Christian Poetry -26

The Promised Land

like ancient Caleb son of Jephunneh

                           I too

have explored
                           the promised land
drunk milk and honey
                            flowing streams
praised God
                            the promiser

have trembled
                            before Canaanite walls
earth and sky yoked
                            by gray stones
before descendants of Anak giants
                            I was a grasshopper only

have known
                            the tear-drunk fear
let's return to Egypt
                            and Caleb's trust
the land will be ours
                            God is with us

                           Caleb believed
with Joshua alone saw the land again
                            forty years later

                           I too

will see the land again