HEARKEN 
RETURN TO POEM LIST 
 
PROVERBS ONE AND THIRTY THREE 
HAS PROMISE TO THOSE WHO'LL READ IT; 
PROCLAIMING ALL CAN SAFELY DWELL. 
'TWOULD BE VERY WISE TO HEED IT. 
 
JUST ONE WORD IS KEY TO ALL 
THE DOORS OF WISDOM AND LIGHT, 
TO PROSPERITY, JOY, FULFILLMENT, LOVE, 
AND THE PATHWAY TO LIFE AND RIGHT. 
 
"HEARKEN", YES, THAT'S THE WORD; 
WELL KNOWN, BUT NOT WELL USED. 
YOU MUST AGREE, OF OVER USE, 
I DOUBT YOU'VE BEEN ACCUSED. 
 
TO HEARKEN IS NOT JUST TO HEAR; 
BUT HEAR WITH INTENT TO OBEY; 
TO ADJUST YOUR WALK IN LIGHT OF RIGHT, 
AND THE WISDOM GOD BRINGS YOUR WAY. 
 
TO THE WISDOM OF MOM AND DAD, 
GOD COMMANDS THIS WORD APPLY. 
HEARKEN, MY CHILD, AND GOD WILL GIVE 
LONG LIFE BEFORE YOU DIE. 
 
TO GOD'S WORD, HEARKEN WE MUST, 
GOD'S MAN WE CAN'T IGNORE, 
GOD'S NOT MOCKED AND HE WILL ACT, 
HE'S DEALT WITH YOUR KIND BEFORE. 
 
"BETTER IS A YOUNG AND WISE CHILD 
THAN AN OLD AND FOOLISH KING: 
WHO WILL NO LONGER HEARKEN TO GOD 
OR LEARN ANY NEW THING." 
 
HEARKEN IS NOT JUST TO YOUNG; 
BUT TO OLD AND ALL IN BETWEEN. 
MOMS AND DADS MUST HEARKEN TO GOD 
AS WELL AS THOSE IN THEIR TEENS. 
 
ONE MORE THING I MIGHT ADD: 
TO HEARKEN IS GOOD AND WELL; 
BEWARE, THOUGH, FROM WHOM YOU HEAR, 
FOR SIN HAS SOMETHING TO TELL. 
 
REHOBOAM HEARKENED WELL; 
BUT NOT TO WHO WAS WISE: 
TO HIS FRIENDS, AND NOT TO YEARS, 
THAT'S WHY HE WAS DESPISED. 
 
AMNON HEARKENED TO JONADAB 
AND COMMITTED A WICKED CRIME. 
HE COULD HAVE HEARD GOD'S MAN INSTEAD, 
BUT WOULDN'T TAKE THE TIME. 
 
JEHOSAPHAT HEARKENED NOT TO GOD, 
BUT TO AHAB, THE WICKED KING. 
HE LOST HIS SON AND COMPROMISED, 
O WHAT A FOOLISH THING. 
 
THANK GOD! THOUGH, FOR OTHER MEN 
WHO LISTEN TO GOD ALONE: 
HEEDING THE RIGHT INSTEAD OF SELF 
WISDOM OF AGES THEY OWN. 
 
JOSEPH HEARKENED, THOUGH A SLAVE: 
BECAME RULER OF ALL THE LAND. 
DANIEL HEARKENED WITH THREE FRIENDS, 
AND SAW GOD'S MIGHTY HAND. 
 
PAUL HEARKENED TO JESUS' VOICE 
AND IS IN HEAVEN TODAY. 
PETER HEARKENED WHILE FISHING; 
HIS LIFE WAS CHANGED THAT WAY. 
 
TEEN, IF YOU WOULD DIE TO PRIDE 
AND HEARKEN TO GOD AND MAN; 
YOU'D  NOT HAVE TO SPEND YOUR LIFE 
BY SATAN SIFTED LIKE SAND. 
 
ADULTS TOO, IF YOU'D TAKE HEED 
TO GOD, HIS WORD, HIS MAN; 
GOD'S POWER COULD BE IN YOUR LIFE 
TO DWELL IN VICT'RY'S LAND. 
 
WE WANT PREACHER'S TO HEARKEN; 
BUT YOU MUST HEARKEN TOO. 
YOU'RE NOT TOO BIG, OR TOO SMART; 
THIS TRUTH APPLIES TO YOU. 
 
NO SOULS WOULD BE IN HELL, 
IN DAMNATION TO DWELL, 
WE'D NOT KNOW HOW MAN FELL, 
NO ONE WOULD BE IN JAIL, 
NO SAD STORIES COULD WE TELL, 
YOUR SOUL YOU'D NEVER SELL, 
OUR JOY WOULD NEVER FAIL, 
WE'D LIVE IN HEAVEN'S VEIL, 
IF ONLY MAN WOULD HEARKEN; 
SO HEARKEN, AND HEARKEN WELL! 
 
MARK BULLEN