Failed Poet

I am taking several wonderful classes and I enjoy most of them most of the time. There is one class that has been a challenge to me ever since I got my first graded paper back, and that is my Approaches to Literature class. You see, there is a written response to what we read due almost every class period, which is based on options our teacher gives us. Each response is worth 10 points, and the very first time we got graded responses back, I got a 9, and our teacher explained that in order for us to get 10s on our responses they had to be exceptionally good. Ever since, I have seen it as a challenge and have done everything possible to get 10s on my writings.

A few weeks ago, we began a new unit on poetry, and our teacher always gives us the option of writing a poem as a response. Usually, it has to imitate a poem we've read in rhyme and meter. I enjoy writing poetry, and usually my poems turn out fairly good. Sadly, however, I have felt like somewhat of a failure recently. I have written several many poems as responses, and each time have fallen short of receiving that 10 which I thought I deserved for my thought and effort. But I am writing now to tell all of you wonderful readers that the long coveted 10 has been obtained! Victory comes to those who persevere, and I would like to share with you my poem that finally earned a 10. So here it is. Oh, wait. I should tell you what poem it is imitating so that you can understand it even better. I imitated "Virtue" by George Herbert and if you'd like to see it click here .

Believe

Immense my sins have come to be,
And more to come before the grave.
Unclose my eyes that I may see
How You can save.

Immense my unbelief has been;
Not trusting on the mighty wave,
I sink beneath my sin again,
But You can save.

Immense my toil, and all for naught;
To sin and flesh I've been a slave,
Your grace and love were both forgot.
Still You can save.

But You, immense, just one thing craved,
Of me wished one thing to receive-
My faith is all You asked; I'm saved
If I believe