The Heavens Proclaim God's Glory

based on Psalm 19:1-4 

The heavens proclaim God's glory
The skies show his handiwork to me
Day after day, they speak to me
Night after night, His wisdom they reveal

They have no speech,

They use no words,
Not a sound is heard from them
 
Yet their voice goes out
To all the world
They teach in
Universal language
They have no tongue
Yet still we hear them loud and clear

The Ming Vase

The Ming vase prominently sits
On the shelf in an honored place
The indigo-painted figures chat
Back and forth ‘cross its battered face.
Chips large and small mar its patina
And numerous cracks show its age;
Yet through all of its imperfections
Its marvelous worth is displayed.
For the cross section reveals
The vase’s authenticity and worth;
And so it is with everything, everyone
That is found upon the earth.

The Night She Escaped

The man took a lot of things
The night she escaped:
 
He got all of her daughter's toys
Her clothes and her hairbrush, too.
He kept the CDs he liked
And frisbeed the others into the door.
So much for her collection
That she started when she was twelve.
He got the TV, the VCR, the DVDs,
He got the china, the pots, and the pans;
He got the towels, he got the couch;
He got everything when she ran.
 
All she took was her little girl
Three years old and wrapped in a blanket--
She didn't even notice when
Her mother grabbed her up
And ran out of the house in her bare feet
Into the frigid wind and snow--
She slept through it all.
 
She slept through it all:
The slamming doors
The drunken accusations,
The arguing, fighting;
The hitting,
The choking,
Even the running.
 
Thank God,
Thought her mother.
She'll never know.
He got a lot tonight,
But he didn't touch her.
 
And one tear-stained cheek
Twitched upwards for a moment
With minute curve of her lip
The night she escaped.

Playing in the Snow at the Lakes

Pink and black and green and yellow
Limbs that look like puffy marshmallows
They climb and fall and laugh and run
And their smiling faces are my sun

Burying her brother in the snow
Then walking on top, 'cause don't you know
That it's fun and great and can't we do this again?

Sledding down the hill, slipping out with a flop
Demanding to be carried back up to the top
'Cause it's fun and great and we gotta do this again!

Nieces and nephews all around me
Giggles and wiggles, love to infinity
This is fun and great and I can't wait
To do this again

The Old Guitar Player

(descriptive poem inspired by Picasso’s painting of the same name)

 

He sits with his guitar and plays
Cradles his everything tenderly
Caresses strings oh-so-gently
But it cannot take her place
 
All he plays is a minor key
But try as he may, day after day
It can never fully portray
His profound melancholy
 
He longs for her with ev’ry beat
His heart can’t take the strain it seems
His apathy for his surroundings means
His misery is complete
 
He pours his soul into all he plays
But nothing can help, so he stays
Weeping nights, strumming days
Until he can follow her to the better place
 

 

Christmas Lament

to the tune of  "An Unkind Word" from Heidi's Song

 

Of all the times of year

This one is the worst
When being alone
Can make you prone
To feeling like you're cursed

 

When other times you may not mind

Living all alone
At Christmastime
It isn't fine
Your heart drops like a stone
 
In the hustle and the bustle of the shopping mall
I am jostled by the shoppers in the crowd
And when they cut in front of me in the checkout line,
I want to scream out loud
 
Just because I am not buying as much as you
Does that make me matter less?
Just because I don't have children in my cart
Does that mean I must acquiesce?
 
But when I decorate my tree
Put a wreath up in the hall
Sing "Jingle Bells"
But no one can tell
They don't notice me at all
 
My apartment neighbors moved away
Their rooms are empty now
And all my sibs
Think of is their kids
I might as well be gone 

 

Christmas Song

Today's the day when we celebrate
A magical moment in time
The day when Love came down
And sanctified unholy ground
By His presence restored and healed
With His grace, His loved ones sealed
Readied now for His return
In this season of the coming, for Jesus we yearn!

But Emmanuel-- God is with us!
What an awesome thought that is!
Emmanuel-- God is with us!
We celebrate the advent of bliss.

For how can we tremble in fear
At the most wonderful time of the year?
A time of year when we recall
How the King of Kings became servant of all--
How the mighty Creator of everything
Whose righteous actions make angels sing,
Came down to earth, threw His glory off,
And was laid to rest in an animal's trough?
If He loves us THAT much, then shouldn't we trust
All of His plans will bring good to us?

Emmanuel-- God is with us!
What an awesome thought that is!
Emmanuel-- God is with us!
We celebrate the advent of bliss!

 

It’s That Time of Year

It’s that time of year when all you do is
Rush, rush, rush, rush, rush, rush, rush
Just try not to fall down in the
Slippy sloppy slush-slush
 
It's that time of year when all you do is
Dress, dress, dress, dress, dress, dress, dress
Your kids in sweaters, coats, long undies,
Scarves, and mittens with duress
 
It's that time of year when all you do is
Hang, hang, hang, hang, hang, hang, hang
Ornaments, wreaths, and stockings
Hoping nothing falls with a bang
 
It's that time of year when all you do is
Bake, bake, bake, bake, bake, bake, bake
Snow on the mountain cookies
And the infamous fruitcake
 
It's that time of year when all you do is
Sing, sing, sing, sing, sing, sing, sing
About snowmen, reindeer, Santa,
And snow covering everything.
 
It's that time of year when all you do is
Shop, shop, shop, shop, shop, shop, shop
Looking, buying, price-comparing,
Presents filling your cart nonstop
 
It's that time of year when all you do is
Wrap, wrap, wrap, wrap, wrap, wrap, wrap
Covered boxes piling up
As you fold and tape each flap
 
It’s that time of year when all you do is
Run, run, run, run, run, run, run
Trying to get everything
All perfect, all pretty, or just all done
 
It's that time of year when it's easy to forget
The reason why we celebrate
The coming of an infant King
And the return we should eagerly await

Winter Children

Dancing around
To music unheard
Laughing softly
Before tumbling
To the deep wet white
Becoming angels

Snowflake Photos

Remember

for all the children of Sandy Hook Elementary School, following the massacre there

No one can take away the pain
No one can wipe away the sorrow
And no amount of happy memories
Can heal them not being there tomorrow
 
It's okay to hurt,
It's okay to cry,
It's definitely okay to wish
You don't have to say goodbye
 
But in your today
And in every day to follow
I hope that you remember them
Don't let yourself turn hollow
 
For as long as you remember
Happy smiles and ATV's,
Soccer, music, and mohawks--
They'll be alive in our memories

 

Thundersnow

The sky glows golden
As heaven's confetti falls
Kettledrums roll on

Blizzard

There's a candle in the window
There's a story in my heart
There's a blizzard raging outside
But there's a brand new start

There's a light in the darkness
There's life where there was none
There's a breeze to spread the spark, this
Fire in more hearts than one

There's a man who adopts a baby
There's a mother whose faith is strong
There's a sacrifice for sinners like me
Of a man who did no wrong

There's no end of strife and woe
There're lives torn asunder
There's swiftly falling snow
From an orange sky with thunder

There's a candle in the window
There's a story in my heart
There's a blizzard raging outside
But there's a brand new start

Limerick Prayer

This is the 300th poetry post.  That means that I am now 5/6 of the way through the poetry for a year goal-- 82% finished.  Yay me!



Lord, I bow before Your throne
Here once again to make my requests known
Knowing as I do
It all comes back to You
Work in my life that Your glory's shown

Torn

I come now to Your table again
Rip off a piece of bread
Soak it in juice
 
And I'm shattered by the realization
That Your body
Was torn apart like this
 
Shoulders separated from sockets
Flesh ripped from You by the whip
And Your heart rupturing under the strain
 
Is this what I'm asking for?
To be crucified with Christ
Ripped apart, torn asunder, destroyed
 
If that's what it takes to remake me
Into Your image, Jesus
Then shatter every selfish part of me
And slash away every part
That does not give glory to You

-Thing Prayer

Help me to give when I nothing
Only want You when I have something
Love You always above everything
Jesus, You are the only thing
I need

Prayer 12-16-2012

Make my love lavish
Make it extravagant
Sacraficial, prodigal
A love as giving as Yours

Love Like An Avalanche

Most people die
If they're caught in that place
And I can't survive
Your overwhelming grace

Rivers of snow
To wash away all of me
Guilt tumbling down
Replaced by Your divinity

Suffocating beneath the weight
Of all that I've done and cannot do
Lord I know without Your shelt'ring strength
There's no way I can get through
I can't survive without You

If I'm Gonna Fall

If I'm gonna fall
Let me fall on You
If I'm gonna stumble
Let me stumble into Your truth
 
Sometimes, I don't charge my batteries
Sometimes, the light goes out
And it's in those times, Lord, I need You the most
That You come and carry me
 
If I'm gonna fall
Let me fall on You
If I'm gonna stumble
Let me stumble into Your truth
 
Sometimes I can't keep going
And I don't feel the light I'm showing
And I need You to carry me again

Again

Father, Father,
I come before You
Knowing that I'm still unworthy

Father, Father,
I need to ask You again
Please save me
Please forgive me

You do it once
And I turn away again
Chasing my own desires
Instead of Your love

I need You
To come grab me, pull me back again
Hold me close to You
And keep me Yours

Don't let me jump off that cliff again
To end up at the bottom,
A bunch of broken bones
Needing You to put me together again

You Are My Parachute

I jumped off the cliff
Soaring free
But as the ground rushed up to meet me
I knew there was only one way
This wouldn't end painfully:
I had to pull my parachute

You are my Parachute
You catch me when I fall
And when I jump willfully
It doesn't stop You
You will always save me

His Kind of Love

His kind of love
Sees the attacker and lashes out
Thinking that the arm's already broke
And the cast's a good weapon
The pain's irrelevant

His kind of love
Knows bullets can cause damage
Even when stopped by a vest
So he steps in front of the blinking light
On his partner's chest

His kind of love
Looks out the window at his playing kid
Prays for more speed to beat the car
Sprinting to save his precious child
Who chased a ball into the street

His kind of love
Sees his buddy stepped on a grenade
And instead of running or getting safe
Dives on top, trying desperately
To knock him out of the way

Unconditional

This was inspired, in part, by Group 1 Crew's "His Kind of Love"... because as much as I like that song, I just can't get behind the idea that God is reckless-- ever.  It's not that He doesn't or didn't know what the consequences of loving us the way He does would be; it's not that He didn't care about the consequences; it's not that He didn't think about it first.  He decided we were worth it.  It's not a reckless love, that loves without thinking; His kind of love is relentless, never stopping, never fading, never giving up on us.

 

His kind of love

Isn't reckless; it's relentless
For me
His kind of love
Will never give up
His kind of love
Knows the risks
Knows the pain
Knows the consequences
Of stepping in front of the bullet
But does it anyway
For me
 
His kind of love
Runs full speed ahead
To me
But His kind of love
Knows what to expect
Knows the risks
Knows the pain
Knows the consequences
Knows it's all or nothing
But does it anyway
For me

 

 

 

Pretty Snowflakes

Pretty snowflakes in the sky
Pretty snowflakes floating by
 
Looking at these bits of lace
Falling softly on my face
 
I’m amazed at what I see
Infinite creativity
 
Pretty snowflakes all around
Pretty snowflakes make no sound
 
Silence gives a graceful hand
To snow’s soft blanket o’er the land
 
Beautiful and pristine world
Darkness covered, grace unfurled
 
Pretty snowflakes fallen down
Pretty snowflakes on the ground

 

Unique patterns in each one

Precious giving just begun

 

Snow falling in December

Brings to mind mercy tender

 

Pretty snowflakes drifting by

Pretty snowflakes from on high

2,000 Decembers Ago

Did You chew on the straw in the manger
Did You move from a cave to a home
Did You ever know fear from a stranger
After wise men brought silver and gold

Did the shepherds visit as You grew
Is that how you learned that sheep came
If the good shepherd-- or a boy like You--
Would simply call them by name

Did You swim and play in the Nile
Did You learn to carve pieces of wood
Did You imitate Your daddy's style
Did You call Your creations 'good'

Pearl Harbor

in memory of the nearly 2,400 dead and over 1,100 casualties...
a paltry offering; but you are not forgotten

Machine guns strafed the ground
As Zeroes swept through the skies
Ships sank into the arms of the deep
Sirens rang out over people's cries

O America

O America, proud and free
Like an eagle with razor grasp
Don't forget what your talons clasp:
Arrows and olive branch

O America, see past your rage
And like eagle, soar through the sky
You can be safe, not sit idly by
Without living in a cage

O America, be not unsure:
Land where my fathers died
From city, plain, and mountainside
Let your freedom forever endure

Stand Down

It's time to stand down
I can finally sleep
But I'm restless tonight
In this hard-won peace

Every time I close my eyes
The images are no surprise

Running and shooting
Fighting and dying
The comrades I've lost
Make me want to start crying

But I'm strong and I'm tough
And I've built up these walls
So no one can see weakness;
I can't let them fall

It's time to stand down
But I can't let go
If I let myself feel
I'll surely lose control...

Protected

cradled against Him
there's nowhere safer for me
'cause these hands could kill

Shepherd's Song

A thousand years we've been waiting
A thousand years, searched the sky
Searching for any sign
Our Messiah's at last arrived
 
Someday, I know He'll get here
Someday, He will come
On this your word is clear:
It's Bethlehem He'll come from
 
But I cannot stop the longing
Beating in my chest
O Lord, please send Him now
We need someone Heaven-blest
 
To save us from our oppressors
To heal our land again
Lord, we need Messiah now
If You really care for men

 

I Have No Room

Just a little something I dreamed up as a possible song for next year's Christmas program.  It's to the tune of  "I Cannot Come".

 

I have no room

I have no room for a traveler
Every room is full
With all the people
Caesar's called for the census
There's no room for anybody else
You'll have to move on; I have no room 

 

I Love You So Much

I want to tell the whole world
I wake up, you're my first thought
And all I want to do is sing
A thousand love songs about you,
Slap photocopies of your picture
On every car I find-- Best Guy Ever,
And fill my facebook and twitter
With posts about everything
That makes you wonderful
Until everyone loves you
As much as I do
Or they unfriend me
 
But I'd die inside
If anyone ever found out
Because what we have is so
So, so incredibly special
That I want it to be our secret
Just the two of us knowing
How special we are
Forever and always, just us
 
I want everyone to know
But no one can ever find out

November Rain

 It’s beginning to rain
The drops on windowsill
A chilly cavalcade
 
There I was typing away,
My journal full of crap
And knowing it was substandard work
I need a break before editing
 
Put on a black tee and
Roll up my jeans
Peel off my socks
Then trot downstairs
To twirl a bit in the tiny halo
Of light shining on the lawn and sidewalk
Before I sit on the concrete front steps
Soaking up the rain like a thirsty tomato plant
 
And singing
I’m Singing in the Rain, just singing in the rain
It’s Beginning to Rain, Rain, Rain
Waiter! Bring Me Water!
Like the Rain, I have fallen for you
so Bring on the Rain
 
And I pause to talk
As people came back from night classes
Or caf shifts or practices of various sorts
 
Then the country vibe continues
She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy
In John Deere Green--
My RA’s favorite song as she walks by
Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House
When God-Fearing Women get the Blues
even Desperado
 
And when my muddy, frozen feet demand
A return to the warmth within
I look over my journal
And all I see is Dixie Chicks
Wide Open Spaces and Let It Rip
Somehow I doubt Professor Vandermuelen
Will be impressed
I better get back to work

Snowy Waste

The whole world shines today,
Brilliant in the sun.
Every naked tree is dressed
In jeweled splendor translucent;
Every white flake of snow--
Covered in diamonds,
Radiant.
 
It hurts my eyes.
 
For I cannot see the beauty
In this world of light.
The diamonds seem only
Cold.
Hard.
Cruel.
 
It is an abyss--
Empty and cold—
Into which I must surely fall.
 
I stumble forward,
Hunched over ‘neath a mountain of sorrow.
Gagging on my emotions.
My heart—
Tis savagely ripped from my chest
While still beating.
How can one survive
Such a chasm in one’s self?
 
 Surely I am as good as dead,
When my torn heart lies in the casket
With my true friend.
 
The wind blows cold,
But gentle--
A farewell kiss upon my cheek
As the person I was
Departs this world forever.
For surely I shall never be again
As I was before.

Snow Delay

The 5 am text is annoying
But as soon as I read it,
I smile.
Once in a while,
It's wonderful
To turn the alarm back
Roll over and sleep
Two more hours.
 
But if I sleep through it,
I am not annoyed
Until I arrive
At an empty parking lot
Two hours early.
And then I have to
Fight my way home again
Through the weather. 

Smile

Whether it's a gentle upturn
At the corner of her lips
Or the face alight with joy
Buried into your hip
 
Whether it's the high, ringing laughter
Floating from a gaping grin
Or the flash of white teeth
'Tween dimpled cheeks and chin
 
Whether it's the twinkling eyes
In a face that's not quite straight
Or the look of love, of joy you're here,
Even if you're late...
 
There's nothing at all
Quite like a smile
To make what you're doing
Feel worthwile
 

Sandbagging

Sandbags
Are not enough
To hold back the
Raging cascade of
Disease-causing muck
Sweeping over the riverbanks
And breaking through levies
 
And no self-erected barrier
Can hold back
Our consciences
Forever
God’s gentle remonstrances
Will break through our lies
Just as surely
 
In the end,
Sandbagging
A building
Or a heart
Is futile


*If you're wondering why this is marked "current events", it's because it was written during the floods of 2008, at which point in time the sandbags were very much a physical presence in Iowa City.

Seasons

Spring daffodils burst up suddenly
Summer dragonflies hover by a pond
Fall pumpkins laugh a blackened chortle
Winter windows gleam crystal in the sun

So What Could I Do?

a hymn of praise and worship

So what could I do?

And what could I say?
Trying to earn
What you gave away
I guess that I'm glad
That you made it free
'Cause that's the only way
It could ever come to me
'Cause I could never repay
What You did for me that day
When you gave it all away
You gave Your life away--

 (repeat twice)

 
So what can I do?
And what can I say?
I'll give You every day
I'll live my life in praise
To You

Thank You, Lord, For Bethlehem

(tune: "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come)

Thank You, Lord, for Bethlehem, Immanuel to dwell with men

Thank You, Lord, for Galilee, Teacher walking here with me
Thank You, Lord, for Calvary, Savior come to set me free
Thank You, for the Empty Tomb: promise of a home with You

 

Song of Thanksgiving

(tune: "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come)

Lord, before Your throne I come, grateful for the gifts You've giv'n;
Family and friends that care; ever all my burdens share;
Clothes and shelter, daily feed, You provide my ev'ry need;
Thank You, Lord for all of these: blessings raining down from heav'n.

Yet gas, money, and paid bills do not my every need fulfill
For my heart needs cleansing pow'r; Lord, I need it ev'ry hour

Only You and You alone can ever for my sins atone
Thank You, God for coming here as my Savior to appear.

Love-, grace, and mercy are greatest of Your gifts by far:

Let me ever grateful be for the chance to dwell with Thee
Here on earth as well as heav'n, through Your Holy Spirit giv'n
Your great Presence to provide: all my needs You have supplied

Turkey with Cranberries

Here's a little ditty I made up for my preschoolers several years ago... you can add more verses yourself if you like.

Turkey with Cranberries

Sung to:  Frere Jacques

 

Turkey with cranberries

Is what we eat

Every Thanksgiving

Yum, yum, yum

 

 

Other Verses: (just replace the first line)

1. Turkey with cranberries (is)
2. Mashed potatoes (are)
3. Corn and squash (are)
4. Candied yams (are)
5. Homemade biscuits (are)
6. Green bean casserole (is)
7. Apple Stuffing (is)
8. Pie and ice cream (are)

Fog

ev'rything obscured
this moist, misty morning
unsure where to go

Celebrate! Jesus Christ is Born!

(tune: "Jingle Bells")

(Yes, that's right.  I've started rewriting lyrics to Christmas songs.)

 

 

Celebrate!

Celebrate!
Jesus Christ is born!
What joy it is to meet with Him
On this Christmas morn!
 
Jesus is alive
And here with me today
Our Savior God with us--
That's why we celebrate!
He came from Heaven to earth
To us, God's gift of Love--
So we celebrate the birth
Of the King who reigns above!
 
Oh!  Celebrate!
Celebrate!
Jesus Christ is born!
What joy it is to meet with Him
On this Christmas morn! 

 

 

How Can You Be Alive?

How can You be alive
When just a couple days ago, we laid you in a tomb
How can You be alive
Here with us in this closed and locked-up room
I held Your broken body
As You were lowered from the cross
I watched You cry out, "It is finished!"
And I thought that all was lost
So how can You be alive?

Remind Me Again

utterly unique
one of a kind
pure and clean
good memories
shining radiance of fun
a gift from God
 
remind me again,
am I talking about snowflakes
or you?

To Fall Asleep

A hushed whisper in my ear
An indrawn breath is what I hear
Flowering scents and sweet flavors
All the things my tongue savors
Reach out to me, pull me into the stream
With the magnetic touch of a dream
 
I give in and fly away
With no more thoughts of the day
My every thought and wish ‘comes real
At least right now, that’s how I feel
Tomorrow I will wake anew
With no memory of what my mind drew

 

 

Solo Renga: Comfort

soft jersey tee and
purple plaid pajama pants
under a blanket

choco-hazelnut steamer
heaping bowl of ice cream

grilled cheese sandwiches
tomato soup, chili, beef stew
and flying saucers

gazing up into the sky
still don't see the Leonids

November-too cold
come back inside to curl up
under a blanket

I've Been Everywhere

Alamogordo and Albuquerque
O'Fallon and Orange City
Sioux Center, Lafayette,
And don't forget Shakopee
 
Cedar Rapids, Coralville,
3 houses in Cheyenne,
Chicksands and Dayton,
I can't even list where all I've been
 
I've lived under an umbrella
Used plastic bags to slide in the rain
Had a yard of rocks in the desert
Built snow castles on the plains
 
I've had Halloween cancelled for blizzards
I've worn shorts outside Christmas day
Left my doors unlocked in small towns
Visited castles in lands far away
 
I've looked down from the Top of the World cafe
I saw Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Opera House
And watched Lanay with her styrofoam cup
From the computer lab evicting a field mouse
 
I've lived at an amusement park
And been a mosquito buffet
But no matter where I've lived
I thank God every day
 
That everywhere I go
He's right there beside me
Whether I'm out on the beach
Or watching snow fall gently

Rise Above

It's a simple phrase
One on the brink of cliché
 
You got to rise above it
 
It's that thing you do
When someone helps you to pull through
 
You got to rise above it
 
When trouble's got you down
And you're wearing a worried frown
 
You got to rise above it
 
Don't you know
What you've got to do,
Where you've got to go?
 
You got to rise above it
 
But where you gonna get your wings?

Rock Bottom

Before anyone starts freaking out about me, let me just say that while this is autobiographical, it isn't current... this poem is at least three years old, maybe older.

in a single apartment

I stare
 
empty cupboards,
empty fridge,
empty pockets
 
mind emptied
of creativity
the barrenness consumes me
 
might as well be
alone
out in the wilderness
the emptiness pressing in on me
like claustrophobia in an MRI tube
 
and the rain falls
the rain pours down
drenched
I huddle,
soaked to the bone
cold
 
colder than an ice cube
colder than a mountain snowpack
colder than space junk
 
never to be warm again
 
but when my ego
has frozen to death
I can reach up
for something greater then myself
Someone greater than myself
 
when I’ve hit rock bottom
that’s when it’s the clearest
how high I’ll be able to soar
when He gives me wings

Crownless Made King

They did it to wound Him
They did it to scorn
Piercing His brow
With a crown of thorns
 
But now those thorns
Have a special majesty
Bestowed by their wearer:
The King of Mercy
 
No silver circlet
Or diamond-studded crown
Can ever hope
To match them now
 
For the day approaches
When the heavens shall sing
All shall acclaim Him,
And the crownless again be made King

Renewed Shall Be Blade That Was Broken

They thought His power was broken
Because He did not save His own life
They did not realize the Word unspoken
Was a sword that would yet bring them strife
 
The Double-edged Sword justly makes war
His eyes are like blazing fire
He pierces the hearts and souls of men
To judge and punish their evil desire
 
Nothing is hidden, nothing withstands
The sword of righteousness in His hand
Over all creation in judgment He stands
Bringing truth and virtue to every land.
 
The trumpet shall sound, the Word be spoken
Justice enacted and scrolls unsealed
Reforged and renewed shall be blade that was broken
Injustice destroyed and humanity healed

From the Ashes, A Fire Shall Be Woken

Body broken, tumbled down
Cold wind whispers of despair
Wrapped in linen and laid in stone
No more His cries shall fill the air
 
Three days mourning the death of a king
Three days mourning the death of a friend
Three days mourning the death of a prophet
The hope He brought at an end
 
But thunder rumbles and the tomb is laid bare:
And only a folded cloth remains there
 
From the ashes, a fire shall be woken
A light from the shadows shall spring
A phoenix arises, conquering death
New life to all offering

Deep Roots

What seems forgotten may not be lost
For the forsaken, help comes hither
The old that is strong does not wither
Deep roots are not touched by the frost
 
From the Root of Jesse a shoot will grow
A Tree of Life come from the agéd root
To blossom and fill the world with fruit
Feeding all who take shelter below
 
Despised, without beauty or majesty
Battered, scarred, and blood-stained
By His Father's will only is He sustained
Indomitable stands the Root of Jesse 

 

All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter

You might recognize the title of this poem; it's also the title of a poem used by Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings.  Indeed, I've started a whole series of poems that are inspired by this poem; I hope to be posting them over the next week or so.  But for now, here's the first installment.

All that is gold does not glitter

Not all those who wander are lost
He traveled the road always knowing
It was headed for the cross
 
He had no beauty or majesty
That we should be mindful of Him
Popularity always is fleeting:
Palm branches turned to "Crucify Him!"
 
He stayed in humble cottages,
Laid His head by the side of the road
Stumbled under the weight of the world
But willingly carried the load
 
"Behold the Man!" Pilate cried
Can't you see His innocence shine?
Behold the man hanging blood-soaked
An offering for your sins and mine
 
All that is gold does not glitter
Not all those who wander are lost
For the stone's rolled away from the empty tomb
The King not held by the cross

Bedtime Prayer

Dear Lord, I feel so utterly exhausted
My only prayer as I lay down in bed
Is please shut up the voices in my head
Bothering me, they do insist
On chanting always list after list
Of tasks still unaccomplished
So Lord, bless me with slumber deep
My mind in blissful silence keep
So I can finally get some sleep

November Wind

The wind sighs
The tree branches swish
The soft susurration of the leaves
A gentle lullaby
For the end of a autumn day
 
The wind howls
The rain pours down
The tree branches shake, rattle, crack
An angry exclamation
As the bleak winter morning breaks

Sacrifice

It doesn't take a sacrifice today
To bring me here to You
For I know that You are here right now
You've seen me through and through
And nowhere I have been this week
Has been apart from You
 
A sacrifice is giving when
It stretches your boundaries
It's giving something up,
Giving beyond your means
And none of that applies to me
As I stand here singing Your praise
But You desire more of me
You desire a life of righteousness, justice, and mercy

Like the Desert Misses the Rain

I said I missed you
Like the desert misses the rain
Now I'm looking at a flash flood
And I can't help thinking that
When the rain comes back to the desert
The desert can't handle it
And if you ever came back to me
I don't know what I'd do
 
Probably nothing
I'd be washed away

You Are of Infinite Worth

You are more than what we can sing
You are God and nothing we bring
Is fit for a King
So, search us and know deep in our souls
We praise You

You are of infinite worth
When we've not the words
Our hearts will sing
We are here on the earth
And somehow we 're heard
When our hearts sing to You

You are more than words on our lips
We are poor, with nothing to give
But, we want to bring
More than the song we sing
To praise You, we praise You

You are of infinite worth
When we've not the words
Our hearts will sing
We are here on the earth
And somehow we 're heard
When our hearts sing to You

It's You we engage
It's You we embrace
When our hearts sing

You are of infinite worth
When we've not the words
Our hearts will sing
We are here on the earth
And somehow we 're heard
When our hearts sing to You

Prayer

Praise God!
Request humbly
And submit myself to His will
Yearn for His heart and listen
Expect and accept His answers
Repeat

Halloween

Today's the day
We look the other way
And give the world to the devil
 
Today's the day
We look the other way
And feed the obesity epidemic
 

Today's the day

We look the other way
As teens egg cars and TP houses
 
Today's the day
We look the other way
Pretend goblins and witches aren't evil
 
Today's the day
We look the other way
And as souls are given to the devil

First Grader

inspired by the class I subbed in today

I am a child of wonder and delight

Everything's always "Why?"
I hear a joke and giggle wildly
Then tell it back to you a thousand times
I'm awed by the beauty of a caterpillar
I am a child of wonder and delight
 
I pretend I'm a princess, a fireman, a doctor
But I still want to shoot you with silly string
I feel pain when I fall off my bike
But a kiss and a hug heal anything
Bandaids and stickers are interchangeable
For I am still a child of wonder and delight
 
I try to dance along with Bill Bojangles on the P-board
I read my favorite book until it's memorized
I say, "They live underground for seventy miles an hour,"
Laughing with you because I'm funny without understanding why
I sing "Frere Jacques" with nonsense lyrics I make up on the spot
I am a child of wonder and delight


I understand trust in a way my parents have forgotten:
I have absolute faith that "It'll be okay."
I dream of the days when I'm all grown up,
Not realizing the value of today:
Today, when I still laugh and play
A child of wonder and delight
 

 

Remembering Grandpa

“Shit, we lost ‘em”
Was the way
I taught him to watch
What he’d say
I heard that story at least
A thousand times
  
When he was home
He liked to tinker
In his workshop
On some clinker
Pickups were reborn
In his hands
 
Sitting on a pillow
With Buddy on his lap
Playing the races
Or taking a nap
I’d kiss his cheek
‘Fore leaving Sunday afternoons
 
 Stealing some fudge
From the fridge on a whim
Must be one of my
First mem’ries of him
Two huge flannel-covered arms
On either side of me
 
Though seldom found
In church on Sunday
What I remember most
Is how he’d pray
Simply talking to his Dad,
Revealingly reverent
  
Speed-dialing down the road,
He’d ask “How’ve you been?”
No matter what you said
He did more than listen
Though he joked day and night,
He also gave great advice
  
He had such a laugh
He had such a smile
He’d always go
The extra mile
And a label like “Shorty” was
A sign of his love
  
Politically incorrect
In every way
Living the quiet life
Every day
He still made the world
A much richer place

Where I'm From

This poem was inspired by the poem "Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyon.

I am from medals on dress blues,
From airplanes and 5 o' clock "Taps".
I am from nursing clogs and scrubs
And the smell of beef stew and homemade bread
That permeates the whole house.
 
I am from old purses taken up in the climbing tree
I am from four-wheeler rides, laughing wild and free
I'm from learning how to hold a gun by recoil knocking me on my butt
From wet jet rides and tractor intertubes pulled behind,
 
I'm from the Union soldier who couldn't spell his name,
I'm from the grandma who picked corn from a covered wagon
And shook hands with President Hoover in the White House when she was sixteen
I'm from Bidwells and Peats and Punts and Roozebooms
And Nancy Medora Klinkenbeard Moffitt Manaugh
 
I'm from going to school on Senior Skip Day
And straight-A report cards every quarter
From cleaning the house every Saturday
I'm from Sunday afternoon card games
 
I'm from eggbutter and nutella
I'm from a quart of home-canned cherries
I'm from walking to Shefford for cream horns,
Getting Rocky from the cornfield and picking Mom's green beans.
 
I'm from Bible stories at breakfast,
Church softball and camp tee-shirts,
Singing "Fall on your knees" with an angelic costume,
And rolling the stone away to say, "He is risen!"
                      
I'm from cutting snowflakes the Friday after Thanksgiving
And playing in the park while the moving vans take my stuff away
I am from the "Danny Boy" knockoff I wrote for my crush
But never sang to him, tears rolling down my cheeks as I left that day
 
I am from the promise to never dye my hair
I am from the loner who didn't want to care
I am from the college girl who wanted friends again
Who am I?  I still don't know.  But I can tell you where I've been.

Out to the Fields Again

I must go out to the fields again, to the solitary sky,
And all I ask is a clear night to gaze at the stars going by;
And a dream in my heart and a blanket warm and candle to give me light
And a computer or a notepad and a pen with which to write.

I must go out to the fields again, to feel the wind in my face,
To feel my hair blowing wildly back in that lonely, empty place;
And all I ask is a gentle breeze to set flower's scent to flight
As those self-same flowers impress beauty on my sight.
 
I must go out to the fields again, to the solitary life,
To the sparrow's way and the eagle's way, flying above the strife;
And all I ask is song on my lips as I watch the grey dawn break,
And a way to record my heartsong as my desire I slake.
 
I must go out to the fields again, and be alone no more,
For when alone with nature, my spirit begins to soar;
I must go out and find Him, though invisible in sun or in shade,
For my heart communes with Him as I see the beauty He's made. 

A Psalm of Comfort for the Modern Soul

a little experiment in rewriting a psalm

The Lord is my homie
I don’t need nothing else
He feeds me pizza and pop;
He gives me a Blackberry
With unlimited talk/text and a data plan
He hangs with me
Even when we’re rolling
Through a bad part of the hood,
He’s there with me
And I know His blackbelt will keep me safe.
I’m dirty, sweaty, stinky,
And my clothes are patched and holey
Yet He won’t desert me or dis me
He’s always got my back!
With a friend like that,
Things are looking up.

Helping?

She cooked while we played games
And later I washed the dishes
Though the hot water
Lit the rashes on my hands on fire
 
I woke early to cook breakfast
But found she'd beat me there
And when turned away from the stove,
I set the table instead
 
I tried to take over
Cutting the rock-hard caramels
So she wouldn't hurt her fragile wrists
Replaced the knife with the ulu
When my stubborn mother wouldn't let me
 
Both so blind to each other
Each trying to give a labor of love
Both not realizing at the time
Our own ideas of helping were getting in the way

Prayer: John 15:4

a song

Remain in me
And I in You
That I may bear
Only Your fruit
 
For without the roots of love,
The branches wither
And the fruit that I bear
Draws others hither
 
So remain in me
And I in You
That I may bear
Only Your fruit
 
From the overflow
Of my heart
Let love come forth
And do its part
 
To changes the lives of others
To make your kingdom come
To remake the earth
As the place Your will is done
 
Oh, remain in me
And I in You
That I may bear
Only Your fruit

Untitled Song about God's Sovereignty and Omniscience

You know when I sit,
You know when I rise;
You know who I love,
What I despise
And even when I screw up,
I'm precious in Your eyes
 
Nothing is beyond You;
Nothing's outside your will.
And even when bad things happen to me,
I know You love me still

Nobody Has to Ask

Nobody has to ask
The facebook mom
If she loves her kids
When she posts a hundred
Pictures every week

Nobody has to ask
The teenage girl
If she loves her boyfriend
When she can't shut up
Tells you everything about him

Nobody has to ask
The married-twenty-years hubby
If he loves his wife
When he buys her flowers, gets a sitter,
And takes her to a nice restaurant

Nobody has to ask
The group of friends
If they love the new mom
When they clean the house
And bring pre-made meals

Nobody has to ask
The four year old
If he loves you
When the child runs
Screaming into your arms

Nobody has to ask
Because true love is obvious

Love Heals Wounds

Love heals wounds
But it need not make a sound
It's not always where expected
Nor expected where it's found
 
It's in the healing of a heart
Through a simple game of cards
Through companionship and listening,
Loneliness is destroyed
 
It's in the helping hands
That pack and carry boxes of stuff
To make your burden lighter:
That's a labor of love
 
It's in raking your mother's leaves
Jump-starting the neighbor's car
Pulling over on the interstate
To change a stranger's tire
 
Love is providing for needs
Building up the broken down and depressed
Planting seeds of heaven
In uplifting words expressed

Nonsense verse

la la la
my brain is fried
see you tomorrow
if I'm still alive

Obviously not one of my better works, but... meh.  Just can't bring myself to care too much at the moment.

Love (etheree)

Smile
Share meals
Do some chores
Ease loneliness
Encouraging words
Bills paid for another
Song of hope when days are dark
Shoulder to cry on in distress
Remembering others in prayer
All these things show the Love of Christ through me

Stargazers and Storytellers

Alone in a field

Staring upwards
Making up pictures
With bright points of light
 
In a crowded room
Aware but apart
Sharing tall stories
Imagined tonight

Stargazers and storytellers
The same, yet different
Both lost in the moment
Both lost in the their minds
 
One sees the world
And the wonders above
One sees the adventures
Of people they love

Neither is content

With Science’s cold stare
Both are romantics
Rambling somewhere

Poppy

an etheree

Red

Poppies
Fill a field.
Their fragrance is
Intoxicating.
It wafts into the air
As a gentle zephyr blows.
A small child picks a single bloom
Holds it tenderly, inhales mightily;
She glances up and grins.  Camera clicks.

Secret Garden

I have a place where no one else can go

The ivy curtain hides the door and so

There are almost none who know

There is a tree, a crocus, a rose

Behind that wall where no one goes

I have a place I am safe from harm

Nothing can disturb me or cause me alarm

But when it comes to this garden, its peculiar charm

Is that I take it with me wherever I go

For where you tend a rose, a thistle cannot grow

Pienso en mi Creador

Cuando veo las estrellas tan brillante
Y la luna, también radiante
Pienso en mi Creador
Quien llama las estrellas por sus nombres.
 
Cuando veo las montanas, tan gloriosas
Y las flores, tan hermosas
Pienso en mi Creador
Quien llamó ellos a ser.
 
Cuando veo olas de luz verde y ora en la selva
Y las nubes grises de la lluvia
Pienso en mi Creador
Quien llama todas cosas bien.

Plant Prayer

You are water to my soul
Without You, I can't grow
And I am thirsty, Lord
Pour Your spirit down
 
Give me what I need to grow in You, Lord
And even if I think it stinks
Well, sometimes manure
Is what the flower needs
I cannot bear fruit without
First enduring summer's scorching heat
Let Your testing swelter down on me
Until I'm dying for the thunderstorm's release.

Produce Market

Gold and pink
Juicy sweet
I slurp when I eat
A good Missouri peach
 
Firm and plump
Stop-sign red
Slice ‘em up quick
I want tomatoes on my bread
 
Cream and sugar
On the cob
Just waiting to be
Nibbled off
Row after row
Where did it go?
I think I’d like
Another ear of corn, you know

Perception

9-30-10

it seems to me

that people see
themselves as the only way
and those who disagree--
are the enemy
 
ignorant fools
bigots and tools
these things and more we call them
but are these things true?
are they really so cruel
 
Or is it our own understanding that's lacking?
 

Phone Slammed Shut at Wal-Mart

uncounted hours
I listened to you talk
in your nice low voice
felt like I’d fly away
to meet you each night
 
then I found out
 
you lied to my face
through the telephone
nasty lies
broke my heart
I cried a while
then I screamed at you
my every-night phone date
who didn’t know my voice

I had cherished yours . . . before

Princess

He is the king of kings
And My Daddy, too
He can do anything
But He's still in love with me and You
 
I am a daughter of the king
Graced with His power and authority
Because of who He is,
I can change the world

Pleasure Is A Purr

Why is it that when you stroke a cat

Its muscles flex and relax
Flex and relax
Flex and relax as your hand passes over
Flex and relax with each touch
As if shuddering in delight?
And all the while,
Its pleasure is a purr.

College Blues

Yet another of the songs that's been dug up in the cleaning of my apartment.  This one dates to college (gee, you'd have never guessed that, right?) and was written one night when I was working in the computer lab on a paper after my computer crashed several times in a row.  Somewhere between midnight and dawn, I got writer's block on the paper, so I started singing the blues.  And then another window was opened, and the following song was written:

Workin’ my way through college,

Now I’m way in debt.
I’ll be payin’ this off forever,
‘Cause teachers aren’t paid much yet.

I’ve got the blues,

Those college blues,
No sleep, no money,
No time to study,
And I’ve still got so much to do!

I’ve got to keep my grades up
Or my scholarship’s gone.
But this stupid computer crashes
Whenever I turn it on.
 
I’ve got the blues,
Those college blues,
No sleep, no money,
No time to study,
And I’ve still got so much to do!
 
Seems like the homework just piles up,
Way up to the sky.
No matter how many papers I write,
It seems I fall further behind.
 
I’ve got the blues,
Those college blues,
No sleep, no money,
No time to study,
And I’ve still got so much to do!
 
Can’t get ‘nuff hours at work,
No money’s comin’ in.
But I gotta keep payin’ the school,
So now my wallet’s ultra-thin!
 
I’ve got the blues,
Those college blues,
No sleep, no money,
No time to study,
And I’ve still got so much to do!
 
I work, I study, write papers
All day, and all night, too.
An’ now it seems like sleepin’
Is somethin’ I never do!
 
I’ve got the blues,
Those college blues,
No sleep, no money,
No time to study,
And I’ve still got so much to do!

I’ve got the blues,
Those college blues,
I’m just blue,
Blue, blue, blue-ue-ue, blue.
I’m just blue,
Blue, blue, blue-ue-ue, blue.

Thank You for the Fleas

This one started quite a few years back, but it's gone through some revisions, especially to the second chorus.  But the longer I've lived, the more I've seen that this is the truth:  it is the things in our lives that seem like the worst that eventually bring us more blessings than we ever imagined they could.  In the words of Laura Story: "What if your blessings come through raindrops?  What if Your healing comes through tears?  What if a thousand sleepless nights are all it takes to know You're here?  What if trials of this life-- the rain, the storms, the hardest nights-- are Your mercies in disguise?"


Those days were dark and dreary
The walls a stone-cold gray
Locked away in a concentration camp
Two of hundreds in the freezing damp
Still Corrie and her sister still found the strength to pray
They found the strength to say:

"God, I thank You for the fleas
Even though I see no reason
To be grateful for creatures like these
I don't know why or how
But I'll still thank You, even now
Your word says "pray continually"
And give thanks for everything
So I will thank You for the fleas."

My day is going nowhere
I feel afraid and alone
Yet I find comfort in knowing
That in this world as cold as stone
I have a friend
Who'll love me til time's end
He'll protect me, stand by me,
Comfort me in the pain
'Cause He's got reasons for it all
That I might know someday
So I'll come before Him
And in faith, I will say:

"God, I thank You for my allergies;
For lack of money and migraines;
Though it's hard to be grateful for my worries and pains
I know You'll use them somehow
So I'll still thank You, even now

Maybe someday,
I'll look back at this and see
That though this seemed a trial
You were using it to bring good to me
That's what happened with Corrie:
She found out after the war
The fleas allowed their Bible study:
They kept the guards outside the door

All I Need

And yet another song written when I was in high school:

Thrust from the dark cell
Into the blinding heat
She shudders as her gaze
And the spectators' meet
Here in the arena
They gather to test her God
Will her blood end up spilt upon
This already crimsoned sod?
The gate opens once more
The lions rush out the door
As her knees begin to bend
She prays for her suffering to end

"Salvame, Deus!"
What does she ask for?
To stay in this life,
Or to make the journey to the next one short
Though the lions tread near
Her face radiates trust and not fear
For she knows her Savior is here.

In the library, she studies
Now a gun points at her face
Screaming and yelling all around
But she calm and filled with grace
"Are you a Christian?"
An uncouth voice demands
She answers yes and
Is murdered where she stands

One martyred long ago
One only yesterday
Yet more and more people
Become Christians each day
At the cost of this life
They will proudly say:

"I am a Christian
I am a child of God
I am willing to walk
Where His feet have trod

He gives strength; courage, too
So I can do what He wants me to do
He never leaves,
He always stays right beside me

And some day, His face I'll see
Because of His grace and love for me
I have Jesus;
And Jesus is all I need!"

This peace can be yours
Just like it is mine
Because God loves you now
And has loved you for all time
He's already given His life for you
Accepting the gift is all you need to do
And then you--- can say:

"I am a Christian
I am a child of God
I am willing to walk
Where His feet have trod

He gives strength; courage, too
So I can do what He wants me to do
He never leaves,
He always stays right beside me

And some day, His face I'll see
Because of His grace and love for me
I have Jesus;
And Jesus is all I need!

I have Jesus
I have Jesus
I have Jesus
And Jesus is all I need!"

He Is A Friend of Mine

Another high school batch of lyrics, this one to the tune of the Byrds' "He Was a Friend of Mine".  Because songs are way more fun to write than research papers....

He was a friend of mine
He was a friend of mine
His killing had no purpose,
No reason or rhyme
He was a friend of mine

He was in Jerusalem
He was in Jerusalem
High on a rugged cross,
They hing his body down
He died in Jerusalem

Since the third day
Since the third day
He lives again
'Cause He rose from the grave
On the third day

He knows my name
He knows my name
Though I've not yet met Him
I know Him, just the same
He knows my name

King over the nations
Until the end of time
Yet He is a friend of mine.

Big Brother

From the deep dark depths of storage comes a song I'm pretty sure I wrote back in high school, when the idea of government surveillance and "Big Brother" was still a new idea to me.  I might have to try this theme again sometime...

Now some people say
They don't want no Big Brother
Watching over their lives
But my big brother
Is a life-saver
So I'll gladly let Him watch over mine

Big brother, keep watching out for me
Big brother, guard me while I sleep
Big brother, keep me safe
Big brother, watch o'er me while I'm awake
Please, big brother...
Keep watching out for me

Now i don't know what your big brother's like
But I'll gladly tell you 'bout mine
My big brother's the best kind of guy
'Cause even if he has to die
He'll do it-- to keep me safe
So I'll keep sayin':

Big brother, keep watching out for me
Big brother, guard me while I sleep
Big brother, keep me safe
Big brother, watch o'er me while I'm awake
Please, big brother...
Keep watching out for me

Please, Jesus, big brother...
He who never sleeps
Keep watching out for me

Haiku: Moonlit Tree

a 3-5-3

as night falls
the tree's golden leaves
turn silver

Not Paying Attention

Checking out books again
She checks the cart for my holds
Then comments on the theme
I always think it’s funny
When the librarians can guess
What’s next at preschool
 
She asks how I’m doing,
Asks me by name
And I say good, even though
I’m overwhelmed by guilt
That this woman with blond curly hair
And searching blue eyes
Knows my name, my preschoolers
And I don’t know about her
I don’t even know if she usually works
In the reference section or the children’s
Or with the movie collection
I don’t even know if this is
Her normal day to work
 
Because I haven’t been paying attention
 
And yet in my hometown
I know the librarian—Helen
She has an enormous apple tree
And gives the apples out for free
She has a son who’s grown and gone
She grew up with my mom
She doesn’t work weekends, and
She usually leaves by five

O Tra-la-la-lally, Come Down to the Valley!

Blame this little ditty on Tolkien... I got that "Tra-la-la-lally / Come back to the valley!" stuck in my head and ended up editing a bit and making up a bit until my own little version of the 'Welcome to Imladris' song appeared.  Could be worse, I guess... it could have been "Ho, Tom Bombadil, ho Tom Bombadillo / Bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow"... ai-yi-yi!  I better stop this commentary now, or another earwig shall take up residence in my brain.

O tra-la-la-lally
Come down to the valley!
O tra-la-la-lay
Come when you may!
O come as you are,
And forth do not sally:
For it's a sad morning
That sees you away!

Trees of Grey

Green turns to gold turns to red
Yet as the trees shake their heads
Their every leaf withers away
Til only bare-pated elders remain:
No longer masters of their domain
None seek shelter 'neath their sway
Even when they sparkle with frost,
They are heeded not; their value lost

Drippy Melancholy

This is what I get when I write something in the middle of the night on paper I grabbed from the nightstand and wrote without bothering to turn on the light.  Well, I think this is what I meant to write; turns out when I can't see what I'm writing, I write rather sloppily.  But as with many middle-of-the-night things, you forget all about them by the time you wake up.  (Or by the time your migraine goes away... but that's another poem.)

And yes, I know the title sucks.  I just wanted to have something as a placeholder other than "Untitled 9-29-12" for the purposes of future searches.

your melancholy
drips down on me
a persistent leak
makes my outlook bleak
leeching away my joy

your sorrow takes it down the drain
as I am soaked in the bitterness of your pain
part of me longs to share your burden awhile
but the other part just wants to make you smile
what can I do to help you?

you're the dripping faucet that won't let me sleep
you're the leaky roof the landlord won't upkeep
you're the thunderstorm that sweeps sunshine away
you're the freezing rain that makes a miserable day
and yet I still want you around

How can I help you out?
Do you need a shoulder to cry on?
Do you need someone to make you laugh?
I'll comfort you with my presence, or absence
I'd brush your hair after a bath
I'd offer you chocolates or ice cream
If I thought for a moment they'd help

Voting will now commence: is this better with or without the last stanza?

Flying (Sitting on the Side of the Road in the Middle of Nowhere)

I have the vague notion that this poem, which I originally wrote 2 years ago, started as a song.  Of course, that might also be because the first line is a blatant ripoff from Andie McDowell's character in Michael.  Pretty sure that would fall in the purview of "sampling" rather than plagiarism though, so we're good.  Right?

Sitting on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere
Watching the insects crawling on the ground
Thinking, wond'ring, why oh why
Must I be stuck here, earthbound?

When I'd rather be flying

High above the trees
I'd rather be flying
Like one of the birds or the bees
I'd rather be flying
Soaring through the sky
So why, oh why, oh why
Am I still on the ground?
 
Sitting by the side of lake, watching the fishies
Contemplating the way they swim and float
They have the freedom to move in 3D
But only until they run into the shore or a boat

But if I were flying

High above the trees
If I were flying
Like one of the birds or the bees
If I were flying
Soaring through the sky
There'd be no limits,
I'd pass you, swooping by
 
At least that's what it seems like down here
But when you really think about, it ain't so
Because birds have gotta watch out for the airplanes,
And there's still so many places they can't go.

So why bother flying
High above the trees
Why bother flying
Like one of the birds or the bees
Why bother flying
Just be content with where you are
You might just find it's better
Than constantly striving,
Surviving not thriving,
Grabbing at a star