Beauty in the Hard Edges and Other Poems
by Deborah Rutherford
BEAUTY IN THE HARD EDGES
You were always my beauty in the hard edges—
the flower flourishing in the crack—
a lighthouse, glowing;
clouds heavy
A lullaby in the discord
where hearts ache and break but also surrender
A ray of hope under the moon
in her silver lining,
glasses half-filled, rose-colored spectacles
and cups running over
Anchor steady as the vessel meanders back and forth
Woman in the portrait; forlorn
painted and loved once and now
where fierce sun washes vivid colors
and sickness lays down;
a heart beats
and death brings a new life;
metamorphosing
Beauty transforming the hard edges of loss, sorrow,
and regrets
to resilience, perseverance, and blessed assurance
The most amazing thing is that God can do this.
“As I look back on my life, I see God was always my Beauty in my hard edges. In
the wilderness where I roamed—apocalyptic, gray, broken—God was for me. He
breathed new life into me, transforming me into His glory. It’s nothing short of
electric, ecstatic ecstasy.”
DORMANT REBIRTH
Like our orchid plant—
one day after three years of sleeping;
buds appeared as if out of nowhere.
Rebirth, new birth just in time for Spring;
pushing, pulsating—
what looks dead comes alive
Resurrection, Holy One.
A winter tree is asleep with the promise of hope
running deep inside her.
Shadows a Cross with a slain lamb
when all the world stopped and held its breath
and miracles do happen;
quakes and torn veils
Do you hear the bird song?
Winter and three days seem awful long,
but hope bursts through
carving a redemption path,
a holy way back to God himself
as the glorious transformation of God to
man and back
and you are not left behind
for the sleeping tree will awaken, Jesus has risen,
the flowers will bloom, the nests full of creation
and in a twinkling of the eye, one day
all creation bows
in the new birth, the rebirth
the Renaissance begins.
SPRING IS HERE
I see blossoms
on the shrubs,
outside my window.
Oh, a long walk does take
in the beauty of this season.
I feel like a seed
pushing my way
through the world.
Oh, dear Father,
grow me well in this day,
for I see wind blowing.
As the flag flaps
and trees bend,
the pollen drops.
Yet sunshine beckons me
as the slow mist of rain departs.
Outside I soak
in your wonderfulness.
A little timid, I feel, I must admit.
But yes, Spring is here,
and growth has come,
some slow, some painful, some delightful.
As I look toward the cross,
I know that the dormant season
is bringing forth new life,
new beginnings,
new love.
Carrying Jesus in my heart,
the new heart,
He gave me.
This new heart,
new each day,
by the Word.
DEBORAH RUTHERFORD
Deborah Rutherford is a poet and writer passionate about Jesus. Although raised in Southern California, she and her husband, Don, now call Georgia home. A mixed woman of Mexican American and Irish, Welsh, and English descent, Deborah holds a Communication Arts and Theater degree from Loyola Marymount University. She is the founder of the Behold-Her Beauty Blog and Podcast at www.deborahrutherford.com. Her writing has been featured in Alethia Today, Vessels of Flight, Gracefully Truthful Ministries, The Lord is My Shepherd Anthology (Arabelle Publishing) and the Calla Press Literary Journal Spring 2023/2024. Deborah is working on her debut poetry collection inspired by her redemption story with editor-in-chief and founder Kimberly Phinney.