Saturday, October 28, 2006

My favorite poem

Actually, I don't think I will be good at maintaining this blog. I didn't realize how time consuming this work would be. It will be a big challenge for me to be a good blogger.
So, I would like to share one of my favorite poems with others. It was composed by Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Who Am I?

Who am I? They often tell me

I would step from my cell's confinement
calmly, cheerfully, firmly,
Like a squire from his country-house.

Who am I? They often tell me
I would talk to my warders
freely and friendly and clearly,
as though it were mine to command

Who am I? They also tell me
I would bear the days of misfortune
equably, smilingly, proudly,
Like one accustomed to win.

Am I then really all that which other men tell of?
Or am I only what I know of myself,
restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a cage,
struggling for breath, as though hands were
compressing my throat,
hungry for colours, for flowers, for the voices of birds,
thristy for words of kindness, for neighbourliness,
trembling with anger at despotisms and petty humiliation,
caught up in expectation of great events,
powerlessly grieving for friends at an infinite distance,
weary and empty at praying, at thinking, at making,
faint, and ready to lay farewell to it all?

Who am I? This or the other?
Am I one person today, and tomorrow another?
Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others,
and before myself a contemptibly woebegone weakling? Or is something within me still like a beaten army, fleeing in disorder from victory already achieved? Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine. Whoever I Iam , thou knowest, O God, I am thine.

5 comments:

Mrs. Bob said...

dong wu!!! wow, we meet again! welcome to the blogging world... :) hope to read more soon!

Ikze2Look Korea said...

Anyonghaseyo?
I have come to your bolg
via the theological seminary alumny homepage, so I assume that you are the rev. Oh, Dong Woo of the CanRC.

We (I just occasionally) are attending the Bethel Church in Toronto. We woud be appreciated to contact you someday when you have the chance to come to Toronto (my family) or to Korea(me).

ikze@yahoo.com

Mom/Zina said...

Hallo Dong Woo! Where are you living now? I hope to see an update soon! If you want to see some snowmobiling photos from up at Mooseskin Johnny where you have been, just look on my blog under seniorvandeveldes.spaces.live.com greetings from Zina and Dick Vandevelde.

mom in the north said...

Hi again, Dong Woo! I hear you got engaged - how exciting! I'd love to read your thoughts on a regular basis, I hope you can keep it up. The internet can be a wonderful tool in sharing your faith, discoveries and thoughts. Take care, and I hope you're doing well.

mom in the north said...

Oops that would be me - Karin Doornbos in Sm-thers.