underneath
the
soprano blue sky
one last chirp
with
the
highest pitch
before
we die

death
knows how to wait
her turn
in a dark alley
like a black widow spider
when
her prey touches
the vibrating strings
upon her crafty spiderweb
a quick bite and a swift sting
to get the job done
when
she starts to sing
in acapella
death knows how to wait

oh lord
when
grace
cradled me
in
her arms
while
African slaves
bounded for the new world
discovered by
Christopher Columbus
and
one by one
Black men
shackled, chained
and branded
then
devoured
into
the
infested belly of
the
slave ship
named Jesus

when
we look
into
the eyes of
the
ghost white moon
let
her
look back
at you
for a while
with
her
owl-shaped eyes
and
her whiskey smiles
when
we
look at the moon

on my life's journey
to thee
that
peace be still
let
faith
be
the anchor of
thy ship
thy will be done
on earth
as it is
in heaven
through
the
dark wine sea

every monster
dwells
inside of
a
black box
if
we
turn it
inside out
and
upside down
what
Frankenstein monster
creeps out  
from
the
dark dungeons of your mind

the
journey of
the
haunted night
is
when
the
river of light
stares back at us twice
but
neither have i

faith i know
with
a heart as big as a cloud
you
help me to grow
until i get old
and
i won't let go
hope
please throw me
a lifeline
and i shall hold on
this time
with
a heart of gold

oh, shapeless heart
that
cast no shadow
upon
these walls
shall
give no love
beyond these four walls
inside of the shapeless soul
yet
love shall dwell and flourish
still
inside of the shapeless heart

without
sweet sunlight
for
nourishment
lord
give us this day
our daily bread
thus
to keep us warm
while we ran for shelter
towards
the
red-painted log cabin
straight out of the storm
and
we
witnessed
the
young clouds leapfrogged
through
the
sleepy willowed sky
and
finally the
thunder clapped rain
came rolling down
upon
the
sacred hallowed ground

oh
what fresh colors
that
make the sounds
when
the
autumn leaves
hit the ground
cherry maple red
blueberry coral blue
spring mountain green
thus
brings me
early joy
oh lord
if
what
i
have found

when
the
slave bones speak
we don't lie
the
bones shall creep
but
we
work from sunrise
until
sundown
while
we
get no sleep
we work so hard
and
no time to weep
thus
every day
we live in misery
then
suddenly
we
fall like them autumn leaves
master gives us no gentle breaks
and
then
we
finally, die
for goodness' sake
because
master give us no graves to take

mother earth
she does not complain
rest assured
when
i
die
she wraps
her arms around me
and
she takes
flesh bones and spirit
while
mother earth
sweeps up
the
dust and ashes of death
neatly and completely
with
her arms around me

like two bookends
back together again
old friends
and
i
am still sure
it does not matter
where we have been
or
how
good it has been
for us
to
spread our wings
and fly
through
the crosswinds
and
around the world
but still
we remain, old friends
with
heart and soul
and
the
joyful tears roll down
between the
timeless faces

once in a lifetime
when
the
golden sun
touches your round face
over the horizon
let
my heartbeat still
in
that quiet place
once in a lifetime

death swings
upon
a tender hook
like a pendulum
over
the
willow brooks

i
am a nightbird
when
i
go outside at night
i
spread my wings to take flight
even though
life is a struggle
i continue to fight
because
i
have the spirit of hope
yet
i
sing with all my might
still
i
let the light
shine through the cracks
yes
i know
everything will be all right
when
the light
shine through the cracks

when we hear
the
drumbeat of war
the
hands of death
upon our shores
now
our plows turned
into
guns and swords
thus
our flags are who we are
while
we taste the clouds of war

the
evening light
were
time stood still
if
love waits for me
upon the hill
when
we
are young lovers still
please let me wait right here
if you will
we fall in love
where
time stood still

lord
let me
dip thy wings
into
this
river of joy
and
with thy voice
oh lord
that is why
we sing

every block of granite stone
is
a cast of the weary soul
that
lives beneath
the rain
and
the cold
were
dust turned into gold
the
duality of the soul

oh lord
before my life has ended
let me tidy up a few things
first I need a set of wings
for my soul to set sail
towards
the kingdom of glory
next, I want to continue
to serve God
through
faith and to do His will
through good works
well done thy faithful servant
well done
while
being a guardian angel of mankind
in the presence of God
who is forgiving and merciful
before my life has ended
let me tidy up a few things

come out of him Satan
for thou
encourage us
to drink from
the
poison well of evil
to gain access to the world of chaos
but
now we speak in tongues
then
I shall say
turn them loose Satan
thus
we are
scattered through the winds of autumn

freedom reigns like an iron bell
thus
freedom rings and clangs
through
every valley and hilltop
not only that
where the voice of freedom swells
still, I am sure of that
when
freedom reigns like an iron bell

what is religion
the
ability to serve
and
to obey the will of
Almighty God
thus
a ball and chain
to delay
the
progress of people of color
but
now
the
Achilles heel
that
controls
the
journey of
the
black man's soul
while
we drink from the same river twice

what
heart hurdles
towards
this
mass of stone
that
breathes the soul of Mercedes
who
walks with mercy and grace
thus
we
hurl her beauty towards the stars
a different place
thus
Mercedes all made from stone

what is joy
thus
obedience to God
and
the willingness to serve
through
the
expression of faith
as it provides us
strength and courage
to
forgive and to reconcile
to witness and
to forge ahead
with
our tribulations
thus
to spread out wings
and forgive each other for our sins
that shape our destiny
to sing with joy

every word
i
speak and discover
that
morsel of bread
shall
i
receive
a divine light

still
for the glory of
our
blackness
to fulfill our destiny
as beautiful as
the
curtains of Solomon
expressed in our skin color
as free as the wind
look what God has done

love
when
i
speak of thee
yes
i
would die for thee
but
now, you put a hole in my heart
you see
that
oh love
i still, worry
now
what is your query

hey you
we have
no more expectations
and nothing to lose
surely
we fight
when we have the blues
to be
honestly in love
and
we both need
more communication
to answer every question
to be in love with your best friend

oh lord
i
know that
the day is done
when
i
can see
the
sunset upon your
graceful round shape face
with jubilee
that
glisten and sparkle
for
my humble embrace
that part of me
because you are alive
while
your honest love
taught me
how to breathe

rice paper butterfly
come out of the fire that breathes
thus breathe the wind breeze
where you can free your mind
still to climb higher and higher
then we shall release you back
towards the skyward sky
where finally, to let your mind be free
where everything that you touch
shall turn into a golden reality
if out of the fire that breathes
where i shall be waiting for thee

faith
where is
thy
shield and sword
i
go forth
to
another world
another place
where
fear and doubt
are my enemies
thus
to the valley of death
i
shall
go
with
thy
shield and sword
in the name of the holy spirit

love
is just
another
raindrop
upon
the
autumn leaves of
your timeless soul

oh
what light
that
dwells
in
her sacred eyes
are
the
rays of faith

faith
flows
through
your
chandelier soul
like
sweet rainwater
filling
these
cupped hands

...and who
drinketh from
this
poisoned well
only
the
good people
from
the
town of Nottingham

faith
lend me your ears
thus
give me
a heart filled with grace
uplift thy wings

thy soul set sail
though
wind and storm
upon
the
ripples of the pond

these
Casper white clouds
drifting
through
the air
and
we sing out loud
with
a friendly boo
to share
although
spooky
somehow

faith
is
what
gives my soul
the
essence of life
the
spiritual fabric of God's creation
thus
we are all connected

faith
is
where
all the light
slips
through
the
hidden cracks
that
dwell in the soul
thus
faith is revealed
to
the
everlasting faithful
and
do not be forsaken

faith uplift
her
wingspan
through
the
thermal clouds
gently gliding
over
the
Sea of Galilee

when
jealousy
envy and greed
looked into
the
ghost mirror
what
did
Judas
really see
the
soul of Jesus
being traded for
30 shekels of gold
i
stared into
Jesus's warm sacred eyes
then
i
kissed Him
upon
His right cheek
and said
that
i
shall not betray you

oh faith
too many times
that
swift songbird
that
goes
through
your sacred heart sublime
where
faith
just keep on
healing me
completely
this time

faith
like a
gentle red rose
radiates
the
kindred love of
God
though
His word is bond

lord
where
is
thy faith and thy spirit
that
we know
to
give us sustenance
while
you supply
living water
through
the veins of
the
crystal blue rose

oh love
when
i
feel
her presence
with
her footprints
still
left in the
hungry winter snow

faith in God
is
what we share
in
this world
because
we
have to stretch
His holy name
across
the
sacred sky bridge
thus
He
reflects every
color in the rainbow