This hill once full

of life new lived

once stood upon by

happy heaven

now dies in the graying day

and joy once felt

once full like sun

that poured life’s heat

upon our faces

has withered in the draining

breath that rattles through

                   broken throats

and gray eyes dim now

with lost memories

of past day’s love

 

this face now blank

once looked at eyes

soft framed with hope

and soul-entwined

these arms and hands

now buried beneath it all

once held sweet limbs

in crushing desparate grip

as if fore-knowing

the ripping time to come

 

long lost and lying

pulled down by world’s wreckage

war torn

            forlorn

                      near-gone

a few last beats

of heavy heart

and pain before the numbing

still tells of life

                    and

lost moons and stars

while somewhere far

across a sea

                 is she

unreachable now

and yet right here

upon the hill

waiting with her dead

till the sky falls

and winter ends

with full spring

                to see

the broken ones

rise with new life

old seeds burst forth

and all that war

had stolen away

returns in forever embrace

 

so she waits

and so does he

till judgement brings

laughter and tears

and hope runs like blood

through the centre

of what was and yet will be

 

 

Leper walked up

from the parting fearful crowd

stretched out his hands

and said –

 

"if you are willing Lord

you can make me whole

and let me feel once more"

 

So Lord in tears and wonder

loved this faith and leaned

upon this cold senseless son

with questions –

 

"would you trade the unfeeling

for the hurt of life lived and loved?"

 

"for the world, for the world, for the world"

 

"let it be"

and Word embraced his death

and life flowed like light

till leper stood whole man again

declaring –

 

"I feel pain!"

and he cried while walking away

for the blessing and sheer joy

of it all

 

 

I love in the aching time

and cry

for fear and fellowship found

this is eternal

this cross is worth it

whose burden borne

will burden bear

upon my shoulders

so great

 

this heart is filled

                        fulfilled

contains no memory

but lives in now

and hope is high upon me

heavy as dreams

come true

 

and I will hear and hold

the sunrise call

thrice cried into my soul

knowing who I am

and I am you

                  in you

image of Christ

soul-shadowed pearl

singing salvation

and sadness

from the faultlines

of this lived life

 

where pain is better

then the numbing

and cries ripped forth

                             are

sweet songs against

mute mossy silence

while courage stands quiet

upon the rock

grateful for the pressing while

crying out –

 

"come bear down upon me

and watch this stone pull

heaven down to earth!"

 

 

 

 

 

I am listening to John McCain deliver his speech conceding the election the President of the United States of America. It is about as gracious and honorable as one could imagine. There is no sense of bitterness but only a sense of compromise and encouragement. In speaking of Barack Obama McCain said "whatever our differences we are fellow Americans and please believe me, no association has ever meant more to me then that."

 

Now – it’s an hour later, and I am listening to President-elect Obama addressing the crowd. When he spoke of McCain he spoke of his extreme sacrifice for America and said "we are better off for the service of this brave and selfless American." Obama honored the Republican party by reminding his supporters and the Democratic party that the great Abraham Lincoln carried the banner of the Republican party.

 

I don’t know where President-elect Obama will lead our huge neighbor to the south but regardless of whether you agree with him or not this election will stand in American history books alongside the Declaration of Independance, The Civil War and Proclamation Emancipation. He and the American people will be in my prayers.

 

 

You should all go to http://www.myspace.com/henrydueck and listen to Henry’s music. Why, you ask? Well, it’s good that’s why. If you really like him go here and buy his CD – http://cdbaby.com/cd/murtle Go. Now. Why are you still reading? Go and listen.

 

I’m sitting here in front of the laptop listening to music (Bruce Springsteen’s One Step Up is playing from his awesome Tunnel of Love album) trying to drag my muse out of her closet but she’s not co-operating. Anyhow the Kate Bush song Wuthering Heights came on and it reminded me of why that book is my all-time favorite book. To consider it a mere romance novel is to not do it the justice it deserves. When Emily Bronte wrote the book in 1847 when she was 29-years-old. She died the following year. Wuthering Heights was the only book she ever wrote. Anyhow – Kate Bush wrote a song inspired by the book and the two protagonists – Heathcliff and Catherine. Here are the lyrics:

 

Out on the wiley, windy moors
Wed roll and fall in green.
You had a temper like my jealousy:
Too hot, too greedy.
How could you leave me,
When I needed to possess you?
I hated you. I loved you, too.

Bad dreams in the night.
They told me I was going to lose the fight,
Leave behind my wuthering, wuthering
Wuthering heights.

Heathcliff, its me–cathy.
Come home. Im so cold!
Let me in-a-your window.

Heathcliff, its me–cathy.
Come home. Im so cold!
Let me in-a-your window.

Ooh, it gets dark! it gets lonely,
On the other side from you.
I pine a lot. I find the lot
Falls through without you.
Im coming back, love.
Cruel heathcliff, my one dream,
My only master.

Too long I roam in the night.
Im coming back to his side, to put it right.
Im coming home to wuthering, wuthering,
Wuthering heights,

Heathcliff, its me–cathy.
Come home. Im so cold!
Let me in-a-your window.

Heathcliff, its me–cathy.
Come home. Im so cold!
Let me in-a-your window.

Ooh! let me have it.
Let me grab your soul away.
Ooh! let me have it.
Let me grab your soul away.
You know its me–cathy!

Heathcliff, its me–cathy.
Come home. Im so cold!
Let me in-a-your window.

Heathcliff, its me–cathy.
Come home. Im so cold!
Let me in-a-your window.

Heathcliff, its me–cathy.
Come home. Im so cold!

 

east of San Francisco

my car drives

up the brown grass hills

in sun and blue

while laughing

                    looking

I knew

this was a mistake

Golden Gate

small in the rear view

said go home

you are wrong

            in this place

 

but I kept on

for wine and the Calabrese

were waiting

 

besides

my time would come

once the water washed me away

 

till then

California sped on

beneath my summer self

 

Love came first

in pale skin

and celluloid

black hair spun

a dream to me

while

rose bud lips

sung innocence

wrapped in joy

 

as she danced

as she fell

as she slept

on the screen of the Palace Theatre

my heart was forever burned

in technicolor

 

 

 

I awoke at about 5

with dreams of 3 and 4

little lone man

watching big man

walking away

swinging away

                    away

all his heart and anger

his pain and pride

spun

a twisted tornado

so we lived in his wreckage

and even the destroyed ones

can smile for awhile

forgetting to bleed

 

 

 

Lately I’ve been thinking about Annie’s Song. I used to listen to it a lot when I was a kid. Not sure why but I’ve always liked it. It’s old and a little stale and cheesy and I’m sure it’s one of those songs my mum used to listen to and got stuck in my head. Anyhow – I’ve added it to the media player on my blog page http://poet.spaces.live.com . If you’re reading this later and the song is different then you’ll have to look it up.