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Thou hatest – why? What have I done
Respect to lose like foolish one?
I say, ‘Go up’ – ‘No, down’, you say;
‘Go down’, – ‘Go up’, contrary way.

I chase my tail encircling you
Till all my actions, like some fool
Who has no guidance of his own,
Reverberate in sonorous tone.

I thought we'd broken from that mold
Cast all that off in days of old;
But here we are back at the start
You hold some crust, say ‘beg’, or ‘bark’ –

‘Roll over’, ‘sit’, ‘lie down’, ‘go fetch’
‘Heal, silly dog, you son of bitch!’
‘Why can't you just do what I say
And when, and where, like yesterday?’

I try and try to please you, ma'am,
But you push further then I can
Go without getting all confused;
I cannot win with actions used.

So I sit down, as all dogs do,
Or wander off, feel quite abused –
‘Who's got the problem's what I ask
When you're the one who's set the task?’

Could it be that, despite appears,
I've been the leader all these years?
You copy me who follows you
A twisted wreckage – I the fool?

How then to act to quit this mess?
Set straight our ways, from the wilderness
Walk on into the Promised Land
As promised kids of Kingdom can?

Said, ‘Follow me’ you did, my Lord,
I said, ‘Why yes, now, at your word,
I follow you – my hand in yours
She follows hand in mine the course’

For I am blind, I do not see
My way made clear; to certain be
Of how to walk, or where, or why;
I wander lost 'neath desert sky.

Lord, what and why I do not see
No certain way's discerned by me;
I try to get a fix on things,
But thrashing ’round no closure brings.

Which sets things off way down the line
As she discerns no goal of mine;
To be outside a structured frame
Not seen as work – just selfish gain.

Meanwhile the clutter and the mould
Laps at our feet, steals all the gold
And treasure from this life of ours,
Brings on despair in daylight hours.

Lord, we need guidance, structured way
To get some settledness today;
Lead me aright, fill with your grace
Help us move on – and seek Your face.

Lord, what I hear is, “Carry-on
You're doing fine, just don't look down
As there's a rock beneath your feet
For I sustain, give food to eat.

“Give out, ahead, don't take goods in,
For that's the way to Kingdom win –
Not just for self, your family group,
But everyone – break from that loop.

“Do life, their way, I've shown you how,
Way back in life, and even now
You know quite well just what to do,
Just walk their walk, you are no fool.

“It's not your culture, nor your way;
Whatever road you take today
It's not being done in ‘Echoland’
For in their turf is where you stand.

“I want you seeking out their code
The way that's burden for their load –
Crash dummy test, freefall within
Their cultures’ ways, watch where you've been.

“Think how you learn, when fast and best;
Don't try to learn just like the rest –
Encourager's from patterns lift
Aberrant way, (insightful gift).

“And givers? from big picture know
Best way around roadblocks to go;
Administrators – structure sound
To hang their thoughts, once they are found.

“So? How to mix three ways in one,
So when you act the trophy's won?
Don't act until the way you see –
The pattern’s there, just follow Me.

“Again live life like in past rounds
Confusion's in the world around.
Like maze of corn in farmer's field
There is a Way, and it will yield.

“No matter what is done to you;
No matter how you look the fool;
No matter why you choose to act;
In end, you'll bring My trophy back.

“For you are in their cultures’ ways;
Out on the edge you spend your days;
For no one cares much what is done
There you can walk, till Kingdom come.

“Your journeys to the city's place
Gives access to that people’s ways;
Yet drawing from the rural towns
You'll gain sufficient from their rounds.

“You need to learn more of the Way
To circulate ‘My Better Day’;
Through photo-poems like some goods
Leave a paper trail, as through the woods.”

Oh Lord, I see it – volume five –
Where Jake is taught to stay alive
In one short trip into their land
Al's wisdom helps him understand –

Not answers but a way to talk,
And leave a trail, help others walk
Where he has walked each day out there
So in the end they'll be aware –

Of what he's learned, and what's the score
And not get lost as he learns more;
Then send a card, ‘I have gone home
To Echoland, no more to roam’.

For I'm not Jake – that's not my look
In volume five there in the book –
Though my beginning's laid out there –
Not Jake's but Al's, now he's aware.

I thought that Jake would clue in Fred
(Although he almost ended dead),
But no, it's Fred who learns from Chris-
tine then up north has inner bliss.

It's just we don't hear all the parts
Of Freddy's life ‘fore he departs;
He circles round, and looks up Jake
Talks TCK down by the lake.

Then Jake learns facts of Jeremy
Resolves that tale's complexity;
For what's apparent’s not what is –
Al sees he's in ‘Apostle’ biz.

Not as a teacher but someone
Whose life-long quest has just begun;
For I'm like Al of Maritime
Not white, nor Cree, but ‘Creenglishman’.

Thou hatest – why? Cross culture’s walls
We've seen each other's ways as cause
For putting our defences up,
And breaking off communion's cup.

I see it now – with no regrets –
Your way, O Lord – your Kingdom let's
Us all live now with sweet foretaste
Of what's ahead when fullness breaks.

For I'm now off to understand –
A trail to blaze to Promised Land;
Not here below, but up above
While living here, in wondrous love.

For you, O Christ, have brought to us
Through your Apostles, midst great fuss,
A Way for us to learn of God –
To live full life here on this sod.

Salt, leaven for our loaf, and light,
Enriches each one's culture – bright
Our path lit up amidst the dark
No longer slaves, or dogs that bark.

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