~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
while one day searching my weary soul
I found my self wanting and lacking
held captive by so many years of fear
so many regrets from my childhood past
I needed to find a new identity
one not built upon pain and sorrow
I scoured the pages of encouraging books
and found many ideas of who I should be
but my identity was so frail and shattered
that I needed something from inside of me
something left of the little child’s wonder
back when I had not a spoiled sense of self
in all my recalling and reflections
I remembered a small and simple song
of a twinkling star looking like a diamond
and the wondering about how high it dwelt
there. I realized, I too wonder who I am;
so then and there I took the heavens
for my name, an astral being not earthly bound.
Ah, but the shepherd part is much more strange
as I was born in a small stone cottage
that long ago served as an Inn and Tavern
for weary shepherds who drove their flocks
from the deep south up to New England.
The idea of shepherding has always stayed
but I never got to raise any lambs or ewes
what happen was that, well, I got saved
and found my heart to care and tend
God’s vast flock of souls, lost and found
and spent long years trying to pastor
the sheep He loves to fertile fields.
But ‘tho I saw His Hand bring healing
for so countless numbers of His Own,
I never found my own soul’s cure
and left that flock to another’s care.
I have no regrets for stepping down
for in my kneeling I found new purpose.
I find I still may be a shepherd
but now it’s on an astral plane;
offering care and heart felt compassion
to as many souls who'll let me love them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author notes
Written May 19th, 2004
A contest entry
- What's in a name! by queenie.
500 points, ended June 1, 2004, 22 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 26 of 26
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This poem is not sad, yet I am near tears. My heart is touched. I have only known my own poetry for so long and that of "famous" poets, but your words transcend all. Peace to you, shepherd.
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Praise
Wow, so moving, touching, flowing, gorgeous--tears in my eyes now. There is definitely meanings behind names. I compose a lot of baby poetry as gifts and research names constantly. The meaning of a name dates back to the first man created. Nothing is without significance. God even changed many of the patriarch's names. Yours is one of the most unique choices and I absolutely love it. Thank you for this beautiful write and for your beautiful spirit! -Belle
Edited on Apr 28, 2:55 p.m. because 'spell'. -
I really enjoyed rading this. It was definitely NOT what I expected to find. So many people on web sites like this adopt fanciful names that the last thing I expected was someone who had actually chosen a title for a very specific, very sane reason. Glad to have discovered you.
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Wow...this was so inspiring! Lol...I loved this and found myself very uplifted by the end. Not many people can do that for me just by writing. Awesome job!
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I am glad you found yourself and also that you have this capacity withing you for love, caring and compassion for those who need it.
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Inspirational and beautiful
Thank you for pointing out for us your magical, heavenly star and sharing with us its mystical, purifying light. We love you all the more for it. -
extraordinary~
Very beautiful
Deep and emotional
You are doing your new name PROUD
Hmmm wonders & scratches head
and thinks of one like this for
Blushfulmoon he he
Love ya sweets
Susan~~~
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amazing what will turn up in the depths of our inner soul when we dig....
a beautiful biography you share
thanks
have a blessed day
Tamara
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I am so touched by your very powerful write.You speak with such deep insight and truth. Passion for others stood out so clearly and blessings to you for that. You have a magical way of making people feel good about who they are. And yet it's not magical it is the truth of you. Thank you
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This is an amazing poem with such a deep story behind it.
Congrats on the silver!
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9 of 10..i don't know it was something missin
hmm this was pretty phenomenal...I liked how you've explained yourself well and insightfully (if that's a word lol) in this piece..good luck in the contest -
Others have commented on most of the things I found attractive in your poem as well, so I will simply say that content aside, I especially appreciated the form and the flow of your poem.
So many people get hung up on rhyme that they lose the rhythm and even the sense of what they really say. You allowed yourself the freedom of saying things that you felt, and saying them the way you felt them. Excellant! -
that was lovely, i enjoyed reading it so much! a profound name, with a profound meaning-and a profound poem to show it!
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Your name matches the personality I have come to know, you are a shining diamond star, and I always get such a thrill from your words. Excellent entry! Good luck with the contest!
Much Love,
Renee
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beautifully done
wonderful! I loved this....mb, (I also noticed our favorite poet is Robert Frost...) -
Your name has such a beautiful, meaningful story behind it. You're very right about having to find strength from within yourself rather than books or other people's opinions. I also loved the shepherd metaphor. I think its one of the most wonderful things when a person has an abundance of faith.
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Wow, that's beautiful. It's funny how some names have so little meaning, and yours holds so much. Most names seem to be the beginning of something new, but yours is the result. That's a different perspective, and a welcome one.
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A beautiful poem, written from the soul and it would seem a search for yourself after many years.
This is very interesting and enlightening. Thank You
~Von~ -
That was divine. I love how you were a shepard of a flock. The astral plane can be the web, and your wonderful words can reach many a trouble lamb. Awesome projections in your piece.
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...and old Willy said "What's in a name?" ...little did he know!
Touching piece. -
Gorgeous
I like the division of the poem into two parts, as your name can be divided. This was lovely, and the childish innocence of twinkly stars and the fertile fields for God's sheep were particularly moving to me.
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~smiles~ i enjoyed this quite a bit
fallen. -
this is so beautiful...I adore it completely. It is nice to know where the soul of your name came from...
Excellent write.
Sam
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Awe Inspiring
Exquisitely beautiful....
I'm going to bookmark this now...(wipes tears from eyes with silk hankerchief)You outdid yourself Astralshepard!
Sin, tamarack1pines -
!fantastic! : - )
Hey astralsheperd! Great poem! It's "deep", even though it's such a commonly used word. I really enjoyed it. It made me think of the many times I felt lost in the world, and really didn't know who I was. I am caught up in others' pain, and sometimes ignoring my own.
"I remembered a small and simple song
of a twinkling star looking like a diamond
and the wondering about how high it dwelt
there I realized, I too wonder who I am"
Wow-I loved those lines!! Such a simple song could make you think about your identity, and what makes you, you in this world..wow..is all I can say..
Aw...if there's more poets like you joining the contest..I have no chance....hehehe..O well! Great poem, and good luck! Ciaoz~
Liz -
wow
wow,this is heavy.eyes are leaking.thanks for the entry.don't forget to come back to comment as per rules.
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