Today the demons bare their fangs:
Stench of memory, misplaced identity,
Years of acquired security rearrange;
Yield in perfect complicity.

Old mother habit picks up my load
Upon my back, instinctively move.
Pavement footfalls grind the road,
Carving out my ancient groove.

But the air is fresh and feels like home.
I am, again, where I grew
Untended, unnoticed, unknown,
In the eyes of God, who always knew.

I walk these prayers in solitude.
Our relationship matures through time.
I drop my guard until I’m nude;
Vulnerable before Divine.

When the sky, in gracious black,
Spreads to cover the bit of me,
Though my feet just circle back,
I know this journey is complete.

Once again I laugh above, breathe beneath;
Slurp the wine, and sip the dregs.
For these demons have their razor teeth,
But they have such puny little legs.

Dear God,

I cannot give you a careless word

Nor bear those already heard;

Pelted at Your heavenly ears

Before my blinded lips were sealed.

We scrape for momentary silence

In this realm of clanging violence,

And catch glimpses of Your face

Only in serene or somber places.

Solid skies with twisted stars;

Traces of light, unattainable, far

Removed from hearts, from hands-

We treat You like we understand.

I do not understand, cannot comprehend

A love that dwells in my darkest sins

And rises again to defend

With grace: A love that mends.

I see You in majestic storms

That shake the heavens, bellow warnings,

But drench with needed rain.

I tremble every time You refrain.

We are arrogant, sniveling creatures

Who boast and brag of our fleshly features

And ignore the fury in Your grace;

Your gentle, but relentless pace.

May I never forget Your heart:

A consuming, restless fire, You start

To tear down every inner wall

Just when I finally knew it all.

I don’t know You at all. I can’t comprehend

A God who bends around my rends

To love an enemy-

Which is all I am.

These rainy days seep in;
Drops soak the thoughts underneath.
Ink greedily sips them.
Reason slowly bleeds
Into the beauty of the blend.

Perhaps this means I’ve sinned,
But God hangs on regardless;
My ever constant, stalwart friend
While I fail every hard test
With flying colors every time.

He piles grace upon my crimes.
I get to breathe, even smile.
These thoughts, once maligned,
Are washed from the vile
By the gracious rain He pours on me:
A touch of clean, a taste of free.

Gray holds all the beauty of gold.