Burning Song

And, Lord, would You receive
the flaming tongue
the burning song
the smoking; smoldering
hopes and longing.

Oh, Lord to be awakened
to Your fire
Your fuel
Your altar.

Help, Lord, help
and receive my song of coals
my burning song.

Breathe in deeply, Oh Living Breath
and exhale Your pleasure and satisfaction
over my burning song
my coal-heaped head.

Jealous Pictures

watched the seasons come down
in jealous pictures

i guarded my heart right out;
right past the last turn

and letting go
a seering fall; a seering fall
into a small world and a big God

I Miss the House

I have been singing for 3 hours
but now the worshipping begins
because just now I've washed
or I am washing or I'm being washed
--let the blood clean
all I've been carrying around
all day--let the rain that thundered
in on top of my practiced singing
soak the altar; I'm with Baal
in my pride, but how I desire
to dance with delight around the
burning altar. I want to be holy,
so I'm going to stopy trying and
just die. That seems to be the
quickest way.
Amber and Leah sway in front of me.
Ryan sings over my head.
Micah bearcrawls to Becca's song.
I could add my harmony but that
doesn't build the Kingdom.
What builds the Kingdom is my
own death and the cessation of
scribbling in the shadows of
other worshippers.

For Clyde Tinsley and the Son of the Living God

This afternoon we gathered to remember
a husband
father
grandfather
goodman
brother in the Body.

We sang songs and told stories:
he was a giver, encourager,
learned of the Word; dedicated to the beauty of his family and the spoken action of love.

Tonight we gather together to remember
son
brother
rabbi
friend
messiah
peace.

We are singing songs and in my heart are a thousand stories
as we read Paul's account of the beginning of the end
of the beginning of all we hope.

30 August--CAHBC

In the meeting room tonight
stained glass windows and drawn hearts
I want to raise my hand
to add
to join in the conversation
but I find myself just listening
just giving scripted answers in unison

A vivid One-on-one is what I have
I and the Spirit are whispering
elbow in the side, "No. YOU say it!"

I'm not alone in my whispers
but if I stood
if I stood as the new creation I am
then I would be; alone.