Poem: My Ring

Poetry happens to me. Whenever I feel pain, realize a truth, feel joy, have an epiphany, or am moved by a story or life lesson- poetry happens. I sit down at a computer and within moments my hands move and poems are written. Most of the time my poems rhyme, for some reason it's easier for me to write when they do. The more challenging poems are ones like this where it doesn't rhyme but follows a pattern instead.

This is an old poem I wrote before I even got engaged in April 2010 when I was idolizing what it would be like to have a wedding ring. At the time I was meeting with several women who had been married a long time and they brought myths to light and revealed the reality of what a wedding band should mean to a woman. 

You might see, you might not, but this poem is written for the newly married who just received their beautiful wedding ring. This poem represents this valuable lessen I got to learn the easy way. Sin can creep into marriage when the defenses are down; so I made a promise right then that I wouldn't use my ring to protect my marriage, I'd use God's strength and my vows. Rings can be lost, stolen, damaged, taken off, and ignored. It's in our hearts that we are married and God gives us a way out of temptation every time.

My Ring

My ring sparkles in the sunlight when everything is in place

My ring twinkles in the church lights as I raise my hands in worship

My ring glimmers when my hand is holding his swinging back and forth

My ring feels at home on my left hand where it represents me as a whole

My ring does not shine in the shadows of pain

My ring does not want to be beautiful in disarray

My ring can be silenced when I’m all alone

But my ring is still there

My ring laughs in the candle light of our picnic dinner

My ring squeals with delight when he kisses me

My ring is priceless when talking to the married folk

My ring dances when I’m thinking about him

My ring is sometimes quiet when other men are around

My ring goes unnoticed when desire is at hand

My ring is not my protection against adultery

My ring doesn't stand a chance against the darkness of sin

When my ring is quiet, I must be vocal

When my ring doesn't shine, I must prove its existence

When it’s easy to hid my ring, I must focus on wearing it proudly

When my ring isn’t seen, I must remember that it’s still there

Even when it doesn’t sparkle, I represent what I am

Even when my ring doesn’t dance, I will act promised

Even when my ring doesn’t glimmer, I’m still married

Even when my ring is not there, the vows remain

When my ring is quiet, I must show my love through faithfulness

My ring doesn’t represent my marriage, I do 

Chelsea Michener 4/28/2010