Psalm 25

with Callie Feyen

Hello, Poetry Friend

As you may know, Callie Feyen got me to start poeming the Psalms a couple of years ago, which is now part of my preparation to sing at church. I was over the moon when one of our deacons — the one who shares a birthday with me — told me, “I love the way you sing the Psalm!” Sir, that’s because there’s a poem scribbled in my songbook.

Here’s Callie’s Psalm 25. She wrote a traditional acrostic.

Mind is an alphabetic acrostic, and because of a tip I read in Sing A New Song: The Psalms in the Sunday Lectionary, it’s also a lament.

Psalm 25

Another too-sunny church morning.
Betcha there’s no rain coming. Again. I
Can’t stop thinking about you (oh
dear) so let’s consider
Evvie: How did she do at yesterday’s tennis match? Looks like ol’
Frank got himself some new hip
Glasses. 
Huh. And look who brought the baby, all of three weeks old.
I wonder, do you ever think of me?
Just sometimes? I’d take
Kinda. Lord, I have so much extra
Love, and I’m not complaining but I am awaiting a
Morning that 
Never quite comes.
Out of the deep I cry
Pearls.
(Question: are they
Really?)
Somehow I swallow all my
Thirst
Until there’s no need for a stupid acrostic to
Vamp across my empty days, while I keep
Watch for you. Come
X out my
Ys. Sweet Jesus, don’t let me
Zag.

–Megan Willome

Happy poeming!

Megan