Poems as Prayers & Reflections: Heart Transplant
Ezekiel 26, a reflection prompt and a fellow writer who claims she "knows nothing" about poetry (she is mistaken)
Heart Transplant*
The need is ours-an urgent newness required
to resuscitate limbs, extremities, the sullen mind.
Without so much as a gown, mask or hospital
room, a divine hand reaches down, removing
that-which-is-dead, stony, unfeeling organ
and replaces it with muscle, pumping tissue
that circulates scarlet choice and change
while Spirit breath offers rebirth to this
waiting receptacle of life.1
…
REFLECTION TO CONSIDER
God created us with 79 organs in our bodies, the heart being the most important one, I’m pretty sure. However, did you know the largest organ is the skin? I did not. Now that I think about it, the skin covers everything else and holds it all in. We live in a skin-draped ‘tent.’ Maybe our skin is the most important organ.
It’s been said that a poem comes alive when it is read; when you read it, how does it come alive to you? Read the poem again. What comes to mind when you think of the word skin?
Getting under (my) your skin
Growing a thick skin
Beauty is only skin deep
Your Invitation
Sit for 5 minutes and listen to what the words might be saying to you. God could be speaking (actually, He is always speaking.)
Find an empty journal or use one you have and write down what comes to mind. It does not have to be a poem, of course. Then come back and tell us about it in the Comments if you’d like.
BONUS: Each week there’ll be a new poem with some prompts to consider. Over time you’ll have a collection of poems to put in a poetry notebook, if you choose. (I’ll be crafting downloadable PDF’s of each poem for you to print) and a journal to go with it.
It’s great to have you as part of the Poetry & Made Things community!
*Heart Transplant was recently included in the online journal ‘Renaissance’ from The Way Back to Ourselves and is shared with their permission.
RESOURCES | RECOMMENDATIONS
Kristine Neely, writer at My Pen in the Air, says she doesn’t know anything about writing poetry…. I beg to differ. She has plenty of great ideas—Check this post out and see what I mean. (Plus, there’s a kind mention of Poetry & Made Things). Thanks, Kristine!
LAST FOUR PHOTOS from my phone (the best ones, imho)
DOWNLOAD A PDF of this poem crafted with a vintage bird-themed background
Skin for skin
Skin for skin,
This elastic wrapping
Holds me in.
Heaving ribs,
An expanding cave,
Protects my heart
And breathes the way.
Held in place
By sweating Grace
Whose skin for sin
My skin replaced.
Taking the “skin” prompt. These will be random thoughts. Skin of the earth. God wore our skin. God dressed Himself in human skin. No covering from the elements. Our skin has to be clothed. Skin of my belly where babies grew is stretched. Soft hair on top, rough heels on bottom. Tight skin on forehead, loose skin under arms. Skin is an humble organ, cushioning buttocks and bridging nose, curling ear and tiny toes. Origami joints folded in elastic skin. We look at each others skin, but what does skin look like from underneath? What do heaving ribs see from their expanding cave? They protect the heart and lungs but were vulnerable to the Roman spear. There was no place Jesus’ skin was not cut, bruised or split. Skin for skin. Skin for sin. His living wrapping holds me in today.