Friday, December 08, 2006

Where the Echoes Stop

Where the Echoes Stop
by Erwin Raphael McManus

I want to stand where the echoes stop.
Far past where sound has abandoned thought.
Where silence reigns over redundancy.
Where once well said is more than enough.

I want to stand where the echoes stop.
Where words must be born to be heard.
Where speech is a gift and not a curse.
Where there is more of the unique and less of the mundane.

I want to stand where the echoes stop.
Where meaning is rescued from noise…
Where conviction replaces thoughtless repetition…
Where what everyone is saying surrenders to
what needs to be said.

I want to stand where the echoes stop.
Where the shouting of the masses falls silent to
the whisper of the one…
Where the voice of the majority submits to the voice of reason…
Where “they” do not exist; but “we” do.

I want to stand where the echoes stop.
Where substance overthrows the superficial…
Where courage conquers compliance and conformity…
Where words do not travel farther than
the person who speaks them.

I want to stand where the echoes stop.
Where I only say what I believe.
Where I only repeat what changes me.
Where empty words finally rest in peace.

I want to stand where the echoes stop.

“Be still and know that I am God…” -Psalm 46:10a


(about the author... here)

4 comments:

  1. Great poem, very thought provoking. This guy sounds like you. Love you, N

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  2. Phenomenal poem, but your link to the author info didn't work and I was very sad... can you fix it?? Meanwhile I'll try to look him up on my own...

    Can we stencil this on the walls of the church?

    Grace...

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  3. It works fine. Try again. N

    ReplyDelete
  4. just checked it, it seems to be working now. Give it another shot.

    Glad you liked it, I'm really digging his writting.

    Z

    ReplyDelete