POEM: Rekindling Hope by Sonja Sweet

Rekindling Hope
by Sonja Sweet

In the bleakest season of dark and cold,
The days end early, and in days of old
The fires that blazed and burned all day
Were not finished their work, but were banked,
to stay

Glowing with embers fierce and true
Ready always to be built up anew
Bearing good warmth all through the cold night
A hope to the hungry come morning light

Their hearth fires never went out, you see
And when the winds blew most bitterly
They readied themselves for the winter storm
By fueling the fire that kept them warm

This was the secret: every man of old
Stocked a store of wood worth its weight in gold
He laboured to lay up the best all year,
Cutting wood to conquer fear

This kindling would rekindle the flame
No matter how harsh the storm became
They could harbour hope in their hearts and sing
Around the fire ‘til the dawn of spring

So now, like the women and men of old,
I will lay up a hope against darkness and cold
A treasure that neither disease nor thief
Can rob me of: a sure belief

That summer’s days will come to pass
That heaven’s ways will come at last
That our King will return and then,
We’ll see him face to face again.

Hope is patient, hope is long
Hope works hard when fear is strong
It lays up what is good and true
Noble, right, praiseworthy, pure

Hope is a hearth fire burning bright
It is not quenched in the soul’s dark night
But burns on, ready with warmth and light
To illuminate, inspire, invite

The wood on the fire of my heart is this:
His words of love and faithfulness
His words! They are spirit and life, and they
Are rekindling hope in hearts today.


Love this poem. Here is another Christmas Poem by Joel and Sonja Sweet:
https://youtu.be/tqs9qpvCnno