Thursday 29 November 2007

Amy Carmichael poem

I found part of a poem about God's providential grace in the book Ten Girls who Changed the World (reviewed here).


Irene Howat introduces the poem by explaining that "as a little brown-eyed Irish girl", Amy Carmichael had "prayed that God would make her eyes blue." The poem continues:


So she prayed for two blue eyes,
Said 'Goodnight',
Went to sleep in deep content
And delight.
Woke up early, climbed a chair
By a mirror. Where, O where
Could the blue eyes be? Not there;
Jesus hadn't answered.


Hadn't answered her at all;
Never more
Could she pray; her eyes were brown
As before.
Did a little soft wind blow?
Came a whisper soft and low,
'Jesus answered. He said, No;
Isn't No an answer?'


Howat goes on to explain that in India, where everyone's eyes were brown, she was able to fit in better because God's answer was 'no'. Dunno if that's true or not, but it's a nice thought.


OK, so as poetry it's not TS Eliot—but maybe AA Milne?

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