Weavings: Some Times It Takes a Poem

By Wava & Roger Campbell, Timothy Campbell and Cheryl Campbell Powell

Who among us has not found “tidings of comfort and joy” in the Psalms or the timeless lyrics of our favorite hymns, carols, and choruses? And yet, we often forget that the heartbeat of every hymn is a poem; the soul of each psalm is a poem.

Poetry’s power to inspire, challenge, and encourage people flows through the pens

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Aug 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781640889347

Book preview

Preface

Sometime early in this millennium, my father Roger Campbell, my sister Cheryl Campbell Powell, and I conspired to collect and publish a book of poetry. Dad was a preacher and widely published writer of Christian books, newspaper columns, songs, and poetry. Cheryl and I grew up as witnesses to his love of God’s Word and his love of words; nowhere was this more evident than in our family’s appreciation for a good poem. Not the ivory tower, symbol-laden, obscure and abstruse stuff assigned in too many English Literature classes. Rather, we were raised on lyrical, readily accessible, enjoyable poetry.

Chief among the poets in our family was Dad’s sister, Wava Campbell. Some of my very earliest recollections in life are of time spent on the family farm with Aunt Wava and the spontaneous recitations of her many original poems. When I was but a boy —and a very young one at that—she shared with me the basics of rhyme schemes and meter, providing examples from her favorite poets. But my favorite was always Aunt Wava. I was and am awed by the seemingly continuous stream of verse flowing from her heart and pen.

Dad’s, Cheryl’s, and my hope was to sift through the hundreds of Aunt Wava’s pieces written over the decades, choose those we treasured most and carefully add some of our own for this anthology called, Weavings—Some Times It Takes a Poem. The title comes from my tribute poem The Weaver, which hung framed in her humble home until her death in 2013.

Her unexpected home-going shelved our project. She knew this book was in the works: a hard copy manuscript had already been provided for her proofreading, and she was grateful, not least for any influence she may have had upon Cheryl and me and our love of poetry.

In 2015 Dad also went to be with the Lord; our Mother was adamant that the book should still be published and so periodically off the shelf it came to be considered, edited, added to, and honed.

The task had always been daunting; Wava Campbell’s body of work seemed to expand. We kept finding more. How is it possible to choose among so many treasures, the ones to share?

When Mom, too, graduated to Glory in 2017, rather than setting all this aside, Cheryl and I were given a sense of strident dedication to indeed share this work with others of this—and most importantly—future generations. Our nephew, Gerrit Colin Campbell, has agreed to join us by providing the book’s artwork, making this endeavor even more of a family affair.

It is our prayer that our good God will greatly bless you and yours as you enjoy these Rhymes for Great Reasons and All of Life’s Seasons.

—Timothy Campbell

Introduction

My reason for writing this introduction is a choice based purely on seniority. I am the older brother of Wava and the father of Cheryl and Timothy. If the honor of providing the introduction to our book had been given on the basis of producing poems, Wava would have had to write it.

Wava Campbell was probably the most prolific writer of Christian poetry in recent history. Poems flew into her mind and from her pen continually. She was sometimes called the Fanny Crosby of her church and deserved the title. The hundreds of poems she penned run the gamut of every emotion. Name your frame of mind or mood of the moment, and Wava most surely recorded it in rhythm and rhyme. To borrow from Longfellow (one of her favorites) she was that humbler poet, whose songs gushed from her heart… (The Day Is Done by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 2019).

Who was Wava Campbell?

She was a devoted Christian woman who served her country in the military, stationed primarily in Texas and Germany. After completing her time in the army, Wava worked in hospitals and at other people-centered jobs, always majoring on serving her Lord, especially teaching children and reaching out to those going through tough times.

Eager to share her gift of poetry and involve others in writing, Wava often formed poetry clubs where others could catch the vision of expressing deep feelings in words that brought comfort and faith to hurting people or joy to those who longed to help others but didn’t know what to say.

Who are the others that have contributed poems in this book, you may ask?

Cheryl Campbell Powell is a mother and grandmother whose lifelong love of poetry and music springs naturally from her love of Jesus, the Holy Scriptures, and other people. Her poems in this book will meet you where you live and point you to higher ground.

Timothy Campbell is an ordained Chaplain, a Licensed Professional Counselor and owner of Lapeer, Michigan’s Life Resource Christian Counseling Center. There and elsewhere, he wears many hats—working in jails and throughout his community practicing the promise of 2 Corinthians 1:3–5. This family collection of verse starts with his poem, The Weaver. It demonstrates the high regard he has for his Aunt Wava’s unique ability to create life-changing poetry.

My poems in this volume result primarily from my many years in the ministry and the experiences and special occasions that occur in that environment.

Finally, the contribution of Pauline Campbell, my wife of more than sixty years and the mother of our children, has been immense. Her ability to create beauty and foster an atmosphere for creativity flows throughout this book.

—Roger Campbell

The Weaver

I met a sainted lady

When I was but a boy.

She spoke about her Lord a lot—

Of laughter, love, and joy.

Of winter’s wonder, summer storms,

Of boys and beasts and birds—

About God’s great and gracious gifts—

Hers happens to be words.

She’s got a way with words,

She weaves ‘em oh so wondrously;

Pretty as a picture in an oriental tapestry—

Poetry in motion, emotion into poetry.

She works the loom

Don’t ask for whom the weaver weaves—

She weaves for thee.

Throughout my life this lady sage

Has blessed me with her rhyme

On subjects sacred and profane,

Ridiculous, sublime.

I’ve witnessed many a weaver…

No one has near surpassed her.

And so when I

Am runnin’ dry

I fly back to the master.

Oh, Wava’s got a way with words

She weaves ‘em oh so wondrously,

Pretty as a picture in an oriental tapestry—

Poetry in motion, emotion into poetry.

She works the loom

Don’t ask for whom the weaver weaves—

She weaves for thee.

—Timothy Campbell

Sing Me a Song of a Savior

Sing me a song of a Savior

Who died for sinners like me.

Sing me a song of the tears that He shed

In dark Gethsemane.

Call me a sinner, I know it is true,

Sing of righteousness, judgment too.

I am so tired of each vague, silly tune.

Sing me of Jesus who’s coming soon.

Sing me a song of a Savior

The One I love so well.

Sing how He shed His precious blood

To rescue me from Hell.

Sing of His holiness, sing of His love,

Sing of the mansions in Heaven above.

Songs of rebellion can only bring