SONGS FOR A FRIEND

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






GARGOYLE HOWLING IN THE WIND
SPEWING WATER AND WITH EYE DISTENDED
SCOWLING
WHAT AGONY OF ARTIST DRONE THE CHISEL
WHAT INJUSTICE BORNE WITHOUT HOPE OF REMEDY
HOW MANY MEN ARE GARGOYLE MADE
BY FORCES OUT OF THEIR CONTROL
BY WAR BY RACE BY POVERTY
CONTINUAL 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









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

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






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

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 BEENS
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

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
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




AND THE ANGELS WILL SING