Eyes Wide Open

This is a belated post for National Poetry Day which was yesterday (2nd October).  I thought I would post a poem I wrote after attending Deaf Worship at the Greenbelt Festival a few years ago.  It was conducted in British Sign Language with translation for the signing impaired, and the theme was awareness: having eyes wide open to God. This is particularly important in the context of D/deaf worship in community where participants need to have their eyes open in order to lipread or watch the sign language of others, but I think it has something to say to all of us as a way of looking for God in the world.

Eyes wide open

Eyes wide open

To the glory of the Lord

Shining in person, grass and

Unexpected grasshopper

Neatly folded on shoe

Eyes wide open

To signs

Of worship and praise.

Expressing God's love through 

The whole body.

Eyes wide open

To catch a Glimpse

Of joy as the inexpressible

Is touched upon

Without Words. Beyond words

Eyes wide open

To the Stranger

And the Stranger 

Signing 'I love you'

One handed

The other hand to

Embrace the Other.

Eyes wide open

To see beneath the skin

Through the barriers

Erected by fear and hate

To the lovely core within

Eyes wide open

To the complete

And utter Joy

Of the dance and signs 

Of life.

'I love you' (American Sign Language) From:
http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/topics/i_love_you.htm