Music written and composed by Kyle Snyder
By Janelle
Weep, my willow
As the willow weeps, I turn aside
as the cricket cries, I close my window
as the winter chills, I go inside
as the dew clings to the grass
I grab my things and hurry past
as the rising sun explodes into the sky
I drop my head to shield my eyes
From the cold, the damp, the wind, the earth
All the concrete structures in me groan
But I am deafened to their sighs
And as I turn aside, the willow weeps
The cricket cries
I fall asleep
Salmon Run
Not much more than nine years on my hide
you took me on a five hour drive
to the riverside once oft visited
by you as a lad, with your Daddy, I suppose
Your hands pointed here and O! over there!
Remembering a limp tire swing slung over
that old Maple's arm
and how the glassy water reached to pull you in
Then you would surface like a slimy fish-boy, laughing
And your Daddy laughing too
Cupping your hands within his own in the shallows,
patient as the minnows hurry through your fingers
until
you catch the pudgy one
and your father drops it in his mouth,
swallowing it alive
your eyes open
wide.
You are remembering.
But now there's pain within those eyes
and your wide shoulders droop with a burden unfamiliar to you
Like a vagrant stranger roosting on your porch
As you skip
a stone that
shatters
any smooth reflection.
And
your
memories
sink
with the rock, for these waters
do not gush with what you recall when you were nine
Your Daddy's gone and you've returned here
Like the salmon run upstream
Past times struggling as you fight the current
nearly drowning in the change
But you have spawned my own memories
and so I revisit with my son
that he may be immersed in his own wonders
His mirth drenching my distress of finding my seasoned mind’s pictures do not match
these sketches here
So wade these ancient waters here with me
Even if those hundred seasons passed by
still, as your Daddy rooted you on this shore and
you carved me
in the bark
So my son's son will bleed his name into the sap
beside his Daddy's and mine and your Daddy's and yours
And we'll all drink from these
As the river runs
Fall, I do
Oh. Autumn built a nest within my soul
And its coy sunshine flirts with the whimsical rain
Warming and whetting nape of neck
As the arrogant wind orders them both around
Now the nights a surer darkness than before;
So bold
His nights a longer darkness than before
And cold
O! A leaf that browned has been released, is falling
My tree once so green and fresh, clutching silken blossoms
As summer’s wanton whispers drone, “Come back; come back
To playing in my rivers while Auntie June is washing clothes
That dance and curl in my breeze, and father plays his fiddle”
The swirling leaves that chase me into winter
I have seen before, so long ago
In Robin’s nest to lay her young
And feed them under Spring’s new sun
I shiver…
And lay…
Away, away! Oh, let me be
Approaching in your bronzed armour to steal the warmth from me
Smile and smile
May there be joy within the sacred places
Between the anxious wrinkles of their faces
Behind the shrieking baby’s fears
And the stranded widow’s tears
Beside the raging torrents of the falls
And in the lurking falcon’s calls
Upon the graves of silenced men
To tell the secrets of now and then
That wring your spirit dry
Shriveling a wanton cry
Which knows no flame of inspiration
Stifled in its desperation
To smile and smile and smile, more
With the face than inner core
Clouds shift and shudder as they burst
But muddied waters immobilize this thirst
Commandeer Me
I am the sails that brighten you, Ship
In the cloud-blue sky. Seagulls mingle
By my side as the wind blows
up my skirts
I’m tickled to spin
and carry on with the breeze
And sun and salty air and
I share drinks of frothy sea
With grinning turtles
I’ve let go completely to dance
With the air, the
Sea, the fins of
Porpoises. But still I am
twisted
Around your core wrapped and tied
To you with tar
And rugged sea cord
Destructive Affection
When I trod the fields of Eden
Soaking soil 'tween my toes
I forget the cycle of the sun
And that I've shed all clothes
The hungry fingers of the wind
Rub lightly 'cross my face
The freshness of my untanned skin
Shivers as it feels the rain's embrace
I do not see him walking there
His face o'ershadowed by the tree
And I, intriguèd by its fruit
Balk as he falls in step with me
Caught in my shame I make excuse
For drinking up deceit and lies
I pause for breath and seek his glance
A sigh, and tears slip from his eyes
Stunned am I to see his grief
For in my apathy and pride
I am expecting words of grace
But he has turned his face aside
I'm sick to see the pain I've wrought
On man I've named my dearest friend
That I can merely weep and plead
For love once more to make its mend
For ne'er before exists such love
Whose depth can turn the lock of fear
And beckons forth with deep desire
Arise, my Dove, your place is here
The world is on fire!
Branches drop their swirling sparks
to smother Summer’s grass with ashes
In the morn and evening’s dusk
The fog trips in
to confuse my step and sear my eye
With its smoky countenance
Walking through these fallen flames
Sounds crackling underfoot
And dewy tongues emerge to lick my ankles
Old September’s sultry breath
Stokes with weathered hand
The inferno of the Maple grove
Each branch a match ablaze
with orange and yellow fingers
Clinging to engulf the tinder twigs
All stands mesmerized by its brilliance
Heaven’s waters cannot douse
Its rampant flames which leap from tree to tree
Even the blueberry’s bushy limbs burn hot, red--
red hot for three months!--
the world is on fire
And seasons the tongue like moist Autumn apples burnt
To a cold sweet crisp, and hazelnuts roasting
In its amber embers
Before chasing life and light away
Geese flee, leaving coal streaks across the white hot sky
Squirrel gathers her prizes into safety from advancing nights
As the fire dims and dies the world falls
Still. Gray and cold
The naked trees and brown-burnt earth
Breathe a charred and raspy sigh
Ashes float up to touch the sky
To disappear for a time
Until released to collapse back down
As frozen dust settling
(Like a lamb’s white rug)
The sun will close her eyes
And we all fall
Into winter
i curtsied with the stars
i curtsied with the stars, late
last night
and they, like snowflakes
one and one: glisten.
and throb, too, like men
with lanterns in their hands to chase
the skittish foxes
and atop a crooked smile of
Moon rests one lazy candle, weary
that he may snuff it out
Love: Like the scorched-dry desert floor
will not surrender strength; for though e’er exposed
naught defeats the
land amassed with sand. Against a shrewd sky, army gray
this red dirt dares to stand
First—archers shift to lead the siege; rain like arrows miniscule
Pitter
-patter down :
Timid starts, but foretell of full invasion
The sand, as Love, takes in each drop
as kisses from above
And floodgates open, wide.
Afulladvanceofpoundingforce…
And desert earth, O’ Love, absorbs the blow
Each sandy soldier (saturated) neither hastens to defend
nor fires back
the slightest strike to clouds, clouds
disgusted…
in proud humiliation rain
retreats from its commotion
From the corners of the sky, rainy tears
Drip down.
Sand—yes, Love—soaked crimson in the siege
Still staring at the sky
Does not move as battle’s juices seep
through its tranquil grains
leaving surface dry
The sun, sensing scorn, turns
glaring visage to the ground
And sand, in Love, returns the gaze: unwilling
to step down.
Some rivers wide and cascadebysofastIcannotsee
the colour of the stones beneath that harbour trout and weeds
Some oceans, bottom deep and lightless
opaque shadows whisper
of Dreaded creatures there
Some forest pools alit with glints of sunny speckled gleams;
though sweet, these waters prove inept for beast or man
who cannot live or bathe where streams remain so shallow
But your eyes fill with mountain streams
fed by patient waterfalls, filling rivers slowly spilling ‘gainst the shore
When o’er the edge of water I do lean
And into the cloudless flow a sandy stone I drop
Unhindered in its fall, my eyes take in it all
My own pools, blue, unblinking descend
drinking in the portraits on bank’s bottom
a clearer path from sunny surface to faintest floor pebble:
never has there been
By David
Pursue
There is a place
In the closing hours
After we’ve let our guard down
Before we’ve been captured by sleep
There is something deep within that cries out
There must be more than this
For the embers of desire never truly go out
But get so covered by the world's false dreams
That once was once true can no longer be seen
What if God wanted to fulfill our desires?
What if those embers were meant to be fires?
And what if our dreams were meant to be lived out?
What if we refused to listen to doubt?
And what if our dreams were just marking the start?
What if God took us past our own heart?
But what if we never took that chance?
Never choose to step out
Never chose to advance
Would we be left with a life worthy of Him?
Or a life filled with fear
With the absence of passion
What if
What If……
Flow
Amidst this garden of tranquility
Within this meadow overflowing with lilies
Beside this stream
So crystal clear
The ground begins to shake
Ripples upon the water's edge
Growing is the tremor beneath my feet
Then from the horizon bursting forth
Over the hill they arise
Horses majestically riding tall
Coats with colors deep as the night sky
They crash forth in unison
As schools of fish navigate the seas
And flocks of birds soar with ease
Streamlined are the horses in unity
Each steed unique
Yet moving as one
This is the true Body of Christ
Beauty in motion
Forerunner
Step by step
My feet advance
Yet I do not feel engaged
But empty steps upon a road
Well traveled and well known
My soul cries out
My spirit too
This road is not for me
And so I look on further
To see what lies ahead
Diverging paths await my steps
And still my heart lays low
With all hope lost
I take my eyes off of this road
And look upon the wilderness that lies within arms reach
Its past the forests, past the plains
In the distance that I see
The mountain highs, the valley lows
They boldly call to me
And as I dream of what may lie
Beyond this point before my eyes
I realize I feel alive
Both hope and faith have been revived
While all surroundings scream at me
To not drift from my path
The mountain peaks still beckon
As if they held some vital key
But how to reach this place afar
This place where life must thrive
No road or path to lead the way
To great a chance that I will stray
Then to the side my eyes pick out
A footprint upon the ground
Nothing less and nothing more
Yet in my heart I know its time
For me to leave this shore
Step by step
My feet in His
This way I’ve walked for years
Never failing with His step
Though I at times have been
He lures me on
He calls me home
With glimpses of His glory
I’ve been to places never dreamed
Crossed over fields and endless seas
All because of just one step
I took by faith
His promise kept
Thank you Father
Freedom
What shall I fear when the Lord's presence surrounds me
When I live not for my will but for his will alone
What shall I fear when Im no longer enticed
When I live not for myself but purely for Christ
Shall I fear death?
That my life on earth may end in great pain,
That all that I own will be gone once Im slain
Shall I fear Satan?
That demons will come and tempt me to sin,
Be a thorn in my side till the very end
Shall I fear man?
The ability to crush my flesh and my bone,
To abandon, reject me and leave me alone
What shall I fear when the Lord's presence surrounds me
When I live not for my will but for his will alone
What shall I fear when Im no longer enticed
When I live not for myself but purely for Christ
Love
Ive seen this moment in my dreams
Dreamt of it 10,000 times
Before I myself knew what I felt
My heart began to climb
Burning like a fire
Deep with my bones
All I am attempting to contain this truth I know
Searching for different words,
Everytime we speak
Until again you and I
Together we can be
The beauty held within your voice
Could calm a stormy sea
Your passionate and trusting eyes
Place me in awe of thee
How does one say whats in his heart
When words do not suffice
Express to her how he feels
How hes never known such heights
Though love will grow and love will change as all things do in time
He knows beyond all fear and doubt, he loves this girl divine
So here I am to declare
What I know through and through
This truth I can no longer hide
Janelle, I love you
I Choose
A house torn down years ago
Torn down with lies
Torn down with fear
Torn down by my own hands
I’ve waited for my pain to leave
For time to heal my wounds
But some things I’ve learned
Time does not heal
Until at his feet we come to kneel
And so i choose to build once more
Upon the ground that i once fled
With memories of how i bled
Flooded with unrelenting dread
That again my blood may still be shed
Yet still i choose too build once more
This time on solid ground
Immerse
A world starved for solitude
So desperate for uncontested silence
Yet fearful of the same
It is there in seclusion
That our deep afflictions arise
Our past wounds show through
Our idols cry out to be fed
The healing waters that flow from His Throne
Shall heal the places you never show
Look into the river but do not leave
When hurt is the reflection that you see
Its by entering into the places of pain
That His waters of life wash away your shame
Wash away the areas you’ve chosen to hide
Revive the emotions you thought had died
Tear open the places long ago cocooned
Bring love into what for so long has been wound
All this waiting for those who will choose
To enter in and not to refuse
His waters of Restoration
Release
A kite so high so seemingly free
Amidst the birds it roams with ease
And yet the ground affects it still
Strings attached to his very will
A tug to the left and there he goes
Or to the right then taken low
His freedom not what he once thought
A puppet massed with strings
Strings from problems that arise
Strings from seeds that try to hide
Strings from things we hold so dear
Strings from not releasing fear
What if this kite released it all
Released the things that held it tall
Let go the sense of control
And let the wind begin to pull
Without restraints or safety ties
Or looking back on all the lies
To let the breeze sweep him away
Allow the wind to lead the way
Yet still this kite holds on so tight
Not letting go a single inch
For the fear of what may lie out there
Is greater than the kite can now bare
Yet in the distance this kite sees
Another kite above the trees
No rope nor cables, cords or string
This kite has been given wings
Amazed by the site of one so free
This kite now sees the enemy
All the strings he'd not release
The bondage's that would not cease
This kite now lets go of all
Prepared to descend to drop and fall
Yet once free from all the strings
He begins to see he too has wings
Its then the kite saw what so few do
To gain these wings you must first choose
If its trust you will embrace
For in these wings lie our faith
The Longing
Beyond the vastness of the seas
Beyond the haunting of eternity
In places void of life
Void of death
I have lived
I have died
Traveled places where death reigned
Swam the seas where dolphins sing
Heard voices of the angels ring
In winters cold I’ve dwelt in spring
My back has known betrayals knife
My heart pierced through loves strife
Cruelties reigned through my eyes
Plants once thriving, life denied
The strongest sails, ripped and torn
Anxieties wind, misery’s storm
Lost what was so close to me
A fragile thing hope may be
But a whisper upon the winds of destiny
To be sought in places
It cannot survive
There alone hope shall thrive