Verses for Easter by Sheila Johnson

 A few years ago, pre-pandemic, we went to Spring Harvest. I took part in a seminar to inspire us with new ideas for writing, drawing, making music, whatever moved us. I found myself writing two poems to God, one a Haiku and one a worship, celebration poem to the Holy Spirit. They were both published in 2016 in an online worship anthology called 'Stones before the Ocean'. Hopefully, as I own the copyright, I will be okay to publish them here if I acknowledge my source (available on Amazon UK and Amazon US) edited by Daniel Paul Gilbert.

It was a collection including not only modern poets but poets from the past too, including Robert Herrick, Samuel Taylor Coleridge - my poems were included beside John Newton and Robert Bridges. What an honour!

Easter Haiku

Nail scarred hands

Crucified, left to die

That first Good Friday.

Dying for you and me

His separation from the Father

Love pierced him through,

Blood running like water

Pouring out new life

He paid the price.

No end to this story

Rising again in glory

And death itself, died.

And...

The Holy Spirit's Creed

I believe in the life giver, 

risk taker, power maker, 

shaker of souls, Holy Spirit.

I believe in the convictor, mixer

maker of souls, one who controls,

breath and voice of God, Holy Spirit. 

I believe in the present of the presence, 

essence of life, eternal, infernal, 

burning power, Holy Spirit.

I believe in you, Holy Spirit, 

help my unbelief and in grief

of my doubts, renew me from inside out, 

create and remake me, blessed Holy Spirit. 

A few thoughts for Easter....

Sheila Johnson lives in Cheltenham and is a qualified journalist who has written for a number of publications both local and national. She has also written two books under her pen name Sheila Donald, Alpha Male and Waireka. Her website can be found at www.journojohnson.com