Carrying Your Light
(For Frank)
When brightness seems extinguished
And moon nor stars light our way
When sadness heralds her victory
And joy no more can stay
Through this dark hour, we persevere
And find that glad, cherished memory
To sing so free as did we yesterday
And carry you always with me
Whispers of Revelation
Distant drumming awakens me
Whispers from an unknown origin
Calling my name,
Beating inside my soul,
Calling me – pulling me to a place
I’ve never known.
The pulse, even now, echoes inside my mind.
My spirit dances in new ways.
Whispers entrance me with their sound
As ancient as all the yesterdays of the universe.
They create an awareness
I cannot fully comprehend,
An excitement
I cannot control,
A yearning
I dare not ignore.
Distant whispers say
Go to the place
Where tomorrow is born,
The place where eternity awaits
The undoing of today’s dilemmas.
Go to the place, they say,
Where time answers the questions
Of lost and unanswered dreams,
Of undiscovered purpose.
Go. Go to the place, they say,
Where footprints,
Sealed in the sands of yesterday,
Unearthed, reveal a reality
Pre-ordained by the Designer of destiny and fate
Echoes of distant drums call my name
They await the day I answer their call.
Their whispers entreat me to come,
Come, they say, come.
Discover why you are here.
-"Whispers of Revelation" is one of two poems J. Joy "Sistah Joy" Matthews Alford performed at a poetry concert at Davies Unitarian Universalist Church in Temple Hills, MD. "Whispers of Revelation" can be viewed at 1:43 on the timeline.
J. Joy “Sistah Joy” Matthews Alford is Prince George’s County Poet Laureate Emerita (2018-2023). Currently working on her fourth book, Sistah Joy is an author, arts advocate, public speaker, workshop facilitator, and literary activist. She is the Founder of Collective Voices, a poetry group known for messages of social consciousness, empowerment, and inspiration, that had its international debut in London, England. Friends may visit her website https://www.sistahjoy.com for more information and to view several of her poems. (Photo credit: Jason Gregory)
Featured Image: “Light through the clouds” by Chris Eason from London under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.
