Songs for Prepositions: Act I

Act I:  “Dwelling”

A Song for Prepositions

By Jane Tawel

July 12, 2016

 

 

I desire to not dwell on it;

I desire only to dwell in it–

 

With You.

 

It’s true,

They want to build a wall against the tide

But I long for You to build a wall around my heart

To hedge me in, a prisoner in the walls of Your mercy and forgiveness,

A porous wall of Water that trespasses on the throne of my self

And keeps Your Spirit in,

Not them out.

 

My skin-wall is not me.

Your skin-wall is not you.

 

We keep making each other so sad

And the tears don’t wash away the colors

Of our collective, hateful grief.

 

I desire not to dwell on it,

I desire to dwell in it.

Inside–

A wall to keep the rushing fountains of Your love

Emigrating out to Immigrants I welcome in

To the circled enclosure of Our love.

 

We keep talkin’ ‘bout, talkin’ ‘bout, talkin’ bout,

The colors of,

The multi, separating colors of the world,

 

But You in agonizing silence,

Rebirthed us in one color only

The color Red

The Red of Your Blood

Shed.

 

So many colors shedding other folk’s blood

I have to start telling them today,

It’s all been already shed for you

No matter your hue.

 

From Costcos to bodegas

From favelas to beach fronts,

It’s time to sing a psalm of

Equitable housing for all.

If we can let Him trespass on the property rights of our souls

We can dwell in a new world mansion forever,

No more weapons, no more nightlights,

No security but His eternal light.

 

 

The housing of my skin is just like yours

A thin covering of dust which will return to dust, to dust, dust,

I simply must,

Get out of my skin and into your heart,

Like He has done to mine.

We will either cease and desist or we

Will live together forever.

 

It’s time to sing a psalm:

“We will dwell in Your House forever.”

Or not.

Zechariah 2:5  “ ‘For I’, declares the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst’.”

Psalm 23:6  “Surely Your goodness and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”