Returned To Say
When I face north a lost Cree
on some new shore puts a moccasin down,
rock in the light and noon for seeing,
he in a hurry and I beside him
It will be a long trip; he will be a new chief;
we have drunk new water from an unnamed stream;
under little dark trees he is to find a path
we both must travel because we have met.
Henceforth we gesture even by waiting;
there is a grain of sand on his knifeblade
so small he blows it and while his breathing
darkens the steel his become set
And start a new vision: the rest of his life.
We will mean what he does. Back of this page
the path turns north. We are looking for a sign.
Our moccasins do not mark the ground.
Submitted by Bakari Thomas
poem by William Stafford

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Related quotes
It's A Hard Road
I jumped on the train
I left this old town
I escaped the rain
I'm no longer down
The wheels start to turn
My worries are gone
I have lots to learn
About the trail that I'm on
As I look around
I see my new friend
I know I am bound
To travel till the end
I'll travel south and I'll travel north
I'll travel east and I'll travel west
I just want to find the road that is best
The train it did slow
I'm in a new place
The moonlight does glow
On my tired face
It's time for me
To try and find a bed
It's time for me
To rest my weary head
Morning is here
There's sorting to do
I'll sound sincere
With my goodbye to you
I'll travel south and I'll travel north
I'll travel east and I'll travel west
I just want to find the road that is best
It's time to move away
I'm not satisfied
I've spent many a day
Finding a place to reside
There's a town on my mind
It's just down the track
No need to find
A way to get back
The train I will get
Sitting at the station
The future is set
I feel anticipation
I'll travel south and I'll travel north
I'll travel east and I'll travel west
I just want to find the road that is best
poem by Liam Hughes

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Dark the shadows haunt the night
If I began to cry
The tears would never end
If I lowered my guard
Then how could I defend?
From every side the walls close in
And there is no place that you could stand
That would hide you from this world
And all that it demands
Whoever said that life was fair
Has not lived long enough
When the path takes you along the edge
You'll see them fall off the bluff
But the problem is
If your guard is high
You will wither away
And begin to die
How could something so small
Cast such a shadow on the land?
How was it that it stood so tall
Yet it was just a grain of sand?
I made my way through this world
With the Sun forever at my back
And the shadows went before me
And the shadow it was black
One grain of sand in my eye
Tormented me for many years
And I could never hope to fly
For I was blinded by my fears
Then Jesus came and turned me round
To face the rising Sun
His light it shone upon my face
And my journey had begun
When you walk into the Son
The shadows fall behind
The Sun removes the grain of sand
Now you're no longer blind
Who is your grain of sand my child
That made you stumble, made you fall?
In the light of Christ perhaps you'll find
That persons not so very tall
Dark the shadows haunt the night
That cause you to run and hide
Look to the Son that shines so bright
And He will shine that light inside
O to be filled with the light of Christ
And see the shadows disappear
To lift my eyes to heavens heights
And finally to shed a tear
poem by Frank McEleny

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North of North
I’m treading shallow water
and there’s moss on all sides of the trees
evergreen
this must be north,
north of north.
“Sometimes I am rock-like
and sometimes I am herring
and sometimes I am you.”
I say this while the water works like wind
upon my eyelashes.
When you are underwater you are always crying
or never crying
and it doesn’t look so blue.
Your boots are territorially based,
rock and rock and mud.
“Do you plan on swimming the whole way? ”
I close my eyes like you don’t exist
like I am being eaten by a bear
like the water is my water and I am dying.
Then I am crying real salt tears
into the real fresh water
and I think of the tree you cut down
and how it cried real maple tears
and surrendered.
“No, ” I say. “We’re here.”
poem by Shaye Anderson

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Individuals
In the west we look to the east.
In the east we look to the west.
In the south we look to the north
and in the north we look to the south.
Wherever we are we look to the opposite
for the mystical sunshine
we see in others eyes.
That promise of plenty
everyone seems to have.
Each life is individual
to be lived the same way.
Each will have separate roads
along which to travel.
Each will find something
in what others have declined.
Each will find a path
to the heaven that they seek
as the individuals we are.
20 September 2010
poem by David Harris

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Wandering Soul
I travel the Earth and the astral plains,
I’ve lived most my life in guilt and shame,
Shame for the life bestowed on to me,
Guilt for the demons I couldn’t set free.
I saw the horse prints in the sand,
I was stuck in travel of no man’s land,
The sand was hot and the sun was high,
I had to keep going but wanted to die.
The minutes turned to deathly hours,
Shallowly Cactus’ no sign of flowers,
Every grain of sand seemed my encumber,
No sign of rain no sounds of thunder.
I travel for days in search of a vision,
My soul it carries many incisions,
Incisions of darkness, incisions of light,
I’m a tortured soul that welcomes the night.
I try to reach many but only a few will hear,
The sound of my voice or my footsteps near,
I travel in the shadows of days and nights,
I try to step over and cross into the light.
I am dreary and my energy hardly glows,
I’m what you call a lost and wandering soul,
Drifting over the hills and across the plains,
No one see’s me or knows my name.
© 2011 Wind Songs Spiritual Poetry
poem by Annalee Hopkins

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We Are All Lost In Our Own Small Lives
WE ARE ALL LOST IN OUR OWN SMALL LIVES
We are all lost in our own small lives
Which seem to be the world to us
But which are for the Universe
A grain of a grain of a grain of sand
So so so so nothing at all –
We are all here at the center
So serious about what we are
And we ultimately are
What every unnamed atom will never see
Oh small is not the word
And nothing either
We puffed puffed puffed up fools
Mostly me.
poem by Shalom Freedman

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To Heaven On Foot
Ta.................Ta.................Ta..
My journey began a long time ago
how it began is unknown
in this journey I was born
where to go lies in
Ta..............Ta...............Ta
the thuds of my foot steps
as I head to heaven.
Ts a long way to go
A life time ride by horse
through suns outstretched
to a land where
I find my own foot marks
telling me I have been here before
I am lost
perhaps the path lies in
Ta.............Ta.............Ta
the thuds of my foot steps
as I head to heaven on foot
Ts a long way to go
a one day ride by time
if day be eternal,
A journey o'er that hurdle
I hope time offers me its saddle.
Ts still a long way to go
miles and miles above the skies
a dismayed try after all the tries
ts still a long way to go
to heaven on foot.
My feet has become heavy
lardened with the sound
of my foot steps
my mind is lost at the centre
of direction,
am lost at the centre of a compass
hesitant to haste
so I move slow, a still gas
the path lies in
Ta.............Ta............Ta
as I heard to heaven
on foot.
I have walked for a life time
I have walked at least to death's time
now before me
are woods of green
and songs of birds playing,
are dear birds flying happily to heaven?
My matildah has
but a compass,
so I unpack my soul
clean its feet and
Ta...............Ta.............Ta...
To heaven on foot.
To cut through these woods
To cut through the song
of the white ravine
To cut through a way
and pass through the raven
Is the misguided hope of angels,
fallen angels
so I shall walk and
will never get lost in
Ta.................Ta...................Ta
the thuds of my foot steps
as I head to heaven.
In these woods
that tree points north
that other tree points north
all of the trees point to north
but their posture
is dimantled in a still gesture.
They point north
with their leaves
but they dont march
to heaven's gates
they are just still, stagnant pasture,
I cannot feed
their direction I cannot follow
but
Ta.............Ta............Ta!
To heaven on foot
I go and nothing on my way
I forego.
If I at once be stranded
was told to trace
my way back
following my prints and my scent
back to birth back to heaven
for I am from heaven.
But all I stumble upon
are cries of a child,
will the noise lead me to that mild
and allowed heaven?
Or do I have to cry
as I walk to heaven?
Ta....Ta.......................Ta...Ta! ! !
Through hills and drowning in seas
on my way to heaven,
on foot.
Across plains and hills
my body, sweating profusely
and tracking in ice
through and through the chills
my body no longer sweating,
sweat is freezing on my body,
everywhere frost
and I am not lost
on my way to heaven
on foot.
Ta........Ta....................Ta...... Ta
I walk now
Ta...Ta.............Ta...Ta
I will walk then
TaTa............TaTa...
until I reach the gates
Ta..Ta..Ta.....................Ta...Ta.. .Ta! !
Increasing my pace and rates.
On my way to heaven on foot
On my way to heaven on foot!
poem by Chanda Mwenechanya

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A Coloured Print by Shokei
It winds along the face of a cliff
This path which I long to explore,
And over it dashes a waterfall,
And the air is full of the roar
And the thunderous voice of waters which sweep
In a silver torrent over some steep.
It clears the path with a mighty bound
And tumbles below and away,
And the trees and the bushes which grow in the rocks
Are wet with its jewelled spray;
The air is misty and heavy with sound,
And small, wet wildflowers star the ground.
Oh! The dampness is very good to smell,
And the path is soft to tread,
And beyond the fall it winds up and on,
While little streamlets thread
Their own meandering way down the hill
Each singing its own little song, until
I forget that 't is only a pictured path,
And I hear the water and wind,
And look through the mist, and strain my eyes
To see what there is behind;
For it must lead to a happy land,
This little path by a waterfall spanned.
poem by Amy Lowell

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North And South Of The River
I want to reach out over the Loch
And feel your hand across the water
Walk with you along an unapproved road
Not looking over my shoulder
I want to see, and I want to hear
To understand your fears
But we're north and south of the river
I've been doing it wrong all of my life
This holy town has turned me over
A young man running from what he didn't understand
The wind from the Loch just get colder, colder
There was a badness that had its way
But love wasn't lost, love will have its day
North and south of the river
North and south of the river
Can we stop playing these old tattoos
Darling I don't have the answer
I want to meet you where you are
I don't need you to surrender
'Cause there's no feeling that's so alone
As when the one you're hurting is your own
North and south of the river
North and south of the river
North and south of the river
Some high ground is not worth taking
Some connections are not worth making
There's an old church bell no longer ringing
Some old songs are not worth bringing
North...
(Higher ground is not worth taking)
North and south of the river
song performed by by U2

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Among the Trees
I wonder lost among the trees
Looking for the one my heart calls for
I wonder lost among the trees
I see your light amongst the dark
I wonder lost among the trees
Your light is brighter then the rest
I wonder lost among the trees
Your light is out of my reach
I wonder lost among the trees
Your light comes closer
I wonder lost among the trees
Your light is bright like an angel from the sky
I wonder lost among the trees
Your light fades away and leaves me alone
I wonder lost among the trees
Without a hand to guide the way
I wonder lost among the trees
Looking for my guiding light
I wonder lost among the trees
I wonder lost, alone
I wonder afraid of the world
Around me I look for the one
I wonder lost among the trees
I wonder lost and alone forever...................................
poem by kelly Martini

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North & South Of The River
I want to reach out over the loch
And feel your hand across the water
Walk with you along an unapproved road
Not looking over my shoulder
I want to see, and I want to hear
To understand your fears
But were north and south of the river
Ive been doing it wrong all of my life
This holy town has turned me over
A young man running from what he didnt understand
The wind from the loch just get colder, colder
There was a badness that had its way
But love wasnt lost, love will have its day
North and south of the river
North and south of the river
Can we stop playing these old tattoos
Darling I dont have the answer
I want to meet you where you are
I dont need you to surrender
cause theres no feeling thats so alone
As when the one youre hurting is your own
North and south of the river
North and south of the river
North and south of the river
Some high ground is not worth taking
Some connections are not worth making
Theres an old church bell no longer ringing
Some old songs are not worth bringing
North...
(higher ground is not worth taking)
North and south of the river
song performed by by U2

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Ohio
She said she needed a break
a little time to think
but then she went to Cleveland
with some guy named Leelan
that she met at the bank
There's nothing wrong with Ohio
Except the snow and the rain
I really like Drew Carey
and I'd love to see the Rock n' Rock Hall of Fame
(Bridge)
so when you're done doing whatever
and when you're through doing whoever
you know that your county will be right here waiting for you
come back to texas
it's just not the same since you went away
before you lose your accent
and forget all about the lonestar state
there's a seat for you at the rodeo
and I've got every slow dance saved
Besides the Mexican food sux north of here anyway
I think I made a mistake
Its not that easy to take
She went to make a deposit
then she cleaned out her closet
Guess I'll sit here and wait
For her to come back home (I'd wish you come back home)
it shudnt take very long (so long so long)
i bet she misses the sunrise
and misses the fruit flies but i could be wrong
So when your done doing whatever
and when your through doing whooever
you know Denton County will be right here waiting for you....
Come back to Texas
Its just not the same since you went away
I bet you missed your exit
and drove right on through the Lone Star State
Theres a seat for you at the rodeo
and I've got every slow dance saved
Besides the Mexican food sux north of here anyway
Troy Aikmen wants you back
Willie Nelson wants you back
NASA wants you back
and the Bush twins want you back
and Pantera wants you back
and Blue Bell wants you back
I got a premonition
I'm taking a petition
and the whole state's gonna sign
Come back to Texas
Its just not the same since you went away
Before you lose your accent
and forget all about the Lone Star State
Theres a seat for you at the rodeo
and I've got every slow dance saved
Come back to Texas
Its just not the same since you went away
Before you lose your accent
and forget all about the Lone Star State
Theres a seat for you at the rodeo
and I've got every slow dance saved
Besides the Mexican food sux north of here anyway
Besides the Mexican food sux north of here anyway
Besides the Mexican food sux north of here anyway
song performed by by Bowling For Soup

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sea Holly
Begotten by the meeting of rock with rock,
The mating of rock and rock, rocks gnashing together;
Created so, and yet forgetful, walks
The seaward path, puts up her left hand, shades
Blue eyes, the eyes of rock, to see better
In slanting light the ancient sheep (which kneels
Biting the grass) the while her other hand,
Hooking the wicker handle, turns the basket
Of eggs. The sea is high to-day. The eggs
Are cheaper. The sea is blown from the southwest,
Confused, taking up sand and mud in waves,
The waves break, sluggish, in brown foam, the wind
Disperses (on the sheep and hawthorn) spray,—
And on her cheeks, the cheeks engendered of rock,
And eyes, the colour of rock. The left hand
Falls from the eyes, and undecided slides
Over the left breast on which muslin lightly
Rests, touching the nipple, and then down
The hollow side, virgin as rock, and bitterly
Caresses the blue hip.
It was for this,
This obtuse taking of the seaward path,
This stupid hearing of larks, this hooking
Of wicker, this absent observation of sheep
Kneeling in harsh sea-grass, the cool hand shading
The spray-stung eyes—it was for this the rock
Smote itself. The sea is higher to-day,
And eggs are cheaper. The eyes of rock take in
The seaward path that winds toward the sea,
The thistle-prodder, old woman under a bonnet,
Forking the thistles, her back against the sea,
Pausing, with hard hands on the handle, peering
With rock eyes from her bonnet.
It was for this,
This rock-lipped facing of brown waves, half sand
And half water, this tentative hand that slides
Over the breast of rock, and into the hollow
Soft side of muslin rock, and then fiercely
Almost as rock against the hip of rock—
It was for this in midnight the rocks met,
And dithered together, cracking and smoking.
It was for this
Barren beauty, barrenness of rock that aches
On the seaward path, seeing the fruitful sea,
Hearing the lark of rock that sings, smelling
The rock-flower of hawthorn, sweetness of rock—
It was for this, stone pain in the stony heart,
The rock loved and laboured; and all is lost.
poem by Conrad Potter Aiken

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Ohio (Come Back To Texas)
She said, she needed a break
A little time to think
But then she went to Cleveland
With some guy named Leeland
That she met at the bank
There's nothing wrong with Ohio
Except the snow and the rain
I really like Drew Carey
And I'd love to see the Rock n' Rock Hall of Fame
So when you're done doing whatever
And when you're through doing whoever
You know, Denton County will be right here waiting for you
Come back to Texas
It's just not the same since you went away
Before you lose your accent
And forget all about the Lonestar State
There's a seat for you at the rodeo
And I've got every slow dance saved
Besides, the Mexican food sucks north of here anyway
I think I made a mistake
It's not that easy to take
She went to make a deposit
Then she cleaned out her closet
Guess I'll sit here and wait
For her to come back home (I wish you'd come back home)
It shouldn't take very long (so long, so long)
I bet she misses the sunrise
And Mrs. Baird fruit pies, but I could be wrong
So when you're done doing whatever
And when you're through doing whoever
You know, Denton County will be right here waiting for you
Come back to Texas
It's just not the same since you went away
I bet you missed your exit
And drove right on through the Lonestar State
There's a seat for you at the rodeo
And I've got every slow dance saved
Besides, the Mexican food sucks north of here anyway
Troy Aikman wants you back
Willie Nelson wants you back
NASA wants you back
And the Bush Twins want you back
Pantera wants you back
And Bluebell wants you back
I got a premonition
I'm taking a petition
And the whole state's gonna sign
Come back to Texas
It's just not the same since you went away
Before you lose your accent
And forget all about the Lonestar State
There's a seat for you at the rodeo
And I've got every slow dance saved
Come back to Texas
It's just not the same since you went away
Before you lose your accent
And forget all about the Lonestar State
There's a seat for you at the rodeo
And I've got every slow dance saved
Besides, the Mexican food sucks north of here anyway
Besides, the Mexican food sucks north of here anyway
Besides, the Mexican food sucks north of here anyway
She said, she needed a break
song performed by by Bowling For Soup

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Might As Well
Great North Special, would you all board
You can't find a ride like that no more,
The night the chariot swung down low
Ninety-nine children had a chance to go.
One long party from front to end
Tune to the whistle going round the bend,
No great hurry, what do you say?
Might as well to be every way.
Might as well, might as well, might as well, might as well,
Might as well, might as well, might as well, might as well,
Might as well, might as well, might as well.
Ragtime slowly for twenty-five miles
Then switch over to the cajun style
Bar car blowing rhythm and blues,
Rock 'n' roll wailing in the old caboose.
Long train running from coast to coast
Bringing home a party when you need it the most
Work on the box car, beat on the bell
Nothing else shaking so you might just as well.
Might as well, might as well, might as well, might as well,
Might as well, might as well, might as well, might as well,
Might as well, might as well, might as well.
Never had such a good time in my life before
I'd like to have it one time more
Whoa! One good ride from start to end,
I'd like to take that ride again, again!
Ran out of track and I caught the plane
Back in the county with the blues again
Great North Special been on my mind
Might as well, might as well, might as well, might as well,
Might as well, might as well, might as well, might as well,
Might as well, might as well, might as well
song performed by by Grateful Dead

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Situation Report On A Reconnaissance Expedition
We went to reconnoitre enemy positions
being dropped from very high by parachute
in a dark moonless night
and I couldn’t even see the stars
as I came down to the ground
and there wasn’t any sign of light
up to the horizon.
After landing we grouped together
following a compass
walked miles and miles north east
saw the rising sun
walked right through the day
and did not find any enemy,
found no activity or any sign of man
crossed some small rivers marked on the map
saw a lot of crocodiles, some hippopotamuses
came across a lion kill
where they lay snarling at us
and as hiking through the bush go
this was excellent
as we saw almost all of the big five first hand,
while moving between them
and came back alive
but in a strategic military sense
it was of no value.
poem by Gert Strydom

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To His Mistress
Why dost thou shade thy lovely face? O why
Does that eclipsing hand of thine deny
The sunshine of the Sun's enlivening eye?
Without thy light what light remains in me?
Thou art my life; my way, my light's in thee;
I live, I move, and by thy beams I see.
Thou art my life-if thou but turn away
My life's a thousand deaths. Thou art my way-
Without.thee, Love, I travel not but stray.
My light thou art-without thy glorious sight
My eyes are darken'd with eternal night.
My Love, thou art my way, my life, my light.
Thou art my way; I wander if thou fly.
Thou art my light; if hid, how blind am I!
Thou art my life; if thou withdraw'st, I die.
My eyes are dark and blind, I cannot see:
To whom or whither should my darkness flee,
But to that light?-and who's that light but thee?
If I have lost my path, dear lover, say,
Shall I still wander in a doubtful way?
Love, shall a lamb of Israel's sheepfold stray?
My path is lost, my wandering steps do stray;
I cannot go, nor can I safely stay;
Whom should I seek but thee, my path, my way?
And yet thou turn'st thy face away and fly'st me!
And yet I sue for grace and thou deny'st me!
Speak, art thou angry, Love, or only try'st me?
Thou art the pilgrim's path, the blind man's eye,
The dead man's life. On thee my hopes rely:
If I but them remove, I surely die.
Dissolve thy sunbeams, close thy wings and stay!
See, see how I am blind, and dead, and stray!
-O thou art my life, my light, my way!
Then work thy will! If passion bid me flee,
My reason shall obey, my wings shall be
Stretch'd out no farther than from me to thee!
poem by Lord John Wilmot

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The Paths
The path to destruction is invisible,
It is travelled on by the wise,
Giving an enterprise to behold,
Like a gesture too meek.
The paths are long and hard,
In one complete stroke you have moved,
In a single movement the damage is received
As the paths lead to roads leading to fatigue.
This path we allow on the rest of the world
Is narrow and far too long to achieve,
Success needed wending like a path,
A meandering path carried a difference.
Only a road is higher than a path
For it is tortuous in a full condition,
Its heavenly splendour is exciting
Like the eating of apples attached to a tree.
poem by Naveed Akram

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Wind Of Prediction
As the trees play in the breeze
Do you wonder what it may mean.
Does the wind coming from a certain direction
Mean something we should heed.
North wind blows cold and dry
Originating from the elements of earth
Read as the wind of death, colour black
Time to abondon issues no longer needed
Heed the news from the North.
West wind blows moist and fertile
Elements of water, coloured blue
Soothing, sensitive and healing.
Touch the cleansing power of the West.
South wind blows hot and dry
Of element fire, colour red
Usethe initiative and passion
To boost the ideals
Haste to feel the southern breeze.
East wind blows from the orient light
Assaulting with cold dry feel
Symbol of air, coloured white
Trust new starts from the East.
North South East and West
Thus the world changes
From whence it blows
That is what it will show
Predictions blown around.
poem by Alison Smith

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U-Turns Allowed
God allows for all u-turns in life, on this road of worldly strife,
All can make a u-turn today, from that broad to a narrow way,
Open to any upon that path, strewn with litter of Satan’s wrath,
Simply turn into God’s Door, and find a path, stable and sure.
God gives light, day and night, in the moon and sun so bright,
Though it’s covered up at times, by God’s choice and design,
He sheds His Light on us all, who left the broad for that small,
To travel that narrow way of life, with God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
When the darker clouds appear, on His path, we need not fear,
After making in life a turnaround, we’re on one sure and sound,
When those shadows fall ahead, we can lean on Christ instead,
Of pursuing matters on our own, to deal with our trials all alone.
As you choose to turn to Him, He turns your life away from sin,
Through The Spirit’s interjection, God gives a life new direction,
God’s Holy Spirit takes the lead, as His Truth we begin to heed,
Guiding us in each turn and bend, by the wisdom He shall send.
When you turn your heart to Christ, God will give you a new life,
Putting you on a new road, that takes you to a Heavenly abode,
For when that first turn is taken, by God, you won’t be forsaken,
And up in Heaven you will see, He’ll be with you through eternity.
(Copyright ©09/2008)