But He Can Always Speak

From here
on the floor
with the grains of the wood
and the stains of blood
and whiskey
from here is where I rise.

Splinters in the wood
and scratches all around
become the grain of life
and so we find a path
and pattern
in the most unlikeliest of places–
on this floor.

There are lines that speak of order
even down so low as this
and it is God’s sweet grace
to open our eyes that we might see
the lines beneath the whiskey
and dirt
and blood.

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158 Comments

Filed under poetry

158 Responses to But He Can Always Speak

  1. Wow. Unique. Quietly hard-hitting. A strange beauty.

  2. I can’t tell you how excited I am to see such a talented poet just get Freshly Pressed! Congrats!!

    Uncle Jesse says he thinks this is very powerful.

  3. I’m so glad this was freshly pressed! Congrats and I love the poem…very strong imagery.

  4. This is so beautiful and thought provoking. Thank you for sharing it.

  5. Wherever we are is always where we start from. I like this poem, thank you for sharing it.

  6. It is so nice to be lead here from freshly pressed congrats on your quality poem

  7. Beautiful and so true. Even in the midst of the most painful of pains, in the most chaotic of messes, His mercy, grace and love is there for us to embrace!

  8. Stunning, beautifully manifested! Totally refreshed my heart and soul. Thank you! Cheers.

  9. Truly beautiful, Soul. Congrats on being Freshly Pressed! This is wonderful!

  10. Love the poem but wouldn’t call it a strange beauty, I think it’s beautifully strange.

  11. “There are lines that speak of order
    even down so low as this”
    :)

  12. jalal michae sabbagh.http:// gravatat.com/jmsabbagh86@gmail.com

    Beautiful poem .Wishing you healthy and happy new year.jalal

  13. An interesting way of talking about order and pattern within suffering. Thank you for sharing that with us.

  14. Incredible! I rarely read poetry that moves me like this did.

  15. Reblogged this on Laura Macky and commented:
    Unbelievably moving, thoughtful poetry.

  16. This is a beautiful poetry. THanks for sharing!

  17. wooww!! This is amazing! truly beautiful.. :-)

  18. I enjoy poetry, and I love the descriptive and honest way you have written this piece.

  19. jonathanochart

    Thank you for sharing your piece, it’s quite the eye-opener. Color me intrigued.

    - Jonathan I http://styleoverstress.wordpress.com

  20. This is a great piece! Powerful imagery depicted through your words. Congrats on being FP!

    - Mihir Kamat
    http://mihirkamat.wordpress.com/

  21. Nicely put! I appreciate it, it is so meaningful.

  22. Great read, very powerful! It would be awesome if you could check out my blog too http://herewegoblogdotcom.wordpress.com/

  23. Do you have another post with this same theme? Interesting poetry.

  24. Wonderfully written, congrats on being Freshly Pressed!

  25. Very strong poetry, very much needed in time of chaos :) reminds of a line from “The Desiderata” With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Have a great 2013 and congrats on being FP. Way to go!

  26. it is terrific how you captured the moment when a soul is so in despair that there is no chance to speak… only to cry out. and in these amazing stages of life the real miracle happens when a person starts to see not with the eyes of the body but with the spirit.
    i loved your poem….

  27. Thank you for this poem, it is unique.

  28. Just stumbled accross your poem, must go in search of more of your poetry also will have to go back on this piece and re read I’m sure a different emerges after each reading, Happy New Year – catch up in 2013
    Chris.

  29. OOOPS!!! always re read before sending – hit the (c) button twice & left out (image) after different.
    Chris.

  30. Just beautiful, thank you. So glad to discover your poetry through freshly pressed.

  31. Nice thinking poem…….such a briliant poet.

  32. Outstanding. Last five lines are especially powerful. Rich contrasts in those last few lines.

  33. Thank you for writing this and inspiring me today.

  34. This is a beautiful piece. The idea behind it reminds me of something I wrote many many years ago. It is so amazing how someone else’s journey (yours) can shed light into our own. Thanks!

  35. oooh congrats on being FP’d!! you deserve it – your poetry is outstanding, as is this piece.
    great work!

  36. Very unique, and interesting. This opens up my mind to the beauty of God.

  37. After reading this carefully, this came
    “…that in each thing He created (and allowed to be created) God speaks.” -vjmagdadaro

    Sir, this is indeed thought provoking.

  38. You are like a modern-day Paul. Paul was real, wrote about numerous difficult situations & circumstances, oftentimes in poetry format, which in turn would encourage others. That’s what I think about when reading your work. Great stuff! Congrats on being Freshly Pressed : )

  39. Your writing is always beautiful! Congrats on the freshly pressed :)

  40. This is very wonderful. Thanks for sharing!

  41. I see: a poor alcoholic who dies in a wooden cabin in the mountains, and comes out of his body…or… maybe he hasn’t dies but is just reborn? This is Gods grace…either death or a second chance? Hits close to home for me! Thank you for sharing!

  42. This is beautiful. You are very talented! I look forward to reading more of your poetry!

  43. Reblogged this on thewordpressghost and commented:
    Does anyone feel like poetry?

    Ghost.

  44. blackshepherd

    It’s a very good poem. I think it would be better without the line “most unlikliest of places” unless you wrote it that way intentionally for a reason I don’t see. “most unlikely of places” is more logical. Also, something I learned while editing a journal in college which I came to appreciate and monitor in my own writing has to do with “split infinitives” e.g. the title: “But He Can Always Speak”…the “split involves separating “can” and “speak” with “always”…many editors would suggest: “But He Always Can Speak” or “But He Can Speak Always”…I know it can be a matter of taste and I make the same mistake all the time myself. We’re all so used to speaking that way that it sounds correct until you get used to the gramatically correct forms. Sometimes I find myself holding on to the colloquial forms out of stubborness or because I want to speak colloquially so I’m curious if you’re doing it intentionally or not and why if so.
    What I like most about the poem is the imagery which is very strong. I can identify with it as an alcoholic having considerrd those points of view more closely than I’d like to admit sometimes. I’ve written a few from this perspective. We begin again from wherever we regain consciousness of our position I guess as long as we don’t get too distracted by wondering whether or not there might be a basement beneath the ground floor of misery…you know? I like the way you put it…the whiskey, blood etc…and in my case more than once…the vomit…but blood works better. So, I find myself wondering if your poem was about one of those ephiphanies one sometimes has on a barroom floor…?
    Congratulations on being “Freshly Pressed!” Peace!

    • If your english grammar is lacking you will often miss something in my poetry. I don’t do anything on accident. Peace to you as well.

      • blackshepherd

        well, that’s why I commented and shared my observation so that maybe you would show me what I missed…why did you write “most unlikliest” vs “most unlikely”…it’s a straigtforward question…

        • Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t think your grammar is lacking. I just wanted to confirm your suspicions. As to explanations… it’s too soon. Perhaps if you are still interested in a month or two everything will have settled enough for me… but straitforward answers about some parts of my poetry are always going to be unlikely. I do appreciate that you would consider my intention before you “made it your own.” I have grown intrigued by the place of authorial intention in poetry reading. Let me know if you are still interested in a month or two. And thank you again for taking so much time to consider a piece of mine. Cheers.

        • In the mean time, I will be considering your questions (of course) and if I am up to it sooner I will definitely respond sooner.

  45. Nice and meaningful phrases. Truly God is there to remind us to realize something! Happy New Year!

  46. this piece reminds me of the haunting song “whiskey lullabye.” thank you for sharing! :)

  47. Intriguing and very thought provoking! Love it!

  48. Reblogged this on CIRCLE OF LIGHT * MINISTRIES UNITED and commented:
    Short and Well written!

  49. blogless wonder

    “There are lines that speak of order
    even down so low as this…”
    My favorite sentence in your very moving poem!

    Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed!

  50. is it unusual my heart rate scaled a notch while reading that, simply enchanting.

  51. Wow. There is such simplicity to this poem, but it still has so much depth. Incredible job!

  52. So thankful that this beautiful message was Freshly Pressed. Blessings to you!

  53. Love the imagery. You said volumes in only three stanzas. Nice work!

  54. Damn it, why can’t I understand poetry? But it all sounds so nice.

  55. Pingback: Freshly Riffed 16: RAM IT IN « A VERY STRANGE PLACE

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