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

Wonderful Book of Poems of Comfort and Hope, Now on Amazon

This book is so perfect for you to give to someone who needs encouragement. And if you are looking for hope and peace in your own life you will find that this book will guide you to that place in a gentle way. The poems in Beyond These Dark lands are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope speaks to the heart of those going through struggles and hardship.

I am very excited that this book of encouraging poems is now available on Amazon, (see the link below). 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

The Poet Explains His Poem, IT IS ALL ABOUT WHAT IS INSIDE

The poem, It is All About What is Inside, is a part of the collection of poems titled, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy. This book of poems give comfort and hope to those going through dark times. This poem is one of the ones that encourage you to think about God's purpose in sending difficulties and problems into your life.

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

TITLE
The Title is in two parts. The first is, It is All About What is Inside.  At first read, it seems to have no connection to the actual poem. It was my purpose to cause the reader to think about their feelings and desires in contrast to the work of God in our lives. The second part of the title is, "A Poem about the Intent."  It refers to the reason for God's purpose in our difficulties.

STRUCTURE
This poem was written with a very simple approach and at first looks like free-verse. The 21 lines vary in length. Each line makes a single statement that weaves with those around it to develop the poem's meaning. Lines 8 and 17 are points of transition in the meaning.

MEANING

Illustration for the poem, It is All About What is Inside,
From the Book,
Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy
© A.E. Dozat 2018

This poem begins by pointing out that we have our desires, wants and the idea of what is best for us. Then we keep waiting for "God to send it."
The 8th line introduces the first "But," and we are faced with God sending something that is, "contrary to our wants." At that point, we often find ourselves fighting against God, and even asking Him to deliver us from this thing that is opposed to our desire.
Line 17 brings the next change with the second "But" and begins the conclusion. It concludes with a blunt and bold statement that God is using that very thing to bless us.

ILLUSTRATION
The illustration that I drew for this poem is of a backpack resting against a tree beside a road that leads up into the mountain.

SCRIPTURE
The poem is accompanied by the verse from the epistle of James. "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him." James 1:12, ESV

This poem, like all the poems in the collection, will give you hope that there is meaning in the problems you face and that God is working for your good through them. Anyone going through a struggle will be encouraged by this poem and book.

You can read this poem in my book Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy on page 20.

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

© A.E. Dozat 8/26/18

The Poet Explains His Poem, Your Tears Are Not In Vain.

Is there any good in crying, or is it all meaningless grief?

This is an exceptional special poem, and even though it is short and seems dark at first, it points to deep and hopeful meaning in our times of sorrow.

This poem is from the book of poems of comfort and hope titled BEYOND THESE DARK LANDS ARE EDGES OF JOY. 

TITLE
The title of this poem is in two parts, like all of my poems in this collection. It begins by acknowledging that we have sorrow and tears. It further points out that there is a purpose in our grief and sorrow. The second part of the title is A Poem of Divine Virtue, and of course, the Divine refers to God. The Virtue brings us to think of the good He does.

STRUCTURE
It is a short poem since it is 15 lines long. The lines form only four sentences. Each line is six syllables except for the last one, which uses five syllables for impact.

MEANING

Illustration for the Poem,
Your Tears are Not in Vain,
From Beyond These Dark Lands
Are Edges of Joy
By A.E. Dozat © 2018

The title gives away the meaning. But the poem develops the point with several provocative statements that define God's purpose for our tears.
The opening line challenges the common belief that sorrow is meaningless,
"Tears are a gift from God:"
Line four presents the idea that our time of sorrow is not permanent and has an end,
"For once your tears are spent
And your grieving is done..."
Then we are lead to an image in lines six through eight of becoming free from the things that grief brings to hold us back.
Line 10 begins the conclusion,
"God gave tears to teach us,
They instruct us in hope."
Lines 13 through 15 speak of the ultimate hope in God.
Truly, it says a lot in a few words.


ILLUSTRATION
The illustration for this poem is a pen drawing of a path disappearing into the distance. For a twist, the road is made not earth but flowers.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
The scripture footnote to the page is, "Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them." Psalm 126:6, NIV

This poem gives hope to those who are going through loss and suffering. It says there is meaning to our tears, and tears teach truths that only those who suffer can know.  You may find it on page 19 of the book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy Words of comfort and Hope, to read the poem.

To read a review, CLICK HERE.

YOUR TEARS ARE NOT VAIN,

A Poem of Divine Virtue

Tears are a gift from God;

They come not from weakness

But from a soul in growth.

For once your tears are spent

And your grieving is done 

Then you are ready to walk

From the cold black shackles

Whose chains bind our hearts

And keep them earthbound.

God gave tears to teach us. 

They instruct us in hope.

For surely those who weep

Are the ones who know that

Resurrection cannot

Come without a tomb.

© A.E. Dozat 8/13/18

The Poet Explains His Meaning in the Poem, Not Only Are You Known

My Poem, Not Only Are You Known, is a poem of comfort and hope that may touch you on many levels of your life.

To get it through Amazon CLICK HERE.

TITLE
The full title is, Not Only Are You Known, a Poem about God. I choose these long titles to break away from the current trend to give minimal titles and to engage the reader's curiosity from the beginning.

The long title also suggests a key to understanding the poem. For this poem, there are two keys to understanding it. First, "Known," makes the point that we are known, but there is more to it than us simply being known by some universal awareness.
The second part of the title is, "A Poem About God." This takes us away from ourselves and brings us to God. People have a naturally self-aware view of life and see things from a self-vantage point, but I wanted to take us to God's vantage point and explore His view of us.

STRUCTURE

Illustration for the poem, Not Only Are You Known,
From Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy
by A.E. Dozat © 2018

This poem is 24 lines long and forms six sentences. Most of the lines are three to five syllables. The short lines give emphasis and slow the reader down, so they do not miss the meanings in the poem. The first section is made up of five "God knows you" statements.
God knows you
With all your flaws,
And He accepts you.

Line 16 starts the second section with

And since
God knows...

The poem begins with God's general knowledge of us and then goes to His knowledge that moves Him to act for us. 

Lines 20 to the end describes God's act of sending Christ to fulfill our greatest need. That need is echoed in the theme of knowing.

MEANING
The meaning of this poem is that God knows you with all your flaws and he also accepts you completely. But he knows you have not only flaws and sins, but you have a need that you cannot meet on your own; so He sent his Son, Christ, to die as our Savior and become the answer to that need.

ILLUSTRATION
The illustration for this poem is a drawing of a cross beside a road that leads over the side of a mountain.

SCRIPTURE
The scripture that accompanies this poem is, "And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world." 1 John 4:14, NIV

This poem offers comfort that you do not need to hide or run from God because He already knows you and He accepts you. It offers hope through the Gospel that Christ came to bring us to God so we can know His love.

To read the poem you may find it on page 18 of the Book Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy Words of comfort and Hope

© Adron 7/23/18

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 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

An Author's Discussion Of His Poem, He Who Works

This poem, He Who Works, A Poem about Your Plan, is on page 5 of my book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope.

I wrote this as a poem of reassurance of the loving purposes of God on your behalf.

TITLE
The title, He Who Works, A Poem About Your Plan, is in contrast to the poem. A reader may think it is about their own plans by the words, "about your plan." However, when you read it you find it is not about the plans you have made, but they involve another one.

MY CREATIVE PROCESS
I often start with an image or word picture of something and weave my message into it. This one began with the desire to say something particular. First, I wrote it out as a simple statement, then tried for days to come up with imagery to explain my thought but nothing fit. I tried different rhythms but felt the message was diluted by too much structure.  I returned to the original thought and kept rewriting each section until it said what I wanted.

STRUCTURE

A drawing of a wheelbarrow with flowers ©
Illustration of the poem, He who works
from Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy ©

This poem is so simple it is barely a poem at all. It is in a free-verse style and has only 20 lines forming five sentences. Some of the line breaks are one or two words long. It starts out conversationally with two "they say," and "you ask" statements; this brings us to a question that sets up the poem's concluding narrative.

WHAT IT SAYS
It starts with, "They will tell you God is good..." This is what people of faith say to encourage others in their times of difficulty. But lines follow that ask, "You say, 'where is the good...'" The poem acknowledges the pain "Yes, it hurts..." Then offers an explanation, "but God is working." The last five lines are an affirmation of God's love and goodness.

WHAT IT MEANS
We have a different perspective of God's goodness when we experience trials than when we are at ease. When we question God's purpose we may not get an explanation that satisfies us, but there are reasons to trust God and to hope during these times.

ILLUSTRATION
The poems in this book are illustrated.  A theme in many drawings is of a road leading through a landscape, some of the scenes are pleasant and others are barren. I choose a pleasant scene for this one, with a cart full of flowers beside the road.

You can read this poem on page 5 of the book. 

© Adron 3/21/18

The Poet Explains His Poem, Choose, A Poem Of Him

This poem, Choose, a Poem of Him, is found on page 4 in my book, Beyond these Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope.

TITLE
The title, Choose, a Poem of Him, was not easy to decide on. It gives away too much too early. Obviously, the poem is about choosing someone over things. You have to read it to know who it is and what the things are.

STRUCTURE

Illustration for the poem, Choose,
From Beyond These Dark Lands are Edges Of Joy
Words of comfort and Hope.
By A.E.Dozat © 2018

This poem is written in a free-verse style. It is short, only twenty-one lines.  The lines 1,4, and 7 are one-word lines, the word "reject." They are each followed by a statement of three things to reject, which are related to isolating yourself. Lines 12, 16 and 18 Mirror the first half by again using only one word, the word, "accept" which is followed by a description of the presence of God in His Spirit.

WHAT IT SAYS
This poem uses the comparison contrast method to say that we must refuse to withdraw from God and His compassion, and accept His presence.

WHAT IT MEANS TO ME
I struggle with depression and I know that there are times when you just want to go away and be closed off to others and God. So for me, I must remember to avoid this unhealthy activity.

This is where the title makes sense because to reject one thing and accept another is a matter of choice. It is, at least for me, the foundation of other healthy activities.

ILLUSTRATION
Like all the poems in this collection, I drew an illustration. I know illustrating your own poems is amateur but friends encouraged me to include my art.

The illustration is of a road leading past a tree with a bench in its shade. The bench is big enough for two, this is to suggest that you would sit there with a companion.  It is a representation of communion with God.

This poem helps you to see that there are still some choices available during your difficult time and one of those choices is to choose to accept God's love and comfort.

You can read this poem on page 4 of the book. If you would like to read a sample poem choose the link below for the website.

To read a review CLICK HERE.

© Adron 3/19/18

The Author's Discussion On His Poem, There Is No Question, A Poem About Foundations.

The poem, There is No Question, a Poem About Foundations, is found on page 3 in the book titled, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Poems of Comfort and Hope, by A.E. Dozat.

SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE POEM

TITLE
I choose the title for this poem with irony since it opens with questions, and pursues those questions throughout the first half, but the title is really explained by the concluding line. (I can't give that away here, you have to buy a copy and read it).

STRUCTURE
This poem is 25 lines long and most of the lines are 4 to 6 syllables. It opens with the word, "Maybe" which is repeated in lines 1, 5, and 9. I admit using the word, "Maybe," reflects a soft voice which is reinforced with the words me and us but the soft voice is mitigated with the word, "certainly," at line 13. I considered changing the voice in the second half and it would have made sense for the second half but would have been distracting and cost the poem unity. The soft voice persists with the use of we and us but is dominated by word, "Certainly," line 13, 16 and 25.

The maybes are all solitary, especially the first,
"Maybe

Illustration
There is No Question, A Poem About Foundations
from the Book,
Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy
© 2017 A.E. Dozat

We each wander
Through our desert."
The following two maybes are less dramatic but still expressions of solitude or estrangement.
The certainties contrast the maybes with expressions of God's communion.

WHAT IT SAYS
The maybes reflect our questions of why do we go through trials and problems. The reasons given include our rebellion, anger or stubbornness. There are many reasons we go through trials and there are times we just do not know why so it is all a bunch of maybes. But there are certainties "We must lean on God..." and "God is willing to reach to us and revive us ..." The concluding lines point to the ultimate Certainty.

MEANING
The message of this poem is simple. The point is God; that He is the ultimate answer to our questions and the ultimate source of comfort.

ILLUSTRATION
I drew the illustration of low hills covered with barren trees and a road leading to distant mountains. The barren trees reflect the maybes of the poem causing you to wonder why the trees are barren. The distant mountains are a classic device that represents God.

This poem, like most in the book, encourages you to have intelligent confidence in God during the dark times.

You can read the poem, There Is No Question, A poem About Foundations, in my book Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy, which you can purchase for $9.62 plus shipping, use the Buy Now button below.

There Is No Question,

A Poem About Foundations

Maybe,

We each wander

Through our desert

To reach a point...

Maybe,

Because of our rebellion

Or our anger,

Or our stubbornness...

Maybe,

We must come to where

We cannot go on

And fall on our face.

Certainly,

We must lean on God

And just rest in him.

Certainly,

God is willing

To reach to us

And revive us

When we collapse,

So we can learn

Day by day

That

God is

The Certainty.

© Adron 3/17/18

The Author's Commentary of His Poem, Above The Darkness,

This is the 3rd poem in my book, Beyond These Dark Lands, Are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope. Like all the poems in my book, this is short and written in free-verse style. You can read it on page 2.

To get it through Amazon CLICK HERE.

THE TITLE
The full title is Above the Darkness, A Poem of Vision. It is a title that gives hope that we can escape the darkness of our lives but in a way that is not humanly possible.

STRUCTURE
Most of the lines in this poem are phrases of three or four syllables that make up the four sentences of the poem. This way the reader considers each statement on its own before moving on to the next. The reader is thereby taken by steps to the declaration at the end.  It all gets the reader prepared for the last line which is an encouragement and a visionary statement.

WHAT IT SAYS
The first section describes how we "Wish to fly... Long to run." We are trapped by our difficult times and want to fly away or run away.  "We wait the day...rise up on wings."

Illustration for the Poem, Above the Darkness,
from the Book,
Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of joy
© 2018 A.E. Dozat

Then it takes a turn with, "Do not give up! You may yet arise..." there is hope but not by your own power or by your own strength.

Then poem transitions to a future hope, and at the same time gives hope. Even though we are weak we must continue. Our hope must be based on a vision or view of God. The poem ends with a positive declaration that what we hope for in faith will be granted through the Spirit. Those who are familiar with The Bible will think of Isaiah 40:31.

The idea of looking to God in our weakness and receiving His gift of strength through Christ is one that I return to in several poems in this collection.

THE MEANING
We all go through times where we long to escape our circumstances but we lack the resources in ourselves to flee. In those times we can hope, and do more than hope because we look to God and keep our focus on Him. He is the one who lifts us. If we focus on God the time will come when we are not in that place of darkness anymore but above it. The place of darkness still exists but we soar above it in faith.

THE ILLUSTRATION
Most of the illustrations I drew for this collection of poems feature a road and this one has a road leading through a forest viewed from above. In the sky is an eagle with wings spread out.

The scripture footnote is from Isaiah 40:31. This is the only scripture I referenced more than once.

This is a poem of hope, a hope in the Lord, and His promise to lift up those who look to him.

You can read the poem, Above the Darkness, A Poem of Vision, in my book Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy, which you can purchase for $9.62 plus shipping, use the Buy Now button below.

If you would like to read a sample poem choose the link below for the website.

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

To read a review CLICK HERE.

(c) Adron 3/14/2018

A Poet's Reflection on His Poem, Crucible, a Poem of Intelligence Over Feelings.

Crucible is the second poem in the book of poems titled, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy. It is the first poem of Chapter 1. It is the second poem in the book because another poem is used as a prologue to the collection.

SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE POEM

I wrote this poem to inspire people who are going through hard times to consider the ultimate question of God's goodness. I wanted to guide them to see that God is still good even when times are not.

IMPORTANCE OF THIS POEM
Every poem was carefully considered before adding it to this collection, and this was no exception. Now I realize that no other poem could take its place because it introduces key thoughts that are foundational to the rest of the book.

HOW IT WAS PLACED AS CHAPTER 1 PAGE 1
I do not remember how I decided that this poem should be the first. I spread the pages over the dining table and made stacks for each chapter, I moved poems from one stack to another and then shuffled the order so that each chapter had variety while keeping similar poems separated. I thought that Crucible would make as good a beginning as any other. Now I see that this one is so important and foundational it had to be Chapter 1 page 1. It must have been placed there by the hand of God.

TITLE
A crucible is an iron kettle used to melt metals in intense heat to burn off the impurities so that the metal left will be more valuable, pure, and useful.  The title of this poem says that our hardships are a crucible and that our imperfections are being purged in the fire. I know it is not a very original title and many have used it before, but I thought about it for a long time and could not come up with a better title. The subtitle, "A Poem of Intelligence Over Feelings," needs to be seen in view of the poem, (sorry, you need to read the poem to fully appreciate it).

OVERVIEW OF STRUCTURE
This poem is one long sentence. Each phrase is arranged on its own line, this forces the reader to consider the statements one at a time instead of reading the poem as a whole.

Illustration for the poem, Crucible,
from Beyond These Lands Are Edges of Joy
© 2018 AE. Dozat

It opens with a list of disappointments that we may face like an unfulfilled desire, a need for rescue, or for healing. Next the phrase "Then you are facing that critical collision..." introduces that action is needed because we have come to "a place of decision." The concluding phrase explains what that decision is.

WHY THIS POEM HERE
I wanted the reader to face God from the very beginning.

WHAT THIS POEM SAYS
In every trial, we are faced with questions of God, questions of His goodness, His power, or His will. This is the collision of faith and life which we must resolve. This is why I gave it the subtitle of A Poem of Intelligence Over Feelings. The question of God is answered with an intelligent act of will and leads us to make a faith decision.

In every struggle and trial, we make a decision regarding God. There is no going on without the answer to the question of God.

THE ILLUSTRATION.
Almost all the illustrations in the book have a road or path to give the book visual unity. I drew road through a dark wooded area for this poem. You might ask why didn't I draw a kettle but I thought it would have been too obvious.

CRUCIBLE

A POEM OF INTELLIGENCE OVER FEELINGS

When you do not receive

The hoped for blessing,

Or the rescue needed,

Or the healing of pain,

Then you are facing the

Intersection;

That place of decision

Upon which all matters.

Where you must decide if

You can declare boldly

Even in suffering,

That

"God, my God, is still good,"

Because that is the place

Where faith passes the test.

(c) Adron 3/11/18

What It Feels Like When You Make The First Sale Of Your Own Book.

As a niche publisher, I am on my own. I wrote the book of poems, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, for the hurting and struggling people I meet and friends who need encouragement and hope. I do not have the backing of a big business for resources and financing. I know right now my business model is more like a hobby, but I hope it will not be that way for long. I didn't write this book for the money, after all, it is poetry and only a handful of poets in modern times have made money; I just hope to break even and not plunge family and home into debt. I wrote it out of love for God and His children.

I had enough money to buy two dozen copies of my book and share them with some friends earlier this week. They are pastors and ministry heads at the Baptist state convention headquarters where I work in the mailroom. Even though they are seminary professors and most have PhDs in theology or church or something, they always treat the high school graduate in the mailroom (me) with the greatest dignity and respect. So I expected them to be gracious when I gave them each a copy, but they were far more than that, they were extremely affirming, highly congratulatory, and eager to celebrate my accomplishment.

Then today one of the ministry heads at the convention who is a man of God, a pastor, a Church planter catalyst for the state convention and head of a ministry organization to special needs families expressed his appreciation of my book of poems and ordered some copies to give to some folks he is ministering to.

It fills me with awe, humility, and gratitude to think that my collection of poems is going to be used by the Lord to encourage and bless people. You would think that I would be jumping for joy that someone likes my book of poems so much that they want to buy some copies, and yes I am joyful but the sense that I tried to do something for God and that He is blessing it is an awesome realization. I feel like I just want to keep on saying, "Thank you, God, it is all for you Lord," over and over.


If you would like to read a sample poem, choose the link below for the website.

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

(c) Adron 3/8/18