(Remarks under lyrics)
There was a person
Who looked at a woman
While he was killing a man
She recorded it
on cellphone camera
It was seen around the world
On the internet and TV
It sparked outrage
And heart cry
Crooked foundations
Scrutinized
People that didn’t look like
That killed person protested
Around the globe
And the seat of power
Seeing a possible fleeting power
Fearing this era of the iconoclasts
In order to keep
reined power
And protect property
And protect icons
and images graven
made of stone
in the image of men
Who didn’t see
woman and man
of a certain color
As made in
the image of God
Sent word
as the blue bird flies
Certified
And landing over
near the port
Unidentified and unidentifiable
men came in
Sent from the Fed.
They are not welcomed into the city with roses.
Federal masked men grab somebody
Put em in an unmarked van
One mom is watching
There’s more and worse than this
It’s more than she can stand
Puts out the Mom signal
Mom-vengers assemble
Clicked up,
Dansko gang
Straight outta Anne Taylor Loft
Going to Target finest
Rolling up like
Hey Federale, leave our kids alone
Wall of Moms
Woman shield wall
Chanting caught on camera
“Hands up please don’t shoot me”
Did you see it on TV?
Resistance shown in a variety of person
And a wide array of tactics
Portlandia band of bandits
Teenage journalist
With rubber bullet scars
And mom brought to tears
By the gas of the canisters
But,
One thing that stopped
The masked man?
For at least one skirmish?
A woman
Waging war like Athena
Unarmed and un…. Clothed
apparently
Guns down,
I hear some of the masked men
raise the camera up
2020 selfies ummm… huh
Some parts censored on the TV
I think about the time
Prop and Micah Bournes
Chopped it up about Person
In all our glory and mistepping humanity
Those words spoken they still get to me
And I think about before
The great mystery and glory and dignity
Of the Garden
Between woman and man naked
Apparent and transparent with God
Their personhood
The flesh spirit manifestation,
Precursor, preview, way station
Of Tabernacle and priesthood
To be fulfilled
But then lies believed about identity
And what it means to be godly
Compromise consumed from the tree
And eyes opened apparently
And truth naked beyond the tree
Leading to
An eviction notice
And flaming swords
East of Eden
And fratricide
And blood crying out
/ And ground crying out
And asphalt E 38th
Across from Cup Foods
Cries out, cries back
Man fallen into sin and depravity
Manifesting in flaming car
East to West in the picture
Manifested by man causing man to die
By knee on neck
A manifestation of fractured broken fallen system
A manifestation of fallen broken fractured man
Choosing power over godliness
As if they were equivalent
Choosing the lie
And saying
Yes and amen therein
But mistaken
For neither infinite wisdom
And that fruit looked like it could provide
Nor infinite power
And what great power he assumed
With knee on a neck
For 8 40 6
And looked right at that woman
Looking right at that man
While she filmed with that camera
So you could see it on the TV
As if he feared not the justice of man
As if the shield and the blue
Imbued him with the mark
Of the shepherd’s brother
As if he feared not the true justice of God
Reasoning hasn’t the King given this man
the sword to wield?
Ignoring the likes of the Lord’s pleading
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?
But if you do not
Then you risk rejection
sin is crouching at your door;
One knee down
As if on a neck
And you have believed its lies
As if the allowance to wield power
Were a blanket endorsement to wield as will
As if life and dignity were yours for the taking
As if you would not be frothing
If another man did that to one you loved
Did that to your son
As if the man with your knee on his neck
Were not loved and worthy of life
As if I AM weren’t pro-his life
But no
The lie is false
Know ye not that the lie is false?
I’ve been trying to tell you
Neither infinite power
Nor infinite wisdom
could bestow godhood upon man
For that there would have to be
infinite love
as well
The ultimate manifestation incarnated
In a person
From the bad part of town
Born of woman
Son of God
and Son of Man
Into empire and the fall
Who was on this radical
What you do to the least of these
You have done unto me kind of kick
Put your sword away
Hear, I’ll tune your ear
Let me heal you of violence
And insecurity and fear
And mis identity
For we are more than just suspects
Pre and post sufficient evidence
More that just targets for bullets
And bullets for targets
And I have been with you
all of this time
And still you say
show us the Father
Like what is God like?
Don’t you see
Beloved
As far as you need to know
As far as you need to live
As far as you need to be
He looks like Me
The carpenter from Galilee
Who dies upon the tree
And there is forgiveness for sin
If you come with repentance
But for injustice
There is also
God’s vengeance
For on that day there are sheep and goats
And some may find
millstone close to throat
American founding father knew this
Thomas Jefferson Virginia Notes
and I quote:
Indeed I tremble for my country
when I reflect that God is just,
that his justice cannot sleep forever…
the Almighty has no attribute
which can take sides with us
in such a contest.
And Jefferson may not be
the most reliable prophet
But over that profit?
He could admit some moral missteps
Back to 5 25 2020
Injustice captured on camera put on TV
We are in reckoning
Invitation for repentance and repair
And you really, really flexin’ on
“Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV.”?
Kidding me
Ecclesiastes 10:14
I felt conflicted on this one, but also compelled. And inspired. Micah Bournes put out two new (brilliant) pieces, within about a week: “Fire” and “Ice” (both featuring Vernon Caraway). Both pieces are consistent, but felt really new.
For me it was a call back.
Beloved sisters and brothers in the faith have continued to breathe faith and encouragement into me through their hope and love.
…some words have been said in the United States of America… then some words burned inside me to be written and spoken. The frame kind of made it easy… so I can be thankful for that.
Rumble with Michael Moore has been covering resistance in Portland for the last three episodes. I had not heard these stories.
And then I did. Amazement. Apprehension. Inspiration.
Ep. 101 features Garrison Davis (Teargas Proof), a teenage journalist. Ep. 102 features Bev Barnum, organizer of the “Wall of Moms”. Ep. 103 features Teressa Raiford, founder of “Don’t Shoot Portland”.
I think Davis and Barnum are new to the field. Raiford has been in the struggle for years.
One regret. The third episode wasn’t released until after most of this was already done. There is a story there that really deserves some words as well.
In time perhaps.
(I don’t necessarily endorse or agree with everything found in the links above, but believe there is a lot of value in them as they shine some light on what is going on in the US today.)
I do not understand God. I stand in awe. Holding love and justice to such an extent is a weight I cannot imagine.
Those “Neither infinite wisdom, nor infinite power” words are from A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.
I have used them before. I will use them again I’m sure. It scratches perfectly at some of the weight of the mystery of the true Leader of the only truly free in this world.
He both is The Word, and truly has the best words.
Also, Micah Bournes, again – “Razor Blade”. Obviously.
Also, Corey Paul – “Bullets and Targets”
The Jefferson quote is pulled from MLK’s Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community
Apologies for any discrepancies between lyrics. We are works in progress.
Festival of Booths 
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