In hours between dusk and dawn
When minds are weary and drawn,
When souls are meant for sleeping
Crackling light comes streaking.
Illuminating dreams with eerie shadows,
Pounding sounds of battle’s bellow.
Too soon a banshee shrieking
Bursts upon my slumber, seeking
Entrance into my unfocused state,
As impoverished senses strive awake
To find a storm of darkness and light
Brewed this hot, humid summer night.
Alone my house stands in the dark countryside
Without city noise, without city lights.
Sheltered from eyes by a curve in the road
With trees to hide my abode.
Windows of covering bereft
This play of lightening I must now accept.
Water and wind toss the sturdy trees,
Beat a flurry upon frantic leaves.
The maple strikes against the glass –
Let me in, Let me in, it gasps.
I see the apple trees shaken,
Slender branches slapping without breaking.
I sit ‘neath the window, sill clutched ‘tween my fingers.
I could go, but choose to linger.
Peering past my window ledge,
Down to the meadow on horizon’s edge.
In the allotment of my gaze,
I observe the storm’s forays.
Rain hurls itself to the ground,
Wave upon wave wears it down.
A thousand warriors upon each front,
A thousand lines earth must confront.
Power erupts from forces fighting high,
In heaven’s realm, hidden from eye.
Explosions that crash and break and dive,
Screaming through a paralyzed sky.
I am blinded by light
Flashing as it ignites.
Creeping into corners where darkness is kept,
Awakening chambers where night has slept.
Niceties of the day all stripped away,
The normalcy of light left me naught but night.
Naught but flickers and glimmers upon my vision,
Naught but deafening din without remission.
Against the torrent, reason seeks a voice,
To rise above the roaring noise.
It must sometime end –
The strength of the wind
Will sweep this storm from my door,
And reach to farther, further shores.
And yes, at last, the storm does blow
Not out, but farther down the road.
And the wind reduces to a breeze.
The only rain, pitter-patter drops from leaves.
Light flickers in the distance far away,
As thunder rolls like echoes of another day.
But the storm gives one final cry
Before it lies down to die.
Crack, the air screeches as it’s ripped apart.
And slipping senses come to with a start
Eyes seek to know what they are seeing.
As ears hear thunder that pulls and tumbles,
Crashing oceans of racket and rumble.
Before this last stand, this barrage upon the night,
This cry that seemingly rips
Right through my soul
And the whole of all that exists,
Simply whimpers and simpers and fades into the mist.
And just as suddenly – terror and fear can no longer be found,
Though moments past my breath was bound.
We all shall know our own storms,
When doubt crowds and confidence is torn;
When life seems too large,
And trust too hard.
When the destroyer strives
To ravage the calm in our lives.
The enemy’s attacks can appear relentless,
With displays that consume our senses.
For the deceiver hides behind pernicious lies,
Spewed to discourage and entice compromise.
Yet we must not justify reasons to concede,
Despite blows that strike so deep.
In ferocity life may roar and rock and roll,
But refuse its entrance into the sanctuary of our soul.
Confront our fears face to face,
Undo the bindings which would encase.
I will not bow in deference to the terrors of the night,
Regardless their gaudy display of fraudulent might.
Determine to tenaciously contend,
Jesus paid the price that we might win.
So, we find God’s promises assured
When we choose to believe, choose to endure.
And a growing confidence is gained
As God is proved in the triumph attained.
Through chaos and calamity we cease not to believe.
God’s truth more real than what mere senses perceive.
So, we deny disaster,
Push past fear that would master,
Defy the deceiver to boldly claim
The victory bestowed us through Christ Jesus’ name.
Though life’s storms can still stir shivers of fright,
Now, I perceive a greater depth and beauty to persist in delight.
Where once all I found was terror, now I find a thrill,
For God leads me and His presence is with me still.
And times I could flee, I choose to stay, longing to see,
Something greater that lies beyond comfort and quiet skies.
Jenne Brown
