Original Poetry by Sarah Powlison
Peace
I lift my hands in surrender
rest in worship of you
Because this is where I find my hallelujah
We’ll dance in the fire
And know this is not a crisis to you
Here my mountains melt like wax before you
You are moving them into the heart of the sea.
When all I want to do is hide my eyes
You pull me into your arms and call me Child
And here, in the dark is where you hold my hallelujah
Oh you march out to me
On the waves of my sea
You overwhelm my troubles
They sink next to you
When you stretched out the heavens
you made a space for me
Only when I am afraid can you give me courage
Like a rough and uncut diamond, my worth is hard to find
But you polish me with troubles
You trust me with suffering
Yahweh you let me relate with you
And you invite me into dark places where I can represent you
In the heartache of deep waters,
In the tumble of these waves,
you’re revealing facets in me that make your value shine.
Copyright@ 2021
Dichotomy
It’s funny how strength conceals itself in the unlikeliest places
The bend of a sapling in the driving wind
The arch of a baby’s back against the carseat belt
The gentle trickle of water and time over rock
How often do we undervalue precious gems lacking unnatural polish and pretense –
even when we miss it, their worth remains the same
Real strength isn’t in sinew and synapse
It’s the flower that blooms in the middle of war
The sparrow that sings in the gale
The mother that loves when her own body shakes
That celebrates friends while her own heart breaks
Gait unsteady
Hands curled in
Ears that really listen from the heart, because they do not work at all
Love all the fiercer because she knows grief
The sweet even brighter because she’s tasted bitter
Strength all the more because she knows she is weak
And so she does not bury the burdens of her soul – she plants them and watches them grow
Into a tree
Bringing life, bearing fruit, sheltering the stranger and the sister, the daughter and the son
The sapling growing
taking beautiful shape to show the storms that she’s been in
Copyright @ 2026
For Jess.
Vision
Her world has narrowed, sound muffled, vision dimmed,
but her arms stretch wider – her eyes see more clearly,
that which carries her voice over river and mountains,Speaks of strength that is NOT her own
Watch her turn quiet, for now, while in her stirs a storm
Confusion, loss, lament
Tears that will water flowers for bouquets,
roses that roar of her grace.
And tell the world she is not done creating beauty from ashes.Copyright @2025
For Amanda
Friend
What is a friend?
She is someone who upon discovering shattered pieces of your heart collects them
Tender handed
Holds them gently
Washes them in her own tears
With prayers she
Pieces and pastes
broken shards back in place
Places arms around burdens too hard to speak
She holds some of the pain on her own weary shoulders
Adding company to sorrows
Safe Space for grief
Intercessions for Future expectations of joy thrust to Heaven
Together
Copyright @2025
Steady
At the risk of being tragic
Let me tell you about my life
Because more and more I’ve noticed
That when I’m captive by the pain
It draws me close to you
Bringing glory to your name
And the Sun still runs its course
In a strong and steady way
Though violent storms rage on
My God is still the same
When tears are flowing fast
Hot sheets of rain
On a foggy window pane
I know the one who made me
Covers all my shame
The sun still runs its same steady course
Even wherein violent storms rage strong
a proclamation, a prose, a prayer
I remind my soul of this
I have a certain provenance
And
The one who formed me,
Crafted me like clay
Carefully, lovingly
Thoughtfully
I know the One who loves me
Faithfully remains
Even when the Sun is invisible beneath my horizon
And I am cloaked in darkest night
Consistent, unshifting, steadfast, and constant
My God, My God,
You love you me every day
When I feel like everything is dissonant, and life is out of rhythm
Or it is jarring and staccato
The truth is the one who gave us ears to hear music and made our souls to feel a lyrical rhyme
Can make a pleasing tempo
Within or behind the beat
Because steady, steady, my God is always in time
And
I know the One who loves me
Faithfully remains
copyright @2025
Hindrance
When my worship is hindered by disobedience
Let me cast aside my wayward works
May I flee into your arms
And away from sin that harms
Both mine and others’ souls
And Why does it entice me
And why do I so soon
Forget that human anger
Only leads to certain doom?
Skillfully setting up a trap
I step in it.
Equip me with your words and most of all your ways
to fight the Old Me inside of me
Picking out the great old oaks
Wedged behind my critical eyes
So that I can see clearly
To capture and discard
My misplaced selfish pride
Casting off offense
Because I recognize my own contempt
Lord, let me only look to you for my defense
And fight my enemy inside me that IS me
Help me March to the rhythm
Of your drumbeat
Not my own
With discipline of mind
As I talk to my own soul
Let it be with authority
That I must walk the line
Gentle my heart
To all but my own folly
Teach me, even when it hurts
Discipline me, even when the tears come
Only give me a willing spirit
And capture me with your Love
Holy Spirit
I need more of you
And so much less of me
Let all my actions be salve not salt
To wounded souls
Made Worthy of your love
Copyright @ 2022
A psalm, The friendship of the Lord
When I walk uprightly in the paths you have set for me
I enjoy your friendship
Your voice speaks to me, and I quicken to listen
Wondering what my True Friend will say
You remind me of wisdom long ago spoken
Of your Word that brings life
And your disciplines that keep me from recklessness
Keep me far from the self-destroying choices
That bring ruin to my soul
Blessed is the one whose neighbor loves the LORD’s truths and who walks in his ways
He enjoys safety and thoughtful care.
When he is greeted by God’s man, he is treated as one who bears your image
I say to my weary soul
“Your God has done great things, recount each one during the long nights and the burdened days”
When my soul is filled with trouble, only remembering your ways brings me peace
My human hourglass has not the sand to number every mercy.
I look to you as one greeting a companion from her youth, a kindred spirit
Who alone understands every sorrow and each joy.
Oh let me return to your beautiful instructions again, so that I may enjoy the security of your friendship.
Because you love me, you call me to higher ways.
To ways not understood by human minds
They bring me life and revive my spirit when it is fainting
Only you give meaning to my life and fruitfulness to my labor
My Friend, when I wander, draw me back to your faithful protection
Remind me that your directions are unerring and your instructions are secure
When I travel through unavoidable danger, let me delight in your immovable might
When I forget the goodness of your dictates, turn me back around
That I may again look for peace through your precepts, and companionship in your friendship.
Copyright @ 2020
