‘COUNTDOWN‘ Image painted by church member Paul Brown – see it for yourself in the church’s prayer room
Rev John wrote a poem to go with it – see below…
Countdown – a poetic response
It is a few minutes to midnight, and all is dark.
How the day started so differently,
by the time we woke up in this world
dawn has painted the sky in vibrant colours
alive with potential and hope
waiting for us to join creation.
The morning is peaceful,
our footprint so delicate as the dew dissipates
and yet the growing light exposes the first conflict,
man against man, man against nature,
the battle for control and dominance grows.
The day is, we feel, about us, for us,
no one, no-thing less.
Interrupted for a moment in time
when a man loved (and died 😢) for the world.
But now gaining pace as the day presses on.
The evening rest, when a stroll in the garden
is recommended by the gardener supreme,
is instead transformed by 24/7 productivity
work continuing in dark shadowy places
by people as caged as hens.
The night sky has lost its colour
apart from the flickering glow of neon lights
and a space station watches on with neighbouring stars.
Down below the dark earth has been plundered
raped of its resources for black gold.
It is a few minutes to midnight, and all is dark.
(c) Rev John Purdy, March 2022