Screwing up at work when I'm trying to make a good impression makes me noxious.
Being accused of screwing up when I in fact did not makes me feel even more noxious.
Seeing a pile of unfolded laundry makes me feel lazy.
Seeing that same pile of unfolded laundry for three weeks in a row makes me feel inadequate.
Living in a big house by myself out in the boonies makes me feel anxious.
Turning out all the lights in a big house on my way to bed for the fifth week makes me feel lonely.
Listening to movie soundtracks on my way to work makes me feel hopeful.
Replaying those same soundtracks in my head all day at work makes me feel steady.
Reading some blogs makes me feel envious.
Reading other blogs makes me feel inspired.
Reading the scriptures daily makes me feel supported.
Reading the scriptures in spurts or not at all makes me feel deserted.
Being accused of screwing up when I in fact did not makes me feel even more noxious.
Seeing a pile of unfolded laundry makes me feel lazy.
Seeing that same pile of unfolded laundry for three weeks in a row makes me feel inadequate.
Living in a big house by myself out in the boonies makes me feel anxious.
Turning out all the lights in a big house on my way to bed for the fifth week makes me feel lonely.
Listening to movie soundtracks on my way to work makes me feel hopeful.
Replaying those same soundtracks in my head all day at work makes me feel steady.
Reading some blogs makes me feel envious.
Reading other blogs makes me feel inspired.
Reading the scriptures daily makes me feel supported.
Reading the scriptures in spurts or not at all makes me feel deserted.
So you're poem of opposites reminded me of our institute lesson last week. I think the idea came from the manual, but it might have just been from our teacher. He is constantly mentioning bits about how poetic the Book of Mormon is.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, to my point: The paper he gave us described Chiasmus.
"Chiasmus, sometimes called an inverted parallelism, is a Hebrew literary form where words or ideas are arranged in a certain order and then repeated in reverse order. This repetition emphasizes important ideas and words. Parallel ideas may be synonymous, antithetic, or expounded on each other rather than just repeating the same words. In addition, the writer's main idea is often located at the center of the chiasmus. The following chart lays out Alma Chapter 36:
a. Give ear to my WORD -v1
b. KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD and PROSPER -v1
c. Do as I HAVE DONE -v2
d. REMEMBER THE CAPTIVITY of our father -v2
e. For htey were in BONDAGE - v2
f. He surley did DELIVER THEM - v2
g. TRUST IN GOD - v3
h. Supported in TRIALS, TROUBLES, and
AFFLICTIONS - v3
i. I KNOW not of myself -but of GOD -v4
j. BORN OF GOD -v5
k. Went about SEEKING TO DESTROY - v6
l. Neither had I the use of my LIMBS-v6
m. FEAR of being in presence of
my God - v15
n. The PAINS of a damned soul-v16
o. HARROWED up by the MEMORY
OF MY SINS - v17
p. I remember JESUS CHRIST, A
SON OF GOD - v17
p. I cried: O JESUS, THOU SON
OF GOD. - v17
o. HARROWED up by MEMORY OF
SINS NO MORE - v19
n. JOY as exceeding as was
my PAIN v20
m. My soul LONGED to be there v22
l. My LIMBS received strength v23
k. I labored to BRING SOULS TO
REPENTANCE -v24
j. BORN OF GOD - v26
i. My KNOWLEDGE is OF GOD - v26
h. Supported under TRIALS, TROUBLES,
and AFFLICTIONS - v27
g. TRUST IN HIM - v27
F. He will DELIVER ME and raise me up
-v27-28
e. He has delivered them out of BONDAGE
and captivity - v28
d. Retain a REMEMBERANCE OF THEIR
CAPTIVITY - v29
c. Know AS I DO KNOW -v30
b. KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD and ye shall
PROSPER - v30
a. This according to his WORD - v30