Remember

For James. With inspiration from Psalm 46.

There is a place
where the river runs slow,
where its waters trickle by
       like the falling of a leaf,
where the wind whispers
       through the trees,
"Do you hear?
 Do you hear?"

There is place
where the river runs swift,
where its waters call and play
       like the laughing of a child,
where the wind whistles
       through the trees,
"Do you see?
 Do you see?"

There is place
where the river runs fast,
where its waters roar and foam
       like the boiling of the clouds,
where the wind hisses
       through the trees,
"Do you feel?
 Do you feel?

"Do you feel,
 weary traveler,
 the burden that you bear?
 Do you see
 the length of the road
 stretched out
 behind you and before?
 Do you hear
 the cry of your
 beaten, broken
 soul?

"Will you go?
 Will you stay?
 Will you stand?
 Will you fall?"

Will you be?
Will you simply,
                    utterly,
                         completely,
                                   wholly,
                                             be?


Be —
     be —
          be still
                              and know
        that
               I AM GOD.


Because there is place
where the river runs calm,
where its waters make glad
       like the rejoicing of a city,
where the still, small voice
       sings the traveler's heartsong,
"I am here,
 I am here,

                         you are Mine."