The Will of God – A Poem
The Will of God
“I always think of a story I heard on Christian radio,” she says crossing her large arms washboard hands “About a woman abused for years by her husband. He became a Christian. It’s all worthwhile then.”
ThewillofGodThewillofGodThewillofGod
Abundant life beat your wife or girl or child or me. The lie of a woman sleeping with Satan’s servant helpmeet.
ProclaimthewillofGodthewillofGod
Be saved by my grace the heroine the martyr. “It’s all worthwhile” To the black and blue children hiding beneath the stairs.
Towhotowhotowho
To you praising the golden calf you’re beat with. Unending peace joy and happiness will be mine for my sorrow. “The will of God,” she says “for man and woman. Let no man split apart” her lip, her skull, her heart “what God has brought together.” Serve the god who beats you around whom life revolves.
Thewillthewillthewill
My God says “My plans for you are plans for good and not for evil.” My Love says Truth.
R. Trotter
©1998
I wrote this during and angsty time in my mid 20s. I’ve made it available from time to time for those doing work in the area of domestic violence*. I’m not sure if it’s helpful or not. But the conversation that opens the poem really did happen. I would hope that this idea of winning an abuser by staying with them has lost all credibility, but I’m sure it still gets trotted out from time to time. Which is such a shame. Not only should no one have to live with violence, but the reality is that the only way really dysfunctional people change is when its gets too hard and uncomfortable not to. Staying just delays the point at which they might feel compelled to deal with their own problems. It does no one – not the abuser and certainly not the abused – any good to allow such situations to continue.
BTW, if you enjoy my poetry you should get a copy of my book The Upside Down World ~ A Book of Wisdom in Progress. It includes several poems not available anywhere else including Stars, A Man with Many Lovers and The Trotter Family Love Poem. The book also contains essays, the story of my coming to faith and other writings not available here on the site. It is available both in print and ebook format from Amazon.
*If you would like to use this poem for use with any domestic violence program, please contact me at ratrotter73@yahoo.com for permission.