Uncharted Waters (Considering Ecclesiastes)

May 28, 2025 Ben Plunkett

Words from a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips. At the beginning his words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness—and the fool multiplies words.

Ecclesiastes 10:12-14a

Uncharted Waters

Jacks and jokers march in disillusioned 
parades dancing to the endless cacophony.  
“Farewell,” laud the jacks and jokers. 
Off they go following unpaved footpaths  
into the oozing briar and brush, 
never again sensed, heard, or noticed. 
What, then, more shall I say? 
Wise words are such precious riches.                                                        
The subject of eloquent paths, speech
and populous domains of alphabetical words 
lies largely in somber, uncharted waters. 
Is silence best? Silence as listening 
waters sliding between riverbanks defying danger 
and rushing to meet the ocean.
Harmonize, baby’s boss, a silent symphony, 
humming a lullaby driving danger away 
as little lamb-kind dreams of 
cotton clouds brushing like a song 
up and down, to and fro.

Author
Recent Posts

Ben Plunkett

Greetings from the booming metropolis that is Pleasant View, Tennessee. I am a man of constant spiritual highs and spiritual lows. I pray that I serve God at my highest even when I am lowest.

Ben was a founding member of Rambling Ever On and a regular contributor and editor until his untimely death in April 2020.

We wrote a tribute to him, but the best tribute you can give him would be to read all the wonderful poems, short stories, book reviews, theological essays, and ridiculous satire pieces he wrote for us. Pass them on to others and maybe allow Ben to inspire you to write something yourself.