Christian Writing Contest 2010

The 2010 ACM  John Donne Award

Goes to Sarah Andersen

Flagstaff, AZ

2nd Place

(Category: Poetry)

Bio:

Sarah Andersen grew up in Phoenix, Arizona until she was 19 when she moved to Texas for four years to participate in an internship with a ministry. She now lives in Flagstaff, Arizona where she is working on a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology and English at Northern Arizona University. When she is not reading for her classes, she likes to read anything written by Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker, Francine Rivers or a myriad of other authors.

You may contact  Sarah Andersen through the contest administrators by sending an email to director@athanatosministries.org.

DISCUSS ON FORUM

(Comments are accepted but please reserve criticism and feedback to the forum)

Important Copyright Information

SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE POEM

---

My Name

Hell

You’re all going to Hell

He screams in the middle of the campus

Dirty

Rotten

Sinners

The lot of you

Love only if

Salvation only by

Mercy only when

Hell

You’re all going to Hell

Tolerant

We all must be tolerant

They bellow from the pulpit

No right

No wrong

No constant

Needed for anyone

Everything is permissible

Except the Absolute

That cannot be allowed

Tolerant

We all must be tolerant

Separate

We must be separate

They demand behind the stained glass

No mingling

No contact

No open doors

To those not holy enough

Shhh! Don’t speak too loud

They may hear and come

Then where would our good name be?

Separate

We must be separate

So many voices

Crying out their message

Damnation

Relativism

Silence

Pointing fingers

Shifting like the sand

Disappearing under the steeple

So many voices

Drowning out the One they profess

Where is His name?

Where are His words?

Stilly

Softly

His defense still resounds

Hell

You were all going to Hell… Until

Tolerance

I tolerated your sin… Until

Separate

I remained separate… Until

My name

Holiness on Earth

Holiness took on Hell

Holiness took on sin

Holiness took on pain in silence

So you wouldn’t have to

My name

Holiness

I offer you holiness

But you won’t speak my name

DISCUSS ON FORUM

(Comments are accepted but please reserve criticism and feedback to the forum)

Tags: Hell, holiness, name, tolerance
Filed under: 2010 Winners