The Rutted Road is not about the moment faith ignites.
It is about what happens after.
These poems walk the long way — where belief has already been tested by consequence, where certainty no longer protects, and where the path forward is uneven, worn down by repetition, doubt, devotion, and loss. This is faith lived without spectacle: not rescued from the road, not spared its ruts, but carried through them.
The Rutted Road traces a journey marked by choices that cannot be undone and questions that refuse to resolve neatly. It is written for those who have acted, trusted, spoken, or loved — and then discovered that faith does not always explain itself afterward. What remains is motion. Persistence. The quiet courage of continuing.
These poems are not declarations.
They are footsteps.
Here, faith is not proven by certainty, but by movement.
Not by arrival, but by the willingness to keep walking.
Welcome to the road that bears the marks of belief.
The Series 🕯️🕊️
Take another step on The Rutted Road.
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a remnant’s prayer
A quiet prayer spoken from the remnants of what once stood tall. A Remnant’s Prayer wrestles with guilt, identity, mercy, and the fear of what remains after loss.
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the clearing
A poem about identity, silence, and the subtle difference between what feels genuine and what is genuinely us. Deep in a forest clearing, restraint becomes revelation.
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learning to linger
A quiet meditation on staying present when escape feels easier. This triolet explores the discipline of abiding—of choosing stillness over avoidance, even when the instinct is to run.
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I Can See the Kingdom
A defiant meditation on identity, judgment, and unshaken belief. This poem explores the tension between external pressure and inner clarity, where misunderstanding and control collide with unwavering vision. Even under scrutiny and force, something deeper remains untouched—seeing beyond what others claim to define.
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Cracks Reveal
why?is it wrong to ask?is it wrong to want to know? no.questions are not wrong,unless they are the wrong questions— even then, truth reveals itself. broken vesselshave no control over their state,each one handled uniquely. yet cracks merely revealwhat rests inside— emptiness, a lingering shade, or uncontainable treasurebeaming in regal radiance from the surrounding light.…
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Washed for the Wilderness
A baptism meant to welcome becomes exile. Washed for the Wilderness explores the paradox of belonging and banishment through a stark, minimalist meditation on faith, identity, and the quiet evidence left behind after crossing sacred water.
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Prayer of Disrepair
A quiet prayer for those learning to live outside the applause of the crowd. Prayer of Disrepair by Tristan Robert Lange explores solitude, spiritual exile, and the strange strength found in embracing brokenness when the world demands success.
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after absentia
After advice given and pressure endured, clarity never arrives…only realization. A poem by Tristan Robert Lange about spiritual exhaustion, sacrifice before Lent, and the quiet recognition of who stood present and who did not.
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fire away
A spare, defiant meditation on integrity, vulnerability, and faith under fire. fire away by Tristan Robert Lange confronts pressure, judgment, and spiritual assault with a quiet refusal to yield—where hope is not fragile, but forged for impact.
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skipping stones
A confessional poem wrestling with faith after action has already been taken. skipping stones by Tristan Robert Lange opens a new series, The Rutted Road, examining belief, consequence, and the long aftermath when certainty gives way to silence.
© 2025 Tristan Robert Lange. All rights reserved.
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