VESPERS
WEAK AND DIM HAVE I BEEN
BLINDED BY THEMES OF FANTASY
WOULD THAT THESE THOUGHTS AND DEEDS BE STRICKEN FROM MY RECORD...
THERE CAN BE NO UNDOING
NO SHAKE OF LAMB'S TAIL TO ERASE THE MEMORY OF PAIN AND FEAR INSTILLED ON WHO CAN NOT FIGHT BACK...
FOR SHAME...
ONLY MAY I SEEK FIRMEST FORGIVENESS TO LEVEL THE SCALE SOMEWHAT...
LEST I BREATHE EVERY BREATH REPLETE WITH SHAME...
ACTION BEARS CONSEQUENCE
PAST IS PAST
NO ONE'S FOR THE CHANGING
AH, BUT TO FACE IT...
EMBRACE THE BAD WITH THE GOOD...BREATHE DEEPLY
SIGH SLOWLY...
CRY SILENTLY...PRIVATELY...IN HIDING...
EYEDROPPERS, MANY AND MIXED
WILL FILL THE GRANDEST CANYON
SEVERAL TEARS AT A TIME...EVER SLOWER...EVER SLOWER...
AND STILL REGRET AND SHAME CAST A BROAD SHADOW
OH FOR THE POWER...
OH FOR THE POWER...
TO HAVE WHAT HAS BEEN NEVER TO HAVE BEEN...
IS THERE ENOUGH ABSOLUTION YET CREATED...OR YET TO BE...
PRAY SO...
B.C. 11 / 11 2008
BLINDED BY THEMES OF FANTASY
WOULD THAT THESE THOUGHTS AND DEEDS BE STRICKEN FROM MY RECORD...
THERE CAN BE NO UNDOING
NO SHAKE OF LAMB'S TAIL TO ERASE THE MEMORY OF PAIN AND FEAR INSTILLED ON WHO CAN NOT FIGHT BACK...
FOR SHAME...
ONLY MAY I SEEK FIRMEST FORGIVENESS TO LEVEL THE SCALE SOMEWHAT...
LEST I BREATHE EVERY BREATH REPLETE WITH SHAME...
ACTION BEARS CONSEQUENCE
PAST IS PAST
NO ONE'S FOR THE CHANGING
AH, BUT TO FACE IT...
EMBRACE THE BAD WITH THE GOOD...BREATHE DEEPLY
SIGH SLOWLY...
CRY SILENTLY...PRIVATELY...IN HIDING...
EYEDROPPERS, MANY AND MIXED
WILL FILL THE GRANDEST CANYON
SEVERAL TEARS AT A TIME...EVER SLOWER...EVER SLOWER...
AND STILL REGRET AND SHAME CAST A BROAD SHADOW
OH FOR THE POWER...
OH FOR THE POWER...
TO HAVE WHAT HAS BEEN NEVER TO HAVE BEEN...
IS THERE ENOUGH ABSOLUTION YET CREATED...OR YET TO BE...
PRAY SO...
B.C. 11 / 11 2008
posted by Burton Cummings at
12:30 AM
13 Comments:
This seems to relate heavily on an event in my life long ago. Not sure what I think of the poem yet. Still mulling it over in my mind.
I guess a good poet is someone who can write something from their life and make it seem to relate to others.
Thank you for sharing.
This post has been removed by the author.
Very thought provoking words especially on this day of remembrance. Yes, action bears consequence but then again, so does "inaction". I believe the men who went off to war did so with love in their hearts and hope for the future generations of not just their families, but for families everywhere. It was all for freedom.
Every year when I go to the Memorial Service, I think back to when I was in high school. The first time I played The Last Post for the town, I was terrified so many people were there. I remember hitting a few off notes and I was mortified. Just before I started the Reveille, I glanced at the veterans and instead of seeing them wince, they all stood tall and proud with big smiles on their faces. Every one of them had tears in their eyes and I was forever moved by their pain. They were crying silently, privately, but they were not in hiding. They were proud to shed those tears for us. "Is there enough absolution yet created...or yet to be..."
ABSOLUTELY! It's found in faith.
...credit out loud where credit is do...the rest shall remain silent, but, not forgotten...what are we inside?
"IS THERE ENOUGH ABSOLUTION YET CREATED...OR YET TO BE... PRAY SO..."
I do.
I guess the hardest absolution to find is absolution from within, from one's own self. It seems to be the struggle of most good hearts, anyway.
Burton - beautiful,sad and deep. I love your poetry and can hardly wait for your book of poetry to come out. Then all will know you are a poet who just happens to also be a fabulous singer.
Blessings,
Cincy Mike
I have been thinking a lot lately about this theme of action bears consequence. Do the ripples we create in our pond , our universe , cause good things to happen or negative things? If we do harm another can we quickly undo the damage? I can seek forgiveness from the one I have wronged and if I approach with genuine and sincere regret, chances are I will receive it. What about my own forgiveness of myself? I am a much harsher taskmaster than the others. Perhaps I want to to punish and blame myself far more than those who I have hurt. God will forgive me completely but do I hear Him? Do I believe? Otherwise " every breath replete with shame ". That is no way to live a life. To breathe deeply and sigh slowly is the softening of the armour around the heart. Oh how I hate to cry, even alone! Hold the tears in and the chest stays tight forever , but the tears , enough to fill the grandest canyon will slow and cleanse the spirit. Will they not wash some of the regret and shame away? We can hope and pray.
Your poetry is your music, your music is your poetry...Thank you for sharing it with us. Kathy
I just read Connie's comment and was intrigued by what she said; "If we do harm another can we quickly undo the damage? I can seek forgiveness from the one I have wronged and if I approach with genuine and sincere regret, chances are I will receive it. What about my own forgiveness of myself?"
When we wrong someone, whether intended or not, slight or severe, we can't expect to undo the damage quickly. Healing takes time, especially when trust is involved and there is always the chance the damage will never be undone. We have to accept that, learn from it and move on. I don't try to seek forgiveness when I've hurt someone. To me that means I'm doing it to ease my own conscience. It's easy for someone to say "I forgive you", but do they really mean it in their hearts or is the hurt still there?
Forgiveness comes from within, and I pray for wisdom and for strength to be a better person. I also pray for the one I have wronged, so THEY can get past their anger and hurt, even if that means cutting me out of their lives. The most important thing to me is honesty. I think we know when we've done something wrong or have betrayed someone. If we never tell them, then is that not a sin by omission? It's very hard to come clean, because we know the consequences aren't pretty. Nobody likes an ugly confrontation. However, if we have the strength to admit we did something wrong, we have the strength to move past it. That's like facing our demons. Once we've done that, we CAN "forgive ourselves". It's a matter of using one's heart instead of one's head and feeling what the other feels......
"ACTION BEARS CONSEQUENCE
PAST IS PAST
NO ONE'S FOR THE CHANGING
AH, BUT TO FACE IT..."
Something there for the young and the old to learn ...
Said it once before.
BC the Bard of Rock and Roll!
You've cornered the Demons and channeled the Muse.
all the best
MK
God gave us the ability to choose. What comes from that is that we may choose to do the wrong things, ie. we sin. Absolution is granted by God, through Jesus Christ if you are a Christian. I think through God we have the ability to know right from wrong, and when we wrong we feel guilt and regret. I believe there is absolution for those who make the right final choice.
As you are a Zevon fan, I thought the lyrics to this song, The Sin, was appropriate. Zevon certainly knew about sinning.
Lyrics to The Sin :
By Warren Zevon
It's none of my business
But if I may
Remind you of the time
When you did something you knew was wrong
It wasn't called a crime
And I'm not saying that you should give
A sucker an even break
I'm talking about the time
That you were cruel for cruelty's sake
I'm talking about the time
That you were cruel for cruelty's sake
How you gonna pay for
How you gonna pay for
How you gonna pay for the sin?
How you gonna pay for
How you gonna pay for
How you gonna pay for the sin?
Hah?
Maybe you went and stuck your key
In somebody else's door
Maybe you went and helped yourself
To something that wasn't yours
Maybe you simply criticized
Someone you hardly knew
You ruined part of their life for them
Part of your own life, too
How you gonna pay for
How you gonna pay for
How you gonna pay for the sin?
How you gonna pay for
How you gonna pay for
How you gonna pay for it then?
If and when you feel an ill wind
Don't be too surprised
Remember when you should have
Picked on somebody your own size
How you gonna pay for
How you gonna pay for
How you gonna pay for the sin?
How you gonna pay for
How you gonna pay for
How you gonna pay for the sin?
How am I gonna pay for
How am I gonna pay for
How am I gonna pay for the sin?
Actions always bear consequences its up to us to make them good consequences. No one should ever underestimate the power of their actions. With one small gesture you can change a persons life. God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way. We need to leave are loving heart prints for others. Forgiveness is one of them. Be gentle with yourself because your soul and spirit come from God and forgiveness is yours for the asking.
God Bless
Diane
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