To Make My Peace With You: My Father’s Church

My Father’s Church

What’s good in men
Who live good
Only to be rewarded?
And what’s redemption but a plea
Not to meet one’s punishment?

Heaven and Hell
I wonder
If an eternity would blur such words?
Heaven and Hell
I wonder
If God’s ever looked over his shoulder?

Can’t find the spirit in a house of men
So to my father’s church I return
To the pines, the oak and maple trees
To my knees
In these hills of brick shale clay…
Honeysuckle and river mint
How youth’s bounties do ferment
My blood is carried by these streams
But my dreams
They don’t shimmer in the Chesapeake Bay
They don’t shimmer in the Chesapeake Bay
They don’t shimmer in the Chesapeake Bay
They don’t shimmer in the Chesapeake Bay

All that I see
From where I can see
It is disintegrating
Behind a mound of ravaged wealth
The naked creation hides itself

Right or wrong
Dominion’s song
The Devil’s a scapegoat complete with horns
Right or wrong
Dominion’s song
Is anything from nature really unnatural?

Can’t find the spirit in a house of men
So to my father’s church I return
To the pines, the oak and maple trees
To my knees
In these hills of brick shale clay…
Honeysuckle and river mint
How youth’s bounties do ferment
My blood is carried by these streams
But my dreams
They don’t shimmer in the Chesapeake Bay
They don’t shimmer in the Chesapeake Bay
They don’t shimmer in the Chesapeake Bay
All that shimmers has been taken away

Oh, what’s left of me?
Oh, what’s left to be?
Lord knows, I’m trying
To find compassion in obscene hymns
But I lost my footing
When the ground caved in…
Think I’m gonna need some time to mend

Feels good to love
Love to be loved
It’s the sweet mead of life, and boy, am I drunk!
If all of my days could be like these
Then long sought answers, I’d never need

Somewhere between
The beast and bee
We’ll soothe our souls with harmonies
Somewhere between
The beast and bee
We’ll throw a wrench in the dichotomy

Can’t find the spirit in a house of men
So to my father’s church I return
To the pines, the oak and maple trees
To my knees
In these hills of brick shale clay…
Honeysuckle and river mint
How youth’s bounties do ferment
My blood is carried by these streams
But my dreams
They don’t shimmer in the Chesapeake Bay
They don’t shimmer in the Chesapeake Bay
They don’t shimmer in the Chesapeake Bay
But there’s still a glimmer in the Chesapeake Bay




March 28, 2007 (revised April 5, 2007)