Nancy L. Meek

THE AFFIRMATION

Pale and barely breathing, her father slept
As she paced the floor in silence, praying.
The crisp, white sheets on the hospital bed
Blended with his fragile form as she wept,
Blurring now the place where he was laying.

“Bind all the evil spirits from this room.
Rain down mercy upon his sleeping form.
Heal him from the sickness that lay entombed.
Restore his soul, as the bud before bloom,
A life anew, the babe before it’s born.

Rain down mercy, rain down mercy on him.”
Her silent prayer repeated, then he stirred.
Talking in his sleep, she crept closer, when
Two words parted his lips from deep within,
“It’s raining!” And she knew that God had heard.

Did He really hear her?… So it appears.
Our ears are mute to some of His wonders…
Silent prayers spoken, softly flowing tears,
The falling dew at night that no one hears;
But to Him who hears, they’re as loud as thunder!”

Author’s Note: All verses but the last in this one are based on actual events. This man had cancer in both lungs. One lung was removed and the plan was to remove a portion of his remaining lung after he regained some strength. This poem conveys the events which occurred shortly after they returned him to his room after his initial surgery.

A day or so later, following his daughter’s fervent prayers, lab results revealed that his other lung was in complete remission. His physician couldn’t explain it, only to suggest Divine Intervention as the cause. The patient was the father-in-law of one of my co-workers. I was not aware of what those lab results would reveal when I composed it. It was not until the next day or so that he shared the wonderful news with me. He said both his wife and sister-in-law were so touched by the poem they broke down and cried as they were reading it. It must be a gift, I guess. The last verse pertains to my own thoughts and perceptions concerning what transpired in that hospital room after her silent prayers were ushered up to God.