Refined In Adversity Poem by Oyekake Satty (O S) Joshua - Amopho

You have left me stranded in this pit,
The years' toll have weakened me
And time takes me to a future bleak
And debt, my unfriendly companion
Unwelcomed, besieges day and night.
Time has passed and the dusk persists,
Sunlight, even a ray, I do not behold.

How do I climb out of this depth?
Worn-out, bereft of ideas and means
I lack the deftness to scale the height.
The pride of youth no longer reigns
My strength waned, my arms weak
I have lost the muscle for the ascent
And this dampness is still unceasing.

My will and resolve is now but avowal.
That determination I once summoned
The agitation that led to many exploits,
That, I can no longer muster within me.
How then do I engage my resolve here?
LORD, replenish me; grant me strength
You are my salvation and my deliverer.

You are my anchor, in this refining,
You are my shield even in this deep
You are my refuge and my strength.
Your loving-kindness never ceased
Your steadfast love has sustained me
Reach down; pull me out of this pit
Let me behold the light of a new day.

In this ebbing, this twilight of my life
You purged and purified in the deep
You refreshed and steadied my heart
You shut down the deafening chatter
And removed the many distractions
You have tailored me for a new task
Let it begin with thunderous laughter.