Jeffsonnet

Once I made a mountain out of all that I did treasure,
And heaped upon it, stone by stone, things of earthly pleasure.
Standing proud upon its peak, looking down where I began,
I shouted out to those below 'Behold how great I am!'
Then, in the breath of silence that is felt before the dawn,
That majestic mountain I had made, crumbled, and was gone.

So then I made another mountain with my fear and rage.
Hoarding all my treasures in a cold and heartless cage.
Heaping on them jagged rocks of my anger and distrust.
Soon everything that brought me pleasure filled me with disgust.
Then, in the silence felt between the notes within a song,
This mountain that my rage had made, trembled, and was gone.

In my pain and anguish, I cried 'Enough Lord, I give up!'
Just then a stranger said to me 'My son drink from this cup.'
As I drank that soothing tonic, a change came over me.
While the water wet my soul, I wept uncontrollably.
Then he spoke again, and said, 'Come follow me dear brother,
And let your mountain build itself while we go aid another.'

As we wandered all around, serving water to the weak,
Suddenly, to my surprise, I was standing on a peak.
Then the stranger smiled and said, 'God's word flows like a fountain,
When you helped me spread His word, He made you this new mountain.'
There I fell upon my knees, thanking God for humbling me,
And letting me drink from His cup of truth which sets us free.