Pandemonium

Don’t think about it too much
Just write your thoughts on the page as they come
You know they’ve been piled up, scattered all over, and cooped up in your brain
Let them out; let your mind breathe; give your thoughts more space
Acknowledge everything that has been and release them
Give your emotions exposure to the light of day
Who knows what might come your way once you do
You’ve thought about how much you’ve missed going to movies
With friends like Archie, Mike, or one of the men you’ve mentored
You’ve pondered about life perhaps not ever going back to what it used to be
Certain that you do not want to revert to some of the old things
Unsure of letting the others go
You’ve thought about the utmost importance of times of solitude
Especially when spent in the presence of God
You’ve realized even more how valuable face-to-face interactions with people are
The priceless moments you’ve invested into the lives of others way before all this happened
And the future times you’ve yet to spend on others, moving forward
You’ve thought about some of your dreams and desires in life; and how they all seem so distant under these uncertain skies
Vacillating back and forth between bludgeoned belief and wrung out weariness
Yet always going back to the safe space and reinforced refuge of Strong Arms and Encompassing Wings
You’ve asked question upon question; formed speculation after speculation; traced one possibility after another
There were many, though never reaching anywhere near fourteen million six hundred and five
New things were appreciated
Old things, missed
Confinement felt like a blessing at one point
A punishment at another
Passions were refined and focal points made clearer
Long-standing promises were confirmed in the agony of the wait
Long-hidden shadows brought forth into the light
You’ve thought about the second season and the fun things you could do with the Story Fiend
And the narratives she has yet to spin and play out
How much further is that from here?


Through windows barred and fences locked
In barren skies and beaches blocked

Opinions bandied around — blatantly pointless
Arguments profusely bleeding — utterly senseless

Stay in, speak out, move on, turn off
Fight back, face front, spew hate, give love

The season’s mad enough; don’t add fuel to the fire
The bomb is ticking; you soon better cut the wire

A plague, a weapon, a medical abuse
Intended? Invented? Is all of this a ruse?

Solve it with might; fix it with glue
Sometimes the answer is just within you

Maybe in silence or maybe with words
Maybe there’s ways that love’s not been heard

Indoors is safety, outdoors not quite
Does everyone sleep soundly, securely each night?

The trump too loud? The gong too thundering?
These ships seem aimless… or are they: you’re wondering

Do we trade lives so we could live on to trade?
Have all the options been exhausted and weighed?

Perhaps all this chaos, perhaps all this loss
Were meant to bend our knees; eyes fixed on the Cross

Perhaps in the uproar if we learn to be still
We might just find answers, a much better will

Oh my God… look around this place
May we all see Your hand move as we all seek Your face

You are here in the midst much more than we realize
In this pandemonium of heart and mind and sighs

In our musings and choosings, give us wisdom and hope
Let us know that you’ll find us at the end of the rope