Broke cover
Sudden
Stood stock still-
Breath, mist
Mingle

What thought, doe,
What sound, smell of
Greencoat man with
Lichen brow,
Moss beard,
Hazelnut eyes,
Moist as yours,
So brown.

Veins throb
Yours and mine
Silken hide
Only movement
Ears, nose twitch.

No pointed barb today,
No loud report

Just look
Slow as oak
Bark growing fingers
Grain of the trunk.

No haunch for butcher hook, today,
Doe
Disappear into
New forest thicket-

Oh, how you gentle me

Never try for perfect.
Perfect will never come to you.

Besides,
Perfect is no fun.

Perfect is no passion,
Perfect is sane,
Perfect is nothing compared to

Laughter over taking risks,
The hot rush of tears when you're afraid,
But the warmth of light and relief
When you realize there's nothing
To be afraid of.

Perfect is nothing compared to

Your face hurting from smiling too much,
And your sides hurting from laughing too hard,
And drowsily dozing off
To the sound and heart beat
Of the person you love,
Mid-conversation.

Perfect does not compare,
To conversations so deep and filled with
Hope and lighting up
The darkest parts of our pasts,
That when you fall asleep,
I cannot help but to think back to them,
And kiss your cheek.

Perfect will not ever compare,
To waking up from a bad dream,
Alone and scared,
Only to realize you should not be scared,
Because you are not alone.

And your cries wake him up,
And he holds you and soothes you
And suddenly everything is okay.

Perfect cannot compare
To having the weight lifted off your shoulders
Just by seeing his smile.

You might think what you have is perfect,
But what we're doing
Is filled with trying
And striving
And going for our goals,
But perfect is nothing compared,
To the you that makes me whole.

You tried and you tried,
Taunted me while I cried.
I've had enough of you,
You coloured your skies
With the blue that I provide,
My pain soothes your soul
As though we're all a game
Moving your pawns back
and forth.

A chess game where
going back is a possibility
each strategy filled with
nothing but hostility.

This is my legacy
Read my words
And you will hear
the sounds of my cries
Read my words
And you will find
the tattered pieces
of my life.

You won't find me dead,
You won't take me alive.
I've got nothing left to hide.

(c) Dec. 15-2005 John Stevens

(V1)
When trouble comes around you
And you don’t know where to turn.
Look up and see Jesus standing there.
He will take all your sorrows
And give you peace within.
Just look up and see Jesus standing there.

(V2)
When love seems so distant
And you feel lost and alone.
Look up and find Jesus waiting there.
His arms are open wide for you
To take you as His own.
Just look up and find Jesus waiting there.

(V3)
When hope has all but gone
And darkness closes in.
Look up and find Jesus kneeling there.
He is reaching down to lift you up
From the pit of despair.
Look up and find Jesus kneeling there.

(V4)
When joy comes upon you
And you don’t know who to thank.
Look up and see Jesus smiling there.
His grace does surround you
His mercy brings you through.
Just look up and see Jesus waiting there.

(Chorus)
Look up and see Jesus
He waits for you to call His name.
Look up and see Jesus standing there.
Look up and see Jesus
Receive His gift of love for you.
Look up and see Jesus standing there.

(tag)
He will take you in His arms of love
And give you peace within.