Messenger's Lament

While singing at an open stage
A messenger came along
And told me of a higher place
With love ever after and song
I took the torch and followed
To the dungeon we went down
"From here you work your way
To the tower and the crown"

Ah but...
Who'll carry
The torch for me
When my arms
Are tired And who
Will sing my song
When my voice
Has expired

For many days I lingered
In the courtyard of a king
And this is what he said to me
When it came my chance to sing
"Outside these walls the wind sings
Where good crops are sown
Within these walls there's but a draft
To stir a seed from a stone"

About halfway up the tower
My lips had lost their fire
My hands were getting stiff
I couldn't strum my lyre
"Who'll lift this torch its heavy
Who'll march on the big walk"
"Try standing on your own feet
When your heart's a heavy rock"

Word came to the crumbled tower
With scolding tenderness
"I gave to you a garden
Now it's a wilderness
Some stones are stained with blood
Some stones have gathered moss
I look beyond the stones and ask
Who'll bear my heavy cross"

© 1996 Stefan des Lauriers
(Written on August 23, 1996)

MASTERPIECE OF HEART

The Master once carved 

in the finest marble

Something to reflect

 His eternal heart—

A man and woman wrapped

 in one embrace

It was never meant to break apart

The marble had one flaw

He warned the apprentice

Stay clear of that place

You'll soon have my blessing

To create your own “Loving Embrace”

Let me be the marble

 where the Master's Hand has passed

Let me be embraced

 by a love that's meant to last

For we are all one part 

of the Masterpiece of Heart

Just before the work was to be unveiled

The apprentice chiseled in a tragic mistake

Being tempted to add a finishing touch

It caused the whole creation to break

The Master's heart was crushed

A multitude of hands

Made a mess on their own

And then the wind scattered

What was once

Magnificent stone

Let me be the marble…

Then one man found a way

 to restore the piece

Which had finally turned 

to a dust so fine

It's in seeing each person

As a work of heart

We are all a part

Of His great design

Now the marble is in our hands

We must all become a loving embrace

For the Master is longing

For each of us

To be taking our place

Let me be the marble…

© 2005 Stefan des Lauriers

THE MAN IN CHAINS

A diver broke the surface
With a jug of ancient wine
And as the Romans drank it down
The stars began to shine...
Along the distant shoreline
When the soldiers had their way
With their ships all calm at anchor
And the games done for the day

A man in chains had turned around
As soldiers pushed and shoved
All he said was, "I am free
'Cause I am free to love."
The soldiers started laughing
As one remarked in jest
"When we feed you to the lions
Will your love survive the test?"

"You Soldiers fear to love,"
Replied the man in chains
"Only when you lose yourself
Will you have a world to gain..."
"Why do come back grinning
When we prod you with our spears
The conquests of our Empire
Will last a Million years."

"You may build a fortress
To withstand the worst attack
Yet, love like grass will grow
Through roads not meant to crack."
"Is this the greatest love?"
The soldiers were at a loss
The man said, "God is Love —
His Son died upon your cross.

Believers go to Paradise
And bathe in endless Light..."
So they unlocked the chains
And said, "Get out of our sight."
...A diver broke the surface
With a jug of ancient wine
The Romans drank it down
And the stars began to shine.

© 2011 Stefan des Lauriers

THE MINSTREL’S SONG

This minstrel works the shore line where the Romans come to play

Their ships are calm at anchor the games done for the day

As I’m off to the broken pillars to meet some friends of mine

A diver breaks the surface with a jug of ancient wine

When I was lost the people were few with anything good to say

But now that I’m found they turn around to tell me I’m going the wrong way

A red carpet appears on the water like a fire

A road of bloody tears too late for his empire

Some say His time has past some say it has yet to begin

I drink from a cup of darkness and see light upon the rim

Moonlight on broken pillars built on shifting sand

Maybe they would rise again at the touch of his hand

If He were here this evening and joined us in this ring

This minstrel still believes this would be the song I sing