Old or New?

If I were to choose

In the passing of years

Whether old or new should be read,

I'd choose the old.

For the passing of years is a filtering screen,

only allowing the writings of worth to remain

And though the books of today are not without excellence,

(As I must plead for myself, one of many modern writers)

They have not yet been held to the colander of generations,

But only that of years, weeks, or days.

When curiosity or necessity draws one to an ancient,

Most turn to the writings of a modern correspondent,

Modestly thinking themselves too unlearned,

or lazily thinking the writing too hard.

Unconsidered is the fact that the writers of old,

Have passed through the sieve, having writings worth gold,

and are better at telling their story and theology,

then the modern contemporary in your library.

So reach for the ancient, reach for the old,

and read each modern between two that are aged.

---

After reading this aloud, some family members noted that it sounded quite like the rhyme scheme and meter of "The Night Before Christmas"...

Beth Anne's Poetry