Vicar Denis Adide wrote three Spoken Word poems while at United and performed two of them from the Arena stage:
Always here was from the first night of week A.
Always here
You are always here
always here,
even when doubts creep in,
and fear reigns,
like a strong stain through ten washes it remains,
the truth that you are here,
Beside me,
always
You are always here
always here,
even in the buffeting,
when the world seems more riveting,
like a bissetting thought
burrowing even deeper than it ought
it remains
annoyingly reminding me
I was bought not cheaply,
and though I resist it deeply that is my lot,
Then stony heart thaws
And joy overflows
As all of me knows
Despite all my flaws
you are here
always
On the mountain,
in the valley,
On the road and at home,
in my sitting down and my rising,
surprising me with simple subtle love
and gentle shoves of sheer affection,
making all of life’s thrills seem mundane.
here,
always
and so… good father
remove the clouds I bring,
teach me to sing,
by your water help me drink
teach me to breathe again
open my eyes that I may see your gaze
your open embrace
and the long hard race you’ve taken to find me,
with my arms in yours teach me to lean in,
to listen to your heartbeat
Safe beneath your wings.
to lift my voice and let the deep roar
so in your rejoicing I may soar
and may more
know
Your awe
Here
always
Selah!
The poem Surrender is my summation of what happened one evening. One of the folks camping with us had faith ignited in them as we spoke. It felt like God held the rain back till our conversation ended. We giggled from our tents when it started to rain.
Surrender
Under the red sky,
Clouds rushing by us
We spoke –
The wind had made a joke of our shelter
Bending the metal spokes to liberate the
Robes we had thought would keep us from burning –
All the while,
Hearts were churning,
Wrestling a long known yearning to meet with you.
As questions arose And stories flew
We all could see – as if anew –
That you had led us here.
Red sky turned pink,
God-incidences linked
Overthinking decreased
As with ease the long known yearning grew.
Every question traced your name
Every answer framed your face
Every minute drew us closer
Tracing lanes from nails and rough cut wood
To the now hallowed ground
On which we stood.
And as the darkness settled
It felt as though your light grew
And every sinew burned with love for you.
We needn’t speak, you’d done it already
Steadily in mercy and readily with grace
To pull further from the grave
Your lost child whose feet you’d placed among us.
And so, we packed our chairs away
Bid our farewells and zipped our tents
Just then, mere second hence,
Droplets of rain. Not late and not too soon.
Wake up is from the Saturday night of United B when Pete Greig was due to speak.
Wake up!
Wake up!
Wake up from your slumber,
Let not your limbs linger
In self imposed restraint.
Wake up!
You were made
By the hands that effortlessly paint
A brand new sunset at the end of each day,
Forged by the voice that makes birds play
Dreamt by the galaxy flinger
Whose fingerprint etches across every age
A deep deep story of rich rich love.
Wake up!
You were chosen
Before any age,
A gift from above
Clothed better than the blades of grass
And flowers that in full colours rage.
Blessed from heaven’s gates
Where the holy fountain bests
All the mountain ranges
The enemy places in the way.
Wake up!
You have been given the name
That floors all thrones
The same that knocks on all doors and waits
With patient grace
To show his face on those once chained
Who seek reprieve from a graves restraints.
Wake up!
Before him now,
Silence is sleep
Stillness will keep the weeping
Victory is calling
Stand, adore him.
Sing, rejoice in the one who joins in
Dance, be porous
Make noise, be holy chorus
Our God is for us!
Wake up!