the SIGN (a missive)

Tiibus Octō (see Author's Note for details)

    the SIGN

         Since pioneer days,

         in olden folk’s ways

         they met, Him to praise …

         hymns sung from the high balcony.

         In their Sunday best,

         each Sabbath day’s rest

         they prayed and confessed …

         to His cross of pure sanctity.

         There, many were saved,

         children well-behaved;

         when parting they waved …

         every spirit lifted, carefree.

         One night a storm rose,

         only heaven knows;

         and, He, I suppose …

         in tumult of high apogee,

         a hot jagged wire

         of lightning struck fire

         to the church spire …

         its bell screamed in sheer agony;

         then, came crashing down,

         chimed all through the town,

         a sound so renown …

         shattered into blazing debris!

        "Why did You," cried all,

        "make our belfry fall

         when we've heard Your call?"

         Thunderclaps rolled..........off t’ward the sea.

             Richard W. Jenkins

                      © 2019

Author's Note

"TRIBUS OCTŌ"
Original form created by
Richard W. Jenkins © 22 July 2018
Tribus Octo (Three on Eight in Latin) is a poem composed in a minimum of at least two Quatrains of rhyming triplets and a single line whose rhyme repeats
in successive verses, with no limit to number of verses.
Topic can be about anything.
Alignment: Author’s Choice
Syllable Counts Per Line: 5/5/5/8
Rhyme Scheme: a,a,a,b; c,c,c,b (d,d,d,b; e,e,e,b, etc; for additional verses)
xxxxa
xxxxa
xxxxa
xxxxxxxb

xxxxc
xxxxc
xxxxc
xxxxxxxb
Etc.

Painting, 1792: Oil on board, Speldhurst Church, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England,
Struck By Lightning in Oct. 20, 1791, was built in 1114; artist unknown.

Honest, well-intended critique is always welcome. : )

Reviews

[Susan 🦋]

In a imperfect world...bad things happen.But though the structure burned down, no one perished. :-) The "church" is within.
The "sign" just might be to remember that ;-)
Loving this form Richard, and of course, yours is exceptional. As always, enjoyed reading your fine poetry.

[Richard🖌]

Hello, Dear Susan 🌻
How wonderfully delightful of you to select this homage to the admonishment that one's beliefs should reside in their hearts, and not in materialistic or symbolic things … the clothes they wear, the iconic crosses, the bells that ring, or the buildings in which they worship.
But, you say it much more simply and impacting than I.

Thank you for enjoying, appreciating, and praising my humble writing efforts and this from in particular.
Smiles 'n happy hugs! ⁓ Richard 🍃

[mattavelli]

Hello, Richard! :)
This is a well told story; as a friend of mine would say, it has a beginning, middle and end. And, you wrote in this lovely poetic form. I think its great. I'm irreligious and a fan of irony, so maybe I enjoyed it too much. Haha

[Richard🖌]

Good ta see ya, Matt! 🥂

As good a poetic artist you've disciplined yourself to learn and develop into, it's conceivable, My Astute Friend, that you're irreligious, but it's quite a chore thinking of you as un-religiously dedicated to your art. I can surely understand how you enjoyed this piece, as ironically, the heretic thought of the godly believers being ignored, as "Thunderclaps rolled..........off t’ward the sea." Ha-hahhh! No on to hear their angst and plea, just as in every other catastrophe.

To me, this one felt a bit awkward or forced into form in spots, but I think I've better Tribus Octo pieces posted.

Thank you, Matt, for your expressed appreciation for the form and story … try one, I believe you'd you'd the challenge; and, please, let me know if you do! ⁓ Richard 🍃

[Einstein Noodle]

what a mix sir! i have read this form of yours before and i like it a lot..it allows a great deal of everyday language within it's walls ... i am held throughout .. the story is so well told .. and me....i should have been born in or before those days of V1 ... sparked me it did ... me ancestors working the plow on the midwest plains ..i see it sir ... and feel the dry heat and breath the dust ...a Church and School first to go up ... Faith the sustaining stone of life ... the building a physical contact .. man! me nog goes from Papal Pontification, to Lutheran Cleansing, to Puritan starch ... and all ... rolled in that bit of hypocrisy ... oh woe to us all ... to learn the most sublime and precious lesson of praise in loss and pain .. God does not change ... no ... not ever ... and this tumultuous Earth and Man ... be swept up in the ups and the downs ... how lovely life is sir! what a mwavelous poem! ;)
E.
ps. not to exclude the social commentary on a most recent burning of a church building .. so tragic due to Historic value at the very least
:(((((((

[Richard🖌]

Dear Gene 🍂
How delightful it always is to greet you on one of my hope-filled pages.
Yes, My Friend, I think you and I both would have been a good fit for those days of yore, when men were men of necessity, and women were born in the spirit of womanly stature that endured and kept the home vibrantly alive with her determined and genteel presence, while her man saw to her and their children's needs, and the all of them had no church but that living within their hearts, and the whole open, unfettered, outdoors around them –– for all their spirits to soar.
Hah! You got me to join you on your soapbox, but one of true primal passion I'm proud to stand beside you on.

Thank you, ever-so gratefully, Syr Gene, for taking to this deeply meaningful piece with such righteous aplomb.
The way you put it, life is, indeed, lovely! ⁓ Richard 🍃

[Einstein Noodle]

:) ..................

[lightsong]

This is kind of strange to read for me, first I've been surrounded with intense signs for quite sometime now, second few days ago I imagined though my meditation a fire in an old farm, I don't know why people would do something like that nor I want to spend the time trying to understand why, but I said it before for me religious is a thing, spiritual is another totally different thing, and the humanistic morals what really matter, what is the SIGN sent from above at that time, I guess only time could confirmed it clearly.

Hope You are doing well my Syr*

[Richard🖌]

Yes, Sweet Lady Ghounwah 💫
Religion is a system that can become quite a complex anomaly to wander through and become obliged to, while spiritually allows for complete freedom of the mind, soul, and body … or, that's how it's become for me.
Meditation, on the other hand, can bring about untold mysteries, according to one's capable depth of immersion.
I think "the SIGN" is something many may interpret in many ways, but to me, it is a message made by not answering that each has to answer for their self.

Thank you, Dearest Poetess, for gracing my page today and leaving a warm glow … warmest hugs to Thee! ⁓ Richard 🍃

[lightsong]

of course, each individual has his/her own dictionary of reading and understanding the SIGNS which sent to them from the universe, as I'm sure You have Yours dearest Richard~ warmest hugs to "Thy" Syr too*

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Interesting for me to read this. And as Susan said, and I concur, I think God is within us, religion not necessarily something you just find in a building once a week. But having been raised Catholic, I have seen so many people who are just cruel, hateful individuals, who go to confession on Saturday, and take communion on Sunday as if they are saints. The hypocrisy shows...and this poem elicits that response from me...I think of an Angry God seeing the same thing and burning down the structure, thinking this is not what makes a good Christian.
really like this poem...
j.

[Richard🖌]

Ahhh, my fine friend, Jacob 🌿
It's always a distinct pleasure to receive a review for one of my humble pieces from such an astute artist as yourself.
How interesting it is to learn of your faith and personal values, thereof; especially, so in how they reflect in your insightful observations of others.
The manner in which you relate this by comparing your own experiences to my poem assures me we've connected through my poetic efforts to express exactly that.

Thank you for "getting" the essence of my message so clearly, and for conveying it in such an interesting manner … a bushel of grateful smiles to thee, My Friend! ⁓ Richard 🍃

[Robert Trakofler]

This is an interesting format i may have to give this one a try.
I have, perhaps been over examining this and have read it many times before reviewing.
But an interesting aspect of it, and may not have been intentional but it works non the less
Each first and last line when read juxtaposed with the next corresponding line in each stanza has a complete thought flow :)
I enjoy the flow and rhythm and rhyme scheme in this write and the message is golden it is very similar to a joke a priest once told me years ago about waiting for God's help

[Richard🖌]

Hello, my very insightful friend! : )
How keen your eye truly is to have made the connection with my more vague intents and those which unsuspectedly reside on the page … you're the fist (so far) to have done this. Kudos to you!
I've no trophy to present, but will be sure to reward your efforts in some meaningful way.
Thank you most gratefully for selecting this piece to read and review; your praise and obvious appreciation are inspiring, indeed, Robert.

Should you compose your own poem in the Tribus Octo, please, let me know so I can read and review it for you … what an honor it would be. To date, only a handful have tackled this rather challenging form.

Bless your day with miles of joyful smiles! ⁓ Richard 🍃