Who Am I? —Poetry Edition
This game is a combination of our three favorite things: the Bible, beautiful poetry, and a good ol’ fashioned challenge. Each of the following sonnets is written about a particular Bible character. Your job is to figure out who.
Once you solve these, make your own poem inspired by a person from the Bible. Start by reading about that person and jot down anything that sticks out to you. See if your parents and friends can guess who your poem is written about.
These Bible character sonnets were written by Christine Marie Lim Magpile.
I. The Flood of Life
I built an Ark to save the world from doom,
And gathered pairs of every living kind.
I followed God’s command and made some room,
For all the creatures that I could find.
But as the rain poured down and drowned the earth,
I felt a pang of sorrow in my heart.
For all the people who had lost their worth,
And all the things that I had to depart.
And yet I also felt a surge of hope,
That after this great flood, there would be peace.
Should my descendants and I elope,
With nature’s beauty and its rich increase?
Oh, what a paradox this life can be,
A flood of death that brings new life to me.
Who am I?
II. The Covenant
In the desert’s grasp, I stood as a vessel,
A shepherd tending to my flock’s delight.
But within my core, a fire did ignite,
A calling, strong, that I could not wrestle.
With staff in hand, I parted the waters,
A feat so grand, a miracle untold.
Through desert heat, my people I did hold,
With faith and strength, we faced the slaughters.
Yet humbly I tread, with my head held high,
A leader chosen, through God’s own decree.
The laws I received on Mount Sinai,
A covenant, binding, for all to see.
Oh, they called me a chosen one,
A prophet, a guide, the journey began.
Who am I?
III. The Wise King’s Lament
I was the wisest king of Israel,
And ruled with justice, peace, and godly fear.
I built the temple where God’s glory dwelled,
And wrote the proverbs for all men to hear.
But wisdom was not enough for my soul,
I craved for pleasures of the flesh and eye.
I married many women, lost control,
And worshipped idols that made God deny.
Now I am old and full of vanity,
My kingdom is divided by my son.
My riches are but dust and misery.
My fame and glory are soon to be gone.
Oh, how I wish I had been satisfied,
With God’s own wisdom, and not foolish pride.
Who am I?
IV. The Reluctant Prophet’s Tale
I was a prophet sent by God to warn,
The wicked city of Nineveh to repent.
But I refused to go, and fled in scorn,
And boarded on a ship that seaward went.
But God was angry, and He sent a storm,
That threatened to destroy the vessel’s crew.
They cast me out, and I was swallowed by a worm,
A giant fish that in the deep sea grew.
For three long days and nights, I stayed inside,
The fish’s belly. To God, I extended my hand.
He had mercy on my pride,
The fish spit me out on land.
I went to Nineveh, and preached God’s word,
But still, I was still unhappy and absurd.
Who am I?
V. Father of Many Nations
I am the father of many nations,
The chosen one to bless the earth with seed.
God made with me a covenant of grace,
And asked me to obey his every deed.
I left my home and wandered in the land,
I waited long to have a son by faith.
I did not doubt God’s promise or command,
But trusted him to keep me and my mate.
I faced a test that shook me to the core,
To offer up my son as a sacrifice.
I did not hesitate or question more,
But laid him on the altar in a trice.
And God was pleased with me and spared my boy,
And gave me countless offspring and much joy.
Who am I?
See the answers HERE.
About the Poet
Christine Marie Lim Magpile is a teacher, book editor, and creative writer. She has a BS in Education—History (cum laude) from the University of Santo Tomas, Manila and currently finishing her MA in Araling Pilipino from the University of the Philippines, Diliman. She is a fellow of several national writers’ workshops in the Philippines such as the DLSU Young Screenwriters Workshop (2023), La Salle Kritika National Workshop on Art and Cultural Criticism (2019), 6th Angono Writers’ Summer Workshop (2018), and the UST National Writers’ Workshop (2008).
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