Turn the Light On.

All the wall are moving inwards
So the room's becoming smaller
Whilst the ceiling drops towards me
I feel I'm bigger, wider, taller
There's no oxygen for breathing
Though the windows have no panes
And the floor's become an ice rink
There's no foothold to be gained.
Everything I grasp to save me
Turns to dust that disappears
All the days that seemed so precious
Seem like empty, wasted years.

and my heart breaks
    all my strength fails
         and I crumble to the ground
I have wept tears
     of vast sorrow
          but now I do not make a sound

Because I'm empty
and I'm hopeless
I am void and without form
I'm a ship without an anchor
In the dark night of a storm.

I am walking on a tightrope
Like a rope bridge o'er rough seas
It is old and frayed and broken
And swings precarious with the breeze
If I slip, I'm lost forever
I cannot see a net below
And I'm half inclined to just give up
throw in the towel, let go.

But I keep on holding on
One step and then one more
And I cannot tell you why
What I am living for
No purpose can I see
No goal or aim in sight
Just passing time each day
And sleeping through each night.

Life's lost it's flavour, God
I only had a taste
And now it's bland and dry
And feels a shameful waste
of all that could be there
Of possibility
Oh turn the light on, God
Chase darkness far from me.

shine through the cracks that show in me
The cracks of broken dreams
Oh let your light of power break through
In vast unshadowed beams
And light the way before me
As in my heart you glow
and take the fragile seed of hope
And teach it how to grow.

Karen Holmes
5th August 2016

Our Cities.

A poem of many thoughts around cities and building. 


This city's built on rock and roll or so the song proclaims
Amid dissatisfaction with the "corporation games"
We only want to dance here - but "someone stole the stage"
How crushing is the blow when we are "written off the page"

There's a city called Jerusalem so Revelation claims
With a great high wall, 12 open gates inscribed with special names
There is gold and jewels and brightness, Gods throne at centre stage
There's a special book of life there with our names upon each page.

There are cities in our areas, there are towns and streets as well
There are villages and hamlets the places that we dwell.
There are buildings, there are parks and streets where with others we engage
There are documents and house deeds with our names upon the page.

In your city, in your town, your house - there are changes that are made
We decorate, we paint, we build, we move and rearrange
We do not let our house fall down, we furnish and repair
We stamp our mark upon it and show it every care.

There are cities in our hearts I think, the inner place we dwell
The place where only we abide, our heaven or our hell
An area wherein we write our story on the pages
The theatre of life enacted on our own small stages.

And cities change - as we have said, and often, so do we
We need to tend our lives with care so we might fruitful be
Our lives, our hearts, our faith, our walk with God, each step we take
Will impact, fashion, recreate the city that we make.

Have you, have I built anything in recent days gone by?
My city's built upon the Rock, my faith, my God and I
Oh challenge me to move and grow to place each brick with care
And when the cracks begin to show, to know how to repair.

The cities where I dwell need growth to stay alive
Need restoration and rebirth and gates propped open wide
The tree of life with all it's fruit grants healing for the nations
Your name is on the page my friend, dance on in celebration.

We can each one build a city from the ruins, from the rubble
Though it won't be overnight and it may bring it's share of trouble
Don't give up, don't feel defeated, take your pen and start to write
the foundations of the city that is beautiful and bright.

Karen Holmes
May 2nd 2016