the war on terror

by erin

communication stations in the
frame of this Nation, and its nations,
chaotically flows into ears and brains
and drains us down the tubes of fear-
bending our minds into times
that are crushing the lines
of justice.

the use of this fearing
is leering into our hearts,
is peering into our souls
and is sneering as we go
quivering into our closed rooms
where we sweep up confusion with brooms
made of definitions and rules-
creating a truth that binds us into a fuss,
until we surrender
and drool out the sad remnants of faith.

handing over and over again, our lives
into those hands that thrive
on our misery, it is their only epitome,
and drive us
off the cliffs into an abyss of list-less-ness...
the depths of submission
because we gave them our permission.

and it Reigns and it rains
down on us
trying to wash the stains away
we forget-
but we stay, and we pray
that they, may have
the solution to the problem.
and we are surprised to find
they don't.

we scream and we cry,
"these solutions are pollutions!"
and they ignore
because they are bored
with our cries,
so they glare
and continue to stare
at our problems that weren't even there
from the start.
but they tell us that they care
and our downfall is,
we believe them.

running and flailing around
we drown
with out any knowledge of how to swim
because we gave it away.

little did we know how grim
when we signed our names
on those lines that sought only to frame
us inside prison walls.

and nothing is gained
from this game parade
of blame and shame.

it's not them that will save you.
it's nothing you couldn't already do;
it's here and it's now.

so throw the radio to the wall
and watch it crumble and fall,
its fallible, don't worry that's not radical,
its real.

pick up the false broom,
crack the handle against the door of your tomb.

run out
into the fields of your old soul,
roll around and unfold your mold
in the memory of what you were from birth:
a miracle.

I Pray

by erin

Holy God. You imaged us into the world, into these bodies we use day in and out. As night comes to us, we pray for rest. Grant us peaceful and renewing sleep. A sleep that brings healing to the bodies you have given us.

God, giver of life, reside in our hearts as they pump blood to our organs.
God, giver of life, reside in our lungs as they breath, sending vital air throughout our body.
God giver of life, be with our eyes as they rest behind closed lids rejuvenating our sight.
God giver of life, take the noise of our worries from our ears and grant us silence.
God giver of life, ease the aches in our bones and the cramps in our muscles; release what has gotten tied up by the stress and anxiety of our days.
God giver of life, let your Holy Spirit fall over us as we lay in our beds. Help us to let our minds stop their planning and our hearts to stop their suffering with anxiety.
Help us to remember Your Sabbath day of rest.

God with your peace we will sleep and be rejuvenated.
God with your grace we will rise the next morning with a renewed energy for the day's tasks.
God with your strength we can follow your call for us.
God with us, holy and eternal, we pray for restful bodies and a peaceful sleep this night.
Almighty and ever-loving God, in your holy Name, we pray.
AMEN.

i am from

by erin

i am
from a community that journey with,
turns and twists me into
the Maple trees that line
the black wooden fence rows
of the rolling green hills

i am
from the tips of the corn's cobs
dancing in the fields and breeze,
from the horses that trot along,
to these melodies, i sing
"my old home"

i am
from a traveling home
full of wandering foods
whose spices paint the canvas' scenes
and bouqets of words in
books grow on walls

i am
from the stories
of my mother's eyes
as she looks and sees all
the years before, that came and
all the years to be
a gift

i am
from the stories of my father's heart
shepherding me into a new land
of wondering love
where a rain drops down
and gives me growth

i am
from the arms of a loving partner
and friends who
wrap themseleves around and feed me
their smiles and laughter
singing songs that carry me
into a world where,
i am blessed.

our art. by erin

to create inside and bring it out
into the world without doubt
is nearly impossible

i rush into the mind of my heart
attempting to paint a picture of that art
and i stumble

to build the words into a form
alone do not let them be born
but with my sisters

the struggle to grow into our body
they try to keep we from making our harmony
but we are not buried

our world comes forth into a rushing wind of song
that carries us along
and the colors come pouring

down like rain we stain the earth
and from it grows tress, flowers in mirth
we laugh together

they could not stop, or control, or bind
too keen, too wise, too brilliant our minds
we grow despite

our art is us
from dust to dust
our bond we make this life together.