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Poetry

 

            Closing Pandora's Box: "Light Shining out of Darkness".
             Imagine if you had a severe illness, a death in the family, or even just over exhaustion or stress from regular activities. It is easy in life to get disquieted over how things are. Things don't always go according to plan. You have moments when parts of your life do not seem to be following the path that you had intended. But many times one may have a strong faith and belief in God, which is what, helps them overcome obstacles in life. William Cowper, an infamous poet, wrote "Light Shining out of Darkness, which is a poem that seeks to explain the "mysterious ways" of God, and to reassure the faint of heart that all will be for the best in God's plan. This poem appeals to an outside agency, God, to help people to deal with their fears in tough situations.
             According to Cowper in Stanza 1, God is perceived as supernatural, immortal, and having special powers over the lives and affairs of people and nature. He also believes that God has a mysterious way of bringing about his purposes. This concept of God being almighty is illustrated in the metaphor present in Line 3, " he plants his footsteps in the sea." The idea of footsteps leaving imprints in the water seems impossible to us, and the metaphor thus suggests the belief that God can do anything and is not limited by physical conditions. Figuratively, the metaphor can be reduced to a simple statement: God has control of the waters and what happens in them. Additionally, a second metaphor is used to describe this idea of power in Line 4, which states " and rides upon the storm." In order to understand this metaphor one must use their imagination and visualize God over the storm, almost like a horseman, who, of course, has control over the animal he is riding. It is a visually powerful metaphor. But what the Cowper means is that God is in charge of the storm and is controlling it. Throughout Stanza 1, God is portrayed as a knowing, zealous, and resilient deity.


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