Amy Boucher Pye

Category: Poetry

  • An Advent Poem

    Photo by iProzac found on flickr
    Photo by iProzac found on flickr

    Regular followers of this blog (love ya, Dad!) will note that I’ve been silent since Thanksgiving. Advent can be a shockingly busy time, which is ironic I know. Regular service here will resume in January, but here’s an Advent poem I recently came across, which I wrote in 1997. It’s admittedly on the twee side, but written with heartfelt devotion.

    A young virgin years ago
    Looked up and beheld a sight:
    An angel, clothed in white
    Resplendent to view; cloaked in light.
     
    With greetings this angel came
    With blessing to bestow on Mary.
    But troubled and fearful was she
    O what can this angel verily mean?
     
    Fear not, dear Mary, said he,
    For the Lord is truly with you.
    You will be with child and bear a son,
    And the name you are to call him is Jesus.
     
    This son will be great indeed
    He will be called the Son of the Most High.
    Taking the throne of his father David,
    He will reign forever; his kingdom will not end.
     
    Mary listened and pondered anew.
    How could what the angel said be true?
    For a young virgin, so pure, she remained;
    Though betrothed, no man knew she.
     
    With grace these concerns were answered:
    The Holy Spirit, Gabriel said, will come upon you;
    And the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
    You will bear a child who is holy.
     
    O Mary, Gabriel cried, believe me!
    Your child the son of God will be.
    And he will reign over the house of Jacob
    For with God, nothing impossible can be.
     
    With humble heart Mary believed and knew,
    That what the angel said must certainly be true.
    The Lord’s servant I am, said she,
    May it be to me as you have said.
     
    O blessed are they who believe
    That what the Lord has said will be.
    Come, rejoice in the Lord with me;
    Leap for joy and glorify our Savior!
     
    © 1997 Amy Boucher Pye

  • A writer’s psalm

    FL Hemingway study_2

     

    The Lord is my publisher, I lack nothing.
        He makes me lie in cozy studies,

    he leads me beside quiet waters,
        he refreshes my soul.
    He guides me along the right paths
    
    for his name’s sake.
     
    Even though I walk
    
    through the valley of rejection,
    I will fear no evil,
    
    for you are with me;
    your commissions and reviews,
    
    they comfort me.
     
    You prepare a table before me
    
    in the presence of my critics.

    You anoint my hand with ink;
    
    my cup overflows.
     
    Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    
    all the days of my life,

    and I will dwell in the publishing house of the Lord
    
    forever.

    (Inspired by Jonathan Burnside)

    PS Can you guess whose study that is? Pretty sure he wouldn’t have claimed this psalm as his own…

  • Rapping to the Lord’s Prayer

    Last Sunday I led the group for 11-12 year olds at our church. I have to admit that kids’ ministry has never felt like something I’ve been called to. Nothing against kids, of course. I love my two dearly. But I’ve always been so keen on discipleship for adults that I’ve bypassed the younger set.

    DSCN5929

    But these budding nearly teens are a wonderful bunch. Filled with great questions and strong opinions. I have to check my church jargon at the door and remember to keep it real and authentic. And I come away glad to have been a part of their discussions.

    So on Sunday we were looking at Acts 4, all about how the once-frightened Peter, who betrayed Jesus those three times, was now bold and winsome and filled with the Holy Spirit as he and John explained their actions to the religious leaders and defended the new thing God was doing. One of our activities was to explore some of the Scripture in rap form, courtesy of Scripture Union. We read the two raps aloud, jiving and moving to the beat. Then, to my surprise, we wrote our own.

    Now I should stress that I didn’t think we’d have success in this exercise – group writing and all of that. I thought it would be beyond us. But lo and behold, we put down the first line, and then the next, and the next. And a rap was born. Okay, so it’s more of a lyrical poem than a rap, but here, for your reading pleasure, is the Lord’s Prayer rendered by us (best read aloud):

    Dad up above!

    Awesome is your name

    Your city breaking in

    We’re following your way

    Here on the ground

    As up above.

    Can you give us our grub

    And free us from our mess

    As we free others who screw us up.

    Please hold us back from doing bad

    And keep us far away

    From the angel who fell.

    Cause yours is the city

    And yours is the force;

    You simply are the best

    Each and every day.

    Oh yeah!

    © 2013 Regina Baidoo, Amy Boucher Pye, Helen Fox

    So tell me: are you called to ministry to children? If so, what are the rewards and the challenges?

    How about writing a biblical rap? Share it in the comments!