Darkness, Darkness—All Around!

Arise, shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
                  Isaiah 60:1

Darkness, darkness—all around;
  Leering, glaring, jeering, staring;
Weighing down upon my soul with noise and fear.
  Nothing hopeful found that cheered
       my wayward soul from dust adhered.
      
Then crashing in my endless night;
   shouting, crying, routing, vying;
Awakening up my startled soul with hope and Light.
   Something bright untied the blight
       that chained my soul to endless night.

"Awake, awake; rise up and shine!"
   beckoning, shooing, reckoning, wooing;
Pulling up upon my soul with Light and Life.
   Nothing could resist the knife
       that cut my yearning soul from strife!
      
"How can I shine?  I have no light!"
   Pushing, prodding, bushing, rodding,
Surrounding all my soul with His eternal blaze.
   All evil fled before His gaze
       that opened up my heart to Heaven's rays!

I can then do all things for my ALL does strengthen me;
   No more groping, tumbling , no mere coping, bumbling,
But running in His Light to do His perfect will.
   And now all things work to fulfill
       His glory and my salvation—my soul does thrill!

- D. Benning