Written 1 August 2025 for This or That , Vol 35 Poetry Contest sponsored by Edward Ibeh
9.7 Bhagavad Gita As It Is "The whole cosmic order is under Me." 10.8 Bhagavad Gita As It Is "I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me ." ************************************************************** Ways of Providence Ways and will of divine providence Across time, by sages have been surmised, With flames of faith shining in prominence In attempts the web of fate to untie, Yet His design and ways remain complex, Rendering human folks often perplexed. The whole cosmic order glows with His will: The ebb and the flow of gigantic waves As the drop of an autumn leaf with frill Are all but his ever obliging slaves, As are summer rains that quench thirsty earth For nature to display its real worth. With whole universe under His control, As sole creator of man and nature, He does exert His sway on every soul In ways suitable for every creature, Yet for man to comprehend would be vain, Beyond the grasp of his limited brain. Oft one can eye souls fully dipped in faith Torn, shorn and worn out by the hands of fate Amidst folks basking in sun of unfaith Ever in a boastful carousing state, Some swimming in a sea of evil deeds But prospering with ill-gained wealth, indeed. Whether providence inflicts waves of pains To bring souls close to the divinity, Or to drown them in streams of stinging strains As back pay for wrongs to the trinity Hover as mysteries in greyish clouds, As ambiguities veiled with dark shrouds. To wit, a humble oak tree by fate`s hands Battered four times and hurled to harsh Hades, Oft shattered by axes of evil men, Is able with heavenly grace and aids To stand on its pining trunk despite all, Weather the woeful winds and remain tall. The tree, since youth, rooted in divine trust, Through storms, has witnessed its faith pick up high, Views the ills of providence as a must, As blessings to pitch it close to the sky Fast-track the pace of its inner voyage And convey it to a much higher stage. Despite bearing the blows of providence Now with leaves of the tree, blown by the breeze, It hums hymns of gratitude, evidence Of its will to trail its goals, though on knees, With stretched arms, greet the ways of providence With shines of fortitude and tolerance. Providence wields His wand of fair justice Equally towards all men, poor or rich, Across time or space, no one it does miss, But also does not leave deep in the ditch Those who seek His mercy with a pure heart And to them His love and grace He imparts. Through diverse ways providence shows His love: As a father to bring his son to light, To cherish the glow sparkling from above, To pilot him to the path that is right, Often times seeming as retribution, But couched with beneficial intention. Indeed, complex are ways of providence, Trying to grasp them with a human mind In absence of the sparks of evidence Leads to the realm of trust and faith to find Seemly words to pen with respect verses On ways of Him who rules the Universe.
Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.