Mother With No Child

Mother with no child, who are you now?

Are you the longing in your heart

The loneliness at night

The hopelessness that beats upon the door?

Mother with no child, where are you now?

Hidden behind distant eyes

In joys long past before your future was stolen?

Mother with no child, whose are you now?

A stray dog on the street

Left for dead

Forgotten by your God?

Mother with no child, where is your babe?

She has left your sight, yes, but has gone home before you, not without you.

You know this deep within.

Mother with no child, who can you be?

Can you be new

Can you be healed

Can you be free to recreate?

Mother with no child, who can you become?

Gold from fire

A more compassionate soul

A healer to others?

Mother with no child, how are you still breathing?

A morsel of hope

A choked up prayer

A strength beyond your lungs?

Hear me now -

There is a place for you here among the living.

Hiding Place

Gather me up underneath your wings

I need a hiding place

Away from the heaviness living in me

And into your arms where I’m safe

I may never know what happened really

I may never know the truth

But surely you’ll hold me and tell me gently

All that I’ve lived is safe with you

Make me an eagle so I can fly

Soaring above it all

Up from above isn’t near as frightening

When all of it seems so small

So gather me up underneath your wings

I need a hiding place

Away from the heaviness living in me

And into your arms where I’m safe

Safe in your hiding place

Silence

Silence all around

Where tiny cries should be

Silence in the morning hours

Silence in my sleep

I wish for sounds of restless nights

And busy mommy things

But all I hear is silence

In places she should be

When Sadness Lies

So many rooms of sadness lie

Inside the memories of my mind

From icy walls and hallway fights 

To hospital rooms with yellow lights 

I thought I was alone in there

Alone to face a world of fear

But now I see your eyes of old

That pierce into my very soul

Your presence wasn’t far from me

You saw it all, the fear, the grief

And even now you weep for me

You weep for all that I believe 

That keeps me in these lonely rooms

Away from me and away from you

For if I let you come inside

I just might find a place to hide,

To offer up my lonely heart

To find some light to soothe the darker

Spaces in my memory

That shut you out, so I can’t see

Your presence in these rooms was real

Please help me Lord, so I can feel 

The kindness of your love for me

The hope and joy and empathy

You too have suffered so much loss

Do I dare forget the cross? 

Where you proved the deepest love for me

From now until eternity

So come inside my empty rooms

Remind me how you feel them too

And sit with me a little while

Just hold me like a little child

Whose father loves her more than life

And tells her truth when sadness lies 

So many rooms of sorrow lie

But you tell me truth when sadness lies