A poem dedicated to Beth Stroud

Okay, normally I'm not a poetry person, but I really liked this and am posting it with the author's permission.



A Poem from Ann Freeman Price of NJ.


(Dedicated to Beth Stroud)


the rules are there
to separate
who's in
who's out
and as the law
gains strength
it builds the wall


it is not new
these walls
the church creates


in other times
the law divided
blacks and whites
or stopped the women
from the service
that ordained
all justified
by Scripture quotes
and moral arguments


and yet the Spirit moves
a mighty church
to shout apologies
long after racist walls
came tumblin' down
leaving the rocks
and boulders to still be
sifted through


the Spirit whispered
strength to women
and with the strength
the women kept on
keeping on
till finally they
kneel at last
with bishops' hands
upon their heads
ordaining to new ministries
and feminist feet
kicked bits of stone
from fallen walls


and now
within the church that
claims such open doors
the law is clear again
if gay or lesbian
you may not
be ordained
or if ordained
you may be stripped
and stone is placed
on stone as walls
and church
disrupt the lives
once more


but Spirit wind
is blowing now
feeling the heart break
that spills far beyond
one soul
so stripped
the Spirit carries the
echo of the song
that holds the gentleness
and the anger together


the Spirit breathes
and with each breath
shares witness
that walls hold weakness
within themselves
and this wall too
has cracks sprung
loose and spreading fast


for numbers grow
of those who join
their hands and hearts
to say with new resolve
"We will keep loving---
we will keep living---
we will make room
until the walls are
pebbles underfoot."


-----Ann Freeman Price

(c) Copyright 2004 Ann Freeman Price

(Ann Freeman Price gives permission to those persons who want to copy the
poem for personal or small group use. Please be sure that you keep the
copyright notice with the poem.)