Empty Staff

by Thomas M. Pender
 

It's time to kill Music
For crimes against
The Heart
For the rape of Love
And the murder of Faith

We once sang to the Son
And now we play to the Fire
Our melodies were sprung from light
But our tunes now are children of heat
If you scream
They will dance
For while they can still hear
They no longer listen

God gave Music to Man
And Man shared Music with Hell
To create Noise

Our babies know no Beauty
Because they cling the Noise to their ears
They have forgotten how to talk
How to listen
How to feel
How to think

The notes no longer engage the heart
But the gut
Instinct
Drive
Fear and Hate
The light dims as the fire spreads

Start again
With an innocent child
And empty staff
And Love



written by t. michael pender  3/6/97
copyright 1997 T. Michael Pender.  All rights reserved.

Anthem

by Thomas M. Pender

I am

I am me

And no one else is allowed to be me

They can’t see what I see

They can’t feel what I feel

And I am proud

Proud to be me

I am not arrogant

Because I know that I am not better than others

Just different

Unique

I think

I dream

I fear

I love

I hate

And I cry

And each feeling that I feel

Is mine alone

Things touch me

Like they touch no one else

And I touch others

As no one else can

What others feel toward me

Good or bad

Are their own feelings

And I will not let them change me

In any way

Because if they change me

I will be someone else

And not me

And me is all I want to be

For no one else is allowed to be me

And me is a fine thing to be

written by t. michael pender  5/19/87

©1987 T. Michael Pender.  All rights reserved.