A Time to Believe by B. J. Morbitzer

B. J. Morbitzer’s “A Time to Believe” is a poem about the power of belief. This simple piece is filled with positive energy that quickly excites one’s mind. Through this poem, Morbitzer is advising readers to keep faith in themselves and their dreams will definitely come true. Is it a proven fact or just an assumption? The practitioners of this simple mental exercise know, how constantly providing positive feedback to the mind, has a powerful impact on their actions. This mantra leads to success and yes, it is a proven fact, both scientifically and philosophically.

• Read the full text of “A Time to Believe” below:

A Time to Believe
by B. J. Morbitzer

To believe is to know that
every day is a new beginning.
Is to trust that miracles happen,
and dreams really do come true.

To believe is to see angels
dancing among the clouds,
To know the wonder of a stardust sky
and the wisdom of the man in the moon.

To believe is to know the value of a nurturing heart,
The innocence of a child’s eyes
and the beauty of an aging hand,
for it is through their teachings we learn to love.

To believe is to find the strength
and courage that lies within us
When it’s time to pick up
the pieces and begin again.

To believe is to know
we are not alone,
That life is a gift
and this is our time to cherish it.

To believe is to know
that wonderful surprises are just
waiting to happen,
And all our hopes and dreams are within reach.

If only we believe.

Vocabulary

Let’s explore the meaning of some hard words in “A Time to Believe.”

• Miracles (Line 3) – Extraordinary and welcome events
• Stardust (Line 7) – A magical quality or feeling
• Nurturing (Line 9) – Caring and loving
• Innocence (Line 10) – Purity
• Teachings (Line 12) – Guidance and life-lessons taught by aged people
• Cherish (Line 20) – Care and love

Summary

The speaker of this poem defines that to believe is to know each day is a new beginning. It is to trust the miracles that happen around us and our dreams do come true. Each section begins in a similar manner where the poet offers other ideas to trust and cherish.

In the second stanza, he tells readers to believe in the angels dancing in the magical sky. The wisdom of man lies in the moon. To believe is to know the worth of a loving heart, innocence in children’s eyes, and the beauty in elderly people. We learn to love from their teachings.

Furthermore, he says that believing in oneself is to explore the strength and courage in their heart. It is never too late to pick the pieces and begin again. On our journey of life, we are never alone. The life we got is a git to cherish for a lifetime.

Lastly, the poet assures readers to be patient as wonderful surprises are just waiting to happen. All our hopes and dreams are within reach if only we believe in ourselves.

Meaning

The title of this poem “A Time to Believe” refers to the present moment that is the best time to start trusting oneself. If readers believe in their hidden potential and the possibility of their dreams coming true, they will surely succeed. Success is not related to material pleasure. According to the poet, it is all about having faith in oneself, not being discouraged by negativity. When a person learns the art of staying positive, his dream becomes true. Apart from that, this poem also highlights the things one should cherish and value such as a loving heart, innocence, and respect for elders. If one possesses all these qualities, nothing can stop one from getting success.

Structure, Form, & Rhyme Scheme

Structure & Form

“A Time to Believe” consists of six quatrains or stanzas having four lines each. There is only one exception. It occurs in the last stanza where Morbitzer uses a coda at the end of the quatrain. Each quatrain begins in a similar manner with the phrase “To believe”. This scheme of repetition that occurs in each stanza is called a refrain. It is used to emphasize the main idea of the poem.

The poem is written in free-verse as it does not have a regular rhyme scheme or meter. Morbitzer uses the first-person narrative technique in order to present his ideas. He talks from the perspective of readers by using the pronoun “we”.

Rhyme Scheme

Being a free-verse poem, it does not have a specific rhyme scheme. In some instances, readers can find a few imperfect or slant rhymes. For example, in the second stanza, the word “angels” imperfectly rhymes with “clouds”. In the fifth stanza, “gift” and “it” rhyme a little bit, not completely. Apart from that, there are repetitions of similar sounds that create internal rhymings.

Figures of Speech & Poetic Devices

In this poem, readers can find the following figures of speech that are used in order to make the poet’s ideas more engaging and thought-provoking.

Enjambment

This device is used in each stanza to make one read the consecutive lines in order to get the overall idea. For example, in the first stanza, the first two lines are connected by using this device. The first line creates suspense while the second line completes the sense.

Alliteration

The repetition of similar sounds (vowel or consonant) in successive words is called alliteration. It occurs in the following examples from the text.

• “dreams really do” (Line 4)
• “stardust sky” (Line 7)
• “man in the moon” (Line 8)
• “learn to love” (Line 12)
• “pick up/ the pieces” (Lines 15-16)
• “time to” (Line 20)

Repetition

The order of words in the first line “To believe to know” is repeated at the beginning of the third, fifth, and sixth stanzas. Alongside that, each section begins with the same phrase “To believe”. It is meant for the sake of emphasis as well as creating a resonance of the main idea.

Metaphor

Morbitzer uses a number of metaphors in the poem. For example:

• “the beauty of an aging hand” is an implicit reference to the experience and wisdom of an old man.
• In the lines “When it is time to pick up/ the pieces and begin again”, the “pieces” is a metaphorical reference to failure.
• There is another metaphor in the line “That life is a gift”. Here, life is compared to a gift of God. 

Synecdoche

This figure of speech can be found in the first three lines of the third stanza.

• “a nurturing heart” — It is a reference to a kind and caring person.
• “innocence in a child’s eyes” — Here, the poet refers to the purity of a child that can be reflected in its eyes.
• “beauty of an aging hand” — It is a reference to the intellectual beauty of an aged person. 

Epigram

The overall poem is written in the form of an epigram. Each stanza contains brief, interesting, and memorable statements concerning life lessons. For example, in the first stanza, the poet says “to believe” is all about trusting that miracles happen and our dreams do come true.

Stanza-by-Stanza Analysis & Explanation

Stanza One

To believe is to know that

every day is a new beginning.

Is to trust that miracles happen,

and dreams really do come true.

The poem “A Time to Believe” implies that the best time to start believing in oneself is now while one reads the poem. B. J. Morbitzer’s persona defines what it means “To believe”. It is to know that everyday is a new beginning. We should not think that it is too late to start. Each new day presents new opportunities. So, with all our energy, we should start doing the things we love.

It often occurs to us that the upcoming day is going to be the same. But, according to the speaker, that is not the case. He tells readers to trust that miracles happen. It means that each day does not only come up with new opportunities, but it also makes way for extraordinary events or miracles. Such events change the course of one’s life within a flash of a moment.

Lastly, the poet emphasizes the fact that dreams do come true. In this way, he tries to convey that we should think about the positive aspects of life. We should wake up each day with the thoughts that energize our minds.

Stanza Two

To believe is to see angels

dancing among the clouds,

To know the wonder of a stardust sky

and the wisdom of the man in the moon.

In the second stanza, Morbitzer talks about an imaginary concept. He says that we should believe that angels dance among the clouds. In reality, it does not happen. But, here he urges readers to be imaginative. We should not look down upon the power of imagination. Rather we should believe in the things we make up in our mind. One such example is that of seeing angels in the clouds. It seems that the “angels” are nothing other than the personification of stars.

In the following line, the poet talks about the wonderful night sky. One should know the magical qualities of the sky. When a person is mentally bogged down by negativity, looking up at the sky fills his mind with peace and solitude. It seems as if the sky with its immense magical power heals the sad heart.

Not only that, readers have to know the “wisdom of the man in the moon”. Through this line, the poet means that the moon is one of the sources of energy, creativity, and imagination for humankind. From ancient times, thinkers often looked up at the moon to seek inspiration. Therefore, we should believe in the extraordinary power of this celestial body.

Stanza Three

To believe is to know the value of a nurturing heart,

The innocence of a child’s eyes

and the beauty of an aging hand,

for it is through their teachings we learn to love.

In the third stanza, the poet talks about the things we must value. He connects the verb “to believe” with the idea of “to know the value”. According to him, if we want to start believing in ourselves, we should know the worth of a few things. What are these things?

Firstly, it concerns a “nurturing heart”. The phrase stands for a person who loves and cares for others. Through this line, the poet advises readers to be compassionate. Before that, we have to understand its worth.

Secondly, we should appreciate the innocence in a child’s eyes. A child is a symbol of purity. The purity of its soul often gets reflected in its eyes. If one looks at their eyes, they can feel the value of innocence and simplicity.

Lastly, the poet tells readers to appreciate the beauty of “an aging hand”. Here, the “hand” symbolizes experience. The wrinkles of an old man’s skin depict how experienced he is. It is not related to the conventional idea of “beauty”. Rather it is connected with the idea of intellectual beauty and wisdom. The poet tells readers that we should know the value of an aging hand as through their teachings we learn to love.

Stanza Four

To believe is to find the strength

and courage that lies within us

When it’s time to pick up

the pieces and begin again.

In the fourth stanza, the poet describes believing in oneself as to find the underlying strength and courage in our hearts. The strength to start again or the courage to face the failures does not come from any external agencies. These qualities originate directly from the mind. We should trust the power of our minds and seek the energy from this source.

In the following lines, the poet talks about when to seek resources from the mind. According to him, when we face failures, we have to dive within our minds to seek energy to begin again. One should always be ready to pick up the pieces of their failure and start again. We should never be discouraged by the fact that it is too late to begin. Failure is just part of success. It is up to us how we deal with it.

Stanza Five

To believe is to know

we are not alone,

That life is a gift

and this is our time to cherish it.

Furthermore, the poet tells readers to believe that we are never alone. In the journey of life, we often have to leave someone behind. It is not that we left those who were with us. Rather it is they who left us as they could not walk with us in the path we chose. The things that are going to happen cannot be undone. Therefore, it is better to focus on the positive aspects of life and move on. Those who really care for us will always be there as our parents.

In the final lines of this stanza, the poet compares life to a precious gift. It is a gift from the almighty. We should not undermine its value when we are feeling motivated. According to the poet, it is the time to cherish its worth. When we learn the value of our life, we start to realize its potential.

Stanza Six

To believe is to know

that wonderful surprises are just

waiting to happen,

And all our hopes and dreams are within reach.

If only we believe.

In the last stanza of “A Time to Believe”, Morbitzer uses enjambment to connect the first three lines. This section also begins like the previous one. Here, the poetic persona tells readers to believe in the positive things that are waiting to happen. While tirelessly working for our dreams, we must not think that we are going in the wrong direction or we are going to fail. We should keep faith in our actions and they are surely going to take a wonderful turn. According to the speaker, we have to remain focused on the things we are doing as wonderful surprises are just coming by.

Besides, our hopes and dreams are not something that is far from our reach. It is how we think about our dreams. Every achiever was once a dreamer who did not think that his dream was out of his reach. The last line emphasizes this fact. Here, the poet reiterates that everything depends on our beliefs.

Central Idea & Theme

The central idea of “A Time to Believe” deals with the power of belief and cherishing the things that matter to us. Throughout the poem, Morbitzer talks about a variety of ideas that we should know and value. He focuses primarily on trusting in ourselves. Then he goes on to describe the power of imagination, the value of compassion, and the importance of staying positive at the time of failure. Besides, this poem taps on the themes of belief, positivity, imagination, compassion, and dreams. The main theme of this piece, as mentioned previously, is the power of belief.

Questions and Answers

Similar Inspirational Poems

• “To fight aloud, is very brave –” by Emily Dickinson – It is about the individual struggles and hardships that people often have to deal with in life.
• “Laugh and Be Merry” by John Masefield – This poem outpours the joy in the poet’s heart and teaches readers to live happily.
• “Stay Calm” by Grenville Kleiser – It is about being calm and silent in the face of adversities, hatred, and annoyance.
• “It Couldn’t Be Done” by Edgar Guest – This poem is about the diligence and self-motivation that help one to sail through all the obstacles.

External Resources

• Poems of B. J. Morbitzer (2012) – Read some other poems by B. J. Morbitzer.