Category: Poetry Festival

 “KNOW WHO YOU ARE”
PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRL

Thick, intertwined tresses flow down her narrow back side.
She entered this world with her eyes open wide.
Beauty paled only by a graceful allure.
A precious, little girl of the world yet unsure.
Eyes of ebony, skin dewy smooth like honey.
People look at her as though she were the one funny.
Although she tried hard to keep a stiff upper lip.
The cruelty she endured oftentimes made her tongue slip.
At times they would quiver, and her eyes would swell with tears.
Overcome with pain, and hurt had crippled her with fear.
She learned quickly but harshly to look the other way.
Bearing the pain of denial day after day.
Frumpy in appearance but undaunted away she goes.
Strength coming from places she doth not know.
Taking it, grasping it, at times she felt she had died.
“You can do this child!” A voice came from somewhere deep, down inside.
Although the voice that had spoken had “seemingly” since come, and gone.
She rested assured from that day that she was indeed not alone.
Then one day the voice spoken again saying “go on child you can do it.”
“I will always be with you and you will get through it.”
“Walk on my child down paths riddled with pain.”
“Hold your head high, and tolerance you will gain!”
She did, yes she did as she was told.
Something spoke to her spiritually from deep within her soul.
She found the courage to go on that day.
She shouted with God’s help “I will not be swayed!”

“I am unmovable, I am unshakeable, and I am a blessed child of God.”
“I don’t have to walk around with a pretentious façade!”
“I know I am precious, oh yes I can see!”
“That there is so much more to poor, little me!”
Sadly there were times when her faith was put relentlessly to the test.
She tried hard, damned hard to give it her best!
She was hurt inconsolably, and the pain made her sad.
For she could not grasp why people treated her so bad.
Looking past their ignorance well, was no easy task.
Her hatred for the injustices endured she tried hard to mask.
She wandered aimlessly around oftentimes with nowhere to go.
Confused, and bewildered with her head hung low.
Yet she cloaked her pain in a beautiful, but yet wary smile.
Although she was hurting, and crying inside all the while.
‘Tis not easy a burden for a child to alone bear.
Sadly when she sought solace absolutely no one was there.
Even those she held close to her still forming heart.
Pushed her away, and defiantly kept her apart.
From the very little goodness God knows she had ever known.
She remained stifled but vigilant, till the day she was grown.
She had to fend for herself despite her obvious youth.
But as fate would have it she would soon know the truth.
That there was no denying that she would never be accepted.
But worse of all those closest to her, even they too rejected.
So she held her little head high, and “said I will not let you beat me!”
“Despite all of the things that you have tried hard to cheat me!”
“I will go on unmovable, unshakable, and I will not relent!”
“Though on my destruction everyone seems hell-bent!”

One day she stood firm, and shook her little fist at the walls!
Screaming “I am unmovable, I am unshakeable” then she curled up in a ball.
She rocked back, and forth pulling her knees all the way to her chest.
Drawing her wee body close, nestling like a baby bird in a nest.
Unsure of her fledgling footing, with no wings quite yet to fly.
To soar to the heavens she would but give it a try.
Fall though she may, she would get up, and just do it again.
Even if on her very life, her escape from them should depend.
Fighting back the tears she tried hard not to cry.
Alas, when she got home that day, all she wanted was to die.
She told not a soul, not even her father, or her mother.
For she thought to herself surely there was no other.
She was too overcome, and way too embarrassed.
To share her pain, and tell of the constant harassments.
“Maybe people will accept me for me, for that is what my heart longs.”
That is the day when she realized, that she could not be more wrong!
She was pushed away again, and flagrantly disregarded.
Those who opposed her remained steadfast, and willfully hard-hearted.
So the little girl ran to her room, and dropped sobbing to her knees.
She lamented, and moaned “will someone help me please!”
I fight, and fight, and it seems to never end!
For there is absolutely no one on whom I can depend!
Her family was too preoccupied oftentimes with problems of their own.
It would have helped her in coping if more consideration was shown.
So she suppressed her feelings, keeping her them entirely to herself.
She entertained thoughts of running away, and worst of all death!
She was tired of being demeaned, forlorn, and neglected.
Always feeling sorry for herself, and completely dejected.

She knew that very day that she could take it no more!
She screamed to the heavens, and fell to the floor!
Emotions overcame her as she recollected her pain.
A torrential downpour of memories engulfed her like rain.
In prayer her hands were tightly, and firmly clasped.
Reaching into the heavens, her fingers at nothingness grasped.
The little girl, frail although quite nimble.
Body convulsed, uttering words indecipherably with a tremble.
Her tiny body bruised, her spirit fragmented, and broken.
Alone in the darkness her heart’s secrets were spoken.
To her maker in despair that night she cried out alone!
“Please dear father, please come take me home!”
She expected God’s entrance to be grandiose, and outstanding.
But how he would come really, there was no understanding.
Behold! The clouds rolled past the moon, and a little star did shine!
She mistook the light thinking that “maybe it’s her time.”
“Wow, this is not quite what I expected.”
“Why am I nervous when I should be calm, and collected?”
So she took a deep a breath; heavily sighing, and held out her hands.
“Finally dear God, someone has come who truly understands.”
She took yet, another deep breath, and waited up all night.
For she had now lost her will to live, and had given up the fight.
So she waited, and waited but for her death never did come.
She thought to herself “then where did that light come from?”
She screamed once again “I want to go home, and be with my maker!”
But the God from above chose not to come and take her.
“I hear you my child!” A voice proclaimed from above!
“I open my arms, and embrace you with love!”

Much to overcome, she broke down, and started to whine.
The voice said “hush now child, don’t you know that you are mines?”
Her eyes lit with joy, and in the moonlight softly they did glisten.
The little girl knew that she had better stop crying, and to listen.
She looked up to the voice with a melancholy sigh.
The voice said “stop sobbing my child, and wipe those tears from your eyes!”
She said “father, dear father is it the time, the time of my death?”
“Have you come for me dear father, to take me for yourself?”
She looked down at herself at her tattered, and torn clothes.
Not dressed for her heavenly sojourn she innocently supposed.
“Well, sorry that I am not much to look at as you can plainly see.”
“But please do not let it affect your decision to come, and take me.”
The Father look down, and lovingly shook his head.
“My precious, little child it is only your will that is dead.”
“I look deep, deep at a heart that is pure, loving, and true.”
“Therefore your appearance has no bearing on how I perceive you.”
“Your heart is just bursting, and full to capacity with love.”
“And someday you’ll make a perfect fit here with us up above.”
“Someday!” She screamed “this cannot be!”
“I thought you were here father to come, and take me!”
As you can imagine, this kind of confused the precious little girl.
For the Lord told her to stay, and contribute her gifts to the world!
Anger, and sadness was written undeniably all over her face!
For she no longer wanted to stay, and live in disgrace!
The little girl’s heart broke, and again she was overcome with grief.
Then she looked up at the Lord with utter disbelief!
“What gifts Lord? Of what is it do you speak?”
“Gifts are not what I need at this moment; it is comfort that I seek!”

“I am poor dear Lord, and I ask you who in this world will listen to me?”
“I have no riches father, well none that I can see.”
“Riches do not define you child nor anything you can ever own.”
“It is your prayer for imminent death, which I choose to postpone.”
“Postpone my death? I have nothing father, and my life is torn apart.”
“Maybe dear child but you still have a heart.”
“Maybe” she replied sarcastically, “but I want something real.”
“Something I can touch, and things I can feel.”
“Well now child, does not your heart feel pain as you have often said?”
“Your heart must feel something, for you certainly are not dead.”
She answered “why? I cannot tell the difference, not even if I tried.”
“My heart is shattered to pieces, and tonight my spirit died.”
“Start believing in yourself child, and stop asking why!”
“Stand up on your feet, and you hold your head high!”
“You are a joint heir of Christ, and thus entitled to all things thereof.
“All you are lacking really is just a little bit of love.”
“Often offering your love to others, and wanting just a little of it back.”
“Thus I the Lord have come to give you the things that you lack.”
“There is a reason my child why you were put on this earth.”
“Though you lost the vision from doubting your self-worth.”
“I am not a respecter of person, or position, nor to injustice am I blind.”
“And in my image little one, I created all of mankind.”
“But man deviated from my guidance and took it upon themselves.”
“Seeking power, and position in their pursuits of immense wealth.”
“In your mother’s womb I watched as you were beautifully formed.”
“In a cushion of comfort where you felt safe, and warm.”
“Know that I am the God who created the heavens and the earth.”
“Yet I was there in the room when your mother gave birth.

“Now don’t go worrying child all is not lost.”
“I emerged triumphant when I hung on the cross.”
“Though the form of the cross has changed in the eyes of man.”
“I conquered death, and now sit at my Father’s right hand.”
“You my dear I will never forsake.”
“I am here to prevent you from making a dreadful mistake.”
“You reasoned to yourself, you thought that no one cared.”
“I heard your cry, and I have answered your prayer.”
“How father? How have your answered me?”
“I want to go home with you father, why can’t you see?”
“Everyone is too busy, and they will not even notice that I am gone.”
“I spend most of my time sulking, and always alone.”
“Alone? The Lord said. No child I have always been there.”
“Your family will truly miss you, and they really do care.”
“Well, it does not really matter anymore father, I just want to go.”
The Lord looked down at her, and shook his head “NO!”
“Now this thing that you are asking, well it is quite a sorrowful task.”
“I will deny this request, and I will not do as you have asked.”
“No my child, I have not come to take you away.”
“You have work to do in the future, thus you must stay.”
“Sometimes your pain I assure you will be more than enough.”
“I promise that I will be there for you when the going gets tough.”
“No matter what it looks like, do not ever despair.”
“For I will never, ever put more on you than you are equipped to bear.”
“When all else fails child, you better believe that I never will.”
“All I ask is that you trust me, and just be still.”
“From certain pain unfortunately well, you will not be excluded.”
“So you can be a witness to others is why I will put you through it.”

“Yes, you have endured much child, at such a tender young age.”
“But the pain that you have bared has not tarnished your face.”
She said to the father “surely there has got to be better than this.”
The Lord answered “yes, and here is a glimpse of what you’ll miss.”
In the blink of an eye he gave her a view of the life she’d come to know.
Then he asked her once again “now are you sure you want to go?”
Across plains of time she saw people who’d draw strength from her pain.
It happened so quickly that she thought she was going insane.
There were children like her who lives she would profoundly touch.
Then suddenly her pain compared to theirs did not hurt nearly as much.
She saw people, and places spanning across the expanse of the sky.
Then the Lord said “come now child do you really want to die?”
She lowered her head, and she thought a moment, just a moment to herself.
Then she responded “wow, it seems that I will after all be something else.”
“I guess, well I suppose my life is not a waste.”
“I had given up hope, anguishing foolishly in haste.”
As it is written, the angels in heaven all began to clap, and rejoice!
“Praise the Lord for the child has made the right choice!”
“Halleluiah! This child will go on, and do great things in you!”
The child answered quickly “yes father, now I know what I must do!”
The little girl jumped up, and danced in place.
A jubilant smile came over her pretty, little face.
“Oh father, I am so thankful that to my pain you have put an end.”
“Oh thank you father, people will never hurt me again.”
The Lord warned “hark; now there will sometimes still be pain, and woe!”
“I have shown you things to encourage you, things that only I know!”
“Watch, and pray and keep a close eye!”
“Some of things you will go through, well now you know why.”

“Yes, the trials will come that you alone must often endure.”
“But there is one thing that you can most certainly be sure.”
“That I will never leave you nor will I ever forsake you.”
“And when your deed is done here, it is only then will I take you!”
“But for now go on, go on my precious, little child”
“Go on in my glory, and wait just a little while.”
“For in the eyesight of the Lord a thousand years is like a day”
“There is no rush as I have chosen for you to stay.”
“I will direct you my child to the things that you must do.”
“For the harvest is great, but the workers are few.”
The little girl answered “thank you father, I think I now understand!”
“I will stay as you have said, and do the best that I can.”
“There is a God who truly loves me for me.”
“Who looks far beyond what the natural eye can see.”
“How you define happiness my child, I will leave that up to you.”
“But my word is my bond, and will always be true.”
“This day I will never forget, and to other I will attest.”
“So that by sharing my story, they too may be blessed.”
A single tear rolled down her flushed, rosy cheek.
Much too overcome with joy she could no longer speak!
The Lord said “every tear you have cried, I have stored away in a jar.
“Sight unseen it may seem, I will never be far.”
The little girl both happy, and wearied, lay her head down.
The heavens closed before her without as much as a sound.
She smiled a bright smile, much brighter than the moon!
The last soft beam of light drifted quietly from her room.
Although the little girl had her eyes closed rather tight.
She managed to sneak a peek as it faded gradually from sight.

She was stunned when she heard the mantle clock chime.
For barely a minute has passed as it is with time!
The Lord was right a day like a thousand, a minute to a day.
It seemed like hours, perhaps he intended it that way.
She laid her head back down, and off to sleep she went.
For she knew that the message received was no doubt heaven sent.
She learned that her pain would be a ministering to those in need.
She learned this after the Lord planted, and watered the seed.
A seedling that was longing to be nurtured, and destined to grow.
The Lord often looks in on her, saying “would you look at my child go!”
From that day forth the little girl learned to tune her ear.
To the voice of the Lord so that she could most definitely hear.
The people that had shunned her now seek her advice.
Rather than turn them away, she instead treated them nice.
In her progressive walk of life, she learned that there are no lessons in death.
She learned this from the Lord in spite of her “woe-is-me self.”
The Lord was right about all the things she would have most certainly missed!
She looks to the heavens daily, and always blows him a kiss!
Oh Precious Little Girl, you now know who you are!
With a little urging from God, well you have made it quite far!
Though you be just a fledgling, just about ready to go it alone.
Just look to the Lord, and your path will be shown.
As for your footsteps, they will be directed over time as to the way you should go!
How will the journey end? Well that is something only God knows!

WRITTEN BY: MURNA L. SAFFORD