Christian Poetry and Spoken Word Media for Churches and Faith

Secret Place

16.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Seeker Written by: W Grieve

Closer
in the cramped
secret place,
stilling the
business of life
infolding
alone time,
this world
this time
arouses my need
for you from within
my cardboard box,
I want to rest
in the place immense,
immersive love
freeing love
Expansiveness
of my Living Lord.

This place
where I
let go and
give self to God,
forming soul connection
Communion
Reunion,
Centering on God's grace,
His experience
Surrendering to
His fullness
stirring, restoring
searing, soaring,
in my spirit,
In response
pouring praise,
Worship
to the One,

Joy
The deep realisation
Of connected
Of eternity's energy
Of God’s purpose.

I have been
created for
this world beyond.
Today, again
I met with God.

Kiwi Black Sticks

14.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

First ever
hockey gold,
fast kiwis
quick flick sticks,
those birds
can fly!

first hockey fern gold
black sticks flicker click quicker
flying kiwi lipsticks!

Starting Thoughts: In the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the Kiwi women hockey team had to step up amazingly against higher ranked opposition to win GOLD! Two quick poems with a bit of fun and zest.
Poem Topic Tags: #commonwealth, #games, #gold, #hockey, #kiwis, #medals, #newzealand, #perseverance, #sport, #winning,
Posting Tags: #artist, #christian, #creativewriting, #edchat, #engchat, #education, #instawrite, #learning, #poems, #poetry, #poetsofinstagram, #poetryisnotdead, #poetrycommunity, #poetryinmotion, #spilledink, #spokenword, #typewriter, #videos, #wordsmith, #writing, #writinglife, #writerscommunity, #writerscorner, #writersofinstagram,

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Writing poems on sport with schools and pupils

A Thousand Cuts

14.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Seeker Written by: W Grieve

Slice by slice
I smother the pain
in pain,
each scar another
shame sentence,
forgetting sequence,
the story hidden
under the covers
of my sleeves
Death by a
thousand concealed cuts.
Layered lies
Fear frustrations
disorientated directions.

Somewhere
as I take
cut-downs
cutoffs and
short-cuts
through painful days
there must be
Promises
for the hopeless,
a different hope,
chances for hope.

Spirals of inner search
Soul Dreaming,
Lead me to the cross-cut
Clear and clean,
Cutting away the crap...

In this moment
right now
I hear the
Jesus call,
the new reality
centered in the
power of the cross.

Starting Thoughts: Self Harm is a release and paradoxically a prison. As we cope with who we are in the world around us we all seek ways to cope. What is yours?
Poem Topic Tags: #call, #coping, #cutting, #jesus, #mentalhealth, #pain, #reality, #reallife, #response, #selfharm, #selfworth, #value
Posting Tags: #artist, #christian, #creativewriting, #instawrite, #poems, #poetry, #poetsofinstagram, #poetryisnotdead, #poetrycommunity, #poetryinmotion, #spilledink, #spokenword, #typewriter, #videos, #wordsmith, #writing, #writinglife, #writerscommunity, #writerscorner, #writersofinstagram,

The shame, pain and release of self harm cutting - spoken word poetry

Drizzle Soak

11.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Wet cold,
rain fingers
find holes,
clothes tightened
hunched smaller
head down
hair trickles,
eyes watch
Feet cautious
puddle captured,
Winter drizzle.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Tags: rain, winter, cold, pupils, two-words

Quatrain Fun

11.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Basketball dribble, intercept dodged - a
Feet fake left, body drifts right - b
Lining the basket, opponents dislodged - a
Layout jump, score from height - b

Star hung vastness universe - a
Mind thoughts expand and disperse- a
Time drifts away in darkness view - b
Leaning skyward, quiet night statue - b

Two different rhyming schemes are illustrated in these poems. Can you spot the rhymes? The quatrain is an easy way to have fun with rhyme for a 'starter' poet.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Tags: quatrains, night, stars, pupils, sport

Lazstones

10.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Lazstones
hide in rivers
rolling in currents,
seaward slow,
taking years off,
reluctantly grinding edges
to semi drawn-out curves.

Children at play
often mistake
lazstones for skipstones…

When excitedly thrown
lazstones complain,
spin sluggish petulance
heavy indolence
in skipping stone play,
sinking quickly
(the only fast they grasp)
to shiftily doze again.

I can't help but read this and remember stone throwing with my family on the Hurinui River in North Canterbury. Trying to skip across the river was the challenge taken up by many generations and finding just the right stone was a fossicking mission in itself. Jumping off cliffs into the swirling pools avoiding breaking something on massive rocks, the challenge of going higher.. hmmm fun at 'Jump Rock'.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Skipping Stones - Writing with students Poem

Reverso Poetry

10.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Pickup
hot chips
Cruising the
tar black road
Eating

Eating
Tar black road
Cruising the
hot chips
Pickup

Death
danger threats
for brave hearts
failure moment
exert again
Win life’s prize.

Win life’s prize
exert again
failure moment
for brave hearts
danger threats
Death.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Christmas Contrasts

10.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Snow falls
Cold creeping
Enveloping coats, boots, woolly hats
Inside gathering Christmas
Shut darkened windows
Hot turkey, ham feasts
Heart warming eggnog
Decorated evergreen, colourful gifts
Glitter tinsel, flashing bulbs
Starry winter crisp nights
Family, close friends
Celebrate Northern Christmas

Sunshine beach balls
Heat seared beaches
Sunscreen Skin, jandals, board shorts
Outside expanding Christmas
Open light soaked doors
BBQ sizzles, chilled salad
Throat quenching cold water
Decorated evergreen, colourful gifts
Glitter tinsel, flashing bulbs
Starry summer balmy nights
Family, close friends
Celebrate Southern Christmas

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Hidden Mortality

08.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word Written by: W Grieve

Hidden Mortality?
Building my pyramid
around secret passageways,
bully statements
covering tombs,
criticism cursing traps
taking down threats,
heavy blocks swung
mortared into place,
blocking the real,
stoning the pain,
obstacles to opening,
silent dust choking
compete darkness.

In the secret centre
Gather the wealth
my gold reflections
my mask heavy
my treasure
my precious
my eternal time
and I will live
Forever.

I have created arrogance,
my mausoleum monument
Faking life beyond.

Time passes...
thieves penetrate
stealing dreams,
Dust blows over
the lost emptiness
of my legacy,
Threaded
cracks possess
the edifice built,
Dust is what
I hold in my
dead hands.
Dust to dust.

Where am I?
What have I paid
for nothing?

Proverbs 10:22 The Message (MSG)
22 God’s blessing makes life rich; nothing we do can improve on God.
Luke 16:9 New Living Translation
Here's the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.
Proverbs 3: 9-10

Tags: christian, giving, wealth, meaning, rich

The Edge

07.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Seeker Written by: W Grieve

Growing darkness
Merges with the shadows
of rustling, whispering trees
mountain forest clearing,
seconds of slow
starlight reflection
evolve
into clear creation.

You stand
cold wind
edging your thoughts
Looking at the stretched expanse
shimmering star lights
expanding dreams and hopes.

The world...
universes...

Made.

Poem Tags
#christian, #creation, #god, #poem, #poems, #reflection, #spirit, #spokenword, #universe
Prompt
Standing amazed by the stars and universe expanses above. Makes you think.

See the Universe and stars and be challenged about creation Chrisitan Seeker Spoken Word Poetry

Tags: creation, stars, beauty, love, god

Love

05.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word Written by: W Grieve

Faulting through us
an invisible crazed line
deep
connecting us all
yet spreading,
birthed in the choice
of amazing good
terrifying evil
and “I'm mostly nice”,
sin has cracked us
separating
our soul's choices
from the love of God.

What a power to choose,
to respond,
and the judgement of
the cards falls
where we have played them.

But before sin,
before the decision
of Satan
to rebel,
before the fall
of an apple into gravity
of pride,
before the games
the celebrity gratification,
the focus on me...

forgiveness and love
were the very nature
unified purity in God,
God’s entity
His passion
His personality.

And in time
on time
outside of time
God knew,
Knew what would be done
Knew what would be given
Knew the sacrifice
Knew the pain
Knew the power required
Knew the victory,
and it happened
Christ from His heart
God felt this moment
Christ broke His heart
God suffered this moment
Christ raised by His heart
God celebrated this moment.

the final signature
God signed his cross
his x
to the searing consequences
of our decisions and defeats
of the full weight of sin,
all this because God
first loved,
This love of Jesus
has triumphed
Release, remission
and we are
engulfed by the Father’s arms,
Enclosed protected
from principalities
from powers of evil.

Living through God
Living through His love
This God
the light of truth
in our lives.

This is how
we walk in love
put on love
love God
love others
love self

Perfectly reconciled
we love our God
through genuine loving
of others.

Prompt
Love- the reckless, forever love of God that flows from His very nature.

Impossible

05.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word Written by: W Grieve

Counting
way too impossible,
Sand on the beach
Peebles in the universe,
The problems in my day...
my work
the world,
The giants puff nothing
but rule my life,
Desert dry
I stumble,
purpose parched,
Loser lost,
sin scraped?
No deeper!
sin soaked!

"Oh God,"
I cry
for your forgiveness,
I need
Your impossible.
And then I discover
in the cross
in a Jesus relationship
in worship,
in tune with the Saviour;
streams that flow living water,
My spirit connects
to the holy,
And I dwell deep
loved infinitely, completely,
in the smile of God.

Prompt
Impossible- counting the grains of sand on a beach, fathoming the love of God, we can only be in awe.

Tags: forgiveness, beach, purpose, jesus, sin

Trapped

05.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word Written by: W Grieve

Mother
Three young mouths
Meagre hope
Threadbare cupboards
Shanty corrugated cage
Husband taken
Cholera's meal.

Whispered words
Propaganda hope suggested,
Cash given
Teenager traded,
Bitten by the trafficker
Real life zombie
Taken to sea.
Sweat fisherman blood.

4 hours sleep
20 hours work
4 hours sleep
20 hours work
4 hours sleep…
Fingers to bone.

No escape
No words
No life.

Fear trap,
Miles of ocean,
Netted life,
Broken arm
if you speak out.

Modern slavery
Forty-five million
cries in the wind,
cries in the Dirt,
cries in the Smoke
cries on the ocean,
Tears in the heart!

WALT: to give voice to the voiceless.
Criteria

Use strong: new vocabulary, word images
Protest against an injustice in our world
Cut words not needed
Include facts from research
Be creative in getting my point across

Tags: wealth, kidnapped, slavery, dance, crime

Towards You

04.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word Written by: W Grieve

Galaxies of thoughts
vast beyond number
yet each one
precious, treasured
celebrated, measured
counted beyond
grains of sand
pattens on a beach
moving ceaselessly in wind
and white outlined waves.
Counted with a power
that sees
that knows
that believes in
that loves
each idea particle
that timelessly trickles
through the infinity hour glass
expanding my soul
enriching my spirit.

How precious are
God’s thoughts
Towards me
Towards you.

Starting Thoughts: Read Psalm 139 and you will see where this poem came from.
Poem Topic Tags: #identity, #love, #power, #precious, #psalms, #sand, #soul, #spirit, #thoughts, #treasured
Posting Tags: #artist, #christian, #creativewriting, #god, #jesus #instawrite, #poems, #poetry, #poetsofinstagram, #poetryisnotdead, #poetrycommunity, #poetryinmotion, #spilledink, #spokenword, #typewriter, #videos, #wordsmith, #writing, #writinglife, #writerscommunity, #writerscorner, #writersofinstagram,

Tags: psalms, thoughts, precious, sand, god

White Angel

04.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Masquerading Killer
Poison vein propaganda
Death angel white cross

Software used: iMovie on Mac

WALT:
To write in the style of "Haiku Poetry" incorporating another literacy device that you can explain within your poem.

Success Criteria:
• You have successfully made the pyramid shape.
• You can explain your application of one other literary devices.
• Have followed the form but shown an ability to vary with intention as needed.
• Placed in the poem strong thoughts about the topic
• I have improved vocabulary by utilising a thesaurus.
• I can use and credit Creative Commons images.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Tower Trees: Triangle or Pyramid Poetry

04.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

T
Trees
Towering trees
Towering trees telescoping
Towering trees telescoping taller

Software used: Draw and Tell on iPad

WALT:
To write in the style of "Pyramid Poetry" incorporating another literacy device that you can explain within your poem.

Success Criteria:
• You have successfully made the pyramid shape.
• You can explain your application of one other literary devices.
• Have followed the form but shown an ability to vary with intention as needed.
• Placed in the poem strong thoughts about the topic
• I have improved vocabulary by utilising a thesaurus.
• I can use and credit Creative Commons images.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

favela_poverty_poetry_children_issues_topic

Falevas Lost

04.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

Faleva houses
dappled paint skin
buried in bush pockets
friends for twenty years
leaning drunkenly,
shoulders rubbing,
rubbish skipping happily past,
Mates
sheltering the disenfranchised
home for the poor,
erratic power
toxic water.

Trapped in the corner
surrounded by politics
and rich people power decisions.

The bulldozer chuckles forward
teeth glinting
Scars rusty
flexing bully muscles,
Carving swathes of pain
through the falvela,
Crushing hopes
nightmares breaking bones.

Either take our money and run
or pay the price,
of our batons
riot police advancing,
Pay the price of our
Olympic dreams.

WALT:
To write in the style of "Protest Poetry" incorporating at least two literacy devices that you can explain within your poem.

Success Criteria:
• I have successfully used the Protest Poetry style.
• I can explain your application of two other literary devices.
• Have followed the form but shown an ability to vary with intention as needed.
• Placed in the poem strong thoughts about the topic
• Creating not just a random set of lines but using craft.
• I have correctly punctuated with complex sentences with comma/s.
• I have improved vocabulary by utilising a thesaurus.
• I can use and credit Creative Commons images.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Integrity

04.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Christian |Video |Spoken Word |Pupils Written by: W Grieve

In grit
of life,
There are
moments unwatched
by others,
small heroisms unseen,
thoughtful touches,
an honest thought,
a definite decision
to truth-give.

Courage's genesis
a straightforward heart,
Strength of, "No"
Power of, "Yes"
No guilt,
just assurance,
Not other's images
just yourself,
Your public face
mirroring private skin,
character beauty unfading.

In calamity
integrity tested,
In fear
integrity trialled.

Not slaves to ordinary,
walk,
stand tall - integrity.

WALT:
To write in the style of "Free Form" incorporating at least two literacy devices that you can explain within your poem.

Success Criteria:
• I have successfully used the Free Form Poetry style.
• I can explain your application of two other literary devices.
• Have followed the form but shown an ability to vary with intention as needed.
• Placed in the poem strong thoughts about the topic
• Creating not just a random set of lines but using craft.
• I have correctly punctuated with complex sentences with comma/s.
• I have improved vocabulary by utilising a thesaurus.
• I can use and credit Creative Commons images.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Summer Senses

04.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Seeker | |Spoken Word Written by: W Grieve

Sweat trickles, sticky shirt
Hot air sears nostrils,
Shimmering fried yellow hills in distance,
Cicadas, a thousand chirps pressing in,
Relief, cool ice-water laughs down my throat.

summer_sweat_five_senses_poetry_christian

Form I followed here:
Line 1: Touch - Feel
Line 2: Smell
Line 3: See
Line 4: Hear
Line 5: Taste

WALT:
To write in the style of "5 Senses Poetry" incorporating at least two literacy devices that you can explain within your poem.

Success Criteria:
• You have successfully used all 5 senses.
• You can explain your application of two other literary devices.
• Have followed the form but shown an ability to vary with intention as needed.
• Place in the poem strong thoughts about the topic
• Creating not just a random set of lines but using craft.
• I have correctly punctuated with complex sentences with comma/s.
• I have improved vocabulary by utilising a thesaurus.
• I can use and credit Creative Commons images.

#children, #cool, #education, #fivesenses, #hot, #ideas, #kids, #literacy, #poem, #poetry, #senses, #summer, #sweat, #writing

Images Credit: 5 Senses from Wikipedia, Summer adapted from Pixabay

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

If Kiwis could Fly...

04.04.2018 Filed in: Poetry |Seeker | |Spoken Word Written by: W Grieve

Brown puff balls
would meander
blue skies,
Yellow trolling feet
and blinking sharp eyes,
Swooping slowly
with fluffy brown feathers
to raid fruit orchards
in all sorts of weathers,
they spear juicy morsels
with long spiky beaks,
and float away
to eat their treats,
Building nests on thin branches
from feathers and mud,
Safer from possums
spilling their blood,

The only problem they
face every day
is how to land
and make sure they stay,
Like the monkey
with clever grippy tails,
they simply hook beaks
on umbrella branch rails.

WALT:
To write in the style of "If Poetry" incorporating at least two literacy devices that you can explain within your poem.
Success Criteria:
You have successfully explained the change in our world to your reader.
You can explain your application of two other literary devices.

Inspired by Extreme Poetry resource (131+ pages of poetry tips and ideas). Click to view and gain access to great poetry forms, lessons and activities.

Matrix Moments

Media Moments: Question, reflect, connect

Privacy Settings

Secret Place

Kiwi Black Sticks

A Thousand Cuts

Drizzle Soak

Quatrain Fun

Lazstones

Reverso Poetry

Christmas Contrasts

Hidden Mortality

The Edge

Love

Impossible

Trapped

Towards You

White Angel

Tower Trees: Triangle or Pyramid Poetry

Falevas Lost

Integrity

Summer Senses

If Kiwis could Fly...