Last year in Great Conversation 4 with Dr. Vierra, we were studying Lucretius’ poem “On The Nature of Things.”  After we read and discussed it, we were assigned to write an 80 line poem in the style of Lucretius.  We had to write about a problem with which our world struggles, and compose in dactylic hexameter (a poetic rhythmic scheme). So for my topic, I chose to write about the love of money because we had been discussing this issue in my youth group, and there are so many sins that originate with greed. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” 1 Timothy 6:10 (ESV).

 

The Nature of Things

Awe-stirring God, Father of humankind and all life,

Pleasure of all creatures, You make all things for your glory

The skies are filled with Your handiwork, the fruitful earth of Your creation

The teeming and vibrant sea, for every species comes to formation

Created by You, is raised up and looks on to the light.

Lighting flies from Your hand, Father, Your breath sets sail the clouds above.

By You, the world hatches delicate flowers,

Through You, the oceans roar, the skies proclaim your powers,

Thund’ring with majesty. Winter swiftly sheds its icy skin to show the sweet face

Of spring, Lively and comforting the West Wind soars freely;

The throng of birds, O Mighty God, first to start,

Announcing your arrival, hit with Your mastery in the heart;

Then beasts, tame and wild the same, across the land they rush

stampeding recklessly over the underbrush,

Caught in the chains of admiration, following Your lead with

The utmost dedication;

The torrents of sea, the quaking of mountains, flowering meadows,

The homes of birds in trees so mellow, the yearning of all things for

Your presence, for You alone control the nature of all things on its way,

Nothing arises without Your knowledge or power of its sway.

Nothing beautiful or full of purpose can be created without Your might,

For You alone fill things with wisdom and delight.

The Nature of Things I attempt to write with these verses tonight,

With every honor of Your everlasting grace, please allow these

Words to never fade off without a trace.

Meanwhile, Most Holy One, both deep in the heart and the pit of the mind,

Cause greed and lust of money to be disinclined.

For only You can help humanity to avoid the desire of wealth,

And look toward benefitting those around them with kindness and health,

Pleading for quiet peace for Americans, this I ask, For I cannot with my mind and action perform this chosen task, Nor can the scion of the Founders fail to heed

This call to action, when our land is in an hour of need.

For what’s to come, please turn to us Your gaze and thought,

To the unity of humankind, and the appeasement of man’s desires and thoughts.

The love of money breeds wickedness, and it has given

Rise to a myriad of evil deeds stemming from its vile root.

As when the members of the Early Church, the deceitful couple,

Lied to You, God, Ananias and Sapphira, who perfidiously withheld what

With their mouths said belonged fully to You; Whose greed fueled the sins of

Pride and Dishonesty.

Greed cannot be overcome on our own, it must be controlled through the help

The Most Holy God, Creator of the Heavens and the Earth,

His Son, the Savior of mankind, and the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life.

Through the saving power of Christ our Lord,

Who lived among us, whose lifeblood was poured,

Humanity is Rescued from the death-grip of unavoidable sin,

enabling the ability to avoid temptation to begin.

The root of many evils can be overcome through this:

Belief that Christ died for all those that exist.

All stumble, all fail, all fall into sin, but through

The guidance of our God, we can resist the urge to dip into

The desire of greed.