Beneath The Mangrove Tree

Title art by Clyde Butcher. Click image to visit his studio.

Listen to Suggested Audio

Florence + The Machine “Queen of Peace (Instrumental)”

I wish no pain upon thee
How could I ever
‘Tis not in my nature of henceforth incline
To hate with eyes blind
Ties to sever

Not a drop of blood be spilled
Bereft of the request to heal
I live
I breathe
I feel to love
Just enough my unrestricted heart in bidst reveal

Should certain verses sting
Then here’s the thing
I wish no ill
Simply feel with every fibre, filament and thread

Can sense the price upon my head
When lords of justice cry me dead
The swords they thrust I will deflect
Yet, only to protect us all

My purpose is to put out call
Illuminate the rise from fall
For such, accept the marytr’s cause
Respect the muses’ sterner laws
That I must be prepared to die
Ten thousand times to break my bread
If only, to protect us from ourselves

Each and all are friends to me
No enemies possessed
No single soul disiderated any less than very best
I live
I breathe
I feel to love
Just enough to brave these tests
In hope and faith that one fine day
Our final breaths be blessed

Could nevermore show harm’s intent
Hold those so dear beyond arm’s length
The truth is, I have fierce respect
For those impassioned swords erect

If only every star connect
The skies would brighten
To no small effect
This constolation named exempt from idle fingers wreck

Should certain verses sting
Then here’s the thing
I feel the pinch
For mortal coil my own known toils embroil in human skin
Vanity disinterests, no venture tends request to popularity
Simply wish to lead us home
Where charity begins, in kind

Not a drop of essence left behind
In bitter wake
‘Tis not within my supernature
Blinding eyes with hate
The veil gate is no myth
This monolith stands deathless testament
To all devout to bleeding out with grace to trace the elements

Should the pain become too great
Then we may scream through art
Not to inflict pain on others
Family and friends and lovers
Only arm-in-arm can we recover from the blight
That coils up tight inside us
That which acolytes deem righteous

Preaching judgement to the masses
Teaching not to be impassive
Form assumptions based on scripture’s fearmongering *truths*
In unbecoming favour of most famous sacred ruse

We are not damned
Even when there feels so precious little left possessed to lose
Every solitary breath relieved be breathed anew
Once the great gate beckons
Each of us can pass straight through
As bard, it is my purpose sole revealing mangrove tree to ceaseless view

I wish no pain upon thee
How could I ever
When we’re tethered
Certain ties cannot be severed
Certain flowers bloom
Inherently and verily proceed to breathe anew

The air of fair prosperity
Of love in steeped infinitude
All saints be blessèd
Sinners too
For every breath be spent anew

Should certain verses sting
Then here’s the thing
They sting me too
My single wish to breach the tide
And teach the skies to glimmer
Alongside every bright light
Acolyte and shadowed dimmer

Weave the braid of all, in kind
Illuminate the rise from fall
My purpose is to put out call
No essence left behind

I see the entire universe in timeless sweep behind thine eyes
For such, accept the marytr’s cause
Prepared to die, in kind

Go well, be safe
All those for whom
My heart weeps gently then to bloom anew
My one undying wish consists the very same for you

Hereby remain until my dying day
In blindest faith
That one fine day
Veil gate unto
We’ll know precisely what to do

Until such date
Await with patience
In thine name, persuasion gracious
Not a drop spilled in abatement
Of the sweetest truth
That I wish solely greatness upon thee
Forevermore shall station here
Beneath the mangrove tree