(about 2008)
The Drummer beats
The Drummer beats
a steady beat
beat, beat, beat...
A straight beat,
a narrow beat.
Mom and kids march
to the beat.
Knees high,
elbows in-
good effort, but
the beat is very small.
The beat is very still.
Children make noise;
baby cries, dishes crash.
The beat fades,
disappears.
Something is missing.
Oh! The beat.
Mom gets very still.
The beat is there,
ever there.
she takes the children
hands in hands.
Mom and kids march.
But the beat
fades again;
disappears.
Something is missing.
A leader!
The leader has
a special power
given by the Drummer
Himself
to hear the beat.
To hear it
clearly, loudly.
"We need a leader!"
one child says.
"Yes." says mom.
"Where is he?"
another asks.
"Marching to a
different drummer?"
yet another asks.
"No. No," says mom.
"He got tired
and had to rest,"
yet another says.
"No, not so,"
says mom.
How can she
explain?
She knows where
the leader is.
He kneels
to serve food
and drink
on a silver platter.
His warm arms
reach around
a warm blanket
against the cold.
He smiles;
the world turns
to sunshine.
To the kids
he offers gifts
of fresh air,
adventures,
laughter and fun.
The world is such
a beautiful place!
Still...
something is missing.
Oh! The beat.
Never changing.
The beginning.
The end.
Mom and kids
march to the beat.
but they can't hear
and year by year
they get off beat.
They cannot hear
the loud and clear
Beat
that's in
their leader's ear.
"We need a leader!"
cry the children
in their eyes.
With their hands,
with their hearts.
"Yes." says mom.
"Yes."
Mom takes his hand
and His hand too.
"Your leader is here."
