I.



I don’t have no trouble
Into my house



I don’t accept no offerings
For friendship or sin



I don’t need no man
To carry my load



I have the Lord
And that’s all I need



I have my boy
And keeps me busy enough



I have my stories
And that’s plenty of fun



No mooning
for handsome face
he gone
And I alone escaped
to tell you



II.



Let my words cut
A groove in the heart
Of the matter between us



Let the noise fill
Our days with hum
And drain the tiredness from my lips



Let the shadow fade
And the x-ray be nothing
So we can have ten more years



And I alone escaped to tell you:
Let nothing be forgotten
Let everything be forgiven



III.



Talitha koum!
Rise up daughter
Naked you came to me
Naked you depart
What He gives
He takes
I will still
Praise
Him



IV.



Every Thursday is a sin day
Hearts and stomachs are let loose
To sow the chaos they long to



I could not let you go
No matter how thirsty I became
My voice remained urgent



On Sunday they ask for prayers
I mouth the pleading recipe
A scripted coda broadly smiling



I was sure it was you
That lit the match and blew
A whirlwind through the rafters



On Tuesday they pulled it down
The old timber wrecked and smouldered
And I alone escaped to tell you