Dumpty is Sitting

I’ve been asking for some help, for a hand up,

But as I sit here in the pit, waiting on someone to show up

I start thinking, “What point is this, this silly futility?

Is there any blessed utility in me being up there, on top?”

Because if I’m all alone up there, it’s just a higher place –

A much, much higher place - from which I can fall.

           

So, look down here, Love, at the base of the wall,

Dumpty is sitting, so afraid of it all, crying

 “Love, pick me up, fix me up, wrap me up too,

But please, you got to, if I get out, you got to-

Please, don’t forget to-

Bring me...send me…deliver me, Love, to you.”

I’ve been looking for some hope, for a heads up,

But as I sit here in the dark, wanting for some things to look up

I start wondering, “What sense is this, it’s really insanity-

Is there any blessed sanity- in looking out there, to hope?”

Because if I’m on my on out there, hope is just a smiling face –

A sad, sad smiling face – that’s waiting to fall.

So, look down here, Love, at the end of his all,

Dumpty is trying- some Hope to recall, asking you

 “Love, lift me up, pick me up, wrap me up too,

But please, you got to, if I get up, you got to-

Please, don’t forget to-

Bring me...send me…deliver me, Love, to you.”

January 13, 2014

Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;
save me for the sake of your steadfast love. (Psalm 6:4, ESV)

Nisqually Morning

It had to be them. It looks like they got in my old cigar box while I was sleeping and found the unwrapped crayon pieces I kept in there. It’s getting harder and harder to hide things. I wonder if I should tell them I’ve been saving those colors since I was their age. And -- from Lord knows where, maybe folded in the top of the busted out checker box – they managed to scrounge a big sheet of wrinkled but barely used blue-sky. Then they set to work. To their credit, they didn’t try to do anything fancy – a good eye, a chunk of Granny Smith Apple and a light touch was all they needed to draw an olive-violet mottled morning memory over the Sound.  I’ve never seen anything like it, but it sure looks familiar. My granddaughters colored the sky above Nisqually Reach this morning

January 26, 2014

Great Drops of Blood

Asleep for sorrow,

Under the struggling olive

I dream a death tomorrow;

A searing, thirsty end of life

And in the mist of dark-night terrors,

I see from heaven falling,

Great drops of blood.

Great drops of blood,

Great drops of blood are falling,

And the ground is turning red, red

Around my feet, so I wonder

 If I am finally over, if I am really done,

 Bleeding out, alone, in a garden,

Beside a dying tree.

Beside a dying tree,

No, not alone, someone else is here,

Another with me- silent but not hiding-

 He’s working in the garden, kneeling,

Weeding, kneading the earth in his hands,

But he must be worried about what he is seeing;

 For he is praying, “Lord help me,

 This soil doesn’t have what it needs.”

Yes, there’s a brother here with me, working

 Hard in the garden, sowing, sweating

Great drops of blood

Great drops of blood,

Great drops of blood are falling,

Now even my sleep is turning red, full red

For my garden-dream is filling

 With water turned like wine

 With water pure as wine

And the yellow grasses in this dusty spot,

These drying flowers in this worn out plot,

Bath in living water flowing free

From a dying tree.

Water from a dying tree,

Yes, it’s flowing free, it’s flowing free

Holy water is running, it’s flowing past

Me standing still here; covering my filthy past

Running over my feet; washing them clean,

And this dying world is changing now

Sure a glorious sight, but growing kind somehow,

 Like burning bushes turning green.

 Like burning bushes turning green-

Yes, this truly is the strangest dream-

 But it’s the truest world I’ve ever seen

A Grace that’s running down the river

And it feels like it could rain forever;

Pouring, giving all the world a drink.

Forgiving all, who would but drink.

Forgiving all who would, but drink!

And I can feel my body shaking;

You know, when on the ragged edge of waking

As the flood pulls back and my mind grows clear

I hear my master’s voice growing in my ear

He is calling, telling me to wake up,

Kneeling in the darkness, he is telling me to rise up.

Yes, he is waiting, calling me to the fields

To watch for storms that yet may yield

Great drops of blood.

Asleep for sorrow,

Under a spreading olive,

I dreamt of Death’s tomorrow

And the perfect rain of holy life.

Now in the midst of passion’s flowers

I see from heaven falling,

Great drops of blood,

Great drops of blood.

 Luke 22:39-46

What is Happening

Friends are disappearing

Marriages ending,

Hearts are longing,

In these Days never ending

Things just aren’t turning

Out the way they should.

Oh Lord, what’s happening?

This world is spinning

Cars exploding,

Hearts ever racing

In these wars - never ending.

Things just aren’t turning

Out the way they could.

Oh Lord!

Children are starving

Mothers are crying

Hearts are breaking

Famines never ending

Things just aren’t turning

Out the way they should

Dear Lord,

What’s happening?

What is happening?

Oh Lord,

What’s happening?

He said,

“Folks are now gathering

Families are sharing

Hearts are laughing

Children are still singing

Amens never ceasing

Friends really loving

I AM never ending.

Things are just turning

Out the way they should.

This is…

 What is happening.”

Rest in peace Ed Nolan, a man of faith who truly believed, "Faith is not about everything turning out okay; faith is about being okay no matter how things turn out."

House of Mourning

Watch!

The Family has entered into the house of mourning.

The house that was once was the house of feasting.

A special meal is prepared for the children there.

Listen!

What songs do you hear?  Are these the songs of fools?

No! Listen.

Listen, friend.

The Gatherer sings, “There is evening and morning, an Eternal Day.” 

For his Bride has entered into the outer chamber.

Look!

The sun stands still.

The world stops at Salvation’s command,

“Sun, stand still!”

And his Testimony,

“See! This, I have done!”

For this Purpose,

“That you may see Justice done!”

He is faithful to his Promise,

“I am, I redeem. I will be!”

So friend, be afraid!

Yes, be afraid, dear friend,

For the Lord is near and the Day of Devotion is long.

Yes, the Day he has set aside, that day…

That day is long

For us.

But now, behold!

The inner chamber is lit.

The dark drape draws back and the sky grows thin.

Now, friend, behold!

Now, Bride, behold!

Behold… the Glory of God

Approaches.

Written July 12, 2013- Re: Bryan Collins FB post for July 11, 2013 regarding an Eternal Day, Ecclesiastes 7, Joshua 10 (The Sun Stands Still)