Words: A Poem

By

(From the Bench at the Bend in the Trail)

Remember: each word is a mystery,
A thing to be handled like fire or love.

Tramp like a fool through the whispering wood
And you’ll never lay eyes on the singer.

Carefully, carefully, stand back and wait.
Watch where the word goes, behold how it moves:

Its nuance and hue, its contour and weight–
It flits like a finch, just over the page.

Only at last, when it trusts you enough,
It alights and allows you to write it.

Andrew Peterson is a singer-songwriter and author. Andrew has released more than ten records over the past twenty years, earning him a reputation for songs that connect with his listeners in ways equally powerful, poetic, and intimate. As an author, Andrew’s books include the four volumes of the award-winning Wingfeather Saga, released in collectible hardcover editions through Random House in 2020, and his creative memoir, Adorning the Dark, released in 2019 through B&H Publishing.


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