The sonnet, a Shakespearean sonnet inspired by Isaiah 40:8, explores the contrast between the fleeting nature of earthly beauty and the eternal endurance of God’s word. It begins by depicting the transience of grass and flowers, which flourish briefly but wither under the sun’s heat and autumn’s chill, symbolizing the impermanence of all earthly things. In contrast, God’s word is presented as an unwavering, everlasting truth, likened to towering mountains that stand firm through time and storms. The sonnet concludes by affirming that, while nature fades, God’s word remains a constant source of peace, hope, and guidance for humanity. Written in 14 lines with iambic pentameter and an ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme, the sonnet uses vivid natural imagery to echo the biblical verse’s message of divine permanence amidst mortal frailty.

The tender grass in verdant splendor grows,
Yet wilts beneath the sun’s relentless blaze;
The flowers bloom where fleeting beauty glows,
Then fade to naught in time’s unyielding maze.
Their fragile forms succumb to autumn’s chill,
No earthly root defies the season’s claim;
But God’s great word, with everlasting will,
Burns bright, unquenched, a never-fading flame.
Like mountains tall that stand through countless years,
His truth endures, unmoved by storm or strife;
It speaks of peace to calm our mortal fears,
A steadfast hope to guide the soul through life.
Though grass and blooms in fleeting moments fall,
God’s word remains, eternal, over all.