Category Archives: Poems

1 billion rising

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A few lines to honour the 1 billion… that is a lot of people… some of whom are still lost within that big number. Yesterday has gone now today is here.

So much to say
                but cannot speak
Places to travel
                but cannot move
People to help
                but unable to connect
Heaven to reach
                but head that is down
Setting a goal
                but without a horizon
Trying to breathe
                but losing space to live
Having some doubts
                but ready to fight
Fighting an illusion
                but feeling better
Everything will work out
                but not today
Today is not important
                and losing a gift
In the midst of a storm
                that is not as big
Having fears that are
                as big and
                more real than the fight
Yet not able to name
                the fears lest they too
                silence the traveller
                mock the warrior
                and bind the seer
In a world that is created in days
                a world of chaos
                that owes its existence to
                whatever created it
                the question shapes the Universe
Can this be the way it is?
                It is but it will not be for it cannot
                be all that it claims to be
Not all that glitters is gold
                and not all that casts a shadow
                is bad nor can it hide
                the light that finds cracks
                that creates shapes and reveals textures
So maybe today a word spoken could begin
                with a word heard
                and the gift of life
                could release the breath
                and restore the world to
                its true size and beauty
Could the miracle be already present within the space
                that is so small and there be a voice when
                there is no sound.
So cannot speak
                but a lot to say
Cannot move
                but a lot of travel
Cannot connect but
                people to help
A head that is down
                but heaven reaches lower.

The Traveller’s Rest- Master or Servant ?

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Intro

Have been pondering alot about leadership this week. How the whole being a leader thing was sold to me, how I was programmed to be a leader and how I was mentored by others who were leaders. Then I thought about Jesus… nuff said. I have written this prose/poem in response to these ponderings.

Would you…?

Would you still want to be a leader if you had to give up heavenly privelidges even before you were born?

Would you still want to be a leader if you had to live the life of a refugee?

Would you still want to be a leader if you could never call a place home?

Would you still want to be a leader if you owned no possessions or comfortable house?

Would you still want to be a leader when no-one understands a word you you say?

Would you still want to be a leader if the gossip was all about you?

Would you still want to be a leader when even your best friends haven’t a clue?

Would you still want to be a leader when the only meals you are offered are with prostitutes and thieves?

Would you still want to be a leader when you get accused of working for the devil?

Would you still want to be a leader when your hands have to touch the leper and unclean?

Would you still want to be a leader when your teaching makes people leave?

Would you still want to be a leader when you’re washing dirty, smelly feet?

Would you still want to be a leader when you are at the back of the queue?

Would you still want to be a leader if they make false accusations against you?

Would you still want to be a leader if you knew you could not answer the accuser with your side of the story?

Would you still want to be a leader when your family are kept outside?

Would you still want to be a leader if you knew it meant letting others have a try who do not have a clue what they are doing?

Would you still want to be a leader if you had to get out of the way and disappear after three years?

Would you still want to be a leader when you saw your destiny and it looked like a cross?

Would you still want to be a leader if you knew it led to death?

Would you still want to be a leader if you knew blood would be shed?

Would you still want to be a leader if it meant more could be released without you being in the way?

Would you still want to be a leader when you know that it isn’t all about you?

Do you still want to be a leader?

Or is it more about becoming like Jesus?

The choice is ours…

Outro

From my own perspective I do not think the world needs any more leaders who just want to lead. There are enough self professed masters. Where are the servants? Where are those who would become nothing so others can become something? Who will swap the crown of earth for the road of the cross? Anonimity to make His name great? Nameless, faceless generation who will shake the world with love.

A song from the street

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Written from the streets of the town that was very kind to me (2004-2008) in a time of immense conflict, danger and trouble.

Jennifer Moore wrote me: just thought you might like to read this, from the faith group on friday.
we wrote everything on the wall, peoples names, feelings, prayers
and this was the result. such a good time together.

A Song from the Streets

You love an honest heart O God
Hear our cry

You know this week we’ve felt so anxious and scared
Our hearts have been broken with the situations around us

We’re so angry with the injustice we see
It can feel as though the evil is too strong, too much,
We have felt so helpless

But the power of your love is greater and stronger
Draw that circle of love around us

We called for peace, and hell broke out
We prayed for safety and violence occurred

We’re asking for deliverance from the addiction of drugs
Then comes prison , but even there, locked up, you can rescue them
Hear the cry of the mother’s heart

Put their feet on a solid path, give them courage to live differently
Set our young men free O God

We’ve put our trust in you for healing our bodies
You carried our sickness when you loved your son to the
place of death for our healing

So come to those who need your power to heal

For families torn apart this week through tragedy and loss
Give them your love to keep together and find comfort and help

In the midst of separation and disconnection
Bring peace, keep us connected in friendship, trust and love

You cared enough to send an angel to speak about hope
Here in our town, in our homes, in our streets

Utter hopelessness was seen this week on the streets, the ultimate act
We need this hope right here, right now

You don’t speak without the intention to act, you are not cruel
We know you are kind and you care
So come quickly, give the gift of yourself, your presence because
You are the God of HOPE

And because that’s who you are, we do have hope today, right here right now

You won’t see it… unless

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This ‘vision’ is something I recently read. I liked it a lot – a vision for God’s presence in their context. Reminds me of the phrase concerning Jesus (I think from Oscar Wilde): he is very hard to find but he is present everywhere.

You’ll look and you won’t see it.
You won’t be able to look one up in the phone book.
You won’t find it advertised in the library.
You’ll wonder if and when anyone meets.
Is there anyone out there?
You’ll look and you won’t see it.

Unless as you are driving along you spot people standing outside a school or kneeling outside the town hall.
Just for a second and then they’ll be gone.

And in the lunchtimes on Wednesdays you’ll see pockets of people eating and chatting, leaning in as if for a higher purpose. Then gone.
Before mums and toddlers you might notice some already stained cups…
Email addresses exchanged between smiling strangers.
Dog walkers in deep conversation.
A video conference but not about stock figures.
Dinner invites.

You’ll look and just won’t see it
Unless you look a whole lot closer.

Then the question will not be
where is the church
but where is there left where
there is no church
is there anywhere?

Wheels within wheels
And a whole load of eyes.