A friend of my wife recently brought our attention to an Old Testament passage of Scripture found in The Book of Ecclesiastes. It has been quite some time since I have visited these writings of King Solomon. Fans of classic rock might recall The Byrds’ hit song back in the sixties called “Turn! Turn! Turn!” Most of its words came directly from a passage from Ecclesiastes Chapter 3. The song shows how King Solomon’s words are just as relevant in modern times as they were when he wrote them back in the ninth century B. C. They don’t write songs anymore like they used to. That’s for sure.
The passage that stirred my wife’s friend’s curiosity, however, is found in Ecclesiastes chapter 12, Verse 6, which reads: “Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosened….” She was particularly interested in the meaning of the “silver cord.” As I looked more deeply into the chapter, I began to see how some of it also seemed to tie in with end-time Biblical prophecy. That’s where the idea for my poem “Before the Severing of the Silver Cord” originated. Although the poem was not initially intended to be one about grief, the poem nevertheless took a “Turn! Turn! Turn!” in that direction. I suppose grief escaped from my subconsciousness somehow since I had been mourning the loss of my father who had recently passed away.
The Poet's Point 