Reflections from Pastor John Cao is a series of poetry and writings from the recently released Chinese Christian prisoner of conscience exclusively published by ChinaAid. The pieces below were written on April 6, 2024 or while he was still imprisoned and has been minimally edited for clarity. To read more of Pastor John Cao’s poetry, one can purchase the collection written while he was imprisoned, Living Lyrics: Poems from Prison.
Ode to the White Crane
In Chinese culture, the white crane symbolizes saints, purity, and the unwavering pursuit of nobility. Inspired by this, I composed the following poem:
The raging wind blinds the eyes with swirling dust,
Black clouds churn, lightning flashes, and thunder roars.
Fly dung takes the chance to stain the pure wings,
The white crane holds its head high and soars into the sky.
Missing Old Friends
Every time I lay out paper and pen, the faces of many friends come to my mind,
The miss for each other stirs and melts away the lonely cold.
Earnestly, they stand outside the wall for a long time,
And moment by moment, they are by my side, comforting me.
Hands on the plow, looking forward,
Hearts connected, spreading wings and soaring upwards.
Grateful for the era of the Internet’s vast coverage,
Believers join forces to spread the gospel like the Apostles.
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I live each day with a joyful heart in prison, seeing every day as a new challenge. I always woke up at five o’clock in the morning to pray, for this is the source of joy.
In the stillness, my spirit awakens,
Softly praying, meditating, humming a tune.
A new dawn brings blessings and new challenges,
With a joyful, light heart, I face the thorny path.
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The police require us prisoners to reflect on our past sins every day. This I am quite willing to cooperate with. I start to reflect on my past thoughts and actions that were not in line with the Lord’s will, pursuing only holiness. A poem comes to mind:
Touched by grace, darkness is first discerned,
In the wilderness, poison in life is thoroughly exposed and destroyed.
Seeking power and fortune, worldly affairs,
Rejecting the old self, pursuing the holy path.
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Love for God and others penetrates the marrow,
Every cell flying with joy.
Ensuring the genes are pure and righteous,
Living out noble character, returning to God’s Kingdom.
