POEMS BY RUTH BELL GRAHAM (WIFE OF REV. BILLY GRAHAM)

The first poem is about choosing to love through the difficult times when Billy would have to leave her and the children to go on the road.

Love without clinging;
cry if you must—
but privately cry;
the heart will adjust
to the newness of loving
in practical ways:
cleaning and cooking
and sorting out clothes,
all say, “I love you,”
when lovingly done.

So— love without clinging;
cry— if you must—
but privately cry;
the heart will adjust
to the length of his stride,
the song he is singing,
the trail he must ride,
the tensions that make him
the man that he is,
the world he must face,
the life that is his.

So love without clinging;
cry—if you must—
but privately cry;
the heart will adjust
to being the heart,
not the forefront of life;
a part of himself,
not the object—
his wife.

So—love!

Once she expressed her longing with a short poem

We are told to wait on You.

But, Lord, there is no time.

My heart implores upon its knees,

“Hurry!... please.

There were times things went too fast for her and at that time she wrote a poem

A little more time, Lord,

Just a little more time.

There’s so much to do,

So much undone.

If it’s all right with you, Lord,

Please stop the sun.

There’s forever before me

Forever with you;

But a little more time

For the so much to do.

When Ruth had understand that God do things in His way, she wrote

As I was praying day and night,

Night and day,

Quietly God was saying

“Let there be light” – My way.

When Ruth wanted to describe God’s eternal love, she wrote

And I lay, where for long in despair I had lain,

Entered, unshod, the holy,

There where God dwells with His pain –

Alone with the pain of the price He had paid

In giving His Son for a world gone astray-

The world He had made,

My heart lay in silence,

Worshipped in silence; and questioned no more.”

Her poem about the end of life

It Won’t Be Long …

It won’t be long –
the sun is slowly slipping out of sight;
lengthening shadows deepen into dusk;
still winds whisper;
all is quiet;
it won’t be long
– till night.

It won’t be long –
the tired eyes close,
her strength is nearly gone;
frail hands that ministered to many
lie quiet, still;
Light from another world!
Look up, bereaved!
It won’t be long
– till Dawn!