Empty is a palindrome poem: that means that it reads the same backwards as it does forwards.

Well, sort of. The earliest drafts of it were a pure palindrome. But as we were teasing out some of the themes that it explores, we thought it would be a lot more powerful to see the beginning of the poem transform by the time we come back around to it so that the poem itself becomes like the middle line says: all the crooked paths that bring you there get rewritten.

The idea was for the animation to reflect that—the entire second half of the piece was going to include text rearranging, fleshing out, adding to, crossing out, etc. But we had about a week to get this one out, so we just animated the first few to get the point across. That’s the business.

To reflect that, I’ve changed the color of all the text in the second half that morphs from the first half.

Anyway. This is Empty. Please enjoy!

Empty.

I’m finally, no longer

so sure that today,

in light of this empty tomb I have become,

I can be redeemed.

Can I still be

holding nothing in these desperate hands

after everything I’ve tried?

I’m hollowed out.

An empty grave.

Everything I’ve done has led to

this broken version of myself. I’m realizing

perhaps I’m not

looking up from here.

Emptiness

where I thought I’d find

hope. 

Despair

where I thought I’d find

peace.

Rejection

where I thought I’d find

forgiveness.

Who can show me

a little bit of grace, even when I don’t deserve it?

Who can save me from this body of death?

Wandering with no end in sight.

Composed on the outside and

hollow underneath. A lifetime

of saying the right things while being

unsure, afraid,

despite my best efforts, utterly lost.

My own strength has brought me only ruin.

I need something bigger than me

to step into this story and show me where to go

to find peace. I need someone

to show me where to turn 

when all my roads have run out.

Emptiness. Resurrection

seems impossible from 

where I’m standing,

dead in my sins, 

a grave in myself,

lost.

But that’s when I found a tomb

that once held a Savior.

That tomb was empty

Because that King was alive

And He began rewriting the crooked road that brought me to Him.

Because that King is alive

that tomb is empty

that once held a Savior. 

I found that tomb.

when I was Lost.

A grave in myself,

dead in my sins.

Standing here, anything

is possible: from

emptiness, Resurrection.

When all my roads have run out

I know where to turn 

to find peace. I found someone

to step into this story and show me where to go.

I belong to someone bigger than me.

His strength has brought me life:

after all I’ve done, utterly found.

Assured. Boldly 

living for the first time. 

A lifetime

ahead, following where my Savior leads.

Now I belong to one 

who can save me from this body of death.

Scandalous grace, even when I don’t deserve it.

He shows me 

forgiveness

where I thought I’d find

rejection.

Peace 

where I thought I’d find

despair.

Hope

where I thought i’d find

Emptiness.

Now I’m looking up from here. 

Perhaps I’m not

this broken version of myself. I’m realizing

everything I’ve done has led me to

THE empty grave.

I’m reborn

because of what Jesus did.

He’s holding my future in His capable hands.

So can I still be

Redeemed?

I can be.

In light of THIS empty tomb, I have become

so sure that today,

I’m finally, no longer

Empty.