"beautiful things"
no offense to beautiful things
but i'd rather wear a t-shirt and jeans
do up my hair on occassion or two
yet i would much rather let my hair down for you
lift up my brush, filled with browns and grays
paint my face on with beauty and grace
yet i'd rather not paint a mask on for you
but show you my eyes, my desirous pools
of emotion and love, of heartache and pain
my smile, my tears, the lines of my face
the beauty that you will find as you stare
has been carefully placed - from my nose to my hair
a little dot placed just above my left eye
my round, rosey cheeks and my lips slightly dry
please look very closely, look beyond what you see
look passed epidermis, see what lies beneath
for beauty's exterior, from forehead to chin
yet the beauty i love is only found within
so take no offense, beautiful things
i would much rather wear a t-shirt and jeans
"I AM"
Christian. Jesus. Salvation. Offensive. Relentless.
I AMCHRISTIAN. In a sense of emulation to every nation, tribe and tongue, I will become
JESUS. In a moment's time, I will throw mud in your eye, bring
SALVATION to the blind.
OFFENSIVE. With my words I am able to make you cringe, roll your eyes at me, why not just throw your stones at me, I'll turn the other cheek! I am
RELENTLESS. I will give you my coat, come close; I swaer I won't jump down your throat. I'll lend you my ear, call all hours of the night. We'll hit up Denny's grand slam, Quizno's toasted and roasted eat fresh like Burger King have it your way. Need a ride? Need to cry? Need to confide? Need a place to hide? I'll even die for your eyes to be opened to the fact that these preachers and church leaders throwing hell in your face. They lack wisdom, they lack grace. Pharisees and their high and mighty laws of condemnation, integrity's misplaced in their need for recognition. Where we lack in love, we make up for by stabbing you in the face with a never-ending flood of disarray and confusion. Because you still haven't heard what Martha did to Sister Clarence who said this and that to Brother Matt who called Pastor Markus lazy and fat, good for nothing, worthless piece of... Well, you get the picture!
Ignorant to peace, naive, lacking in faith, leaving me with a bad name! Turn over tables, set the place on fire, leaving nothing but blood and mire to this den of thieves! I refuse the temple, the priestly robe of gold and scarlet glimmering, shining fabrics and metallic metals of earthly value. To wear my Sunday best because on Sunday, God will surely tread upon any non-compliant soul and strike you with His hand. Church filled with pew-warming babies suffering from diaper rash, diarrhea and an attitude worthy of a beating. Loveless, worthless, such a mess, mentally handicapped, doctrinally twisted, never knowing what it truly means to be a
CHRISTIAN.I am imperfect. I am a sinner.
I am created. I am a servant. I am astounded.
I am bound. In need, I am free.
God gives grace, I am saved.
Christian. Jesus. Salvation. Offensive. Relentless.
I AM.
"you are mine"
intimately woven and spun
a twinkle in your mother's eye
and your father's unsuspected twist of fate
you were shaped and heavne placed you in
the womb of your destiny
the life God intended you to lead
born into a world where love was fleeting
as rain clouds in the midst of a desert's summer days
i watched as you were lost and out of place
in a heartbeat's time you found yourself
hiding from insecurities
haunting and hunting and raping your psyche
leaving you victim of scoffers, mockers and pharisees
in wait to cast the first stone
throw the first blow at your imperfection
but i formed your lines and patterns
where every bend ends and every curve begins
connecting each piece with ease and precision
i molded you, i knew you from the womb
fearfully, wonderfully, beautifully shaped
i whispered your name
kissed your face........ you are MINE!
your weathered heart and tattered canvass
i restore and wash every blemish and spot
let me
fill every void, every scar, every hold
refine every eye, silence every lie
alas, my love, only i wil ever satisfy.
"morning light"
it was night
and the demons that haunted her mind
loved to linger in the darkness
with insecurity guiding her
fear driving her
each lie ringing in her ear
the cell she embraced
familiar traces of love she imagined
wrongfully made dreams to esteem her vain ambition
created to fill each false hope
that one day this covenant would be made whole
that she would see the whole world
as lovely and free and pure
filled with life and art
no traces of black or blue or crimson red or white
her fists clenched as she braced herself
visions of mourning evolved into peace (beaten into place)
singing of his love from screaming profanity (taking his name in vain)
yes, these were dreams
'cause the only peace is that he is still asleep
and all is quiet
her heart has no need
but to remain in this moment
sustain this perfect breath
and to pray that morning light will never come
(the speaker in this "transcendent moment" poem is
a woman in a physically abusive marriage.)
a series of poems from my past
i've been in california for about a week. there is something so familiar in every place i've been - a year has passed and still, no time at all. much of my time has been spent rummaging through boxes of trinkets and notebooks of my childhood. i was a mostly a child up until 2004, i think.
in the spring of 2004, i was in college. this particular semester, i was apart of a poetry class that put out a publication, combining all of the work we had written over the course's 10 or so weeks. i thought i'd post some of the work that had been selected to go into the publication.
hope you dig it. and if not, it's ok too, i suppose.
"Sing of Your Great Love"
10 years ago this was written, and it still moves me so deeply... Current Hillsong music is fine, but to this day, nothing compares to the "By Your Side" album.
-----
"Sing of Your Great Love"
Darlene Zschech
All that is within me Lord will bless Your holy name,
I live my life to worship You alone.
You brought me out of darkness, and into Your glorious light
Forever I will sing of Your great love
Forever I will sing of Your great love
I love to see You glorified, to see You lifted high
I yearn to see all nations bow their knee
It's You alone Lord Jesus who can cause the coldest heart
To find Your love and everlasting peace
To find Your love and everlasting peace
CHORUS:
Ho-ly, Ho-ly, Ho-ly is the-Lord
Ho-ly, Ho-ly, Ho-ly is the-Lord
VERSE 3:
And Your trumpet will sound,
And all of heaven will know
That the time has finally come
For the bride to take her place
And we'll hear the angels sing
