Violet Primavera-A Video Reading of a Spring Poem
Plus a reflection and prompt for you
Below—A little video (2 1/2 minutes) for you with a reflection and writing prompt at the end. Listen to “Violet Primavera” (and watch me shift from screen to camera while reading :-)
Violet Primavera
What does Heaven matter when the depths of sin are afoot?
Skullduggery and lies; shouldn’t we alert one another,
“Watch out! Beware!” Spend our days pointing, flashlights
trained on the enveloping dark? Pondering the question
as I walk city streets, my eyes take in the order, care,
attention gracing public spaces, planters laced with
burgeoning Springtime.
I train my eyes instead on violet, magenta, shocking yellow
on stems illumined in the promise of vernal sunshine.
Whisper thanks to invisible bringers of delight, notice
the way my eyes and heart lift towards a truer Kingdom
above to a bluer sky. Vow to use the light I bear
and join the unseen flock with faith eyes,
ambling forward to shine beauty in the dark.1
I am probably muddling up the source and the sentiment of the quote I have in mind, but I think it was Madeleine L’Engle who opined something like, “How will people find the Kingdom of God unless we show them how beautiful it is?” I want to live like that, to “make much of God,” as John Piper says, and keep my eyes trained on the right kingdom even while here on earth.
You? I’d love to hear how this poem landed for you —please share in the Comments; I so enjoy hearing from you.
-Jody
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I believe this poem first appeared on Instagram when I was still on social media; it has since been published in “Mining the Bright Birds: Poems of Longing for Home,” Wipf & Stock/Resource, 2023.
Your words (and photographs) are beautiful. I think very few people have trouble admitting the world is a dangerous place—but there are plenty (me!) that need to be often reminded of beauty. ✨Thank you.
I think you do a good job of showing the beauty, Jody. This was lovely.