Login   Sign Up 



 

Belief

by hailfabio 

Posted: 10 May 2005
Word Count: 51
Summary: A piece I wrote after the Pope died, I'm not religious but made me think.


Font Size
 


Printable Version
Print Double spaced


Belief is not God.

Without belief, nothing can be achieved.
Belief can keep you going,
when it seems impossible to go on.

Belief is not Religion.

With belief our dreams become reality.
Leaving us to dream new dreams.

Belief is Knowing.

Always remember that God may not exist,
but belief does.






Favourite this work Favourite This Author


Comments by other Members



lieslj at 20:35 on 11 May 2005  Report this post
Hello Hailfabio,

You are aiming at expressing some fairly grand sentiments here which surely have place in the noble scheme of things.

For me poetry speaks more intimately with details that invite me in, that open the door and beckon me to come closer. Even if what I see is unfamiliar or represents a different worldview, I am able to assess the measure of it for myself under such circumstances.

I would encourage you to express your experience of God in a way that offers the reader more of your own struggle, and reveals a little more vulnerability, instead of defining in quite such specific terms. I think your work will be more inclusive and speak to a wider readershp if you can shift towards more texture and symbolism.

I wish you well as you work towards self expression.

Regards
Liesl



hailfabio at 15:33 on 12 May 2005  Report this post
Thanks,

I will try to be more open in future works. Although I do like vagueness and generalism in poetry as it lets the reader interpret as they wish.....

Stephen

Nik Perring at 18:27 on 12 May 2005  Report this post
Hi Stephen,
Liked this. A piece that encourages the reader to think.
Nik.

Account Closed at 12:45 on 13 May 2005  Report this post
I think this one had punch and power, and I do rather like the grand themes. I wonder though about having the "Belief" statements inset into the page so you have a kind of balladic chorus effect (I've tried below, but I can only use spaces here, not indents so it will look strange - sorry), and I'd make GOD into God, I think. So you might have (with a little more jiggling):



Belief is God.

Without belief, nothing can be achieved.
Belief can keep you going
when it seems impossible to go on.

Belief is Religion.

With belief our dreams become reality,
leaving us to dream new dreams.

Belief is Knowing.

Remember always that God may not exist
but belief does.


I also take the point that in the stanzas, as Lieslj says, it might be good to have some kind of concrete image - it can be as small as you like! - to help the imagist feel the poem is, I think, looking for.

Very thought-provoking indeed!

LoL

A
xxx


<Added>

PS Sorry - spaces didn't work either - but you get my meaning!!!

:))

Beanie Baby at 20:28 on 13 May 2005  Report this post
Hello Stephen.
I like poems that make you reflect and this one certainly does that. It is almost like a mantra; as if the more you say it, the more real it becomes. I think that 'belief' as your interpretation of the possibility of God is very human and comes from the heart. There can't be many of us who haven't at sometime thought the age old 'Why are we here...?' question and then fought to find revelation in something like belief, or hope, or PSI. This really is a lovely piece of work. My only thought is that - maybe - it would have more impact if it was not so widely spaced. Still it's just a thought. Thanks for sharing.
Beanie

hailfabio at 10:42 on 16 May 2005  Report this post
Thanks for all comments, much appreciated.

I realise that God shouldn't be all caps.

I have taken all comments on board.

Stephen


To post comments you need to become a member. If you are already a member, please log in .