Chains in Splendor

Amidst an awesome beauty,

High upon a rocky steep,

Traveled lone and weary pilgrim

Who’d left ease and comfort sweet.

Hard the sunrays beat upon her

With its penetrating heat,

Though quite weary from her toil,

Yet she did not dare retreat.

So treacherous her pathway,

Steep and narrow was her lane,

On either hand a precipice,

But centered was a chain.

Precariously she climbed

With security her gain,

Only gazing at the glory

But while clasping to the chain.

Chains upon the mountain,

Placed there by some bygone soul;

Rugged trail already trodden,

Now his story doth unfold.

Splendor of the mountains, never

Matched by earthly pride,

But it’s beauty hardly captured

Ere the trav’ler’s foot would slide.

Yet one, known by rocky dwellings,

Whose sure foot had learned the stones,

Called to mind his early wavering,

Set a guard for weaker ones.

Chain so grey and harsh to hold

Set amidst the splendorous steeps;

Doth it hinder by withholding,

Or in safety young ones keep?

Say, they cannot grasp the cliffs

While holding to the chain of steel,

How then can they fully fathom

All the depths, the heights, and thrills?

Aye, but never would they know

All the glories and the joys

Were the chain to be refused,

For they’d slip and be destroyed. 

Would you reach the other side

Of the precipice of life?

Hold unflinching to the chain

Set by Him Who paid the price.

Copyright © Elisabeth Radfar 2017