Workman

Five Eight Two hundred
the man climbs the ladder
he looks down, sighs.
climbs on, till hand meets steel
hands move, heart beats,
never known his fear.

she stares, cold and sharp
across the stage, keyed.
notices her glance,
hands whirl, heart races.
she turns, glance back
climbs down, hands white.

he bends, tools free
turning, the stage empty
gone, like spotlights at dawn.
fleeing from his gaze,
darting glances, shivers
no feeling remains.

staring, stage blank,
dare he pursue?
turning, tools rise.
panting, kneeling, wondering
head twists, hands clasp,
not Man enough.

A Once-Dark Hallelujah

Will the darkness never shift?
Will the light be ever scarce?
When dawn will break, I haven't heard,
but soon, or else I break in two

Alone I hear a troubled voice,
whisper in my hear,
All hope escapes,
when light grows dim,
and grace begins to fade.
Don't look upon the tree of shame,
you'll only feel less free.
Look in upon your own
desires, and make a way for me.

I feel the burn of this one's lies,
I can not lift a hand, till voice rings out
upon the night and breaks this demon's sway.
Clinging to soft spoken phrase...

Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Then darkness deigns on its way,
as light begins to gleam
horizon glows with glory spent
as I begin to sing

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Now indeed the darkness seems,
distant and retreating
in pain and sorrow, we proclaim
the name of glorious King
and as my joy begins to sing,
I can not help but stand
returning now through pain and joy
to sing of my great King

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Trusting ___

[Not necessarily finished, just a rant]

I'm sick and tired of pretending my life is ok.
I'm sick and tired of defending my actions to myself.
I'm sick and tired of my own fake smiles and laughs.

People ask me "how's it going?"
As if they want to know...
Who really wants to hear me say,
I'm failing, and losing and crying?

When your dreams are put on hold,
your life is falling apart,
you're supposed to trust God.
I wish I did.

I hear a tune rush through my head,
its words comfort till they say
"I am happy, all the day"

Cause you see, at the cross
where my savior died,
my sins were washed away.
And yet, in grace, I still see death
I can not seem to be happy
in any way.

But day will dawn, hope is found
If not in the likely place
for friends will stand,
and help me up
by God's grace,
they'll see me through.

48

Standing on a street corner across from the pub
Staring blankly in to open windows, ill lit
Once welcomed, open arms and many cheers
Now walking by, on the other side,
wander on, old man

Street lights flicker down the side walk, wander on, old man
Glance back, once again light from an open door
Hope rises in the chest, dashed again by stumbling drunk
Walking on, down the street,
leave them there, old man.

Door opens, don’t look back, leave them there, old man.
Slow footsteps ring, on sidewalks back, coming up behind.
Stop and see, who wanders near, fear not shadows
Waiting for the shapeless form,
fear him not, my friend

Prone to Wander

They call me the loser, the poser, the punk
They don't understand the Grace I've been shown
An addict and drunk and a horrible man
I was shown light, in the midst of the Dark
Amazing Grace so says the song
Only to save those who are wrong
When the perfect man died on the tree
I was the one that held him there

Prone to wander Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
When I wander from the truth
When I flee from in your way
My God calls I can not speak
I return, on bended knee

Take my heart lord, take and seal it
Seal it for the realm above

When I see the dying race
I can not bear to stand and watch
Why do I not begin to pray?
I can not answer for my sins
Why do I when kneeling down
Ask my God for things of man?
When all the earth cries out for Grace
I am asking to win the race…

Prone to wander Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
When I wander from the truth
When I flee from in your way
My God calls I can not speak
I return, on bended knee

Are You Listening?

This is the sound of the underground...

I’m sick of the hypocrisy in the church today.
All the Christians who sit back and talk
Why to do they let the problems go?
Just sit back, relax and enjoy the show

In a world where AIDS and poverty thrive
Can the gospel truly survive?

If we are the future as many will claim
Why is it our parents who get all the blame?
All I’m saying is its time for a change
We have to get into action and stop playing this game

People don’t get it when you try to reform
All people see is a youthful drive
The people think they know whats going on inside

This isn’t a plea for emotion or rage
This is a statement of mission for life

And this is the sound of the underground
The whisper of history shaping
Foundations shaking
Revolutionaries dreaming once again
Mystery is screaming in whispers
Conspiracy is breathing...

This is the sound of the underground.

I'm free...

(A poem from long ago...)

My heart is breaking, my arms are heavy.
I’m carrying the weight of a thousand feelings.
I see you in the hallway, my heart stops beating.
I hear your voice behind me and I want to turn my head…

Why is it so hard to just be your friend?
Why do I feel sick, every time you walk away?
How can I love you and not ever tell you…
What kind of friend am I?

I’m letting go. Its falling free.
No more burden, my heart’s liberty
I have my freedom, my love is my own.
This is the start of a Beautiful Friendship.

By letting go of my heart’s strong feelings
I’m hoping to love you as a sister, my friend.
I’d rather lose you as a lover,
To gain you as a friend.

I’m letting go. Its falling free.
No more burden, my heart’s liberty
I have my freedom, my love is my own.
This is the start of a Beautiful Friendship.

Meeting Jesus

Dying, breaking, Crying, shaking
The world is looking down on me
My time is running short
Why am I so scared of light?

Where are the heroes?
Where is my savior?
What am I going to do?

Where were the winners,
The rockstars, the singers?
Where were they last night?

Where were the preachers,
the teachers, the healers?
Where were they last night?

My Jesus came for the weak and the hurting
He offers salvation to the lost and the broken
My Jesus came for the jocks and junkies.
He offers redemption to the ruined and fallen

Why are the weak always losing ground?
Why do the winners have it all down?
Where are the Christians when I fall down?

Where are the heroes?
Where is my savior?
What am I going to do?

My Jesus came for the weak and the hurting
He offers salvation to the lost and the broken
My Jesus came for the jocks and junkies.
He offers redemption to the ruined and fallen

My Jesus is waiting, he’s watching you now,
What are you going to do?

Drowning (Psalm 69)

The waters are up to my neck, I’m beginning to lose consciousness.
I stepped too far and lost my foothold, sinking into the abyss of sea.
My throat is parched screaming, my eyes fail to see.

Save me! Save me! I’m drowning, Save me! Save! Me! Cause I can’t breathe.

You see right through me, you know me well.
I will fight for you, for your name. I would swim endless seas for you.
Alone, for I am a stranger in my own land.

Save me! Save me! I’m drowning (alone). Save me! (alone) Save! Me! Cause I can’t breathe.

Hypothermia sets in, this deathly feeling begins.
Life slips through my fingers, falls away from my grasp.
Reality becomes so true, this breath could be my last.

Answer me with your sure salvation.
Answer me with your sure salvation.
Answer me.

A Cry Out to God

need your help. I need your strength
Show me how to show you, to those all around me.
I want to sing your praise. I want to shout your name.
I want to live your grace. I want to give you thanks.

Teach me to love them as I love your children.
Teach me to fight for the ones who are broken.
Show me a way to love all your children.

Break my heart for the lost and the hurting.
Tear me apart for the sick and the broken.
Why do I ignore them when they are your children.
How can I love them, these who are fallen?

Teach me to love them as you love your children.
Teach me to fight for the ones who are broken.
Show me a way to love all your children.

I want to fight for the hurting, Help out the lowly,
Sing for the broken, Pray for the fallen
I want to show them your mercy
So that they can see Jesus

I want to go. I want to run
I want to fight the fight
And give my life
I want to go, not sit and wait
Its time to go…
Its time to go