Gentle Rebel was written in June 2018 and has remained unreleased until now.

Listen to Suggested Audio

Madonna “Rebel Heart (Instrumental)”

… so I took the road less traveled by
Barely made it out alive
Through darkness somehow I survived
My rebel heart still beats

Outgrew my past and shed my skin
Forgave myself each deadly sin
Embraced my imperfections
And my rebel heart still beats

Stronger than ever before
Now I’m back where I belong
Right here, where I desire to be
With light inside me guiding
Through day or night, said light confides
That which I knew from very start
This rebel heart of mine shall beat, retreat not from the highest tides

Each wave that crashes at my feet
Refreshes in its blessing
Every lesson learned, in turn, then lessens convalescence
In essence, I am love and light
Impressions of the second sight required to make it through the night and seize the day with open eyes

Rebel heart still beating hard
For life need not undress the precious things I feel within my restless soul
The storms may come and pass but this is how a hopeful garden grows
Required to suffer bloody nose
To duly reap the harvest
A masterpiece of second spring
A song to sing in sweetest key
One all about recovery
And finding my way home to me

… so I took the road less traveled by
Barely made it out alive
Through darkness somehow I survived
My rebel heart still beats

Outgrew my past and shed my skin
Forgave myself each deadly sin
Embraced my imperfections
And my rebel heart still beats

I took the road less traveled by
Trusted it would lead someplace
About-face to a childhood graced with all the precious things life chased away
This took me back to long before the door was slammed shut in my face
Prior to the shadow keeping vigil in my place

I knew from very start
And sooner still
That I would be required to spill, or else the lilies at my feet could never ever dream to see the flourish
Encouraging the earth beneath to ring the bell on all ten toes
Compose a lullaby so timely, every flower in this garden grows
Full bloom
Elbow room to breathe
Rebel hearts all beating, leading different tribe than those who beat retreat to keep the ground beneath their feet
Depriving leaps of faith that life will steal away, should we not make it through the night and seize the day before our best selves get away

A better way for all who choose to lounge in shade, profound in grace
Allow the universe to have its say
Commence the serenade
No masquerade has been in vain
For every pain, I felt to gain the courage of conviction
Affection for the blood within my veins
This pumps the vital fluids to the gentle heart that beats within
A masterpiece of second spring
This song I sing in sweetest key
The one that bids release
From that which really has no place in me

I see
So clearly
In crystalline, through wide-eyes realigned to see the sweetest things about me
Devout now reimbursed as we proceed to bleed each curse into a blessing hand-in-hand, undressing verses of the damned
Rebel hearts all beating, this different tribe of second sight
Of love and light
Flames burning bright
Have made it through the blackest nights
To seize this very day
To breathe again

… so I took the road less traveled by
Profoundly made it back to light
Through darkness I came back to life
This rebel heart still beats

Outgrew my past and shed my skin
Found that which always was within
With different tribe stood firm by side
In stance of honor dignified
My eyes they open wide this day
This gentle heart of mine
Inflamed
It beats

Richard Charles Stevens

Keeper of The Crimson Quill

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