April is national poetry month, and for the last few weeks I have been sharing never before poems written during times of deep sadness, desolation and pain following my abortion. You can read the first poem here, and the second here. The third is published here.

Poetry is a beautiful and raw way to process emotion, to reflect and dig deeper into why we feel certain ways, or even process the most painful areas of our lives in the safety of a pen and paper. There is no right or wrong way to write a poem.

The following poem, titled “To Emerge” was written at a turning point in my recovery. I began to hand my pain and sorrow over to Jesus Christ instead of attempting to handle it on my own. Little did I know or understand that Christ was waiting patiently to be my rescuer and hero. He wanted nothing more than to take my crumpled self into his arms and breathe grace, love, forgiveness, healing, and courage into my soul. Please enjoy “To Emerge” by Elizabeth Gillette.

To Emerge

From beneath ruins of broken soldiers

She emerges with valiant whispers

Of a past she cannot shed.

But her feet are shaking,

Unsteady beneath her waking spirit

As she stumbles to find

what she is looking for.

He holds out his hand to catch her,

Puts his ear to her lips and hears

Her valiant whispers of uncertainty.

This is the pillar of two hearts

Fighting for life and love.

One sacred one broken.

This is the column of two strangers,

Brought together with reserve

And an expanse that no man can fill.

And she puts her hands on his chest,

And feels his heart beating there,

the fire of His love, His pierced heart…

and she emerges from her broken ruins,

and lets her spirit wake.