InMediasRace

Punctuated

So long(.)
Since I’ve tried courting(,/;)
I’ll leave(.)
The decision(’)s for you(./,)
To make the best choice(./,)
You must know about the fishes and birds.

I am a bird(.)
Who says(?/,)
“I fly close to heaven(”)
(“)And hunt you,
(“)But don’t(.”)
Think I’m a bird(?/;)
I am a fish(.)
Who drowns in his doubts(?/.)

I do(.)
Your beauty(:)
Injustice.

I am whichever one of these(;)
That you are not(.)
A bird or a fish should not matter.

Dammit.

27 November 2003

punc·tu·ate (pŭngk’chōō-āt’) v. -at·ed, -at·ing, -ates. 1. To provide (a text) with punctuation marks. 2. To interrupt periodically. 3. To emphasize or stress.*

Interwoven

So long
Since I’ve tried courting
I’ll leave
The decisions for you
To make the best choice
You must know about the fishes and birds.

I am a bird
Who says
“I fly close to heaven
And hunt you,”
But don’t
Think I’m a bird
I am a fish
Who drowns in his doubts

I do
Your beauty
Injustice.

I am whichever one of these
That you are not
A bird or a fish should not matter.

Dammit.

27 November 2003

in·ter·weave (ĭn’tәr-wēv’) v. –wove (wōv’), -wo·ven (wō’vĕn), -weav·ing, -weaves. –vt. 1. to weave together. 2. To blend together: intermix. –vi. To intertwine.*

–
*Source: Webster’s II New Riverside Dictionary. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1988.

A tiny ruby ball upon my skin
Reminds me of the flood I hold within
My frail and flailing, fleeting, fragile corps
Which someday will be invalid no more.

The living liquid wraps itself around
The wound, and starts in perfection to bind
My skin to skin; my body mends itself
In finely-spun linen from He who dwells

Outside of corporeal things—of pain and death,
Of pride, of want, orgasm, sin, or breath;
For when this vessel is devoid of blood
His own He’ll give, and bring me home for good.

(30 October 2000,
7 May 2004,
16 November 2008)

This is the first of what I hope to be a long collaboration between myself and George Walsh, an incredible musician I’ve known for about fifteen years now. This song was written and recorded from 12-13 November 2009 at George’s studio in his home, and is a testament to how easy it can be for any of us, as Christ followers, to reunite and do amazing things with the creative imperative God has placed in our hearts–even after long years of absence.

The lyrics are inspired by Psalm 8:1 (an oft-adapted psalm), and Habakkuk 3:18.

Tom Burke and George Walsh - “The Will”

(Note: You may need iTunes to open this file. I couldn’t get it into mp3 for some reason; I’ll convert it a little later if requested.)