Hare and Tortoise

The hare and tortoise have their journey's place
In Christian understanding of the race
That is involved by all who run His way
And strive towards the prize while it is day.

Some hares will leap ahead with lofty thought
And mighty works of faith that they have wrought
With acclamation that from many will be loud
Their eloquence would captivate the crowd.

But sometime later, hares would find that they
Were running out of impetus halfway
Tiring of the race, they looked for other fields
While finding only thorns their pathway yields.

The tortoise carefully though, phlegmatic of his kind
Would follow in the way that he inclined
His halting steps were ponderous, slow but sure
And looked ahead to see if there was more.

He saw the hare would vanish up ahead
But steadily would pace his onward tread
Until the thorns that turned the hare aside
But carried on with careful tortoise stride.

And he would reach the end before the hare
Though there will be no preference to declare
Both had their focus on the heavenly prize
But one would stray through his diverted eyes.

Growth in heavenly things, whether fast or slow
Depends upon the final goal, and flow
Of gentle heavenly growth, and then would be
With Christ the King, for all eternity.

This poem was a finalist in the August 2024 poetry contest

Book by Paul Purday

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