I’ve decided, for fun, to paraphrase the Bible in a very rough, probably quite bad, iambic perameter (a la something like “Paradise Lost). Leave a comment and tell me what you think (don’t be too harsh! it was just for fun and I’ve never written in the form before, and it’s first draft!):
Seven Days
“Look back, and begin: when the worlds were born of God,
When no shape held earth, and dark lay upon the deep,
And sacred spirit did move among the waters,
Then alone did the Father illumine the world with Light,
And found it good. Dividing from pressing darkness,
The Light was fashioned day, the darkness night,
Came the evening and morning, the first of days,
Then alone did the Father speak forth spanning sky,
A division in the midst, a separation of waters,
And spanning sky did set apart the waves,
That which was above, from that below,
Thus was heaven called, so named by God,
Came the evening and morning, second of days,
Then alone were the waters gathered unto
each their given place, receding thus;
God did make the land to rise from water.
”Earth” was dry land named, and seas were formed
by waters. And God did see that all was good.
Green, the grass that grew, the earth gave forth
its seed, and fruit was born on trees. And all
these things were good. For God spoke and it was so.
Came the evening and morning, thirdof days.
The Lord then lifted lights to hang above
the earth, dividing night from day. He stretched
them ‘cross the sky for signs and seasons, for days
and years. And such a light could light the earth.
God spoke and it was so: Two greater lights were made,
The greater ruled the day, the lesser ruled the
night, together with the stars. God set them
in the heavens to shed light upon the land,
to guide the days and night, and separate
the darkness from the light. And all these things
were good. For it was spoken forth by God.
Came the evening and morning, fourth of days.
Then life was found in waters,in the depths
of seas was life brought forth. and in the sky
were living creatures, in the open space of heaven.
All in sky and sea that moves with the breath of being
were found to be good by the Ever Living God,
and He blessed all living things, to fill the earth,
and waters. That all the world be filled with life.
Came the evening and morning, fifth of days.
Get more thoughts from James in his book, available
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