August 4th

“How long will you assail a person,
   will you batter your victim, all of you,
   as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?” Psalm 62:3

try your best,
all you murmurers of anger,
hurling your words like lashing rain
against the weary!
stand there, arms folded,
your arrogance pressing like boots
on those knocked down by despair.
the ones who are already shattered
into a thousand-piece puzzle
don’t need your breath
to bend them, they can barely stand.
but like flowers tenaciously clinging
to the remains of ruined abbeys,
grace blooms in our fractures
and God—
yes, God!—
gently holds us up
like that fence a farmer
will not let crumble.
so, rage and bluster and threat
for as long as you want,
but remember—

we lean on love.
we lean on love.

© 2025 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman