Poetry Information

The Game of Life


When your life becomes unbearable
And the light of promise ceases to glow,
When all your dreams and aspirations
Lie dormant on ambition's death row.

When you feel that all is hopeless,
Life troubles just seem to abound.
When those you thought were supporters
Are suddenly nowhere to be found;

When weary from the struggle of trying
And you wonder to yourself, "What's the use?"
You fight on to do the best that you can
But once again, all hell breaks loose.

When things in your life become disjointed
And everything you touch turns stale.
When nerves are on edge from life's pressures,
And there's no breath with which to exhale.

When the road you are traveling gets bumpy
And the hills become harder to climb,
When the going gets tougher and tougher
And persist for a considerably long time.

Remember, it's not what you expect from life,
But rather, what life expects from you.
When the wind of quandary blows your way,
Life wants to see just how well you'll do.

You see, life is really like playing a game.
To win, you must play as it dictates.
If you follow its built-in survival rules,
Your troubles will miraculously dissipate.

So when you near the end of your rope
When your back is pressed to the wall.
When you're trapped all around by conditions
And you can scarcely move around at all.

Don't give up and wave surrender's flag.
Don't succumb to the goads of strife.
Don't hang your head in resignation,
Don't stop playing this game called life.

Just confront your troubles head on;
Face them all in prayer one by one.
You'll learn after a long or short while
The game of life can surely be won.

For your power will suddenly increase;
Your strength to fight on, He'll renew.
God will not forsake His own blessed child;
He cannot and will not fail you.

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, veteran social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach which can be reviewed on her site. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, is expected to be available soon.

You are welcome to visit AMEN Ministries: Your Soul's Service Station for spiritual refreshing, soul edification, browse our newly expanded mini shopping mall or review our recommended books you may want to add to your personal library.

Blessings to all!


MORE RESOURCES:

Lexington Herald Leader

Wendell Berry, poet and conservationist, selected to give 2012 Jefferson Lecture
Washington Post (blog)
Yes, he's a prolific poet, farmer, staunch conservationist and one of Kentucky's amiable ambassadors, but he's also a thoughtful critic of our times and the natural world we live in. Would that Berry, 77, was one of those nightly pundits, ...
Kentucky News Review: Hal Rogers earmarks $7 million for his neighborhoodLexington Herald Leader
Wendell Berry Named 41st Jefferson Lecturer in the HumanitiesWFPL
Wendell Berry to Give 2012 Jefferson LectureNew York Times (blog)

all 11 news articles »


Los Angeles Times

Like that Chrysler Super Bowl ad with Clint Eastwood? Thank a poet
Los Angeles Times (blog)
But one thing I do know is that of the three people credited as copywriters on the powerful Chrysler advertisement above, the one featuring Clint Eastwood that aired for the first time during Sunday's Super Bowl, one is poet Matthew Dickman.
Clint Eastwood Chrysler Super Bowl Ad Shows Obama Messaging Is WeakDaily Beast
See That Wieden+Kennedy Super Bowl Ad With Clint Eastwood? It Was Directed by ...Willamette Week
TV Linkzilla Daily: Clint Eastwood commercial controversy, 'Pit Bulls ...NOLA.com

all 2,278 news articles »


Poetry workshop in Palatine
Buffalo Grove Countryside
Poet Andrea Witzke Slot will lead aa Second Saturday Poetry Workshop to be held 9 am-noon, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, from 9 am-noon. The program, “No Ideas But in Things,” will explore issues of imagery. Witzke Slot is a poet, scholar, teacher, ...

and more »


Los Angeles Times

Dorothea Tanning, artist and poet, dies at 101
Washington Post
She designed sets for George Balanchine ballets, played romantic matchmaker for poet Andre Breton and appeared in Hans Richter's avant-garde films. But she remained best known as the wife of Surrealist Max Ernst, to whom she was married for nearly 30 ...
Dorothea Tanning: Unfairly OvershadowedNew Yorker (blog)

all 7 news articles »


The last poet of Viet Nam's New Poetry dies
Viet Nam News
HA NOI – Xuan Tam, the last poet of Viet Nam's Tho Moi (New Poetry) movement has died in Ha Noi at the age of 97. His funeral was held today. Xuan Tam dedicated his life to poetry, especially the Tho Moi movement, which began in the early 20th century ...

and more »


Poetry Off The Page
Tucson Citizen
08, 2012, under Arts Poetry Off The Page, a symposium at the University of Arizona Poetry Center will be held on May 18 – 20. If you register before April 18 you will be eligible for an early bird discounted rate. It looks like a multi-media ...



Sacramento County finals for Poetry Out Loud contest today at Rosemont High
Modesto Bee
By Carlos Alcalá The public is invited to watch 15 high school students perform poetry today in the Sacramento County finals of the Poetry Out Loud competition. Each year, students compete in dramatic recitation of poems by well-known poets.
Insight: Sacramento's Human Rights Violations / Marcos Breton / "Poetry Out ...Capital Public Radio News

all 2 news articles »


Valley Breeze

Prospect Heights residents honor King with song, poetry
Valley Breeze
27, at Prospect Heights, 560 Prospect St. The event featured an MLK poetry contest, a performance by the Alima International Dance Group, dancing from children of the housing development, and poetry readings from residents, all in honor of King's ...

and more »


The Poetry of a Classroom
Huffington Post
There have always been stories of teachers who turned kids on and got them to care, teachers who cared enough, and tuned in enough and got on a footing with kids that reverberated in their art, poetry, and much more. One such teacher is Dennis ...



Words, Students Empowered In Poetry Out Loud (Video)
Patch.com
By Paul Petrone Tuesday night in Waterford High School's auditorium, students competed in the school's fifth Poetry Out Loud competition. And while the night was to find a winner to go on to the state tournament, the underlying message was simple: ...


Google News

home | site map | Art of the Ocean
© 2006