Pages

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Almond Tree - Part 2, Days of Light



Almond Tree
by Melissa Campbell

The oil runs clear through the presses
to fill the jars that supply the lamps-shimmer holy
from blossoms on branches of the Almond Tree.

Ripe the fruit of ancient Roots,
gathered, crushed golden in hushed garden grove,
the oil runs clear through the presses.

Maccabbee miracle shines Chanukkah joy,
eight days illuminating Judah's praise,
from blossoms on branches of the Almond Tree.

Always burning in the Holy Place,
two servants serving the Lord night and day;
the oil runs clear through the presses.

God-eyes probing dark earth corners,
casting light for blind to see,
from blossoms on branches of the Almond Tree.

Not by might nor power, but intimately,
by The Spirit of the Lord of Angel Armies,
the oil runs clear through the presses
from blossoms on branches of the Almond Tree.
 

Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. He asked me, “What do you see?”

I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”

~ Zechariah 11:1-2 (NIV )

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2010 by Biblica



Today is Day 2 in the Days of Light series.  Please join me for the next 6 days as I continue to light a candle in words to highlight the Coming of our Lord as celebrated by some in Advent and The Festival of Lights.  

Previous Posts:
Day 1:  Walk in Light

I was inspired recently by L.L. Barkat to write a villanelleThe Almond Tree is the fruit of my efforts.  I am so glad I took her up on the challenge.  To learn about this rhyme-scheme, you can visit Seedlings in Stone.


Photo Courtesy:  flickr - J. M. Rosenfeld.

6 comments:

  1. Oh how we forget. But you haven’t. I don’t write poetry. Bur your words inspire.

    Consecrated oil
    for only a day
    the sunlight, then darkness,
    and flame will grow cold
    no oil to fuel the flame

    no light in the Temple
    no light
    in the heart
    of Israel
    no oil to fuel the flame

    One day begat two
    and two became four
    the fire still flickered
    with no
    oil
    to fuel
    the flame

    The four became eight
    can human toil suffice
    mortal meets miracle
    miracle makes room
    there is newly pressed oil to fuel the flame

    Light of heaven
    lead us
    to light
    and life
    and love
    and you

    I’ll work on it.

    and now, on day two, your series begins to take hold on me…

    Blessings

    ReplyDelete
  2. that last stanza really spoke to me....beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I LOVE it! Absolutely beautiful! Thank you!!! Advent blessings!

    ReplyDelete
  4. this is wonderful. i loved that you wrote a villanelle...I'm going to try too...maybe for One Shot??

    thanks for sharing your beauty:)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love your villanelle, Melissa. I tried it once, and it was not easy! L.L. always inspires, doesn't she?

    Thank you for sharing your Advent journey also. I am blessed by your sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. You did it! I'm so impressed. :)

    I like the almond tree line especially.

    ReplyDelete

I welcome and appreciate your kind words and comments.