The Seven Deadly Sins of My Dark Heart

The Seven Deadly Sins of My Dark Heart

 I was familiar with the seven sins,

For they resided deep within,

My dark, dark, heart,

I wrestled with some of them each day,

Knowing there would be hell to pay,

If I insisted that they stay,

My curiosity, one at a time, invited them in,

As if each one was a poor urchin,

Needing somewhere to play,

I think anger was the first,

I thought my heart would burst,

My wrath I could barely contain,

It frightened me and caused much pain,

And envy, I set my heart on,

The riches of others, the conclusion forgone,

For years you could color me green,

I wanted things I had seen,

I didn’t like being poor,

Gluttony, much to my on-going distress,

Was a problem, for I ate to excess,

But I exercised regularly to keep calories spent,

Obesity I wanted to prevent,

Yet I was not mentally content,

So sloth, or acedia, stepped in,

Because I was in turmoil within,

I couldn’t work or pray,

It continued day to day,

Some called it laziness,

But God found a way,

To get me on my feet again,

Although I didn’t worry about greed,

I had more than I needed,

And I wanted more,

Lust was always so robust,

And so easy to mistrust,

There were no considerations of love,

Or higher thoughts from above,

Just physical attraction,

A primitive mating call,

Wanting self satisfaction,

The biggest fault of all, my pride,

Where God’s world and my world collide,

I did things my way,

Not listening to what anyone might say,

I was a god of my own little space,

Bright, athletic, and fair of face,

Why bother, to think of others?

My own heart had the seven sins on display,

For me to see every day,

I wanted to kick them out and replace,

With other traits to take their place,

Humility, generosity, kindness, love,

Characteristics that came from above,

Self-control, temperance, and zeal,

I humbled myself and kneeled,

And prayed that the seven sins,

Would not have a chance to appeal,

And suddenly the sins that once bound me,

Were taken away, my heart set free,

Because of humble heart I was given grace,

And at the foot of the throne I took my place.