The Beginning by Kimberly Olivera

The end is near,

I hear them say.

The earth groans beneath the weight

the weight of blood and suffering,

the ground stained with our sins.

Can green continue to sprout

in such a barren land?

Every breath trembles.

Is joy still coming in the morning?

I think of our dear Lord saying,

“Touch the holes in my hands,

come see the grave is empty.”

I think not of an ending

but the beginning of glory.

Kimberly Olivera Lainez is a North Carolina writer, poet, and author of her debut collection of poetry To Let Myself Go. She has had work published in A.B.Baird's My Still Waters book anthology, Indelible Ink Writers, and Harness Magazine. She likes to explore topics of faith, growth, trauma, healing, nature, love, and the tumultuous highs and lows of life. You'll often find her writing in a coffee shop, spending time with her husband and two huskies, and reading her Bible.