The Hungry Heart Poem by Denis Martindale

A billion hearts beat just like mine,
With barely hope to live,
With no-one as my Valentine,
Despite the love I'd give...
And dulled and dimmed the light within,
With intermittent glow,
That's overlapped with bones and skin
Still warmed by my blood flow...

A billion hearts beat just like mine,
When beauty stands nearby,
It's like I'm drunk on sparkling wine,
Yet halt the tears I'd cry...
For loneliness that chills the soul
Until it's cold as ice,
Is strong enough to take control
And make the mind think twice...

A billion hearts beat just like mine
When fear is way too near,
As if on terror it would dine
And linger still right here...
But courage swells to make a stand,
To intervene and guard,
Such that I feel God take my hand,
Till fear is all but barred...

A billion hearts beat just like mine,
Affection still to crave,
To sweeten every trace of brine,
Perchance this life to save...
God knows if I will one day wed,
This secret hurts me still,
For who am I, for whom Christ bled,
A servant to God's will?

A billion hearts beat just like mine,
Like Christ's did on His Cross,
With every heartbeat as the sign
We share a sense of loss...
Companionship and friendship, too,
Each heart must hunger these,
Till some sweetheart says, 'I love you! '
Our hunger cannot cease...


Denis Martindale, copyright, October 2013.