"Pulpit" - 1/6/20

It is difficult to know sometimes
From the pulpit of "entertainment"
How much to let on / let in

Fires consume continents, wars consume regions
Friends consumed with mothers and fathers, lost
What can we do, when we are gathered

This few of us, on a Sabbath
At the edge of a city taut
Fraught with its own tragedy

Reviewing my potential set-list tonight
"This Darkness", "Bravery's On Fire"
I couldn't quite do it

Anticipating if I sang publicly what I
Mourn privately, no holds barred
Rivers would flow

"Release show" is an oxymoron
Releasing cannot be done for show
Releasing comes from letting go

Sometimes, as Joy confided tonight
"Playing music is so hard"
But not playing is not an option

So I will rest my eyes
Grateful for the opportunity
To gather generous listeners

To the palm of my heart
Hopefully, hope comes through
Even when life cannot imitate art