Dove Of Freedom

As he sat all alone in his small prison cell
He gazed with contempt at his "Place of Hell."
He so missed his family, his friends--his life.
But especially he yearned for his partner--his wife.

He said, "Why ? Tell me why, God? Oh, why am I here?
Away from the things that I held so dear?
What did I do to deserve all this pain?
Oh, when will I get back my freedom again?"

As he watched with envy a bird soar in the sky,
God flashed him a message from heaven on high:
He said, "Son, you are free, just as free as that bird,
If you trust in the promises of My precious WORD."

"But they want me to say I committed the crime.
If I but admit it, they'll shorten my time.
But I cannot confess it. . . . Oh, how can I lie?
Oh, how can I, God? I rather would die."

God answered, "Son, never succumb to a lie.
Remember Christ Jesus, Whom I sent to die?
He was beaten and scorned, and was tempted so sore;
Then nailed to the cross, to settle sin's score.

"But death could not hold Him. He rose from the grave.
He's now on His throne. He'll help you be brave.
Remember, my son, He is with you alway.
He will give your soul freedom. With My Dove, fly away.


  Note:  See John 1--God's Son is depicted as the WORD,
  and the Holy Spirit as a DOVE.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:    We visited a Christian man in the
prison several times a few years back. He was in for a
crime he did NOT commit.   I wrote this poem for him.


- Helen Dowd -

[ by Helen Dowd Copyright © 2001, (helendowd@shaw.ca) -- submitted by: Helen Dowd ]