SONGS FOR A FREIND

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THE PRIEST

TO STAND DAILY AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD

AND CALL DOWN FIRE

AND BY AN ALCHEMY

PERFORM A MIRACLE IN MY HANDS

LONG PUT TO REST UNWORTHINESS AS FACTUAL

SUMMONED LIKE MOSES ARGUING THAT AARON WAS BETTER

BUT AARON WASN'T CALLED

SUMMONED TO SERVE AND IN THAT WORD TO FIND MY CROSS

TOO EASY TO TAKE MY MAGIC POWERS

AND CLAIM THAT ALL EXISTS FOR ME

SO EASY

BUT TO LISTEN TO THE THRICE TOLD TALE OF THE OLD

OR ANOINT INCURABLE CANCER WITH HEALING OIL

TO COUNSEL THE ANGRY HURT OR LONELY

TO GIVE ADVICE BETTER THAN MYSELF

TO GIVE

TO KNOW THE NEED FOR TRANSFORMATION

NOT CHANGE NOT REALLY

BUT THAT THE BREAD SHOULD GIVE GOOD HEALTH

AND WINE REFRESHMENT

THAT I MIGHT BE WHAT THEY SAY I AM

THAT I MIGHT BE

THAT I MIGHT STAND AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD

TAKING ALL THEIR CARES TO THE TESTING POINT

AND CALL DOWN FIRE IN MY HANDS

AND GIVE MY BODY/BLOOD FOR SACRIFICE

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GARGOYLE HOWLING IN THE WIND

SPEWING WATER AND WITH EYE DISTENDED

SCOWLING

WHAT AGONY OF ARTIST DRONE THE CHISEL

WHAT tNJUSTICE BORNE WITHOUT HOPE OF REMEDY

HOW MANY MEN ARE GARGOYLE MADE

BY FORCES OUT OF THEIR CONTROL

BY WAR BY RACE BY POVERTY

CONTIN#L NOISE IN A CROWDED ROOM

CHISELS CARVING PAIN

Precariously PERCHED THE GARGOYLE SITS

IN THE RAIN SPEWING PAIN

AND WITH EYE DISTENDED

SEARCHES FOR THE SUN

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THE BIRDS

IT WASN'T THAT HE DIDN'T LIKE CHRISTMAS

HE ENJOYED THE HOLIDAY FUN

ALL THE BRIGHT COLORS AND SUDDEN GOOD WILL

AND THE CHILDREN'S HAPPY SUSPENSE

BUT HE COULDN'T BELIEVE IN CHRISTMAS

IN THE INCARNATION I MEAN

GOD LIVING A MAN-LIFE LIKE HIS? WHAT FOR?

IT JUST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO HIM

HE SAT BY THE FIRE

WARM IN HIS HOME

ON CHRISTMAS EVE ALONE

THE FAMILY GONE OFF TO MIDNIGHT MASS

HE HEARD A THUMP AT THE WINDOW

AND THEN ANOTHER

SOME MISCHIEF BOY OUT FOR FUN HE THOUGHT

HE WENT TO THE WINDOW TO CHASE HIM WITH A GLANCE

BUT FOUND NO BOY

BUT A SPARROW FLOCK

LURED BY THE LIGHT AND SIGHT OF WARMTH

HAD TRIED TO COME THROUGH HIS WINDOW

THEY HUDDLED NOW IN THE SNOW

WITH NO PLACE TO GO

AND HE FELT COMPASSION FOR THEM

HE PUT ON HIS BOOTS AND JACKET AND SCARF

AND OUT HE WENT TO OPEN THE GARAGE

TO GIVE THEM SHELTER

BUT THEY WOULD NOT COME

SO HE TURNED ON THE LIGHT

BUT THEY WOULD NOT COME

HE WENT AND GOT BREAD

AND THREW IT MANNA LIKE UPON THE SNOW

A PATH TO FOLLOW

BUT THEY WOULD NOT COME

HE TRIED TO HERD THEM IN

SHOUTING AND WAVING HIS ARMS

BUT THEY WOULD NOT COME

I'M SCARING THEM HE THOUGHT

I'M SO BIG COMPARED TO THEM

AND DIFFERENT

IF BUT FOR A MOMENT I COULD BE A SPARROW

I COULD LEAD THEM THROUGH THE DOOR

I COULD LEAD THEM THROUGH.....THE DOOR

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SURF BIRD

THE SEA CAME IN THE LITTLE BIRD RAN

AND FOLLOWED THE SEA BACK OUT

THEN RAN FROM THE SEA AND FOLLOWED IT OUT

DANCING THE DAY IN TIME TO THE SEA

PLAYING FOR FOOD

I WONDER IF IT FEARS THE SEA

LIKE I DO GOD

PLAYING THE EDGES OF HIS LOVE

OR MY LOVE REALLY AS IT EBBS AND FLOWS

RUNNING WHEN THE WAVE COMES STRONG

SEABIRDS ON DELICATE FEET

RUNNING FROM THE WATER

SOMEDAY HOPEFULLY UNAWARE

THE SEA WILL OVERWHELM ME

SWEEPING ME OUT TO THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA

TO BE ONE WITH THE MOTION THE SURGE OF THE SEA

TO BE THE SEA

TO PLAY WITH THE BIRDS AT THE WATER'S EDGE

TO FEED THEM

AND CALL THEM TO THE DANCE

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DELAWARE BAY

IT WAS LOW TIDE WHEN WE GOT THERE

BAYSIDE IN THE MID OF WINTER

AFTER A THAW

STRANDED ON THE SHORE LIKE WHALES

THE PILES OF ICE

OR MOVING OUT TO SEA

MOANING AS THEY RUBBED EACH OTHER

GROANING AS THEY HIT A PIER OR BREAKWATER

BUT IT WAS THE ICE ON SHORE

THAT HELD OUR EYE

MELTING NOW IN THE SUN

SENDING BACK THEIR RICHNESS TO THE SEA

OCCASIONALLY THEIR WEIGHT WOULD BREAK THEM

OR WE WOULD WISHING WINTER AWAY

IT BECAME A GAME WE'D PLAY WISHING WINTER AWAY

BREAKING THE ICE AND CHANTING

OUT YOU GO ICE AND SNOW

A KIND OF FRENZY SEIZED US

BUT THE ICE ENDURED

IT DID NOT RUN BEFORE OUR CHANT

IN THE SPRING WE SHALL RETURN

WONDERING WHERE THE ICE HAS GONE

OR KNOWING RATHER IN THE MIND

THAT SUN AND HEAT HAVE DONE THE TRICK

BUT IN THAT DEEPER DARKER PART OF MIND

TO KNOW THAT CHILL AND COLD ARE NOT JUST WINTER THINGS

THAT TOO OFTEN THERE IS WINTER IN OUR SOUL

AWESOME SHAPES OF ICE THAT OVERWHELM US

COULD WE BUT CHANT THE SPELL AND WISH THEM GONE

BUT COME YOU NOW AND HOLD MY HAND

AND DRIVE FROM ME THE WINTER'S CHILL

I AM AN ICE CHOKED STREAM WANTING TO RUN FREE

I WANT TO BE NOT ICE FROZEN ON THE SHORE

BUT WATER RUNNING WITH THE WIND

COME NOW MY LOVE AND SET ME FREE

COULD WE BUT REMEMBER SPRINGTIME DAYS

WHEN WINTER WINDS PILE ICE UPON OUR SHORE

GIVE ME YOUR HAND

I AM COLD

AND NEED WARMTH

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TREE

THERE IS A TREE IN THE SAHARA

IN THE MIDST OF THE SAND

AN ACACIA TREE IN THE MIDST OF THE SAND

BY A POOL THAT WELLS UP FROM A HIDDEN STREAM

THAT ONE DAY MIGHT HAVE RUN ON GROUND

HOW IT GOT THERE NO ONE KNOWS

PERHAPS A BIRD OR WIND

OR ANY ONE OF NATURE’S THOUSAND WAYS OF LIFE

BY CHOICE IT DID NOT WANT TO LIVE IN SUCH A LONELY PLACE

BY CHOICE IT DOES NOT SCATTER SEED

TO HAVE IT KILLED BY SAND AND SUN

BY CHOICE IT WILL NOT WITHER OR DESPAIR

BUT THRIVE AS BEST IT CAN

A WITNESS IN A BARREN LAND

BUY CHOICE IT TAKES THE CHALLENGE OF THE DAY

THE AIR NOT RENT BY MIGHT HAVE BEEN

BY CHOICE IT SOMETIMES WATCHES STARS

AND KNOWS THE LONELINESS OF SPACE

BY CHOICE IT WILLS TO LIVE NOT DIE AWAY

DISEASED BY DISCONTENT AND GRIEF

BY CHOICE IT TAKES THE PROMISE OF THE MORNING

AND TRIES TO MAKE IT LAST THE DAY

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In the Eastern Church, the death of Mary, Jesus' mothers is traditionally celebrated on august 15. The feast is called the dormition or falling asleep of Mary.

OLD WOMAN

HOW WARM THE SUN SHE THOUGHT

NODDING NAPPING IN HER CHAIR

KNITTING UNATTENDED IN HER LAP

HOW WARM THE SUN

THE CHILDREN ALL HAD GONE

LAUGHING AND LEAPING

THE COOKIES ALL EATEN

BYE BYE AUNTIE

THEY ALL CALLED HER AUNTIE

AWAY THEY WENT LEAPING

EXCEPT ONE LITTLE URCHIN

WITH KNEE OUT IN TROUSER

AND NOSE ON SLEEVE WIPING

HAD LINGERED BEHIND

SHYLY

FOOT DRAGGING

HEAD DOWN

FACE BLUSHING

HE SLOWLY APPROACHED HER

AWKWARDLY KISSED HER

BELLOWED I LOVE YOU

SCURRIED AWAY

HEART ACHING SHE REACHED OUT

HER ARMS GRASPING NOTHING

SO QUICKLY HE RAN

OH JOSEPH OH JESUS HOW MUCH DO I MISS YOU

HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN GONE

THE OLD WOMAN SAT NODDING

HER HEART WOUNDS REOPENED

SAT NODDING

AND NAPPING

AND YEARNING FOR HOME

SAT NODDING THEN SLEEPING

THEN GOD CALLED HER HOME

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STARS

HE LIKED TO WATCH THE STARS

THEIR SENSE OF ORDER

AND HIS FILIAL PRIDE

BOTH GAVE HIM WARMTH

HE LIKED THE LEGENDS

THAT MEN TOLD

ABOUT THESE LANTERNS

IN THE SKY

HE LIKED THE WAY

THEY LED A SHIP

OR CARAVAN

TO FIND A HOME

HE SOMETIMES THOUGHT

HE HEARD THE SOUND

OF SILVER BELLS

WHEN THE WIND WAS

IN THE TREES

AND NIGHT CLOUDS

CAME SCUDDING

ACROSS THE MOON

WHEN WILD DOGS BARKED

AND SHEEP BELLS

RANG CLEARLY

IN THE DARK

HE THOUGHT HE HEARD

THE STARS SING

PERHAPS THAT'S WHY

HIS FATHER MADE THE SKY GO DARK

BEFORE HE DIED

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