Wednesday, June 10, 2009

The Hill


The following is a poem that I wrote many years ago. My youngest daughter chose it for a poetry study for her english final in college. I was honored that she would choose something of mine instead of all the poets she had to choose from. The introduction to her paper said that this poem is one of hope. I guess she is right about that. If you know where you're going, then there is no real need for fear of death. I loved her words and thought I'd share the poem here. (I hadn't read it in such a long time and was surprised by the "Native American" tone that it has. I am not Native American.) Enjoy!


The Hill

When I'm sad and lonely
I go to the hill
and gaze down upon the land.
I see the meadow below the trees
and listen to the words of the wind.

"Cherish your childhood
by young and gay.
Enjoy the moment
live for today.
Look to your brother
when you need a hand.
Be kind to each other
and you will understand."

When I'm tired and helpless
I go to the hill
and lift up my eyes to the warmth I find there.
I see the sunshine reaching to me
with its rays.
And listen to the song of the whipporwill.

"Be thankful for yesterday
the memories you will keep.
Time will heal the sorrow
no need to weep.
Look to your sister
when you need a friend.
With love in your heart
you will begin again."


When I'm rich and joyful
I go to the hill
and sit there upon my knees.
I see the twinkling stars at night
and listen to whispers of the breeze.

"If you are humble and grateful
and giving of your wealth
Forever happy you will be
no longer cold or hungry or of ill health.
Look to the Father
when your soul needs a lift.
Take the love that He offers
for this is His gift."

When I'm old and wrinkled
I will go to the hill
and lie down in the warm brown earth.
I will see the heavens open and wait for me
and listen to the echoes of my past.

"Be proud and peaceful
for you've lived a good life.
With hard work and patience
you've overcome the pain and strife.
Lay down your troubles
and rest your weary head.
You may lie here forever
and sleep upon My hill."


Tralyn Kidder-Hughes
October, 1997

4 comments:

  1. This is wonderful. Oh the "hill" for me has a cross on it and I find all that this poem defines. Thanks for sharing this beautiful poem....very well written

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  2. Very nice. I would like to share my hill.
    Tehillim/Psalm 121

    youtube.com/watch?v=9fNpErJ_C5k
    the hebrew with english is at this site
    simply beautiful
    mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt26c1.htm

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  3. Thanks for your kind words, Joybug. When I was inspired to write this I was actually at the top of a hill, in a secluded area, in the middle of Autumn's glory. I was a brand-new, baby Christian. I was helping my mom clean the bar that she ran at the time and had to run back inside to put the words down on bar napkins! It was an awesome, God-inspired day and I still remember the emotions from those long days ago.

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  4. Psalm 121 is one of my very favorite in the Bible! At the time I wrote this poem, I had never read it. I was amazed when I found it one day. My philosophy is that God always gives us what we need, exactly when we need it! Thanks for your kind words and I'm glad you stopped by!

    ReplyDelete

About Me

I have been writing since I was a child. Now that circumstances have changed in my life, I have begun to take my passion for writing to a new level. First and foremost, I am a child of God. I am a wife of 26 years. We have 3 wonderful children who have all begun lives on their own. I love all my pets, they really are like little children!
"If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it."~Toni Morrison

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