCTURE
It looks like a freestyle poem, but it has some rhythm since most of the lines are 6 syllables long except for a few variants that give emphasis. It is 26 lines.

It starts out by describing the deep grief we sometimes feel. The first 13 lines describe sorrow and loss,

Illustration for the Poem, The Passing Shadow,
A Poem of Returning,
From the Book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy
Words of Comfort and Hope
By A.E. Dozat © 2018 

"You can walk away...
But you cannot leave 
The emptiness You carry inside."

Lines 14 to 19 expresses our response is sometimes with anger and withdrawal,
"You just have to sit ...
And be angry at God 
And hate everything..."

Lines 20-26 offers the hope that a time will come when you can live again,
"The days of Exhaustion will come. 
Then it will be time..."

Everything leads to the last line that tells about the hope that after this shadow passes we will begin to live again.

ILLUSTRATION
This poem is illustrated with a road leading past a solitary great oak tree in a barren land.

The Passing Shadow is part of a book that offers encouragement and hope, this poem says that it is ok to react with sorrow, anger and even withdrawal for a season, but there comes a time to begin to live again.

SCRIPTURE
The scripture in the footnote is from Revelation 21:4, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

© A.E. Dozat 4/23/18

The Author Explains His Poem, To Touch The Pain, A Poem Of The Healer

My Poem, To Touch the Pain, A Poem of the Healer, is found on page 11 of my book Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope.

I wrote this poem for those who seek freedom from the burdens of their inner pain and to point them to The Lord who is the master physician of hurting hearts.

TITLE

I gave it the title, To Touch the Pain, with some reservation because A person may not want to be reminded of their pain. The subtitle takes us from pain to the Healer.

STRUCTURE

This poem is 21 lines long and most are three and four syllables, except for lines 12 through 16, where a new rhythm makes the main point of the poem stand out

The poem does not have much in the way of illustration but opens with a metaphor for pain.

"You have known pain
For so long
It has now fused
To your soul
Like hardened iron."

I did not want to belittle the pain anyone feels, but to acknowledge it.

The 21st line makes a concluding point and that line is given effect by being six syllables long.

    TO TOUCH THE PAIN,

    A Poem of the Healer

    You have known pain

    For so long

    It has now fused 

    To your soul 

    Like hardened iron.

    Its weight breaks you,

Illustration for the poem, To Touch The Pain,
A Poem of The Healer
© 2018 By A.E. Dozat

    And you need

    To be made whole.

    This pain is deep,

    Unending and dire.

    You are willing

    To try any cure,

    Make any sacrifice,

    And pay any price; 

    Why not

    Consider God?

    If you reach for Him

    You will find 

    He is willing,

    And you will learn

    That to touch Him

    Will begin

    Your healing.

MEANING
This poem is simple. It describes the struggle with pain, then asks that since you are willing to do anything for relief "Why not consider God?"  It encourages you to reach out to God because you will find that He is willing to begin your healing.

ILLUSTRATION

The illustration is a pen drawing of a road that leads across on a rocky desert landscape. In the middle ground is a cross.

This poem, like many in the book, will inspire people to be open to God's healing and working in their lives. I hope that when a person is ready to deal with their pain that they consider the comfort and healing from a source that was rejected before, and look to God.

The footnote is a Bible verse, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-29, NIV

You can read this poem on page 11 of the book. 

To read a review CLICK HERE.

© A.E. Dozat 4/8/18

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The Author Explains The Meaning of His Poem, Its Power Never Ends

The Poem, It's Power Never Ends, A Poem about the Source, is on page 10 of my Book of Poems, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope.

This is a poem of rational hope, a hope that is founded on an intelligent belief in God's active mercy in our lives.  It is my vision that this poem will inspire others to a deeper hope in God during their difficult times..

TITLE
I wanted the title to grab the reader's attention immediately. It makes you wonder what the "It" is, and what the "Power" is.

The subtitle, A Poem about the Source, is to deepen the reader's curiosity. You assume that this fundamental something that is powerful eternally.

Illustration for the poem
Its Power Never Ends, A Poem of The Source
From the Book
Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy
© 2018 By A.E. Dozat

STRUCTURE
This poem is 29 lines long and forms eight sentences. The overall tone is direct like a 98-word sermon. I did not use metaphor and imagery. The lines are short, some have only one or two words. Most lines are four five or six syllables with very few rhythms. There are two halves; the first half makes a statement and the second half expands the statement.

WHAT IT SAYS
This poem makes its point early in line five that the poem is about hope.
The next three phrases began to expound on hope...
"Hope is as strong or
As weak as
Who your hope is in."
It points out that we should not blindly hope in hope, but we must hope in God who is not only able to meet all of our needs for deliverance He is divinely worthy of our faith.
Lines 12 through 14 points out that we must clearly define who or what our hope is in. The poem ends like a Psalm where God is declared worthy of our hope.

ILLUSTRATION
Most of the book's illustrations have a road going through the dark lands. In this illustration, the road winds around a hill with an empty tomb representing lines 20-21.

SCRIPTURE
The footnote is the verse from 1 Corinthians, "Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love". 1 Corinthians 13:13, NLT

This poem is a valuable statement that we can have hope. Reading it will strengthen those who need reassurance that God is worthy of their hope.

You can read this poem on page 10 of the book. 

© Adron 4/8/18

The Author Explains the Meaning of the Poem, His Place.

His Place, A Poem of Renewal, is found on page 9 of my book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope.

I wrote this poem to inspire people that in the trauma of difficulties we can find peace in God but we must seek Him.

To get it through Amazon CLICK HERE.

TITLE
This is one of the more simple and obvious titles. The phrase, His Place, directs us to look to The Lord. Of course, Place is not a physical location but a spiritual one.

The subtitle, A Poem of Renewal, is very important because that when we spend time with The Lord we are renewed and able to live in the world victoriously.

Illustration for the Poem His Place
from the Book, Beyond These Dark Lands,
are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope.
© 2018 By A.E. Dozat

STRUCTURE
The poem is 21 lines long and forms eight sentences; almost every line is five syllables long. The tone of admonition goes throughout the poem. It begins with an imperative in line one, you must find that place..., in line eight, you must be faithful...,  in line nine, go there...,  and in line 14 neglect not...

The fourth line describes the place, it is a silent place... and God waits...

The poem turns from describing this spiritual place to the blessing we find there, the blessing of Him... that is from being in God's presence.

The last five lines are hopeful with and emphatic. In line 19 the words you will... is not a command but a result of being in the presence of the Lord. The poem ends with a positive declaration; you will carry His light...

WHAT IT MEANS
We must be devoted to finding God, even in difficult times. If by faith we meet with Him we will carry His peace through our day.

ILLUSTRATION
The picture I drew for this is a path leading up the side of a hill where a bench sits on an outcrop of rock that overlooks the landscape below. It is an attempt to illustrate a quiet place where we might meet with the Lord.

SCRIPTURE
The footnote for the page is the scripture reference of Exodus 34:35, “The people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was shining.” It is about the time when Moses met with God on the mountain and his face was full of the brightness of having been in communion with God.

You can read this poem on page 9 of the book. If you would like to read a sample poem choose the link below for the website.

Beyond These Dark Lands 
Are Edges of Joy,
Words of Comfort and Hope
Poems by A.E. Dozat © 2018

If you are in need of encouragement or know someone who does you should order a copy today, you will glad you did.

To purchase through Amazon CLICK HERE. 

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For large orders or digital downloads follow this link to TheBookPatch, my print on demand partner.

To find out more and read a sample poem visit my website, A.E. Dozat.com.

To read a review CLICK HERE.

© Adron 3/19/18

The Author Explains the Meaning of His Poem, Extreme Knowledge

The poem, Extreme Knowledge, a Poem about His Choice,

This poem is found on page 8 of my book Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope. Published 2018.

I wrote this poem to remind hurting people that they are not alone with pain. The Lord personally knows your pain; because the Lord carried your sin to Calvary then He carried your pain too.

To order your copy directly from the printed at the best wholesale pricing  CLICK HERE.

TITLE

Illustration for the poem, Extreme Knowledge
From the Book,
Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy
© 2018 By A.E. Dozat

This title was easy for me. The word, "Extreme" has several connotations; one is the utmost physical exertion, which points to the suffering of Christ described in the poem's conclusion.

The words, "His choice," points to God.  He chose to create us and give us life. He chose to redeem us after we fell from grace. He chose to become mankind's redemption by His sacrifice on the cross for us.

The reference to knowledge goes both ways, God knows us and wants us to know Him through the bridge of Christ's sufferings which Christ endured on our behalf.

STRUCTURE

This poem is 26 lines long.  Like most of my poems, the lines are short. It is like a free-verse poem, but with random repeating rhythms to give it some structure. Most of the repeats are couplets.

WHAT IT SAYS
The poem begins by acknowledging our pain, and then asks, "Does anyone know... my pain?" The answer is a description of the pain Christ endured for mankind's sin. It concludes with an affirmation of his knowledge of our pain.

EXTREME KNOWLEDGE,

A Poem About His Choice

We know that

Pain is worse

When carried alone.

And we ask,

"Does anyone know

My hurt,

My loss, 

Suffering, 

And my pain?"

Yes, there is one who knows.

The Pain Bearer knows

Your hurt,

Your loss,

Anguish,

And more-

He knows

Its price.

Your pain

Is real to Him;

As real as the 

Lashings across His back,

The piercing of his hands,

And the laceration

Of the twisted thorn crown.

He knows your pain

Firsthand.

MEANING
There is a doctrine that Christ identified with mankind when he took our sins upon himself and paid their penalty. I push this a little with the suggestion that in suffering for our sin he knows our pain too.

FOOTNOTE
The Scripture reference is from Isaiah 53:6, which says, "the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

ILLUSTRATION
The illustration for this poem is of a cross beside a path on a mountainside.

To order your own copy of this book of comfort and hope directly from my printer at the best wholesale pricing CLICK HERE.

© Adron 4/4/18

The Author Explains The Meaning Of His Poem, Fruit of Repentance

My Poem, Fruit of Repentance, A Poem of the Spirit, is found on page 7 of my book Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope. It is a poem that will bring you closer to God and give you the strength to move forward through a difficult time.

TITLE
Repentance is understood as meaning to turn around or to reverse the direction of your actions. To think of repentance as being something that produces fruit is a new concept for many people. The reference to fruit has a double meaning which those who are familiar with the fruit of the Spirit found in the Bible will understand. See the Scripture reference in the footnote on page 16.

STRUCTURE
This poem is 28 lines long but many lines are one word, and most are three or four syllables long though a few are five or six syllables long. This poem is without metaphor or imagery, but it is a dialogue written as a prayer. The form of this poem is like a prayer since it opens with the address to God. "Father, of love..."

The next two lines form a couplet of three syllables each followed by a line of four syllables. This structure is repeated three times as the prayer-poem rushes into a confession. The sins confessed are lovelessness, joylessness, and peacelessness.

Line 11 introduces the fourth sin, it is a summary of the first three and infers many more.
"Forgive me
For the sin
Of stifling
Your spirit 
From presenting
Its fruit in me."
The point is made at the end of most of my poems, but the point comes early in this one then follows it with a sub-point.

The last seven lines do not have rhythm but the lines are a familiar length. The lack of rhythm draws the reader's attention to each statement. The prayer-poem changes to petition and askes God to lead you to repentance. The concluding lines are an affirmation of faith.
"I now receive
By faith
The gifts of 
Love, joy, and peace."

WHAT IT SAYS
In my poems, I avoid anything like advice since I am not a counselor or therapist, but on matters of faith I can speak confidently so this poem contains aspects of teaching for those of faith.

Illustration for the Poem, Fruit of Repentance,
From the Book
Beyond These Dark Lands are Edges of Joy
By A.E. Dozat©2018

People accept that a lack of love is a matter that requires repentance but to say the same of joy and peace is new for some. All three are equally a fruit of the spirit, all are commands, and all are gifts from God; if they are not present in your life than something is wrong. The first step in the Christian culture from which I write from is to confess and repent

WHAT IT MEANS
If you do not possess love, joy, and peace then you that must confess and repent of it. We have a responsibility to have love, joy, and peace even though they are the fruit of the spirit. The spirit will bring the fruit if we let it and so we have to begin with confessing it as a sin and repenting of that sin and receiving the power of God's Holy Spirit to bring the fruit in our lives.

ILLUSTRATION
The illustration for this picture is symbolic it is a dove. This illustration breaks away from the others because it is one of the few without a road leading through the land.

You can read this poem on page 7 of the book.

© Adron 3/29/18

The Author Explains His Poem, Identity, A Poem of The Freedom Place

The Poem, Identity, a Poem of The Freedom Place, is found on page 6 of my book of poems, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy, Words of Comfort And Hope.  This is a poem that gives hope in God during your darkest days.


TITLE
I always struggle to come up with titles for my poems and often wait until after the piece is written. I want one that is not obvious but is a clue to the poem so readers will be forced to think about it.

With this one, I went through several titles as the poem took form. I ended up with a title that refers to a doctrine of the Christian faith about our accreditation before God as being hidden in the sacrifice of Christ. The scripture at the bottom of the page, Romans 8:1, is a reference to this teaching.

STRUCTURE
The 27 lines make this one of the longer poems in the book. There are three sentences which are broken up by line breaks, most of which are 5 and 6 syllables long with a few exceptions placed for emphasis.

Illustration for the poem,
Identity, a Poem of the Freedom Place
From the Book,
Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy
© Adron 2018

It starts with a repeating phrase of three syllables followed by a five syllable line,
"You try, and
 You try, and
 You try to do good..."
(Yes, I know it is redundant and a cheap emphasis). The drama is further set up by two lines of five syllables,
"But your failure
Seems to be stronger..."
The poem takes the first turn with two 5 syllable lines,
"Until your bones ache
With guilt and remorse."
The next turn introduces the hope,
"But the promise of God
Is..."
This is part of a set of six lines of five and six syllable lengths, which cause the reader to move through with ease. This section leads the audience to the hope which is the object of the poem.
Line 24 ends the second sentence with the two words, "In Christ."

The poem switches to a soft voice as it concludes. The conclusion is made of three lines of different lengths, so the reader pauses to consider each meaning. The bluntness of the conclusion is a contrast to the metaphors earlier. The soft voice calms the bluntness of the last statement.

WHAT IT SAYS
This poem says that in spite of our best efforts we experience failure of character or purpose, leading to guilt and shame. But there is hope because those who have come to God through faith in Christ will find that they are free from guilt and condemnation.

WHAT IT MEANS
This poem points to eternal, powerful, and abiding hope. It is not a hope in our efforts or some vague force of the universe. Our hope is in God because He does not condemn our failures if we are in Christ.

This makes sense of the second part of the title because our freedom from judgment is through our identifying with Christ.

This poem points out that if a person is feeling guilty and discouraged by failure in their lives they can have hope because of Christ in their lives.

ILLUSTRATION
The picture I drew for this is a road through a barren land divided by a crevasse. It illustrates the first half of the poem about our defeat.

You can read this poem on page 6 of the book. If you would like to read a sample poem choose the link below for the website.

© Adron 3/24/18